Art and technology are coming together in a new and incredibly fascinating way with the release of the Emoji Mosaic tool. Created by New York Times web developer Eric Andrew Lewis, Emoji Mosaic turns pictures and other images into mosaics that are made completely of emoji — and I think it's safe to say that it's probably going to be the next big thing in Instagram photography. Who doesn't love a good emoji? I feel like all of my photos are going to become a lot cuter with the use of this tool.
If you're wondering how exactly the Emoji Mosaic tool works, it couldn't be any easier to use. In fact, it's so simple that I'm willing to bet that even your most technologically challenged grandparent could use it successfully. All you have to do to use the Emoji Mosaic tool is follow the instructions on the page — that is, upload any image... and then just wait. The emoji-fied image will magically appear on the screen, ready for you to download at your convenience.
Of course I needed to try it out for myself, so I uploaded this photo of myself showing off my outfit in front of Starbucks to see what I would look like emoji-fied. Here's the original image:
And here's the Emoji Mosaic version of the photo:
How cool is this, guys?! I died when I saw the final product. I couldn't be more obsessed! You can tell it's the original photo, but it looks a million times cooler after it's been turned into what I would argue is a work of digital art. You can even easily save all of your creations, thanks to the "save image as" button the that allows you to export your new and improved photo to your computer or smartphone. Greatest thing ever? I think so.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, folks on social media are going nuts for Emoji Mosaic — and to be honest, I can't really blame them. When something is fun, easy, free, and turns out this cool looking, it's hard to not develop something of an obsession with it. Here are a few of my favorite ways people on Instagram have been using the tool:
1. The Cute Dog
I wouldn't have thought this adorably pup could have gotten any cuter, but somehow, it has. Such is the power of emoji.
2. I Don't Know What This Is, But It's Cool
Look at how incredible that detail is!
3. The Cartoon Penguin
Where can I get one?
4. A Beautiful Flower
This should seriously be in a museum. It's just so beautiful.
5. The Emoji Mosaic Of An Emoji
How very meta.
Images: Erin McKelle Fischer/Bustle; Hopsthebardog, Reklamania_creative, Lauren Wolfe, ouradventuresinjapan, polsola/Instagram
