Crafted Mona Lisa

Indeed, this is the Mona Lisa! In Minecraft! Just as the title promised! This artwork by Leonardo da Vinci has been recognized as the most famous painting in the world for five thousand years, but only this.

Because angry individuals can’t stop visiting the Louvre Museum in Paris and are attempting to damage the Mona. Back in 1956, a vandal threw acid on the poor painting, and some hooligan hurled a stone at it. Even in recent years, idiots have splashed paint on it and ruined items from the gift shop. Guys, when you visit an art gallery, just walk calmly and occasionally say “hmm, interesting,” pretending you’re not bored. Okay? Leave your acid and stones at home.

So we are pleased to announce that this isn’t a story about someone doing something nasty to the Mona Lisa. On the contrary, it’s about how builder Alice brought the painting by Leonardo Da Vinci to life in 3D within Minecraft Pocket Edition! The Louvre should just throw out the old one and present this instead.

“For the past month or so, I’ve been working on weekly builds and sharing them through Twitter,” explains Alice when we asked what inspired her to bring the Mona Lisa into Minecraft. “This week I decided to create something related to painting. I had several ideas, but nothing was set in stone. A friend eventually suggested depicting the Mona Lisa. Obviously, it’s a very well-known painting. I didn’t want to ruin it!”

“Even though I knew it would be challenging, I still decided to go for it. Why not give it a try?”

This fantastic attitude towards any creative project is commendable. However, as seen in these photos, Alice did not merely recreate the painting in a two-dimensional format; she opted for a three-dimensional model instead. What led her thinking toward creating a 3D representation rather than a 2D one? “Creating a 2D image is too easy in Minecraft PE,” Alice explains. “There are plugins and more to import them directly into the game, and many people have done that with the Mona Lisa specifically.”

“They’re cool and all, but I wanted to take it a step further and recreate the actual environment depicted in the original painting. You really don’t get the same atmosphere that you can feel while wandering inside the painting.”

Alice first discovered MCPE by watching YouTubers play. “After watching a lot of videos and creating guides, I eventually wanted to experience the game for myself. I’m glad I got to do it!”
This gaming foundation drew her into the game and kept her engaged for a long time as an active user.
“I think the main reason I’ve enjoyed MCPE for such a long time is the communities. Over the years, I’ve made many friends who have become a small part of my life thanks to the game.”

“Yes, there are other places for creativity, but they don’t ignite the same passion for building creations like Minecraft has for me over the years. Plus, with new plugins always being created for building and new features constantly added, there’s always something to experiment with!”

“Despite knowing it would be a challenge, I chose to pursue it anyway. Why not?”

We asked Alice to share some of her other experiments related to Minecraft that she showcases on her Twitter. Check out a few images below! (try not to get too excited while viewing).

Eye Apocalypse. “I saw a surreal drawing of an eye as part of a landscape on Google while watching The Walking Dead at the time,” Alice explains. “That’s how Eye Apocalypse began.”

Terrain Example: “I previously built trees in a build. The terrain was inspired by those trees!”

“I used this as a project to practice creating human figures and hair, as well as another way for me to create water.” Cool! It seems there’s no clothing in the ocean.

Alice is a member of the Aeva network after being invited by a friend to join this server. “Some of my builds were noticed and appreciated by members of the Building team. After a while, they invited me to be part of their Building team. From my previous work, they thought I would make a good addition to their team!”

So, what benefits can be highlighted from participating in a building team/server? “You can receive much more feedback on what you build. This feedback can help you improve your skills and grow as a builder. There are truly talented and knowledgeable people in the Aeva community and team who have greatly helped me enhance the quality of my builds. Don’t do it alone.”

But maybe you… yes, you reading this article love to build solo. Perhaps after reading the last paragraph, you felt quite resentful. You became so upset that you’re planning to express your rage by flying to Paris and trying to smash the famous painting! Hey, calm down! Instead, read the tips below that Alice wrote just for you about building!

1. “Use reference images, at least when starting/attempting to build in a new style. They can assist you with scaling, coloring, measuring proportions, and much more.”

2. “Listen to others’ opinions about projects. They can help you fix those little details you might overlook.”

3. “Nothing will be perfect, but everything will be fine because as long as you enjoy it and have fun building, that’s all that matters, and that’s the only thing important.”

4. “And finally, practice, practice, and practice again. Over time, the quality will improve along with your efforts put into the work, and like any acquired skill, it won’t happen overnight!”