The Magic of Collaborative Painting

Collaborative painting has a unique energy. When we paint together, each of us brings their own experience, ideas and creativity. The result is a dynamic combination of the interaction of the group in those moments. Here are four examples of collaborative painting. They highlight the beauty and visual complexity of this simple process. This process involves the three stages of Messy Playing, Exploring, and Bling!

Collaborative Painting Example 1: “Encouraging Excellence”

One of my favorite collaborative projects is “Encouraging Excellence.” In this piece, 120 junior primary students at IQRA College in South Australia painted together over three sessions. Messy Playing was in the first week with the reception children. Exploring took place in week two with the grade 1 children. Bling occurred in week three with the grade 2 children. Two artworks were created, and this is a detail of one of them.

Reflection: This project was so much fun. The kids had a ball. They worked in smaller groups each week. The groups consisted of either boys or girls. They tried a variety of colours, brushes, and techniques. The resulting artworks were inspired by the logo of their school. The gold I often like to include shows the inner strength we all have inside us. It serves as a bright reminder. Each child received a print of one of the artworks. They can pop these prints on their fridges at home to proudly show their family and friends. The artworks also decorate the halls in their school.

Collaborative Painting Example 2: “Peer Support”

This is a detail view of the collaborative painting. You can see the free expression of people with a wide variety of approaches. Some participants had low tone – their contributions are just as significant as those with stronger hand control. In fact, the variety makes this piece beautiful. As I always say, every mark adds to the whole! We call the scribbly lines ‘spaghetti’, and by turning the canvas periodically it becomes a signature element of the artwork.

Reflection: “Peer Support” is a collaborative painting. It was created with and by people living with disability in South Australia. Members of Our Voice SA, a peer support and advocacy network, created this 1m x 1m artwork over three sessions. They did this to celebrate the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD). This day is celebrated every year on 3 December.

Collaborative Painting Example 3: “Safety”

“Safety” is an example of a collaborative painting. It was created by a group of teenagers who are in a Young Carer Collective in South Australia. They added layers of circles, spirals, and marks on a cool background throughout the day. Each painter added their flair in a few colours. There were two paintings created on the day. You can see them being created in this video: Carers SA Young Carer Stories

Reflection: By offering the painters simple instructions to create, their creativity is unleashed. Examples of patterns and marks were on hand for them to copy, or combine. This frees people to be creative, as creativity loves constraints!

Collaborative Painting Example 4: “Companionship”

In “Companionship,” this collaborative painting example was created over about 8 sessions. Hundreds of members of the public were invited to join in. They used cool colours to add their own patterns and decorative elements from many suggestions on show. It was during my ‘Art Story’ at Westfield Marion. People had a great time contributing! I now have my ‘Pattern Play’ visual resources available at My Collaborative Art Shop.

Reflection: By using a limited colour scheme, this collaborative artwork is cohesive. Each session I had three colours available. These included a light blue, a green and an aqua. The aqua was made of blue, white and a touch of green. The next session would be a purple, a deep blue and a light green. Participants are encouraged to try each colour and experiment with the different ‘Pattern Play’ examples to choose from.

Final Thoughts About these Collaborative Painting Examples:

Collaborative painting is a rewarding experience that pushes the boundaries of individual creativity. It fosters collaboration, mutual respect, and a sense of community among the painters. The magic lies in the process. The experience of painting companionably is the fun part. The final artwork is a testament to what people can achieve painting together.

I hope these examples and insights inspire you to start your own collaborative painting journey.

Happy painting!

Charndra, Your Inclusive Social Art Guide.

Discover how to create collaborative art examples like these. Join my Inner Circle email group to get “Starting Your First Social Art Project at Home”. This is my free 7 page step by step guide. Painting a unique artwork is effortless with my three fun stages. You can enjoy this activity with a group of people in your life. I love collaborative social art and want to share it with you!

Let’s Chat:

Do you resonate with cool colors like greens, blues, purples, and aquas? Which of these cool colours do you prefer and what do they remind you of?