Quick Takeaway
Want to run a group community painting project but aren’t sure where to start? I’ve facilitated more than 60 community and school-based collaborative art projects with over 2,000 participants. In this post, I’ll show you how I structured Myriad in Harmony: Unity Within Difference!, a collaborative artwork created with 80 people during an art exhibition.
You’ll see how I used the three stages of my Pattern Play Collaborative Art framework – Messy Playing, Exploring and Bling! – to help a large group create one cohesive artwork together.
What does a group community painting project involve?
A community painting project can be as simple as inviting people to add their own marks and patterns to one shared artwork.
For Myriad in Harmony: Unity Within Difference!, I created an artwork that visitors could contribute to during the Myriad Exhibition. Over three days, 80 people added to the painting.
Rather than asking everyone to create a particular picture, I used my Pattern Play Collaborative Art framework to give the project a clear structure while leaving plenty of room for individual contributions.
The artwork developed through three stages: Messy Playing, Exploring and Bling!
Here’s how it worked.
Start with Messy Playing
The first stage was Messy Playing. The aim was to get people comfortable with the paint and with adding their marks to an artwork that other people would also be using.
Participants used big brushes and a limited colour scheme of reds, pinks, yellows and oranges over a vibrant blue background. They made circles, spirals and other playful marks, layering their contributions over the existing artwork.
There was no expectation that anyone would create a finished picture. People could simply choose a colour, make some marks and move on.
This first stage helped break the ice and quickly filled the artwork with colour and movement. It also showed participants that they didn’t need to be an experienced painter to contribute.
The project was part of the annual Myriad Exhibition, created by Community Living Australia to showcase the art of people living with disabilities in South Australia.
Move into Exploring
Once the artwork had a good layer of colour and marks, we moved into Exploring.
Participants used smaller brushes to add patterns and develop areas of the painting. I provided my Pattern Play Printable Cards as visual prompts, giving people simple patterns they could copy, adapt and repeat.
They could add arches, dots, overlapping patterns and other shapes in different colours and sizes. Because the artwork already contained plenty of marks, participants could look around for ideas and build on what someone else had started.
This is where the painting really began to develop layers and connections. People’s marks became part of a large shared painting.
Finish with Bling!
The final stage was Bling!
This is when participants added the small details and embellishments that make a collaborative artwork feel finished. We used paint pens, glitter glue and stickers to add bold details over the layers of paint and patterns.
By this point, the painting had become a vibrant collection of hundreds of individual contributions that worked together as one artwork.
How to run your own group community painting project
The same basic approach can be adapted for schools, community groups, exhibitions, festivals and other public events.
Here are the things I’d plan before you begin:
- Prepare the artwork: Start with an Underpainting so participants aren’t faced with a completely blank canvas.
- Keep the materials simple: Use a limited colour scheme and make the brushes and paint easy to access.
- Give people an easy first action: Start with simple marks and shapes such as circles and clusters of dots and dashes to get started.
- Provide visual prompts: A few patterns give people ideas without telling them exactly what to paint – they can copy and adapt them to their own style or flair.
- Let the artwork develop: Encourage participants to build on existing marks and respond to what is there – adding to the artwork.
- Use stages: If you have time for a longer project, moving from Messy Playing to Exploring and then Bling! gives the artwork time to develop.
Most importantly, don’t try to control exactly what the finished artwork will look like. The appeal of a community painting project is seeing what happens when lots of people contribute their own ideas to one shared artwork.
What makes a community painting project work?
Myriad in Harmony showed me once again that a large group can create one cohesive artwork without everyone needing to paint in the same way.
The key is giving people a clear way to participate, simple choices and plenty of room to respond to what is already on the canvas.
With an Underpainting to get things started, Messy Playing to build the first layer, Exploring to develop patterns and Bling! to add the finishing details, the artwork can grow naturally as more people contribute.
And that’s the part I love most: you can start with an empty canvas and a simple structure, but you can’t completely predict what the community will create together. That unpredictability is part of the exciting creative outcome to embrace – seeing something truly unique unfold.
Happy Painting!
Charndra
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Explore More Collaborative Art Resources:
If these examples of collaborative art have sparked some ideas, you might be wondering how to bring something similar to life with your own group. These simple guides will help you take the next step with confidence and keep the process fun and inclusive.
Creative ideas for large group collaborative art – helpful inspiration for managing bigger groups smoothly
Different types of collaborative art projects for all groups – explore a range of approaches for different ages and abilities
How to create a collaborative artwork step-by-step – a simple process to help you get started with ease
🎧 Curious about how I run group community paintings? I share behind-the-scenes tips on the Easy Collaborative Art Podcast.