Quick Takeaway
If you’re looking for group art projects for non-artists, you’re in the right place.
Many facilitators running community groups, adult workshops or other group activities want a creative project that everyone can join – including the people who arrive saying, “I can’t draw.”
I’ve facilitated more than 60 collaborative painting projects with children, adults and mixed-ability groups, and I’ve found that the key is making the process simple, structured and open to individual creativity.
How would I approach group art projects for non-artists?
Here’s how I would approach a group art project where participants may have little or no art experience.
First, I would make it easy to get started
I’d begin with an underpainting so nobody is faced with a completely blank canvas.
The background can be painted loosely with broad brushes, rollers or sponges. I might also add a few simple visual prompts – an arch, a large spiral, a circle or a meandering line – to give people somewhere to begin by painting along or around those prompts, or copying them.
The reason I do this is that a blank canvas can feel surprisingly intimidating when someone already thinks they’re “not creative”. Starting with something to look at and copy or repeat removes some of that pressure. This underpainting doesn’t need to be neat, as it is simply giving a background to build on later – one that is far more interesting than boring white.
Next, the painters start
This is when the painters start. I’d introduce simple patterns and encourage them to experiment with basic shapes and repeating patterns by saying things like, “Paint three circles,” “Paint three large circles” and “Paint three small circles.” That’s enough direction.
The reason I do this is that you don’t need refined painting skills to make an interesting pattern. Everyone can paint a circle, while still having plenty of room to make their contribution their own – turn it into an oval, a blob or a sun, turn it into a spiral, or repeat it to make concentric rings.
Then, I’d have everyone start adding clusters of simple marks
Clusters of dots, dashes, circles, spirals and other simple marks can be added all over the canvas – think of each as a ‘cloud’ of marks, with several of these clouds drifting over the surface and overlapping each other.
Participants can add their patterns wherever they see a space that needs something, gradually building layers over what other people have already painted.
They can rotate around the canvas every few minutes, or simply turn the canvas regularly so different people are working in different areas.
The reason I do this is that the finished artwork becomes genuinely collaborative. No single person has to create the whole thing, and nobody’s contribution has to carry the entire painting.
I’d keep the colour choices simple
For each layer, I would use a limited colour scheme – for example, three colours from a warm or cool colour family, plus white. I provide the pre-mixed colours because they are not doing a colour-mixing lesson – they are painting together!
I encourage them to swap paint pots with each other now and then. More colours can be used across the whole painting, but keeping each layer to three colours makes the process much easier to manage.
The reason I do this is that a limited colour scheme takes away another decision participants might otherwise have to make. It also helps the many different contributions work together visually.
Finally, I’d add the details that bring it all together
Once the painting has several layers of colour and pattern, it’s time for the Bling!
Paint pens used to outline and add patterns in a different medium, swirls of glitter glue, stick-on gems, or dot stickers are finishing touches that can be added over the painted patterns. This is also a fun and light way to end the session – and again, I suggest adding the stickers in clusters.
The reason I do this is that the final layer gives people another opportunity to personalise their contribution – and it adds that extra bit of sparkle to the finished piece!
This is the basic approach I use in Pattern Play Collaborative Art. It has grown from years of facilitating group painting projects, and these are the things I’ve found make it easier for people with little or no art experience to join in.
Why group art projects work so well for non-artists
In community groups and adult workshops, it’s common for participants to arrive with comments like:
- “I’m not artistic.”
- “I haven’t painted since school.”
- “I’ll probably mess it up.”
Why group art projects work so well for non-artists
In community groups and adult workshops, it’s common for participants to arrive with comments like:
- “I’m not artistic.”
- “I haven’t painted since school.”
- “I’ll probably mess it up.”
A collaborative project can take away much of that pressure.
Participants can:
- Experiment without having to create a finished picture
- Try simple patterns rather than worrying about painting skills
- Work alongside other people rather than creating alone
- Contribute as much or as little as they feel comfortable with
- See how their small contribution becomes part of something much larger
And something I’ve seen repeatedly is that the people who are most hesitant at the beginning can become very enthusiastic once they realise they really can contribute.
An easy group art project for non-artists
One particularly accessible idea is a shared collaborative painting using simple patterns and a limited colour scheme.
You don’t need complicated drawing exercises or advanced art techniques.
Instead, participants can:
- Add loose colour to the background.
- Paint simple shapes and patterns.
- Build up layers across the shared canvas.
- Move around and add to different areas.
- Finish with details such as paint pens, glitter, gems or other decorations.
The artwork develops gradually, so participants don’t need to know what the finished painting will look like when they begin.
That can be a big part of what makes collaborative painting work so well for people who are ‘non artists’.
A real example of group art in action
One of my favourite examples is a public collaborative artwork called Community, created during a two-week community art event at Westfield Marion.
More than 300 people contributed to this particular painting, with people of different ages adding colour, patterns and their own spontaneous creative ideas during the open studio sessions.
The wider project involved around 600 members of the public across the collaborative artworks.
Participants weren’t artists. They were regular people willing to pick up a brush and add something to the shared canvas, which they did and had a great time!
As the layers accumulated, individual marks and patterns became part of a much larger, vibrant artwork – a visual conversation created by hundreds of people.
That’s what makes this kind of group art project work. Everyone can contribute something, and the artwork grows from all those different contributions.
Group art really can be for non-artists
You don’t need a room full of artists to create a great group artwork.
Give people something simple to start with, keep the choices manageable, and let them build on each other’s marks. A circle can become a spiral, a cluster of dots can become a pattern, and all those individual contributions gradually turn into a finished painting.
That’s the approach I use with Pattern Play Collaborative Art, and it’s something you can adapt to all sorts of groups and settings.
If you’re looking for a group art project that people with little or no art experience can actually get involved in, Pattern Play is a great place to start.
Get Your Free Beginner’s Guide to Collaborative Art
About this Free Group Art Guide:
My 49-page free Pattern Play Guide gives you everything you need to run fun, inclusive collaborative art sessions:
- Step-by-step instructions for your first group painting
- Beginner-friendly patterns and prompts
- Simple materials list and setup tips
- The three-stage approach: Messy Playing → Exploring → Bling!
Perfect for teachers, facilitators, families, or anyone wanting to bring a group together through art.
Step-by-Step Group Art Guide: Pattern Play Method
Follow the Step-by-Step Group Art Guide: Pattern Play Method to guide participants through Messy Playing, Exploring, and Bling! stages. Each stage flows naturally, building confidence and visual richness, and is perfect for adapting to your group setting.
1. Messy Playing
- Encourage free mark-making and experimental painting (examples are in the PDF)
- Use large brushes, textured sponges, or sgraffito to create a playful base with big shapes and clusters of simple marks
- No rules! The goal is fun, getting comfortable with materials, and moving around the artwork
2. Exploring
- Introduce simple patterns like dots, spirals, waves, zig-zags, for participants to repeat or combine using the Pattern Play prompts in the Beginner’s Guide
- Let painters choose from three colours, paint in different sizes, and embrace overlap, giving individuality within the group framework
- This stage builds confidence and encourages creative exploration
3. Bling!
- Add final details: highlights, embellishments, and decorations with paint pens or stick-on gems
- Focus on finishing touches that make the artwork pop
- Celebrate contributions by photographing or displaying the piece, hide first names as “secret details” in larger projects
Tip: Each stage flows naturally- don’t rush. Let participants enjoy the process and notice how the artwork evolves together. Think of it as slow creativity over three or more sessions (perfect for lesson planning and guiding students through a creative process).
Exploring and Bling can be repeated multiple times to build layers, visual richness, and sophistication.
See What’s Possible:
‘Growing Together’ – 30 students from R–6 created a vibrant 1×1m artwork in one session.
‘Find Your Courage’ – painted by 20 teenage girls using Pattern Play’s three fun stages.
‘Aspiring to Success’ – created by 120 junior school children in three sessions over three weeks (detail).
If they can do it, your students can too!
Happy painting,
Charndra
Your inclusive collaborative art guide
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Explore more collaborative art resources:
- Build Companionship, Conversation and Community with Collaborative Art Events
- Different types of collaborative art projects
- Benefits of collaborative art – What happens when people create art together?
Pattern Play Starter Pack – Everything You Need for Collaborative Art Projects
Includes four essential resources:
- Pattern Play Pages – Vol 1 – Sets of 5 patterns per page, perfect for groups, classrooms, workshops, group murals, and special needs groups
- Pattern Play Cards – Vol 1 – Individual patterns on cards, ideal for hands-on prompts, rotating ideas, or painters exploring favourites
- 7 Group Art Colour Schemes – Vol 1 – Ready-to-use colour combinations that always work for collaborative art
- Pattern Play Colour Cards – Vol 1 – Printable and portable colour inspiration for any group art project
Perfect for teachers, facilitators, and art lovers who want ready-to-go tips, patterns, and colours.
Some visitors prefer to jump straight in — the Pattern Play Starter Pack gives you everything upfront and organised for easy collaborative art.
