group painting ideas

Group Painting Ideas

Group Painting Ideas includes creative activities for teams, classrooms, families, and community groups that encourage collaboration, self-expression, and social connection. These projects are suitable for participants of all ages and abilities.

Activities include small-scale murals, Pattern Play exercises, and interactive painting sessions designed to be accessible, enjoyable, and easy to facilitate. Participants can experiment with colours, patterns, and shapes while working together to create vibrant collective artworks.

The free guide provides tips, prompts, and strategies to help facilitators run engaging and successful group painting sessions with confidence.

All of these projects use my Pattern Play Collaborative Art approach — a fun, inclusive process that encourages Messy Playing, Exploring, and Bling to help participants of all abilities create expressive, collaborative artworks. Get your free guide to start.

Four Collaborative Art Examples to Inspire You! from Painting Around is Fun!

Four Collaborative Art Examples to Inspire Your Next Group Project

Collaborative art examples - circles of connection a multicoloured layered artwork on a yellow background featuring circles, spirals, dots and elaborately detailed stencils.
Collaborative art examples - self advocacy - swirling warm spirals, circles and patterns in layers of yellow, coral, red, pink with a flash of gold leaf.
collaborative art examples - community is a multi coloured layered artwork of patterns and flower-like decorative elements.
collaborative art examples - Conversation is a brightly warm coloured artwork of peaches, yellows, oranges, corals and reds with a flash of gold leaf in many layers.
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Quick Takeaway

Looking for collaborative art examples to inspire your next group project? Here are four real projects I’ve created with groups of adults and members of the public, using my Pattern Play Collaborative Art framework.

You’ll see how different groups used simple marks, patterns and colour to build one shared artwork, and how you could adapt these ideas for your own group.

I’ve facilitated more than 60 community and school-based collaborative art projects with over 2,000 participants, so these examples come from projects I’ve actually run.

Four real collaborative art examples

Collaborative art can take many forms. Sometimes a group works together over several sessions, sometimes hundreds of people contribute over a few days, and sometimes the artwork is created by people who have never painted together before.

The four projects below show some of the different ways I’ve used my Pattern Play Collaborative Art framework. Each artwork developed through Messy Playing, Exploring and Bling!, with participants adding their own marks and ideas along the way.

Collaborative art examples - circles of connection a multicoloured layered artwork on a yellow background featuring circles, spirals, dots and elaborately detailed stencils.
Collaborative Art Example: Circles of Connection

“Circles of Connection”

One of my favourite collaborative paintings, Circles of Connection, was created by a group of adults, including me.

We began with a cheerful yellow Underpainting, then built up layers of stencils, large circles, dots and spirals in different colours and sizes. To get everyone started, I invited participants to paint three circles in each colour.

That simple starting point gave people something specific to do without telling them exactly what their finished contribution needed to look like.

What this project showed me

Painting as a group can take away some of the pressure people feel about creating something “right”.

Someone might begin by saying, “I’m not creative,” or feel nervous about making marks in front of other people. Once they realise that every mark becomes part of a much larger artwork, they often become more willing to experiment.

Simple instructions such as “Paint three circles in each colour” give people a starting point, while still leaving plenty of room for their own ideas.

Collaborative art examples - self advocacy - swirling warm spirals, circles and patterns in layers of yellow, coral, red, pink with a flash of gold leaf.
Collaborative Art Example: Self Advocacy

“Self Advocacy”

Self Advocacy was created by members of Our Voice SA, a peer-led self-advocacy and support group for adults living with intellectual disabilities.

The artwork developed during a series of fun, guided workshops. Participants worked together to create layers of warm colours, spirals, circles and patterns, producing a vibrant artwork that now decorates their meeting rooms.

What this project showed me

This project showed how much people can get from creating something together.

Everyone involved could see their own contribution in the finished artwork, while also seeing how those individual marks had become part of something shared.

The artwork was also selected as a finalist in the 2024 Adelaide Fringe Festival Poster Competition, which was a wonderful recognition of the group’s creativity and voice.

Collaborative art examples - community is a multi coloured layered artwork of patterns and flower-like decorative elements.
Collaborative Art Example: Community

“Community”

Community was created during my Artist in Residence program at Westfield Marion in South Australia.

Over 14 days, several hundred members of the public contributed to the artwork. Depending on the day, participants worked with either a warm or cool colour scheme, adding patterns and shapes to the growing painting.

I used my Pattern Play Pages as visual prompts, giving people ideas they could copy, adapt and build on.

What this project showed me

When lots of people are contributing to one artwork, a little structure can make a big difference.

Participants were free to make their own choices, but they were also responding to what was already on the artwork. Patterns, colours and shapes travelled across the painting as people copied, adapted and added to each other’s ideas.

The result was a large, layered artwork that developed through the combined contributions of hundreds of people.

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collaborative art examples - Conversation is a brightly warm coloured artwork of peaches, yellows, oranges, corals and reds with a flash of gold leaf in many layers.
Collaborative Art Examples: Conversation

“Conversation”

Conversation invited members of the general public to contribute to a collaborative artwork.

I used a warm colour scheme of pinks, peaches, corals, yellows and soft tinted shades. Participants added their own marks and patterns, responding to the areas that other people had already painted.

What this project showed me

A collaborative painting can bring together many different marks, patterns and ideas.

People can look at what is already there, choose something that catches their attention and respond to it in their own way.

As people look, add, copy and adapt, their contributions begin to connect and work together as one artwork.

What can you take from these collaborative art examples?

These four projects were very different, but they all used the same basic ideas:

  • Give people an easy way to start. Simple marks and shapes are less intimidating than asking someone to simply ‘Be Creative’.
  • Use a limited colour scheme. This helps different contributions work together visually.
  • Give people visual ideas. Patterns and shapes can provide inspiration without becoming instructions.
  • Let people respond to what’s already there. Participants can copy, adapt and build on each other’s ideas.
  • Allow the artwork to develop over time. Add more layers over time.

That’s the thing I find most interesting about collaborative art. I can provide the structure, materials and starting point, but the finished artwork depends on the people who take part.

Ready to try collaborative art with your own group?

These projects show some of the ways Pattern Play Collaborative Art can be adapted for different groups, settings and types of project.

If you’re new to collaborative painting, start with my free guide and mini course. It will walk you through the basic Pattern Play approach and help you get your own project started.

Start Here: Free Guide + Mini Course

I hope these examples give you some ideas for your own group project.

You don’t need to know exactly what the finished artwork will look like. (That’s actually very freeing) Give people a simple way to start, provide some ideas to explore, and see what they create together.

Happy painting!

Charndra

Your inclusive collaborative art guide

FREE Guide + Mini Course: Learn the Easiest Way to Run a Collaborative Art Project

Sign up to get the Beginner’s Guide and a short email course that shows you how to plan, start, and guide your first Pattern Play project with confidence.

You’ll get weekly creative tips and group art ideas from me.

Bonus: You’ll also receive a special offer inside.

Your guide arrives instantly after you confirm your email.
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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.

Four Collaborative Art Examples to Inspire You! from Painting Around is Fun!
Collaborative Art Examples
The Power of Unity: Successful Collaborative Art Work Projects from Painting Around is Fun!

The Power of Unity: Successful Collaborative Art Work Projects…

Start Here: Free Guide + Mini Course

Quick Takeaway

Collaborative art work projects bring people together to create something fun and meaningful. I’ve facilitated over 60 community and school-based projects with more than 2,000 participants using my simple Pattern Play Collaborative Art framework. In this post, you’ll discover how these projects thrive, and I want to help you do the same with my helpful digital resources.

A collaborative art work called "Find Your Confidence" created by teenage girls as part of a social mural and social artwork project, showing swirling pinks, reds, peaches and yellows over a blue and aqua background.
Collaborative Art Work Project created by Primary School Children - Swirling blues, greens and aquas called "Aspiring to Success"
A collaborative art work painted by adult women who are carers of children with special educational needs, showing multi coloured circles, spirals and dots in overlapping patterns, called "Parents Time Out" Social artwork.

Discover the Thrill of Creating Collaborative Artwork!

Collaborative art is amazing. Painting with a group brings everyone together in a shared creative experience. You move around, interact with each other’s work, layer and overlap, and build your skills and confidence—without comparison or performance pressure.

Let’s take a look at three collaborative artworks from my collection of social art projects:

A collaborative art work called "Find Your Confidence" created by teenage girls as part of a social mural and social artwork project, showing swirling pinks, reds, peaches and yellows over a blue and aqua background.
Collaborative Art Work: “Find Your Confidence”

Find Your Confidence in Creating the Layers of a Vibrant School Mural!

This collaborative artwork, “Find Your Confidence,” was the mobile version of a public mural at Aberfoyle Park High School in South Australia. The canvas brought the mural inside and was painted alongside the large wall piece.

The artwork was created in a freeform style, guided by a spontaneous process. The students were encouraged to start with circles, spirals, and dots in different sizes and colours. They then built on each other’s elements, layering patterns and marks. Over several weeks, this approach added visual complexity while fostering collaboration and creativity.

Reflection:

This collaborative artwork was created by a group of teenage girls painting in public. Through the process, they built confidence and discovered they could achieve more than they imagined. Passersby who stopped to watch were completely captivated—and many shared glowing compliments about what the girls were creating!

Collaborative Art Work: “Aspire to Success”

Aspire to Success by Using the ‘Success Strategies’ of Collaborative Art Projects.

This collaborative artwork, “Aspire to Success,” was created by 120 junior primary students over three sessions at IQRA College in South Australia. The project connected to the school logo and allowed the children to work in rotating groups, with each year level taking on a different stage of the process.

  • Reception: Messy Playing with sponging, stencilling, and scraping
  • Grade One: Exploring with medium and small brushes
  • Grade Two: Bling! using paint pens, stickers, and glitter glue

With so many kids involved, the project was full of energy and creativity. The image shown is a detail from two collaborative artworks created across the three sessions.

Reflection:

This is a detail from one of two large canvases—definitely needed with so many children! The teachers observed that some students achieved more in this novel, collaborative setting than they might in a regular classroom, in that some children you wouldn’t engage in art activities in a regular setting did with this approach. The novelty of group painting encourages shy children to be more adventurous. Working alongside others allows them to explore freely, moving around and experimenting without pressure. Through this process, they build creative confidence, which carries over into their individual artwork.

A collaborative art work painted by adult women who are carers of children with special educational needs, showing multi coloured circles, spirals and dots in overlapping patterns, called "Parents Time Out" Social artwork.
“Parents Time Out” Collaborative art work.

“Parents Time Out” Collaborative art work.

In this collaborative artwork, created in just one session, we used brushwork, stamping, layering, and overlapping with a mixed colour palette. These days, I like to start with a coloured background (an underpainting) and then layer cool and warm colours on top. A background that isn’t stark white is a real game changer! There are many ways to approach it—you can use a single colour, an ombré, spray paint, or blotches of different colours. Each technique influences the final result. Most importantly, an underpainting gives participants a starting point and helps overcome the intimidation of a blank white canvas.

Reflection:

This was my very first collaborative artwork with adults, created with a group of fellow parent carers as part of our Parents Time Out activity for mums of children with special educational needs. It was here that I first experienced the thrill of collaborative art—a feeling that has since inspired hundreds of artworks created with over 2,000 people.

3 Collaborative Art Works – Conclusion:

These three collaborative artworks show how different groups can come together to create. From young children to teenagers to adults, everyone enjoys the process of painting together. Each artwork is unique, shaped by the dynamics of the group—whether it’s ten mums or 120 little kids just starting school. Most importantly, they have fun along the way!

Happy Painting.

– Charndra,

Your Inclusive Social Art Guide.

FREE Guide + Mini Course: Learn the Easiest Way to Run a Collaborative Art Project

Sign up to get the Beginner’s Guide and a short email course that shows you how to plan, start, and guide your first Pattern Play project with confidence.

You’ll get weekly creative tips and group art ideas from me.

Bonus: You’ll also receive a special offer inside.

Your guide arrives instantly after you confirm your email.
Unsubscribe anytime.

Successful Collaborative Art Work Projects: A Relaxing, Accessible Way to Paint Together

Pattern Play Collaborative Art is designed to bring people together — no matter their experience, background, or confidence with art. It’s perfect for groups where connection and relaxation matter most, and it provides a simple structure for successful collaborative art work projects of any size.

  1. Messy Playing
    Start with big brushes and playful marks like circles, spirals, arches, and dots. Everyone relaxes as they explore colour and movement together.
  2. Exploring
    Layer in simple patterns using medium and smaller brushes. Use Pattern Play Cards or Pages to repeat shapes and build a sense of flow.
    Tip: Use smaller brushes as the layers rise to create depth and visual sophistication.
  3. Bling!
    Finish with joyful details like outlining with paint pens, glitter for sparkles, and stick on gem or dot stickers. This stage celebrates the group’s shared creation and ensures every project feels successful and complete.
Start Here: Free Guide + Mini Course

Explore More Collaborative Art Resources

If these Collaborative Art Work Projects have sparked some ideas, there are plenty of simple ways to explore this approach further with your own group. These resources will help you build confidence, keep things flowing, and make the experience fun for everyone involved.

The Power of Unity: Successful Collaborative Art Work Projects from Painting Around is Fun!
Collaborative Art Work Projects
Our Autumn Banner – an exciting collaborative art project for primary schools. from Painting Around is Fun!

Our Autumn Banner – an Exciting Collaborative Art Project for Primary Schools.

a collaborative art project for primary schools.
Start Here: Free Guide + Mini Course

Quick Takeaway

A collaborative art project for primary schools like our Autumn Banner shows teachers how to guide a whole class to create one shared artwork—without pressure, perfection, or complicated prep. Drawing on my experience facilitating 60+ community and school-based collaborative art projects with over 2,000 participants, this post walks you through what worked, what the students learned, and how my simple Pattern Play Collaborative Art framework supports inclusion, creativity, and calm classrooms. You’ll come away with clear ideas you can confidently adapt for your own students.

A collaborative art project for primary schools: ‘Our Autumn Banner’

This painted canvas banner was created with children in a vacation or holiday care program. It was my first circle painting project with kids. I Loved it. I’d done many murals and other group projects when I was a high school art teacher, but this type of collaborative art was just so terribly exciting for me – I love the energy I get from watching the thrill, enjoyment and peace of the kids when creating this way. There’s nothing like it!

Start with a circle, or three

The canvas banner had a russet colour, so we used pre-mixed autumn colours for our limited colour scheme. Limited colour schemes are key! Colours such as dusky pinks, browns, oranges, warm reds, ochres, golds, as well as silver and some black. Far more options than I would use at any one time these days, with so many projects completed. To create this collaborative art project the primary school aged kids began with a circle, as this is how all circle painting begins.  We add another circle, perhaps a bigger one, then another. We go from there, outlining someone else’s circle, changing to a different colour, doing some dots or interesting patterns around a circle. We move to the other side of the canvas and see where our circles might be needed. We add some dots. Dots are found in the earliest art of so many cultures around the world. We used glitter paint for our BLING stage!

Embracing overlap

One focus of creating this artwork was to accept layering – that partially covering the work of each other really builds up the richness of the surface and looks GREAT! It gives interesting shapes, new shapes to interact with, new ideas to repeat. A little bit of the layer below always shows through, giving us glimpses of the earlier layers as we become more confident in playing with the paint and the shapes.

No mistakes – Just differences…

Another focus was that there are no mistakes – just differences that will look great as a whole. The first hour was almost silent as the kids focused so intently on exploring their visual creativity while ‘in the zone’… Then they got to chatting as they moved around, experimented, trying different colours, brushes and shapes as I encouraged them to overlap, copy each other and try ideas from the set of colourful circle- based artworks we looked over before starting to paint.

A collaborative art project for primary schools – Conclusion:

This project resulted in a beautifully autumn flavoured banner that still catches the eye of anyone entering the OSHC space. It’s warm and busy and has so many areas for your eyes to wander around. This was my first collaborative art project in a primary school. It is quite simple. I have now done over 60 projects with more than 2000 people. WOW. Today, I would add more layers – in fact at my next visit to the school we will be doing that, adding a new layer with the mostly different collection of children, and calling the project “Autumn Banner Redux”. I’ll be sure to show the results in a future post.

Our collaborative art project was a success!

Happy Painting!

Charndra,

Your Inclusive Social Art Guide

FREE Guide + Mini Course: Learn the Easiest Way to Run a Collaborative Art Project

Sign up to get the Beginner’s Guide and a short email course that shows you how to plan, start, and guide your first Pattern Play project with confidence.

You’ll get weekly creative tips and group art ideas from me.

Bonus: You’ll also receive a special offer inside.

Your guide arrives instantly after you confirm your email.
Unsubscribe anytime.

Explore More Collaborative Art Projects →

If you enjoyed Our Autumn Banner – an exciting collaborative art project for primary schools, you might also like these resources to explore collaborative art ideas further and build confidence with your next collaborative art project for primary schools:

Our Autumn Banner – an exciting collaborative art project for primary schools. from Painting Around is Fun!
Collaborative art Project for Primary Schools
Four Inspiring Collaborative Art Projects to Spark Your Creativity (Created with Groups) from Painting Around is Fun!

4 Fun Collaborative Art Projects YOU Can Do!

Start Here: Free Guide + Mini Course

Exploring collaborative art projects for all ages

Looking for collaborative art projects that are fun, inclusive, and beginner-friendly?

In this post, I’ll share four real examples that show how group art can bring people together. These projects involved kids, teens, adults, and people living with disabilities — proving that everyone is creative and can enjoy the thrill of painting together.

Four inspiring collaborative art projects to spark your creativity (created with groups):

Why try painting collaborative art projects?

Collaborative art has a special kind of magic. When people (even just two or three) create together, each person adds their own flair and imagination. The result is a rich, layered artwork that goes far beyond what one person could achieve alone.

This process also builds connection, confidence, and joy. I call my version of this inclusive social art — collaborative art projects designed so that everyone, no matter their age or ability, can take part.

4 Real collaborative art projects I’ve guided

Here are four collaborative art projects I’ve led as a social art guide. Together, more than 450 people contributed to these creative group paintings.

4 collaborative art projects anyone can try:

“Community” – a collaborative art project with members of the public
Part of the Art Story Artist in Residence program at Westfield Marion, this project involved over 600 members of the public over two weeks. Participants added layers of patterns in warm and cool colours to a shared canvas, highlighting the power of community in creating beautiful, large-scale collaborative artworks.

“Growing together” – a collaborative art project with children
Involving 30 primary school children aged 4–13 during a summer holiday program, this project guided them through three creative sessions called Messy Playing, Exploring, and BLING!. Each child painted around others’ work to create a vibrant, cooperative artwork.

“Mia’s rose” – a collaborative art project with my daughter
Started when my daughter was just 18 months old, this ongoing project uses short, playful sessions with a limited colour palette and simple tools like brushes and stamps. Over ten years, the canvas has evolved with her creativity, demonstrating how collaborative art can grow alongside a child.

“Safety” – a collaborative art project with teenagers
During a media training day, a group of teens who didn’t know each other used a limited palette and my Pattern Play resources to create a layered, vibrant painting in just a few hours. This project shows how collaborative art projects can help teens connect and build confidence through shared creativity.

A collaborative art project showing a swirling artwork of cool blues, greens and purples.
‘Growing Together’ Collaborative art projects are fun to create!

“Growing Together” – a collaborative art project with children

This collaborative art project involved 30 primary school children aged 4–13 during a summer holiday program. Over three creative sessions, the children explored painting together for the first time — and they were thrilled with the results!

Reflection: this project showed us the joy and importance of sharing space and ideas. During the sessions called Messy Playing, Exploring, and BLING!, each child painted around others’ work, contributing to a vibrant, cooperative artwork.

Imagine: picture a group of excited children dipping brushes into bright colors, layering patterns, dots, and shapes, and stepping back to admire a canvas alive with everyone’s creativity — that’s the magic of a collaborative art project in action.

An abstract collaborative art project with blues and pinks created by a mother and daughter team.
“Mia’s Rose” a 2 person collaborative art project

“Mia’s rose” – a collaborative art project with my daughter

This collaborative art project began when my daughter was just 18 months old. Each 5-minute session we used either a blue or pink, with some white, and I offered her different-sized brushes and stamps — balloons and other items to transfer paint onto the canvas. Ten years later, this door-sized canvas hangs on her bedroom wall. We still add new layers periodically; purple is now her favourite colour. We’ve painted together through toddlerhood, preschool, and primary school!

Reflection: this artwork shows how much fun collaborative art projects can be for children. Even a five-minute session was enough for a toddler to enjoy the creative process. She loved choosing colours and tools each time — brushes, stencils, stamps, and even balloons. Can you spot our cat hidden in the painting?

Imagine: painting on a canvas using simple process art methods with your child throughout the year, watching their confidence and creativity grow.

Start Here: Free Guide + Mini Course
"Safety', an artwork of swirling light and dark blues, greens and purples.
“Safety” An inclusive collaborative Artwork created by teenagers.

“Safety” – a collaborative art project with teenagers

This collaborative art project took place during a media training day. The teenagers didn’t know each other, but over the course of the day they created this vibrant artwork together. Using my Pattern Play resources and a limited palette of three colours, they painted over an underpainting I had prepared earlier, giving them a bright and unintimidating base to get started.

Reflection: this artwork shows how a group of teenagers who had never met can create something extraordinary in just a few hours. The key is a limited colour scheme and simple, closed choices — like following a few Pattern Play ideas. I have many Pattern Play visual resources to help anyone create beautiful, layered collaborative art projects!

Imagine: teens painting together to break the ice, enjoying a relaxed activity that lets them chat, laugh, and connect while creating something unique.

Colourful collaborative art project created by a large group of people
‘Community’, an inclusive collaborative art project

“Community” – a collaborative art project with members of the public

During the inaugural Art Story Artist in Residence program at Westfield Marion in 2022, I engaged with over 600 members of the public. Over two weeks, we worked on three collaborative art projects, returning to this one every day. One piece explored cool colours, another warm colours, and this one combined both. Each day, participants added layers of patterns in either warm or cool tones, ensuring the colours stayed vibrant and clear without muddying the artwork.

Reflection: this project is a true symbol to the power of community. Hundreds of people contributed their marks to this piece over the two-week program, creating a beautiful collaborative artwork that no single person could have achieved alone.

Imagine: hundreds of members of the public coming together, layering colours and patterns, and leaving a piece of themselves in a vibrant, shared creation.

How can collaborative art projects be fun and successful?

Collaborative art projects are most rewarding when they look vibrant and fresh. To avoid muddy colours, use a limited colour palette and layer warm and cool tones separately once each layer is dry. This approach ensures the artwork stays eye-catching, and everyone can be proud of their unique contribution, excited to share it with others!

Start Your Collaborative Art Journey – Free Guide + Mini Course

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Curious to try it yourself? Follow this simple guide about How to start a collaborative art project with a group, and bring your own group painting ideas to life!

How to start a collaborative art project with a group

Imagine you’re about to guide a group of beginners in a fun collaborative art project. This simple process builds confidence, creativity, and connection, and is perfect for anyone wanting to try group painting:

Step 1: Messy Playing

Start with freedom. Use large brushes to cover the canvas with broad strokes, swirls, and clusters of repeated marks over a coloured underpainting. Don’t worry about perfection—this stage is about loosening up and enjoying the flow. Easy collaborative art projects thrive on playfulness, so encourage everyone to try circles, spirals, dots, or arches swooping in from the edges. The goal is to build confidence and let go of hesitation as the group project begins.

Step 2: Exploring

Once the background feels alive, move into layering simple patterns. Use the Pattern Play resources to add shapes and lines that anyone can copy or adapt. Add clusters of repeating marks, overlapping patterns, and variations in size and colour.

Teaching Tip: use progressively smaller brushes as the layers rise to create depth and visual sophistication. This stage turns the artwork into something interesting and shared, even if everyone is “just experimenting.”

Step 3: Bling!

Now it’s time for playful finishing touches. Use paint pens to decorate patterns and shapes, or copy ideas straight from the Pattern Play resources. You can also add stick-on gems or dot stickers for extra sparkle. These finishing touches help pull the collaborative art project together and make every painter proud of their part in the shared artwork.

This beginner-friendly approach shows how an easy collaborative art project can be simple, relaxed, and enjoyable for all ages and abilities.

Start Here: Free Guide + Mini Course

Explore More Collaborative Art Resources:

If you enjoyed 4 Fun Collaborative Art Projects YOU Can Do!, you might also like these resources to explore collaborative art projects even further:

Four Inspiring Collaborative Art Projects to Spark Your Creativity (Created with Groups) from Painting Around is Fun!
Collaborative Art Projects Created with Groups
Discover how to do collaborative art. Welcome to Painting Around is Fun!

Hello World! Welcome to Painting Around is FUN!

Painting Around is Fun is where I share my collaborative, inclusive social art projects created with groups of people. Anyone, of any age or ability, can join in, like YOU!

Start Here: Free Guide + Mini Course

Here’s how Pattern Play Collaborative Art works:

Messy Playing:

Start with a coloured canvas. Use big brushes to create circles, spirals, and arches along the edges. Add clusters of marks like dots, dashes, and simple swirls.

Exploring:

Use medium, then smaller brushes to layer patterns from my unique ‘Pattern Play’ resources over the artwork. You’ll interact with what other painters are adding, embracing overlapping and building up the piece together.

Bling!:

Add the finishing touches with patterns and decorative elements using paint pens. You can add some sparkle with gems. Glitter works great too. Use gold leaf to finish the artwork with a touch of bling.

Here are several of the many collaborative group artworks I have created since 2017. I did my first collaborative art project, Our Autumn Banner, with a group of twelve primary school kids. I was hooked!

Colourful collaborative art project created by a large group of people
Start Here: Free Guide + Mini Course

My Name is Charndra. (Like ‘Sandra’ with a ‘Ch’)

I’m a high school art teacher, and I’m also a therapist for one of my three children, who has special needs. As a parent and carer, I now focus on being an Inclusive Social Artist. I share the fun of making art together in groups. This is done one project at a time. All my experiences have led to developing my own type of collaborative art. I call this style ‘Pattern Play Collaborative Art’ based on the inclusive patterns we layer.

You’ll love my unique way of creating art together!

Painting with a group of friends is so much fun. You can watch the artwork grow as everyone adds their touch. My ‘Pattern Play’ resources make it easy to be creative. Just enjoy the process—no pressure. Don’t worry about comparing your work to others. You’ll be amazed at what a group can achieve together, and the approach I’ve developed always leads to success!

The artworks start out blank, but they will turn out GREAT!

I have an email group called my ‘Inner Circle’ because we always start with circles in our projects. Each week, I share a peek into the 60+ projects I’ve created with over 2,000 people across South Australia.

I invite you to join my Inner Circle today! You’ll get “Beginner’s Guide to Collaborative Art” It’s a free 20+ page step-by-step guide. It makes it easy to create a unique artwork with a group of friends or family, students, team mates or clients. I’m passionate about collaborative, social art and excited to share this experience with you!

Happy Painting,

– Charndra,

Your Inclusive Social Art Guide.

FREE Guide + Mini Course: Learn the Easiest Way to Run a Collaborative Art Project

Sign up to get the Beginner’s Guide and a short email course that shows you how to plan, start, and guide your first Pattern Play project with confidence.

You’ll get weekly creative tips and group art ideas from me.

Bonus: You’ll also receive a special offer inside.

Your guide arrives instantly after you confirm your email.
Unsubscribe anytime.

Free downloadable guide titled “Beginner’s Guide to Collaborative Art: The Pattern Play Collaborative Art Method” with vibrant abstract patterns and paintbrushes in background.