Painted Paper: Collage Craft Ideas for Kids

Process Art: Painted Paper Ideas

Perfect for Use in Painted Paper Collages

In preparation for our painted paper collages, we take large sheets of paper and paint full sheets of color. Our focus for these large sheets of paper is unique mark-making. We try to use various sizes and shapes of brushes to create stripes, textures, and splotches.

We also work on creating variations of color. Some areas on our paper are solid thick colors. Other areas of the page are intentionally left as thinner, lighter paint washes.

We use these beautifully painted papers to cut our shapes out of for our collages.

PROCESS ART: Painted paper is perfect for use in collages. Take large sheets of paper and paint full sheets of color. Our focus on these large sheets of paper is mark-making. We try to use brushes to create unique stripes, textures, and splotches. We also work on variations of color. Some areas are solid thick colors, and others are thinner washes. — Example of the painted paper we make to have on hand for collages.

Painted Paper Collage Ideas for Kids included in this post

BIRDS: Painted Paper Collage, Water Color, and Oil Pastels

This is one of my favorite collages because it seamlessly combines several art mediums. The cut-paper collage has a watercolor background, painted paper bird collages, and oil pastel details.

Our family’s artwork is often inspired by birds. This is because our kitchen table sits in a breakfast nook overlooking trees. Several bird-feeders directly outside the kitchen window bring birds into our view year-round.

*Close-up detail of cut painted paper bird. The branch and bird details are oil pastel.*

*Cardinal made from cut pieces of red, orange, yellow, and black-hued painted paper.*

FROG: Eric Carle Inspired Painted Paper Collage for Kids

Painted with watercolor paint, the trees, sky, and pond are in the background of this collage project for kids. The frog is in the foreground, and glued layers of pre-painted cut paper form the frog’s shape.

The frog layers use several sheets of painted paper in blue, black, and red hues.

Of course, “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” is a favorite early-reading book in our home. We drew inspiration for our Cut Paper Frog Collage from the artistic style used in Eric Carle’s famous books.

This kid-friendly collage art project features a watercolor background and a cut-paper frog in the foreground.

Love frog art? Check out our post about additional Frog Craft Ideas and Frog LEGO builds.

HOLIDAY GIFT LABELS AND ORNAMENTS: Create with Painted Paper (Process Art)

Add a personalized, artistic touch to your Christmas tree and gift wrapping. Do this by re-purposing your child’s paintings and drawings.

TIP: Plan ahead and buy card stock. This thicker paper is perfect for watercolor paint and holds up very well as a gift label or ornament on the tree.

Next time your child is ready to paint, encourage them to create designs and patterns on thick card stock paper. When the painted paper is dry, save your one-of-a-kind artwork for use in holiday decorating and gifting.

Process Art Idea: Have your child paint designs on card paper stock. When the painted paper is dry cut shapes, like Christmas trees, to use as ornaments and gift labels. — Have your child paint designs on cardstock. When the paper is dry, cut shapes, like Christmas trees, to use as ornaments and gift labels. Your child’s uniquely painted paper makes your gift labels and ornaments one-of-a-kind!

Magazine Collage + Process Art Idea

Sometimes the painted paper itself is so beautiful you’ll want to use it uncut in the final art project.

Here’s an example of using painted paper and magazines for collages. We go into more details on this technique in our Magazine Collage Ideas for Kids post.

Here's an example of using painted paper and magazines for collages with kids.

MIXED MEDIA: Painted Paper Vases with Leaves and Cactus

This beautiful mixed media collage was completed by my almost-ten-year-old son during a summer mixed media art camp. I especially love the textures added to the thickly painted paper. The splatters on the vases are pretty great, too!