Why a mixed media collage art project for the entire family? Because when COVID hit many families had been struggling to find ways to express their feelings of frustration, exhaustion and fear. Oftentimes we had young children who were struggling to understand what’s going on in the world and their inability to function in it.
Our teenagers were either depressed and spending all their time in their room, or were fighting against us to spend time with their friends and be socially active and engaged in the activities that they did before covid-19 struck. Many of us have had changes in our job situation, some of us had lost our jobs, our schools had closed and we were all living in very close quarters and had been for quite some time.
This was a time of stress, anxiety and fear but also an opportunity for us to spend time with our families and reconnect with loved ones (mostly virtually of course). It’s also provided an opportunity for us to engage in new hobbies or new activities and get creative on how we spend time together.
This art activity is for everyone in the family
My mixed media collage art activity is great because everyone in the family can participate and you can use any basic art supplies you have on hand. You can also find a lot at your local dollar store, grocery store, like Walgreens or a craft store like Michaels. If you are quarantining feel free to order some stuff off of Amazon. (although sometimes the prices are a bit higher on Amazon).
If you live in the Houston area and you want to participate in this activity check out my website at www.michellerenfrow.com and order an online kit from me. I drop off your kit with all the supplies that you need for this fun activity including the canvas and all the accessories. All you need to do is find a clean space to work and have some fun with your family. You do not need any kind of specific art talent per se, just an interest in participating and exploring the different accessories you bring to the table.
Mixed media collage art can be something symbolic or abstract. You can sit with your family and talk about your feelings and how the last few months have impacted your lives. Take some time to discuss as a family what you’d like your canvas to be.
Do you want your canvas to represent what covid looks like to us now? So you want your family collage to represent what your family looked like before covid-19 hit? Perhaps you want to highlight the things that your family has changed for the better, new habits, creative activities that you have done. Go ahead and talk to your family about how you could represent those through your art.
I always like to start with a good set of art supplies. When I say good I don’t mean high quality a good amount / variety of supplies.
Supplies You’ll Need for This Mixed Media Collage Art Activity
If you’re like me I have a ton of plastic storage containers with lids laying around at the bottom of a closet or in the garage. Get yourself one with a tight lid and start collecting the art supplies that you want to keep on hand for your mixed media collage art.
Make sure you get some good color pencils and crayons. Splurge and buy Crayola. Do not buy Roseart or those other knock off crayons. They. are. crap. Crayola has good quality, they last a long time and they don’t have this slimy kind of texture when you use them.
Of course it’s always good to have some number 2 pencils around and some erasers. I actually prefer the white erasers over the pink ones they tend not to tear your paper when erasing and they also erase your pencil marks better
Acrylic paints (I hate tempura. With a passion. Avoid it. You’re welcome). Make sure you get some brushes. If you don’t have a paint palette feel free to use a paper plate or even a ceramic plate that you can wash off afterwards. Try to avoid those plastic paint brushes at the dollar store and splurge for something a little bit better. In the end you’ll thank me because they last longer and they apply paint much better.
Pom poms, pipe cleaners, glitter, sequins; all those kinds of bobbles of sparkling fun are always great to have in your art supply kit.
A few good pairs of scissors. Bonus points if you have those scissors that cut in fun patterns and shapes too!
Stamps and ink pads.
Tissue paper. All colors
Stickers- do I need to say more? You didn’t grow up in the e80s if you didn’t buy Lisa Frank stickers and shop at Mrs. Grossman’s sticker store. I KNOW I still have a sticker album somewhere in my hope chest at my parents house.
Construction paper and heavy duty card stock! Leftover scrapbook paper or other patterned paper. For those of use having kids in the early 2000’s scrapbooking was ALL the rage. I have SHELVES of scrapbook paper and supplies. SHELVES FULL! Did I mention SHELVES??? lol
Make sure you have Elmer’s glue and some glue sticks available as well.
I don’t like to mix markers with paint but markers are always something you should have in your art supply tool box. My favorite markers in the world are Mr. sketch smelly markers, buy a pack you’ll thank me later. They smell sooo goooood. Get the bigger box with more of a selection of flavors
Once you get all the supplies for everything out on a table or work space (I like to cover my workspace with a plastic tablecloth or a reusable tablecloth. No need to make more of a mess than you’re going to. LOL
Now Get To Creating a Mixed Media Collage Art Project
Get everyone together and tell them that you’re going to make mixed media collage art. Let them know that this is just a way for us to spend some time together having some fun.
You can lay the canvas out in front of them and ask for suggestions or you can try to lead your family into a specific activity. The good news is that you get to decide.
Take your time and make sure that everybody has given their input and feels like they are participating equally. There will be times where one of them is actively working and another has wandered off.
Do your best to try to re-engage those that are on the sidelines and get them involved. Obviously asking everyone for their phones away is a good idea. But I also like to have my phone out so I can take pictures of what we’re doing.
There isn’t really a right or wrong way to do this mixed media collage art activity, just have fun, maybe play some music, have some snacks out and see what happens. I like to use the 16 by 20 canvas. It’s large enough that everybody has an opportunity to design something on them but they’re also small enough you can hang them on a wall without feeling like you’ve taken over the wall behind your sofa.