Collage art for kids

How to Make Picasso Collages for Kids

June 1, 2024

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Kids explore identity and learn how to create Pablo Picasso collages with colorful cut paper shapes and glue.

Updated July 2024

What is it about Picasso’s art that makes it so attractive to children?

Maybe it is his ability to create art in so many different styles? Or maybe the colors and the “crazy shapes” (in words of my first graders) he used in his artwork?

Considered an artist as well as an innovator, Picasso is responsible for co-founding one of my favorite art movements of all times: Cubism. In Cubism, artists depict subjects in new ways in an effort to create three-dimensions on a flat canvas. Cubism was even used to paint portraits.

Self-portraits are one of my favorite things to explore with children because they are so deeply connected with identity. And creating them, through the use of paper collage inspired by Picasso’s work, was so interesting and fun.

Before beginning our Picasso collages, I shared some pictures of Picasso’s work. “The Weeping Woman” was my students’ favorite piece. We talked about what they saw, including the many shapes forming her face and expression.

Then I asked them to imagine that they were Picasso and were commissioned to do a portrait of themselves. The results were amazing and so unique.

Picasso Collages for Kids

MATERIALS

Black 12×12 paper
Paint swatches
Colored paper
Any other fun paper you might have
Circle hole punches
Glue sticks
Scissors

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare materials for Picasso collages
I suggest prepping some materials the night before the project:

Pre-cut shapes for the faces in different colors and glue them onto the black 12×12 paper.
Pre-cut a variety of papers into different shapes (circles, squares, rectangles, triangles, hexagons, half circles, etc.). This way the kids get an idea of what they can cut out on their own.

We used circle hole punches in various sizes and many kinds of papers: colored, mirror paper, paint swatches, etc.
Let kids create shapes
Start by setting out the pre-assembled black paper with faces, one for each kid and all the pre-cut shapes, as well as scissors, colored paper, paint swatches and any other fun paper.

Have kids to cut the paper into shapes for their Picasso collages, keeping in mind every part of the face needs a shape: nose hair, eyes, ears, etc.

Kids can also use the pre-cut shapes you laid out.
Assemble and glue
Have kids assemble their face shapes on the paper exactly how they want their self-portrait to look. This allows kids to move pieces around until they have their desired arrangement.

Then bring out the glue sticks and have kids glue their self-portraits together.

Have the kids share their self-portraits and explain a little of what is going on. Ask why they made certain choices for their artwork.

picasso collage — Photo by Catalina Gutierrez

It is so much fun to hear the kids talk about their pieces!

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big kids, elementary classroom, preschool classroom, tweens

Catalina Gutierrez

Catalina is the founder of Redviolet Studio, a mobile art experience for children. She is originally from Colombia but has been based in Miami for the past 10 years. Catalina teaches after school art classes for preschool and elementary kids and sensory art & play classes for toddlers. She is very interested in the Reggio Emilia approach to education where the children lead their own learning process with the teacher being more of a facilitator rather than a voice who shows them where to look and what to find. She loves crafting with her boys and a good process art session. Catalina also has an amazing art & play activity guide for purchase through her website that The Artful Team highly recommends!

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