Save your old food magazines for this bug collage project. The shiny and colorful fruit, for example, has a whole new look when viewed as bug parts.

Collage is one of those areas of art that’s easy to overlook, but really has so much to offer. Aside from linking to some great collage artists of the past (hello Romare Bearden) it can give students that are not so adept at drawing and painting a brand new creative outlet. All of a sudden, their creativity can come from choices of what images to put together, which is so different than seeing how well they can capture something with lines or paint.

But rather than leaving collage projects open ended, I found that a narrower task worked well with most students and classrooms. Having a task of searching for fun textures for a bug, for instance, especially with something as seemingly odd as food images, sets everyone up for some unusual combinations.

Older students are advised to make their own bug shapes, using folding to make symmetrical shapes, and younger ones can use the template that is included in the download shared below. The bug shapes have names on them so they can be learning about the abdomen and thorax and wings while they are creating. I’d call that a win/win by any standards.

Note: This project is included in my upcoming and updated “Elements of Art” ebook. Consider it a free preview!