To celebrate Henri Matisse’s vibrant paper cut-outs, Kathy Barbro, founder of Art Projects for Kids, recently published a simple, step-by-step tutorial for creating your own Matisse-inspired artwork. Although designed with kids in mind, the tutorial is equally enjoyable for adults. After all, Matisse himself didn’t start exploring collage until the final decade of his life.
Matisse’s paper cut-outs are among the most celebrated artworks in history. The French artist began creating these iconic pieces in the '40s and '50s, following life-changing surgery that confined him to a chair or bed for the rest of his life. These bold, large-scale compositions were revolutionary in their time and played a pivotal role in shaping the future of Modern Art.
Working with paper cut-outs enabled Matisse to continue expressing his creativity even when he was physically limited in what he could do. He referred to his method as “cutting directly into color,” as it allowed him to simultaneously create lines and color with each cut of the scissors through the paper.
The Matisse Collage Project by Art Projects for Kids is designed to help young art students delve deeper into their creativity using simple materials. Inspired by the artist’s Creole Dancer artwork, the process starts with arranging blocky shapes from colored paper, followed by layering abstract elements—such as stars and swirls—to create a vibrant, dynamic composition. However, there’s a bit more to it than just cutting and pasting.
“When students are new to collage work, they will often spread things around in one layer and call it done,” says the tutorial description. “The instructions in this tutorial ask them to put more thought into layering, and adding more than they probably would on their own.” The creators add, “The beauty of Matisse’s art is how the shapes are often jumbled on top of each other, and with some encouragement, students can easily get that look too.”
If you’re feeling inspired, grab your paper, scissors, and glue, and either follow the tutorial below or head to the Art Projects for Kids website for the full details. The makers also created a Matisse-inspired coloring page that’s free to download.
Art Projects for Kids recently published this simple, step-by-step tutorial for creating your own Henri Matisse-inspired artwork.
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All images via Art Projects for Kids.
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