• 84 ideas
  • Checked October 2026

Art Collab Ideas

Press the button for three ways to make a piece together, each with who goes first or what to agree.

Art Collab Ideas

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  1. A map of your town, each friend drawing the places they know bestAny number. One room. The main street goes in first.
  2. One object in the middle of the table, drawn by each person from where they sitFour to eight people. One room. All at once.
  3. Everyone draws the same sentence and nobody shows until all are doneAny number. By message. All start together.

Next step Deal the shared prompt

All 84 ideas

Two artists 12

  • A conversation in drawings: answer each picture with a picture and no words Two people. Works by message. Whoever has something to say goes first.
  • Both hold the same big brush and paint one picture without talking Two people. One room. Nobody leads, which is the game.
  • Each draw one half of the same portrait, joined at the nose Two people. One room or by message. Agree the eye line, then start together.
  • Lay tracing paper over each other's sketch and add only what is missing Two people. One room. Whoever made the sketch goes first.
  • One describes a photo aloud while the other draws it without seeing it Two people. One room or a call. The describer goes first.
  • One draws a creature, the other draws what it eats, where it sleeps and what it fears Two people. Works by message. The creature goes first.
  • One draws the character, the other draws the world around them Two people. Works by message. The character goes first.
  • One draws the line art, the other colors it without asking a single question Two people. Works by message. The line artist goes first.
  • One names three colors and the other must paint with only those Two people. Works by message. The color picker goes first.
  • One writes four lines of a story and the other draws them as four panels Two people. Works by message. The writer goes first.
  • Take turns adding one object to a shared still life drawing until the table is full Two people. One room. Flip a coin for who starts.
  • Trade sketchbooks for a week and fill one spread in each other's book Two people. In person, to hand the books over. Both start on the same day.

A group of friends 12

  • A calendar for the year ahead with the months shared out and one style rule for all Up to twelve people. Works by message. Whoever sets the rule goes first.
  • A comic where each friend draws their own character in every panel Three or four people. One room. Whoever rules the panel borders goes first.
  • A group mascot: each friend designs one body part and the parts are joined Up to six people. One room. The head first, then clockwise.
  • A made-up newspaper front page with one story and one picture from each friend Three to six people. Works by message. Whoever writes the headline goes first.
  • A map of your town, each friend drawing the places they know best Any number. One room. The main street goes in first.
  • A paper chain of figures holding hands, each one dressed by a different friend Any number. One room. Whoever cuts the chain goes first.
  • A potluck picture: each friend draws and cuts out one dish to glue onto a shared table Any number. One room. The table goes down first.
  • Draw one room together, with each friend furnishing a corner Four people. One room or by message. Whoever draws the floor goes first.
  • Each friend draws one member of the same imaginary band, then the strips are joined into a poster Three to six people. Works by message. Agree the paper height; all start together.
  • The friends as face cards: each draws another as a king, a queen or a jack Four or more people. Works by message. Draw names from a hat first.
  • One big birthday card drawn in rounds, each adding to what is already there Three or more people. One room. The oldest friend of the birthday person starts.
  • One plain tote bag illustrated by everyone, for a friend who is moving away Any number. One room. The first to draw picks a corner.

By message or online 12

  • A chain of redraws: each person gets one look at the last drawing, then redraws it from memory Four or more people. By message. Set the order before the first drawing.
  • A postcard that travels: draw a little, mail it on, and the last person keeps it Three or more people. By mail. Whoever buys the first stamp starts.
  • A relay across time zones: each passes the file on before going to bed Three or more people. By message. The earliest time zone goes first.
  • A shared online canvas where each person owns one layer Up to five people. Online. The background layer goes first.
  • A shared palette: each person adds one color, then all draw with the finished set Three to six people. By message. Alphabetical order.
  • Draw each other's profile pictures, each in your own style Two or more people. By message. Everyone at once.
  • Each person draws one frame of a looping animation from a shared rough Six or more people. By message. Whoever draws the rough goes first.
  • One line each, in turn, on a shared whiteboard during a call Two to four people. On a call. Take turns down the call list.
  • One person posts a silhouette and everyone turns it into a different character Any number. Online. The silhouette maker goes first.
  • Send a photo of your desk; your partner draws a creature that lives on it Two people. By message. Both send at once.
  • Send each other the sketch you like least and rescue it Two people. By message. Both send on the same day.
  • Send three emoji as a brief, get a drawing back, then swap roles Two people. By message. Whoever sends first is the client.

Pass it on 12

  • A collage relay: each person glues down three scraps and passes the board Any number. One room. Whoever chose the board starts.
  • A color pass: one draws in line, the next adds one color only, the next adds another Three to five people. One room or by message. The line drawing goes first.
  • A relay comic: each artist draws one panel and leaves a cliffhanger for the next Three or more people. By message. Draw lots for the order.
  • A round-robin of sketchbooks: every artist adds one page to each book as the books go around Four to eight people. By mail or in person. Each owner draws first in their own book.
  • A scroll drawing: roll the paper so only the last hand's width shows, and carry on from there Any number. One room. Start at the left end.
  • A stack of clear sheets: one person draws the background, one the middle, one the front Three people. One room. The background goes first.
  • Add one line each and pass the page until someone says it is finished Any number. One room. The person holding the paper starts.
  • Begin with a single eye in the middle of the page; each person adds one thing and passes it on Any number. One room. The eye goes first.
  • Erase and replace: each person rubs out one thing and draws something else in its place Three or more people. One room. The original artist goes last.
  • Exquisite corpse for a crowd: fold the sheet into as many strips as players and unfold it at the end Three or more people. One room. The top strip goes first; fold it under before passing.
  • Pass the pose: each draws the same character one step further through an action Four or more people. One room or by message. The character's designer goes first.
  • Picture, caption, picture: one draws, the next writes what they see, the next draws that Five or more people. One room. Everyone starts a sheet at once.

Same prompt, your own way 12

  • A shared first panel with a different ending from each artist Any number. By message. One person draws the first panel.
  • Each illustrates the same four-line poem, and the versions are bound into one booklet Any number. By message. Whoever chooses the poem goes first.
  • Everyone draws the same sentence and nobody shows until all are done Any number. By message. All start together.
  • One object in the middle of the table, drawn by each person from where they sit Four to eight people. One room. All at once.
  • One palette and any subject, so the pieces match when hung together Any number. By message. Whoever mixes the palette goes first.
  • One reference photo, as many styles as there are artists, pinned up side by side Any number. One room or by message. All start together.
  • One song and an image each: a set of covers for a single track Any number. By message. Whoever picks the song goes first.
  • The same character sheet drawn by every artist in the group Any number. By message. The character's owner posts the sheet first.
  • The same street corner on the same day, drawn at different hours Two or more people. Apart. The earliest riser goes first.
  • The same three shapes on a page, turned into something different by each person Any number. One room. Whoever draws and copies the shapes goes first.
  • The same thumbnail composition, finished by each artist in a different medium Any number. By message. Whoever draws the thumbnail goes first.
  • The same title and no other rule, all revealed on one day Any number. By message. Whoever names the title goes first.

Big pieces 12

  • A canvas split into squares, one each, joined by a line that must cross every border Any number. One room or apart. Mark where the line crosses before anyone paints.
  • A door-size portrait built from everyone's small squares of light and dark Many people. Apart. One person maps the lights and darks first.
  • A floor drawing in charcoal on taped-down paper, everyone working from the edges inward Four to ten people. One room. All start at an edge.
  • A folding book taller than a child, with a panel for each artist Any number. One room. Fold first, then draw lots for panels.
  • A mosaic of painted paper scraps, with each person bringing one color Any number. One room. Whoever draws the outline goes first.
  • A photo cut into a grid: each person enlarges one square without seeing the whole Six or more people. Apart. Whoever cuts the photo deals out the squares.
  • A quilt of cloth squares drawn with fabric pens, then pinned or sewn Any number. Apart. Agree the square size first.
  • A tower of cardboard boxes: each person paints one, and they stack into one tall figure Any number. Apart, then together. The bottom box goes down first.
  • A triptych: three artists, three panels and one sky that runs across all of them Three people. Apart. Agree where the horizon meets each edge.
  • Body outlines overlapped on one sheet and painted as a crowd Four or more people. One room. The first to lie down on the paper starts.
  • Paper as long as the hallway: one landscape, an arm's length for each person Any number. One room. Agree the horizon first.
  • Tape a large outline on the wall and let each person fill one region with pattern Any number. One room. Whoever tapes the outline goes first.

Art trades 12

  • A picture of the other artist's OC, done your way Two people. By message. Agree first: full body or bust, color or line, and the swap date.
  • A portrait trade: draw each other from a chosen photo Two people. By message. Agree first: who picks the photo, the size and the date.
  • A secret trade in a group: draw names, make a piece for that person, reveal together Four or more people. By message. Agree first: the size limit and the reveal date.
  • Design a stamp or a mark for the front of each other's sketchbook Two people. By message. Agree first: black and white only, the size and the date.
  • Each draws, as a present, the thing the other most avoids drawing Two people. By message. Agree first: the subject each names, the size and the date.
  • Swap handmade bookmarks that suit what each of you is reading Two people. By mail. Agree first: the two books, the size and the date.
  • Swap palettes: each paints a piece for the other in the other's usual colors Two people. By message. Agree first: the size, the five colors and the date.
  • Swap pet portraits, each made from the other's snapshots Two people. By message. Agree first: how many photos, color or pencil, and the date.
  • Trade a postcard-size piece by mail Two people. By mail. Agree first: the size, any medium and the day both are mailed.
  • Trade a set of three artist trading cards each Two people. By mail or in person. Agree first: the theme and the swap date.
  • Trade menu cards: each draws the meal the other would order Two people. By message. Agree first: the dishes, the card size and the date.
  • Trade small paintings of each other's houseplant, made from a photo Two people. By message. Agree first: the photo, palm-size paper and the date.

How it works

Art collab ideas work when everyone knows the rule and turn order. Each of these 84 is a format for two or more, with the head count, whether it works by message, and who goes first or what to agree.

Read the full guide

Art collaboration ideas by who is drawing

Two artists and A group of friends are sorted by head count. By message or online needs no shared table. Pass it on holds exquisite corpse and round-robin formats. Same prompt, your own way keeps each artist's piece separate, and Big pieces is for work larger than one table.

Art trade ideas

In an art trade each artist makes a piece for the other. The Art trades group holds trades of original characters, palettes, postcards and bookmarks, and each line says what to agree before either starts: the size, color or line, and the date.

  • Agree before you start what happens to the finished piece: who keeps it, who posts it and how names appear.

Questions and answers

What is an art collab?

An art collab is one piece, or one matched set, made by two or more artists under a shared rule. The rule can be small: one draws the line art, the other colors it without asking a single question.

How do you do an art collab online?

Pick a format that needs no shared table. By message or online holds a shared palette where each person adds one color, a relay across time zones, and a postcard that travels by mail from artist to artist.

What is an exquisite corpse drawing?

It is a fold-over game: each person draws one part and folds the paper to hide it before passing it on, so the whole figure is seen only at the end. The Surrealists gave it the name.

How many people can join one collab?

From two to a crowd. Each line starts with the number: two people, three to six, any number. Big pieces holds formats that grow with the group, such as a canvas split into squares.

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