Define surrealism
Create a surreal collage from magazine pictures, glue, and scissors, then write a short definition of surrealism based on your artwork and unusual combinations.
Step-by-step guide to create a surreal collage and write a short definition of surrealism
What is Surrealism? | Tate Kids
Step 1
Clear a flat workspace and lay your large sheet of paper there.
Step 2
Gather magazines scissors glue pencil and coloring materials.
Step 3
Flip through the magazines and choose 8 to 12 pictures that look strange interesting or fun.
Step 4
Cut out the chosen pictures carefully with scissors.
Step 5
Arrange the cut-out pictures on the paper to create unusual or dreamlike combinations without gluing them.
Step 6
Try different placements until you find a layout that surprises you or makes you smile.
Step 7
Glue each picture to the paper one at a time starting with the background pieces.
Step 8
Add small drawn details or color to connect the images and make the scene stranger.
Step 9
Write a short one or two sentence definition of surrealism that explains how your collage uses unusual combinations to create surprising images.
Step 10
Share your finished collage and your short definition on DIY.org.
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can we use instead of magazines, scissors, or glue if we don't have them?
If you don't have magazines or a large sheet of paper, print images or use old photos, flyers, greeting cards, or tape several sheets together as your base, have an adult pre-cut or tear images if scissors aren't available, and substitute glue with a glue stick, double-sided tape, or rubber cement.
What should we do if the cut-outs shift or the layout doesn't look right when we start gluing?
Follow the instruction to 'Arrange the cut-out pictures on the paper... without gluing them', take a photo or lightly trace positions with pencil, then glue starting with the background pieces and press flat or use small amounts of adhesive to avoid wrinkles and use tape for heavier pieces.
How can we adapt the collage activity for different age groups?
For younger kids, simplify by choosing 4–6 pre-cut or torn images and using crayons on thicker paper, while older children can use the 8–12 pictures, add detailed drawn elements and mixed media as in 'Add small drawn details or color', and write a more developed definition than the one-to-two sentence requirement.
How can we extend or personalize the collage after finishing the basic steps?
Enhance your piece by adding paint, fabric scraps, or small found objects when you 'Glue each picture', create a themed series of collages, expand your one-to-two sentence definition into a short artist statement, and then share the variations on DIY.org.
Watch videos on how to create a surreal collage and define surrealism
Salvador Dalí Art Lesson: Surrealism for kids & teachers
4 Videos
Salvador Dalí Art Lesson: Surrealism for kids & teachers
Surrealism Collage
SURREALISM FOR KIDS! | MODERN ART HISTORY LESSONS (WHO IS SALVADOR DALI?)
Surrealism | How to Draw SURREALISM Art for Beginners |Easy Drawing Idea
Facts about surrealism and collage art
✂️ Many Surrealists used everyday magazine pictures and found images to build unexpected, dreamlike combinations.
✍️ André Breton wrote the first Surrealist Manifesto in 1924, which helped define the movement's ideas.
⏰ Salvador Dalí’s melting clocks in The Persistence of Memory (1931) are one of the most famous surreal images.
🖼️ Collage and photomontage were favorite surrealist tools — cutting and pasting images makes strange new scenes.
🌀 Surrealism began in the 1920s and encouraged artists to explore dreams, imagination, and the unconscious.
How do I guide my child to create a surreal collage and write a short definition of surrealism from their artwork?
What materials do I need to make a surreal collage with magazine pictures?
What ages is making a surreal collage and writing a short definition suitable for?
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