How to Create Chaos Layers & Decorative Paper

These colorful chaos layers can be created in many different ways. They’re great to use for backgrounds in other art projects, or used as decorative paper for scrapbooking and collages!

Embrace your inner chaos with these crazy, colorful chaos layers! There’s no right or wrong way to create them, which makes it even more fun for budding and experienced artists.

What’s great about chaos layers is that the sky’s the limit for what kind of designs you can create. You can use markers, watercolors, acrylic paints, scribbles, patterns, you name it! Additionally, you can use your own designs for decorative paper in your next collage art project: junk journaling, scrapbooking, mixed media, and more!

Art supplies you will need:

Feel free to use whatever art supplies you have on hand. But if you want to know which brands of art supplies we use, we’ve linked them below:

Art journal or copy paper
Crayola watercolor set
Pentel Markers

Step-by-Step: Create Some Chaos

Step 1: Choose your Paper and Layout
If you want decorative paper, make your chaos layer on a piece of copy paper. You can roll it up in a tube, or store it in a folder for later use. If you want to create a background for another art project, use an art journal or canvas. I used the pages of an old book, which added an extra layer of visual interest and texture! You can also use old newspapers, brown packing paper, construction paper, etc.

Step 2: Use Markers to Create Your Design
Doodle whatever you want on the paper! There’s no limit to what you can create. Try something simple like:

Doodles – Making repeating patterns with simple shapes like hearts, diamonds, polka dots, stripes, checkerboards, squares, triangles, stars, flowers, leaves, etc.
Scribbles – Scribble wildly and alternate your colors until you have something truly chaotic!
Accents – For book pages or newspaper, circle all the words, circle only words you like, cross them out, etc.
Zentangle – Try repeating patterns like zentangle, mandalas, or fractals to create unique designs!
Draw simple images – To make more specific backgrounds, you could draw animals, smiley faces, rainbows, a starry sky, Holiday images, musical notes, etc.
Acrylics – If you’re feeling really adventures, add some blobs of color with acrylic paints! Use what’s left on your paint pallet from a previous art project. Throw paint onto the canvas, dab dots with your brush, or smear colors with your fingertips.

Step 3: Add a Layer of Watercolors
Use watercolors to paint extra details: adding color to empty white spaces, filling in the background, etc.

Final Step: Admire & Reuse (or Restart!)
Once you’ve finished your chaos layers, stand back and admire your crazy colorful art piece! If you love it, you can leave it as is, and if you don’t like it, cover it up with more paint and start over! There’s no right or wrong way to do it. Just keeping adding paint and colors until you create something YOU enjoy. Then, when you’re satisfied, use it as a background for a new art piece, or save it for a future collage artwork.

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Why Create Chaos Layers?

Helps Let Go of the “Perfectionist” Mindset – Chaos layers give your kids the opportunity to create something fun without being inhibited by the need for perfection.
Sparks Creativity – It encourages kids to think outside of the box and come up with new and creative solutions.
Facilitates Relaxation – Chaos layers don’t need planning or preparation. They can be done at the end of a long day or in between schoolwork, giving kids the chance to relax and unwind.
Saves Time and Money – Creating chaos layers saves you the trouble of making backgrounds for other art projects down the road. They can also be a way to create your own decorative paper, rather than spend extra money on the expensive stuff.

If you’re looking for an easy way to bring more fun and creativity into your homeschool, chaos layers are a great place to start!