Pictures are worth a thousand words, so why not make a collage from various sources to create a lasting image. Begin by finding a source of color photographs, such as an old magazine or travel brochure. Make sure the pictures relate to a particular country or concept. For example, an English collage might include pictures of a cricket game, fish and chips, a hedgehog, Buckingham palace and an Elton John concert Then select your pictures and cut them out with a pair of scissors. After all pictures have been cut and shaped, then you can arrange them to get the composition you desire. Finally, attach the pictures to the surface with glue paint or other adhesive. You can leave the collage as is or continue painting to create different effects on the surface of the collage.
Picture an agricultural product in a part of the world, where it was first domesticated. For example, potatoes originated in the Andes, rice was first grown in Southeast Asia, figs were first cultivated in the Middle East and chocolate came from a Central American tropical tree. Do some research and see if you can find images of the region where each plant was first grown. Then, after you have recreated that image, you can superimpose the modern fruit or vegetable against the backdrop of the natural habitat. This project requires excellent drawing and painting skills, but can be quite rewarding if you make the effort.
If there is a well-endowed art museum nearby, you can take your sketch pad and pencil to the museum and find some paintings, sculpture or artifacts to emulate. Otherwise you will need to resort to using a photographic image as your model. In either case, try to find one or more images that connect with a distinct time and place. Primitive bark paintings and clothing from the Fiji islands, Medieval wood carvings and paintings from Germany or Impressionist paintings and posters from France are three possibilities. In this way, not only will you learn how a certain culture is represented in a picture, but also you will gain some insight into the way people dressed or how buildings were put together. Always check with the museum first to see if sketching is allowed.
Make an abstract design from the picture of a national flag. This is popular in countries such as the United States and Great Britain, where the colors and patterns of the flag are frequently adapted to decorate automobiles, furniture, paintings and even people. The best place to create the design is on paper, using a pencil to construct the pattern and an opaque acrylic paint to fill in the design. Once you have created several designs on paper, you can attempt one on canvas.