This paper aims to explore some basic cognitive features of cooperative learning in visual arts teaching, including the connotations of cooperative learning, the differences with traditional teaching, and the effectiveness of cooperative learning. To the cooperative learning in the visual arts teaching should be aware of the cognitive level, including: in the visual arts teaching advantages and characteristics; teaching principles; teaching methods and teaching processes. Then, the paper takes the teaching of painting as an example to design some processes which need to be developed in cooperative teaching, such as establishing the unit theme development cognition, heterogeneous grouping guiding discussion, developing the idea of drawing according to group theme, carrying on collective creation activity, Creative achievements published and comments; learning assessment, praise and review as a whole process of teaching instructions. Finally, according to the implementation of the course, "creative painting" this course to design a unit teaching case, the theme is: "the transformation of a group", the total execution time: 300 minutes. It is hoped that this design will help the learner to have a better understanding of the whole cooperative learning process.