Blog Archives

Got 4 Minutes? Elevate YOUR Mixed Media Portraits with Highlight Drawing!

26/3/2024

Are you obsessed with making whimsical faces and mixed media portraits in your art journals and on canvas, but not quite sure how or where to add white highlights to make your portraits REALLY POP?!

I've got YOU! In today's QUICK 4-MINUTE video on my Mixed Media YouTube channel, I'm going to show you EXACTLY how drawing highlights on face drawings and mixed media portraits will bring your characters to life and add serious sophistication to your work!!

Highlight drawing tutorial with mixed media artist Karen Campbell

*All product links are affiliate & for U.S. residents only.*

Love BOLD Highlights?
THESE Are My Favorite White Art Supplies!

If you're a fan of bold highlights like I am, I highly recommend reaching for a paint pen like Posca or Sharpie. Currently, my top obsession is Opaque White by Copic. Its nail polish applicator adds a unique touch that I simply can't get enough of! What's more, its versatility shines through—you can easily add a bit of water to dilute it, tempering its intensity for a subtler effect if desired.

For those seeking a softer touch, art crayons or gelatos layered over acrylics offer a beautifully subtle highlight or glow. Surprisingly, fine-tip gel pens and Pitt Pens excel in opacity, making them fantastic choices for white highlights. One of my close art friends, Lucy, swears by the Dr. Ph. Martin's brand. She often dilutes it with water on a brush for an even more delicate touch.

Best White Art Supplies Loved by Karen Campbell Artist for Highlight Drawing

Where to Add Highlights on Face Drawings

Starting with the eyes is the most intuitive choice. To achieve a realistic eye shine drawing (even in semi-realistic or whimsical faces), place a highlight within the darkest part of the pupil for depth. Then add a touch within the iris or colored portion of the eye. I also really enjoy adding a little dot of white to the tear duct area, and just a tad outside of it. It's like adding an extra sparkle to my character's eyes, making my mixed media portrait come alive!

How to Draw Highlights on Face Drawings with Karen Campbell Artist

Moving down the face, I tend to highlight the ball of the nose, tops of the nostrils, and sometimes add a white line or along the center of the nose to make it appear more three-dimensional.

Similarly, highlighting the ball of the chin brings the face to life. These areas can be represented as literal circles, adding to the character's realism. Additionally, the top of the lip and the middle of the bottom lip catch the light beautifully, further accentuating facial features.

Eye Shine Drawing on Mixed Media Face Drawings with Karen Campbell Artist

Continuing with the facial features, consider highlighting above the top lip and in the middle of the bottom lip, plus adding a touch of sheen to the eyelids, and brow bones. These areas naturally protrude slightly and are ideal candidates for highlights. Additionally, highlighting the top of the cheeks adds a subtle yet impactful touch. For an extra gleam in the eye, consider adding a highlight to the bottom lid.

How to Add Highlights to Lip Drawings with Karen Campbell Artist

Ears, often overlooked, offer another opportunity for enhancement. Adding highlights along the outer ridge of the ears adds to the character's realism.

Hot Tip: When aiming for symmetry, ensure that highlights are applied evenly on both sides of the face, mirroring each other.

Moving to the forehead, don't overlook the bones that protrude forward. These areas catch light as well, contributing to the overall three-dimensional effect. Lastly, consider highlighting individual strands of hair for a striking effect that ties the entire portrait together. If you're not sure how to draw highlights in hair, make sure you watch today's QUICK 4 MINUTE VIDEO to see this in action!!

Embrace the slight asymmetry inherent in human features—it adds authenticity to your work. By meticulously applying highlights, whether bold or subtle, you'll breathe life into your mixed media portrait in less than four minutes. With each stroke of the pen, your character evolves, captivating viewers and inviting them into your world of creativity.

LOVE this Video? Share it With a Friend!

If you LOVED today's video, SHARE IT WITH A FRIEND!

It's SO easy!!

Either copy and paste this exact video link here:
https://youtu.be/eIrYiFIun2M?si=K46OztV03tXeFVeP

Or if you're on your phone watching on YouTube,
hopefully this will help :)

Wanna Create the Mixed Media Portrait
Featured in Today's Video?

She's a super FUN online art lesson in my Mixed Media Society over at Awesome Art School!! The Mixed Media Society is perfect for artists of ALL levels including beginners. We're having a blast learning about ALL the mixed media supplies and how to use them to create mixed media art we can be proud of!!

We would LOVE to have YOU join us!!

Wanna See Even MORE Art Supply Recommendations
For Drawing Highlights?

Looking for Something Else?

❤️ CHECK OUT ALL my art books on AMAZON
❤️ CHECK OUT ALL my online art classes @ Awesome Art School
❤️ MY FAVORITE ART SUPPLIES on AMAZON (affiliate links)
❤️ MY BELOVED FACEBOOK GROUP

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DIVE INTO Serenity with an EASY ZEN DOODLE Mermaid Drawing!

20/3/2024

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Today, we embark on a tranquil journey through the depths of creativity as we dive into the world of zen doodling, mermaid style!!

Similar to my recent zentangle face drawing video, today's project will unfold in real-time, accompanied by tranquil music to cultivate a sense of serenity. Whether you're a seasoned zentangler, or new to the magic of zen doodles, you're invitied to join in and just let go!

If you're just learning how to draw or have never tried but always wanted to - today's zentangle drawing project is simple ENOUGH FOR BEGINNERS with no timelapse so you can easily doodle along!

Together, we'll combine a few basic shapes to create a playful "baby" mermaid drawing and immerse ourselves in the rhythmic cadence of EASY zen doodle patterns - where worries dissolve and creativity can take flight!

Whether you're seeking a moment to calm life's chaos, or yearn to express your inner artist, seize the moment with me, and let's embrace the meditative magic of zen doodling!!

EASY Zen Doodle Mermaid Free Tutorial on YouTube with Karen Campbell Artist

*All product links are affiliate & for U.S. residents only.*

Supplies

I'm a huge fan of using whatever art supplies you have on hand or love most! Don't feel like you have to go out and buy what I used.

I'm just noting my supplies here in case you're interested in adding to your stash!

Smooth drawing paper likebristol or cardstock

Black fineliners - I love this set by Molotow with a variety of nibs to help you create gorgeous line variations!

Pencil (I love a mechanical pencil like the set I'm using in today's video, or my Blackwings)

Remember - you REALLY don't need ANY of these "fancy" art supplies to do this zen doodle - you can do the entire thing on a piece of scrap paper with a pencil or ballpoint pen!

The most important thing is that YOU DRAW, not what supplies you use to create your drawing :)

Loved Today's Video? Share it with a Friend!

If you LOVED today's video, SHARE IT WITH A FRIEND!

It's SO easy!!

Either copy and paste this exact video link here:
https://youtu.be/5eCMLpYoX1g

Or if you're on your phone watching on YouTube,
hopefully this will help :)

How to Share an Art Video You Loved by Karen Campbell Artist

Need Another EASY Zentangle Drawing Project?

I thought you'd never ask!! Check these out!

How to do a Zen Doodle Face Drawing with Karen Campbell Artist for FREE on YouTube

Wanna Try a QUICK & EASY Face Drawing Tutorial?

This video makes learning how to draw a face SO EASY and FUN!!

All you need is any old pencil, a sheet a paper and FIVE Minutes!!

EASY 5 Minute Face Drawing Tutorial for Beginners in Pencil with Karen Campbell Artist FREE on YouTube

Ready to Take Your Drawing Skills to the Next Level?

Check out the Fun Fab Drawing Club over at Awesome Art School!! It's perfect for artists of ALL levels including beginners. We're having SO much FUN over there and would LOVE to have YOU join us!!

Feel free to check out our VISUAL INDEX of ALLLLLLL the projects :)

So FUN, right?!!

Looking for Something Else?

❤️ CHECK OUT ALL my online art classes @ Awesome Art School
❤️ CHECK OUT ALL my art books on AMAZON
❤️ MY FAVORITE ART SUPPLIES on AMAZON (affiliate links)
❤️ MY BELOVED FACEBOOK GROUP

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5 Ways to STOP Sticky Mixed Media Art Journal Pages FOR GOOD!

13/3/2024

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Picture this: you open your art journal, and instead of a silent page flip, you encounter that dreadful sticking sound. Sticky Art journal pages are a REAL problem, am I right?!

They're also SUPER normal, PREVENTABLE, and even fixable.

In today's NEW YouTube video on my Mixed Media channel, I'm gonna show you FIVE ways to STOP THE STICK for good!

*All product links are affiliate & for U.S. residents only.*

1 When & HOW to Use Spray Sealers

Spray sealers have always been my go-to art supply to lock ALL the layers of a finished piece in place. These come in a wide variety of brands and price points to accommodate every level of artist from crafters to fine artists. I tend to reach for this acrylic spray sealer by Americana the most for my own projects.

Americana Acrylic Sealer Loved by Karen Campbell Artist

If you live outside of the U.S. and are trying to find a similar spray sealer, there are FOUR words you need to be looking for on your product labels: CLEAR, ACRYLIC, MATTE SEALER. That's it!

Aerosol Acrylic Sealers Demo'd by Karen Campbell Artist

I feel a SPRAY SEALER is essential for mixed media artists because it won't re-activate all the layers in your piece.

This is HUGE for fans of watersoluble products like me!!

Stabillo-all pencil or watercolor markers anyone?!

When NOT to Use a Brush On Sealer in Mixed Media Art Journals

If I used a product with a brush applicator (like the mod podge used in the above demo), it would smear ALL my work and basically wreck my piece instead of saving it. A spray sealer allows us to lock in everything, prevent smears, and STOP THE STICK for your art journal pages!

2 Wanna Decrease THE SHINE in Your Art Journal Pages?

Sometimes even when you've sprayed a matte sealer, pages can still look super shiny even when the product is dry. If this bugs you, try Dorland's Wax Medium.

Dorland's is a cold wax, and you can simply apply it with an old dish towel right on top of a PRE-SEALED piece (super important - this wax doesn't replace the sealer, it goes on TOP of it).

In the pic below you can see quite a sheen throughout my art journal spread. This is BEFORE I applied Dorland's Wax Medium.

How to Use Dorland's Wax Medium with Karen Campbell Artist

The next image shows a closeup of this piece AFTER using Dorland's. There's significantly less sheen, and it even smoothed some of the wrinkles from napkin collage or tissue paper collage in the background.

How Dorland's Wax Medium Looks Once Applied to an Art Journal Page with Karen Campbell Artist

While I love the matte look I achieved with Dorland's wax medium, I don't love the way my pages FEEL since using it. The stickiness is definitely gone, but I guess I'm much more of a fan of how my pages feel if I've sealed with matte mod podge or Americana sealant.

3 When to Use a Fixative Spray in Mixed Media Art Projects

A fixative spray is something you want to reach for when you want to preserve what you've done, but keep working. It's about half as strong as a traditional sealer. A sealer is for when you KNOW you're DONE with a project and you want to lock everything in place for good.

When to Use a Fixative Spray with Karen Campbell Artist

4 Super Matte Mod Podge

I've always felt mod podge is an excellent sealer on its own. But even the matte version can occasionally leave more sheen on my art journal pages than I'd like.

I decided to test a new version of mod podge called SUPER MATTE Mod Podge, and found it to be a GREAT alternative to Dorland's Wax for just $10/bottle (vs. Dorland's $27, which I also don't love the feel of after it's been applied).

My only issue with the super matte mod podge is if you used watersoluble mixed media art supplies to create your art journal pages. Whenever you try to apply a sealer with a brush on applicator, you run the risk of reactivating previous layers - which can sometimes look cool, and other times can ruin your work. Luckily Mod Podge DOES make spray sealers as well, in case these are something you're interested in trying!

How to Apply Super Matte Mod Podge with Karen Campbell Artist

Aerosol Spray Sealer vs Pump Spray Sealer

Make sure you watch today's demo because I'll show you EXACTLY why I prefer an aerosol spray sealer to a pump spray sealer. As you can see below, a pump spray sealer offers VERY LITTLE coverage with just one spritz.

Why Karen Campbell Artist Doesn't Love Pump Spray Bottles of Sealant

The photo below shows the coverage from one spray of the Americana aerosol sealer I typically reach for when sealing my projects. I know it's subtle here in the photo, but watch the video. It's kinda shocking how much MORE ground you can cover with an aerosol spray sealer vs a pump spray sealer.

Why Karen Campbell Artist LOVES Aerosol Spray Sealers

5 What if You're Sensitive to Aerosol Sprays?
(or hate the FEEL of Dorland's Wax Once Applied)

If you're sensitive to aerosol sprays, pump spray bottles of sealers, or kinda hate the way your piece feels after applying Dorland's Wax Medium (like me!! there's just something tactile that bugs me here!), you can skip using these products altogether.

Instead, you could simply add a blank sheet of printer paper, kraft paper, or even wax paper from your kitchen between mixed media art journal pages to prevent them from sticking.

Karen Campbell Artist Wants YOU to Create!

LOVED Today's Video?

Share it with an artsy friend!!

It's SO easy!!

Either copy and paste this exact video link here:
https://youtu.be/jYRBRRYqgnM

Or if you're on your phone watching on YouTube,
hopefully this will help :)

How to Share a YouTube Video You LOVE from Karen Campbell Artist on YouTube

Wanna Learn How to Combine & Layer Your
Mixed Media Art Supplies Like a Pro EVERY TIME?

You've GOT to check out my Hamburger System! It's my signature, go-to "recipe" for layering my mixed media art supplies so I can create a masterpiece EVERY time, and avoid a HOT MESS! CLICK HERE to grab my FREE hamburger system cheatsheet, or press the button below.

I'll send it straight to your inbox! Next, join me here to learn exactly how the Hamburger System works, layer by SERIOUSLY FUN layer,
right here for FREE on YOUTUBE!!

Watch Karen Campbell Artist's OFFICIAL Hamburger Series on YouTube!

My Hamburger System was such a hit, I turned it into a book!! It's available on Amazons worldwide in case you're a book hoarder like me, and just LOVE the feel of holding a physical book in your hands for reference while you create :)

Karen Campbell Artist's Hamburger System BOOK on Amazon

Wanna Take Your Art to the Next Level?

Check out the Mixed Media Society over at Awesome Art School!! It's perfect for artists of ALL levels including beginners. We're having SO much FUN over there learning about ALL the mixed media supplies and how to use them to create mixed media art we can be proud of!!

We would LOVE to have YOU join us!!

Join Karen Campbell Artist's Mixed Media Society at Awesome Art School

Looking for Something Else?

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EASY Zentangle Face Drawing for Beginners with Karen Campbell Artist!

4/3/2024

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It's been FOREVER since I immersed myself in any zentangle drawing, so today's video on my YouTube Drawing channel is a mesmerizing zentangle face drawing set to relaxing music!

The entire process unfolds in real-time, allowing you to draw along with me if you want! I'll show you how to draw a whimsical face from scratch, then we'll bring our face drawing to life with simple zentangle patterns— easy enough for beginners!

*All product links are affiliate & for U.S. residents only.*

Not Sure How to Draw a Face?

You're in the RIGHT place!! I LOVE teaching beginners!!

Today's video is in real-time (no timelapse), so you can draw along with me at your own pace and pause me as much as you need to. If this project feels tricky because her face is at an angle, or if you're not sure how to draw a face and just learning, you might want to try THIS VIDEO FIRST because it shows you how to draw a face in 5 minutes using myFREE face drawing guidelines cheatsheet!

Grab the cheatsheet here, or click the button below.

I'll send the guidelines straight to your inbox. Then you can join me HERE and I'll show you how to use them for free!

When you're done with your face drawing, pop back over to today's new video and zentangle her in with me :)

Supplies

Loved Today's Video? Share it with a Friend!

If you LOVED today's video, SHARE IT WITH A FRIEND!

It's SO easy!!

Either copy and paste this exact video link here:
https://youtu.be/zl8O4_bUj38

Or if you're on your phone watching on YouTube,
hopefully this will help :)

Wanna Take Your Drawing Skills to the Next Level
or Learn How to Draw from Scratch?

Looking for Something Else?

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blog

Got 4 Minutes? Elevate YOUR Mixed Media Portraits with Highlight Drawing!

Love BOLD Highlights? THESE Are My Favorite White Art Supplies!

Where to Add Highlights on Face Drawings

LOVE this Video? Share it With a Friend!

Wanna Create the Mixed Media Portrait Featured in Today's Video?

​Wanna See Even MORE Art Supply Recommendations For Drawing Highlights? ​

​Looking for Something Else?

DIVE INTO Serenity with an EASY ZEN DOODLE Mermaid Drawing!

Supplies

Loved Today's Video? Share it with a Friend!

Need Another EASY Zentangle Drawing Project?

Wanna Try a QUICK & EASY Face Drawing Tutorial?

Ready to Take Your Drawing Skills to the Next Level?

Looking for Something Else?

5 Ways to STOP Sticky Mixed Media Art Journal Pages FOR GOOD!

1

When & HOW to Use Spray Sealers

2

Wanna Decrease THE SHINE in Your Art Journal Pages?

3

When to Use a Fixative Spray in Mixed Media Art Projects

4

Super Matte Mod Podge

Aerosol Spray Sealer vs Pump Spray Sealer

5

What if You're Sensitive to Aerosol Sprays? (or hate the FEEL of Dorland's Wax Once Applied)

LOVED Today's Video?

Wanna Learn How to Combine & Layer Your ​Mixed Media Art Supplies Like a Pro EVERY TIME?

Wanna Take Your Art to the Next Level?

Looking for Something Else?

EASY Zentangle Face Drawing for Beginners with Karen Campbell Artist!

Not Sure How to Draw a Face?

Supplies

​Loved Today's Video? ​Share it with a Friend!

​Wanna Take Your Drawing Skills to the Next Level or Learn How to Draw from Scratch?

​Looking for Something Else?

Karen Campbell

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Love BOLD Highlights?
THESE Are My Favorite White Art Supplies!

Wanna Create the Mixed Media Portrait
Featured in Today's Video?

Wanna See Even MORE Art Supply Recommendations
For Drawing Highlights?

Looking for Something Else?

What if You're Sensitive to Aerosol Sprays?
(or hate the FEEL of Dorland's Wax Once Applied)

Wanna Learn How to Combine & Layer Your
Mixed Media Art Supplies Like a Pro EVERY TIME?

Loved Today's Video? Share it with a Friend!

Wanna Take Your Drawing Skills to the Next Level
or Learn How to Draw from Scratch?

Looking for Something Else?