Category: Drawing For Beginners

DIVE INTO Serenity with an EASY ZEN DOODLE Mermaid Drawing!

20/3/2024

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
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How to Draw & Fun Fab Version of Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring in Alcohol Markers

12/2/2024

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Hey art friend!! As you know, I'm obsessed with art. But did you also know I'm ALSO obsessed with historical art and history in general? I recently discovered a graphic artist on YouTube who enjoys bringing historical figures "to life" with facial reconstruction by studying whatever art is available to her- including paintings, death masks, sculptures, and more. I think her channel is FASCINATING, and her work is gorgeous.

She inspired me, so I reached out to ask if I could share her YouTube channel with my audience, as well as use Becca's work as drawing references. She graciously accepted! Today is the first in a series of videos presenting famous historical figures and paintings in my signature Fun Fab style!

I hope you enjoy my Fun Fab version of Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring in alcohol markers.

How-to-Draw-a-Fun-Fab-Version-of-Vermeer's-Girl-With-A-Pearl-Earring-with-Karen-Campbell-Artist

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

Not Familiar with my Fun Fab Style?

In case you're not familiar with my Fun, Fab Style, it's my signature semi-realistic or whimsical look I give to the characters I draw. It all began back in 2015 with my very first book, How to Draw Fun Fab Faces.

How-to-Draw-Fun-Fab-Faces-Drawing-Book-for-Beginners-by-Karen-Campbell-Artist

I discovered I LOVED teaching how to draw faces for beginners, and quickly followed this book up with a sequel that will TOTALLY come in handy for you if you're thinking about drawing along with me in today's video, but aren't sure how to draw a three-quarter portrait.

In How to Draw MORE Fun Fab Faces, I broke down the steps of how to draw a profile and 3/4 portrait to make these views more approachable and accessible to those just learning how to draw, and those interested in expanding their range to drawing profiles from the side and/or at an angle.

How-to-Draw-MORE-Fun-Fab-Faces-Drawing-Book-for-Beginners-by-Karen-Campbell-Artist

Draw Along with Me!

If you'd like to draw along with me in today's video, grab a pencil and sheet of drawing paper. I'll be coloring my drawing in with alcohol markers. If you plan to do the same, be sure to create your drawing on Bristol or a smooth cardstock alternative like this.

I started this drawing off with a copy of my reference (Girl With a Pearl Earring painting), and used my 3/4 face drawing guidelines. These come straight outta my book - How to Draw MORE Fun Fab Faces, but I also offer them as a FREE DOWNLOAD in case you're interested! Simply CLICK HERE or press the button below to grab my cheatsheet, then meet me right back here for the rest of the video.

Why-to-Use-Water-Based-Fineliners-with-Alcohol-Markers-by-Karen-Campbell-Artist

How to Use Fineliners with Alcohol Markers
WITHOUT Smearing!

If you plan to color your drawing in with alcohol markers too, and love the look of a black outline throughout your piece, make sure you're NOT using a sharpie or black fineliners that are alcohol-based like your alcohol markers. Your fineliners HAVE to be water-based for this purpose, otherwise they will bleed and smear whenever you hit them with one of your alcohol markers and you'll be super disappointed.

Molotow-Black-Fineliner-Set-Loved-by-Karen-Campbell-Artist-for-Alcohol-Marker-Drawings

These are my fave black fineliners to use when working with my alcohol markers. They come in a set of 11, in varying nib sizes from a teeny tiny .05 all the way up to 1.0, plus a chisel and rounded nib.

You'll see me using them in today's video. Pay special attention when you see me using light skin tone markers to shade this girlie's face. Watch how I drag my light-colored alcohol markers RIGHT OVER my black outlines, and NOTHING happens. I don't smear my outlines, and my light skin tone markers don't get dirty from the black outlines. That's ALL because I made sure to use WATER BASED fineliners with my alcohol markers :)

How-to-Use-Water-Based-Fineliners-with-Alcohol-Markers-by-Karen-Campbell-Artist

I hope you enjoyed this project as much as I did!! Stay tuned for NEXT WEEK's VIDEO on my Mixed Media YouTube Channel because I'll be doing a modern-day version of Girl With a Pearl Earring in Mixed Media Grunge style in my art journal!! Can't wait!!

See ya there!!

Loved Today's Video? SHARE IT!

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/niZ328bdC7c 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?

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!!

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The BEST Fashion Illustration Sketches to Try if You’re a Beginner

8/3/2022

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Need some FUN fashion illustration sketches that are simple enough to do even if you've never done fashion figure sketching before? You're in the right place!

Today we're sketching an EASY fashion illustration figure in pencil, and coloring her in with alcohol markers. Grab a pencil, some markers & come draw with me!

If you're new to drawing and coloring with alcohol markers, or have a brand new set of markers, make sure you grab my FREE Swatch Sheet so you can swatch your markers out before we get to the coloring portion of today's project. Simply click on the button below, and I'll send it straight to your email!

Before we continue, super quick announcement: All product links are Affiliate. I may earn a small commission if you choose to order through these links but by law there is never any additional cost to the consumer for doing so. I thank you for your support.

I can't wait to show you a flip through of the drawing book that inspired today's video, The Beginner's Fashion Design Studio: Easy Templates for Drawing Fashion Favorites (Drawing with Christopher Hart). It's literally filled with lessons & drawing references that will keep you drawing for days.

I'm completely in love with the author's style (I've got ELEVEN of his books). His faces and figures have a very cartoon-y or semi-realistic drawing style like mine do. I think that is one of the things that attracted me to his work.

I am also very picky about art book instruction (as you may know if you've been following this series on YouTube).

As an art book author myself, I really try to make drawing instruction simple and step by step for my readers. When I find someone who does the same thing (like Christopher Hart!), I get super excited and can't wait to recommend the book to my students.

Why don't we get started with today's fashion illustration figure?

One of the first things I love to do when I'm just getting started with a drawing is to lay out parameters for myself. For example - take a look at the shot above. Her legs go on for miles, right?! To help me get the proportions right, I marked in a faint line where I want the ground to be, as well as where her waist is, so I know in general where I'm going.

All of the subtle angles and movements in the body are what makes the figure so hard to draw. However, if you've got someone like Christopher Hart holding your hand and showing you exactly what to do - I just let them lead the way. Trust me we're in great hands with this fun fashionista sketch!

Look at how sassy she is already!

Take note of how simple her hair is. Tons of my students tend to freak out about hair, but honestly it's so much easier than you think. I always break it down into simple shapes that I can fill in later with detail if I'm in the mood. If I'm not in the mood- I color the blocky hair shape in, and call it a day, because it's super cute and stylistic!

If you're new to my world, my "kryptonite" is drawing small. LOL! So drawing these teeny tiny hands in feels so hard! Just do what you can and move on with your life. If drawing realistic hands sounds like fun to you, or a challenge you'd like to conquer, I've got both a drawing book and an online art class in my Fun Fab Drawing Club dedicated to "How to Draw AMAZING Hands," filled with 31 hand drawings you can do with me from scratch!

Wanna learn How to Draw Fashion Hands 10 Ways? This video is a bit older, but it's got easy ideas you might love incorporating into your own work.

Whenever I'm doing an alcohol marker project like today's, I love to start my coloring by outlining with a black fineliner. The reason I like to do fineliner and then color my drawings in, is because I want to erase all the graphite on my page. Graphite will smear with alcohol markers and make the nibs of your markers dirty. Erasing pencil lines before you start shading with alcohol markers works great and prevents that mess. If you're looking for an amazing eraser, this one if my fave.

Lately I've really been into using my black fineliners by Molotow. They're pigment based, and do not smear when I use them with alcohol markers.

Speaking of alcohol markers - I LOVE my copics, but they took forever to collect because they're so expensive. If you need to stick to a budget, try Ohuhus. They're awesome, and super affordable. I especially love the Ohuhu skin tone collection. (By the way - copics and ohuhus blend beautifully together, so don't be afraid to mix the brand shades in the same project!)

See how simple the hair is on this girl? It's basic block shapes and I'm coloring it all one shade. I may just leave it like that because I'm in the mood for fast and easy!

How fun is this green in her sweater?! Love it!

I hope you have so much fun with today's fashion illustration project! And if you decide to get one of Christopher Hart's books - they're ALL fabulous. Take it from me... I've got ELEVEN!!

Need help learning how to color with alcohol markers?
Check out this playlist!

Thanks for hanging out with me today!

❤️ CHECK OUT ALL MY ONLINE ART CLASSES & Art Clubs
❤️ CHECK OUT ALL my art books
❤️ MY FAVORITE ART SUPPLIES on AMAZON
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EASY Pencil Shading Drawing Tutorial for Beginners

22/2/2022

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Need an EASY pencil shading drawing tutorial that's simple enough to do even if you've never tried shading a drawing before? You're in the right place!

Today we're creating 3 line drawings & taking them to the next level by adding a simple shadow with one of the easiest pencil shading techniques I've learned to date.

If you feel comfortable with the line drawings and shading practice in today's video, I'd LOVE to teach you how easy it is to draw a simple FACE in pencil.

I make cheatsheets and videos for EVERYTHING - especially when it comes to drawing faces! Click the button below to request my FREE whimsical face drawing guidelines, and I'll email them right over.

After you print your guidelines cheatsheet, here's a playlist of FREE face drawing videos from my YouTube drawing channel so we can practice drawing and shading simple faces together, step by step.

Let's get back to today's lesson!

If you've been following either of my YouTube channels lately, you know I've been introducing you to some of my favorite art books - showing a flip through, and then trying an entire project or demo-ing a technique from the book.

The book I'm featuring this week on my drawing channel is actually more of a mixed media book, but there is a BRILLIANT pencil shading technique for beginners in it that I just had to share with you.

Danielle Donaldson's Creative Girl: Mixed Media Techniques for an Artful Life is simply gorgeous (if the book isn't available on Amazon, you can also find it here).

I actually love this book so much that I featured it last week while doing the watercolor trees for beginners project on my mixed media channel.

Today, I'm sharing Danielle's super simple analogy of adding shading to a drawing at "5 o'clock."

On page 54 of her book, Danielle says "Shadows are the thickest at 5 o'clock." I decided to try this shading technique out on three simple line drawings.

First, I drew the water bowl sitting on my art table with a paint brush inside. Then I picked up a blending stump (remember - the dirtier, the better when it comes to blending stumps), and thickened the shadow at an imaginary 5 o'clock position of my water bowl.

Here's another shot showing you what I'm imagining in my head...

Right where the imaginary hour hand of the clock is pointing to 5 is where I'm thickening the shadow with my blending stump.

Below is another example of this easy shading technique for beginners on a line drawing of a flower vase.

Isn't that the easiest concept to imagine so you know exactly where to add shadows to your drawing?! I think it's brilliant.

My final doodle example for today, below, is of a cat - inspired by my art studio "terror," Tippie (she's just recently claimed my art table as her own)!

When I look at all three drawings together, I immediately notice how all the shading looks consistent, showing shadows off to the lower right.

This is a really important concept to think about for beginner artists.

Your work will look more sophisticated if you your shadows are all drawn in the same direction, like they're all being hit by the same light source. It makes more sense visually, and can make even simple whimsical, or semi-realistic drawings like these, look more advanced.

Make sure you watch today's video to see these simple shading techniques in action. And grab a pencil and piece of paper before you press play so we can do this together!

Stay with me till the end for a quick flip through of Danielle's adorable book. Thanks for hanging out with me today!!

When you watch the video, you'll hear me mention my Retro Redezvous Art Party. While the live portions of the Retro Party have passed, the lessons are still available at Awesome Art School, here.

If you are a member of an Awesome Art School club (The Fun Fab Drawing Club, Mixed Media Society, or Celtic Collective), you've been given access to these lessons for free as a membership perk. Enjoy!!

Happy drawing!

❤️ CHECK OUT ALL MY ONLINE ART CLASSES & Art Clubs
❤️ CHECK OUT ALL my art books
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Quick CARTOON CAT DRAWING with Karen Campbell

27/6/2021

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Today I'm starting a FUN cartoon cat drawing series over on my YouTube Drawing channel!

I've been teaching my students in The Fun Fab Drawing Club over at Awesome Art School how to draw cartoon cats & dogs, and thought YOU might like a sneak peek at what we've been up to!

Feel free to use this funny Siamese cat lying down as YOUR OWN cat drawing reference so you can play along with us!

I'm keeping it easy with supplies - just a pencil, fineliner and some copics to shade! Come draw with me! BEGINNERS WELCOME!!

Before I get too far into this drawing tutorial, I HAVE to give a shout out to the talented artist who inspired these drawing lessons - Heather Nesheim!

I'm actually dedicating this WHOLE series to Heather because I think her work is amazing and when I asked her if we could study her work and use it to inspire our own cat drawings, she said YES!

So a HUGE thank you to, Heather!!

Through this whole series - we'll be honing our drawing skills with a wide variety of cat cartoons!

I think it's SUPER important to have an awesome reference that YOU LOVE when you're just learning how to draw because you'll be way more interested in actually drawing it! And...the more you draw- the BETTER you'll get!!

I'm drawing all my cats in pencil and doing the cat drawing outline with a fineliner before I pull out my copics for some alcohol marker shading.

I've tried TONS of brands out for fineliners and I have to say I'm really in love with a new set made by MOLOTOW. You can find them in my store over on Amazon if you need a fineliner that WON'T SMUDGE under your alcohol markers.

The set I've got comes in multiple nibs to help me vary my line weights. I love their water based pigment in the ink, and the way they feel kinda heavy in my hand - which makes me feel like I've got more control over my work.

Real quick - if you do feel like you need some fineliners or find another something you love over in my Amazon store - my links are Affiliate, which means I may earn a small commission if you choose to order through these links, but by law there is never any additional cost to the consumer for doing so. I thank you for your support!

Thanks again Heather for inspiring such a FUN drawing series for us over at Awesome Art School in the Fun Fab Drawing Club! We love your work and are so appreciative that you let us practice drawing like YOU!!

You can check Heather's website out here or go follow her on Instagram @heddarsketch.

Wanna do this and MORE fun cat cartoon drawings with me in REAL TIME (not timelapsed/ sped up) over at Awesome Art School? Join the waitlist in The Fun Fab Drawing Club!

❤️Did you miss my Fun Fab Fairies Workshop? NO worries!! You can STILL sign up and enjoy each of these lessons on your own time at your own pace in this stand alone classroom at Awesome Art School! CLICK HERE to REGISTER.

❤️MY ARTIST BESTIE, LUCY BRYDON & I are creating a NEW ART MEMBERSHIP together called The Celtic Collective!! Learn More & add your name to the waitlist here. Opens July 7th!

❤️ CHECK OUT ALL my art books on AMAZON
❤️ MY FAVORITE ART SUPPLIES on AMAZON
❤️ MY BELOVED FACEBOOK GROUP
❤️ FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM

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QUICK & EASY! Face Sketching on Toned Paper with Karen Campbell

1/6/2021

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In today's face sketching video, we're building on what you learned about toned paper drawing over the last 2 weeks, and putting it ALL together to create a QUICK female face drawing!

We'll use my face drawing guidelines and identify the values we see in our face drawing reference photo. Then I'll show you how to shade your drawing + quick ways for drawing shadows and highlights using china markers, a pencil, blending stump and sharpies on toned paper! BEGINNERS WELCOME!!

Grab your supplies & come practice face drawing with me!

First things first, if you haven't grabbed my FREE Toned Paper Packet/cheatsheets- please do that and get them printed out. It's 5 helpful pages to set you up for toned paper drawing success!

You'll recieve my face drawing guidelines, along with a few reference photos for drawing a sphere (last week's exercise), a reference image for today & a list of my fav supplies if you need some!

Simpy click on this button and I'll send the cheatsheets STRAIGHT over to your inbox!

In Part 1 of this toned paper drawing series, we went over concepts and supplies for drawing on toned paper. Last week in Part 2 - we talked about how to draw and shade a sphere on toned paper, as well as the differencecs to keep in mind when working on toned tan paper or toned grey paper vs white paper.

I'm working on toned grey paper today because I think this is a bit easier for beginners who are getting used to value scale drawing.

Before I start drawing, I scribbled some shading with a variety of pencils and marked which pencil helped me achieve which value on a scrap of toned paper, below. If you're new to toned paper drawing- I suggest you do this too so you have a reference for yourself that you can use while you draw.

As we discussed last week, when you're drawing on toned paper- you're "responsible" for adding in ALL the brightest highlights and darkest shadows. The mid-tones are already represented for you by the tone of the paper.

Once you get your Toned Paper Packet downloaded and printed- grab your reference drawing photo for today (shown above), and we'll get started on your free drawing lesson.

The face I'll be drawing isn't going to be super realistic because I typically prefer a lighter style called whimsical drawing. If you're new to my YouTube drawing channel - my goal is to help you become a better artist by keeping things FUN so nothing feels stressful. That means we don't get too hung up on details.

Make sure you click over to the video to do this face drawing lesson in REAL TIME with me because it makes SUCH a difference!! We're starting out with an oval and sketching in our face drawing guidelines - something I NEVER skip -even after all the hundreds of faces I've drawn!!

If you're somewhat familiar with drawing facecs and feel like you'd enjoy learning more about how to draw facial features more realistically, I have another FREE series you might enjoy (which also comes with free drawing worksheets). Make sure you check that out because it's awesome if you like drawing faces as much as I do!

After you get your face shape and guidelines drawn, it's time to lightly sketch in some squished ovals to serve as placeholders for the eyes, nose and mouth.

If you're just learning how to draw eyes, I LOVE using my circle template to draw the irises on my girls when I'm pressed for time, or not in the mood to draw perfect circles from scratch! If this little cheat helps you too - DO IT, and don't feel bad about it. Just move on and keep your drawing project FUN!

Make sure you click over to the video because I'm showng you exactly how to draw a face step by step, and will keeping things EASY for you if this is your first time drawing a face. The face drawing guidelines will help a TON! Trust me ;)

I also bring back my circle template/ stencil for adding pupils into the eyes. Make sure you pop those right into the center of your irises. I see pupils kinda all over the place, and this little tidbit will help make your faces look more sophisticated- especially if you're just learning how to draw eyes!

Once you've gotten all the facial features in position where they need to go - you can erase all of your guidelines.

Follow me in the video to start observing the values depicted in our reference photo. As you'll see in the FREE Toned Paper Packet I've provided- there are some versions of the reference image with polka dots of gray that I've laid down to help you decide which pencil to grab when shading various parts of her face.

I love using my china markers (also called grease pencils) on toned paper because you can get really opaque coverage with them.

The only thing I don't love about my china markers is they don't blend - so just be aware of that as you head in to attack your shadows. If you haven't used a china marker before - here is another video for you. I demo how to sharpen a china marker in that video and in last week's YouTube drawing tutorial.

For today's face shading, l'm starting with my white china marker to pop in the lightest white highlights first - which are really happening in the left side of her face.

When you've finished with the whites- move on to your darkest darks with your black china marker (colored pencils are fine to use for this drawing exercise too).

Now when you take a step back to view your work a little from a distance, I don't want you to freak out if you're new to face drawing!

This girl is in what I lovingly refer to as "the ugly phase." It means she probably looks really unfinished and might have you second guessing if you should toss her into the trash because you feel like she is so ugly.

DON'T DO IT. This is normal!

EVERY face drawing has an ugly phase. Just accept it, know your project is about halfway done and KEEP GOING. Don't let the "ugly phase" win!

Now that I've got a good base of my highlights and darkest shadows down, I'm going to work some graphite pencil in, and start moving some of the graphite around with my blending stump.

Remember, china markers don't blend, but you can ease some of your shading transitions by adding some pencil and a little graphite blending with a blending stump.

I pulled out my sharpies and pentel pocket brush to add some hair and a few details into her face. She's starting to come to life and working her way out of the ugly phase.

See?! I told you! You've just gotta keep going!! She'll snap out of it!

A word of caution about the pentel pocket brush- it doesn't want to work that well over the china marker, but I'm doing it anyway because I LOVE it for drawing eyelashes.

If eyelash drawing is a struggle for you, or you're just not sure how to draw eyelashes - download my cheatsheet with tips on how to draw eyelashes. I also have two videos on eyelash drawing - one on my YouTube drawing channel, and one on my mixed media YouTube channel.

Once eyelashes are popped in, I step back a little to compare my drawing to my drawing reference. I'm not looking for perfection. Remember this is totally for fun and just a quick drawing lesson to help you get started with working on toned paper!

What do you see when you compare the two? Focus on lights and darks. Where can we add more drama to make her pop even more? Zero in on the lightest lights and darkest darks.

Get aggressive! Don't be afraid to dive in and make the black areas blacker. Do a second pass with your china marker, or pull out your pencil and darken what needs to be so you can move the graphite around with a blending stick to ease the shading transitions from light to dark.

Remember, you can vary the amount of pressure you use when you're coloring with china markers. This is another way to soften shading transitions since you can't blend china markers with a blending stump.

See how she's coming even more to life now that I've added additional shading? This extra layering makes ALL the difference.

Once I've finished with my darkest shadows, I pull out my white sharpie to help accentuate the brightest whites. Take a look at this!!

Just adding ONE dot to each pupil for some eye shine takes the whole drawing to another level of fun and makes her look more sophisticated. We could actually call her done at this point! Those two dots did THAT much!

If you follow me, you KNOW I love some dramatic face shading on my girls so I'm not calling her done yet... adding white paint pen is my favorite part and hasn't been done yet!

Because I'm doing a whimsical drawing, I look to my face drawing reference photo for inspiration about where to add my shadows and highlights. However, I absolutely feel comfortable stretching that a step further and adding a few marks where I know highlights naturally occur on the human face.

Watch the video to see that in action when I'm drawing highlights on the chin, cheekbones, eyebrow ridge etc.

A really great trick for helping you understand where to pop in face shading is to pick up a foam head from your local craft store. Then just play with a light source - either a lamp, the flashlight on your phone - whatever! Shine the light directly on the foam head -forcing a variety of shadows and highlights you can follow.

Alternatively, I've got a video taking a closer look at this concept to help you out.

Need that link again for the toned paper packet to get started on this entire tone paper drawing series on YouTube?

Click the button above, and I'll drop my toned paper packet straight to your email. (Includes my face drawing guidelines & today's face drawing reference image!)

Thanks for hanging out with me today!

❤️ Did you miss my Gnome Workshop with guest artist Sarah Turner of Tenderfoot Village? CLICK HERE to enroll for $27 at Awesome Art School (if you're in the Mixed Media Society - you got free access to this but NEED a coupon - if you don't see it in your email, please email me!)

❤️Did you know I've started a FUN new podcast with my Scottish, artsy bestie, Lucy, ALL ABOUT SCOTLAND & the mythical goodness I can't get enough of about this magical place?! YES - we talk about everything including ARE Fairies Real?! (You know I think they are!!)

The podcast is called 1 Scot, 1 Not! Check us out on YouTube and here's our podcast website!

❤️EVEN BETTER - LUCY & I are creating a NEW ART MEMBERSHIP together called The Celtic Collective!! Learn More & add your name to the waitlist here.

❤️Want FREE, immediate access to my Fun Fab Drawing Club and/or Mixed Media Society plus discounts on all my art books, sneak peek at YouTube videos and new book content, behind-the-scenes fun and MORE? Join me over on Patreon today and get HUGE PERKS in return for a small monthly donation.

❤️ CHECK OUT ALL my art books on AMAZON (available in both Kindle and Paperback)

❤️ SIGNED COPIES of my art books on ETSY

❤️ MY FAVORITE ART SUPPLIES on AMAZON

❤️ MY BELOVED FACEBOOK GROUP

❤️ FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM

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Quick TONED PAPER SHADING TIPS for BEGINNERS with Karen Campbell

28/5/2021

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In today's toned paper drawing video, we'll build on what you learned last week, and put the value scale to work drawing and shading a sphere. First we'll study the values we see on a reference photo. Then I'll show you some quick ways for drawing shadows and the highlights you see in the reference on both white and toned paper.

If you missed last week's drawing YouTube video - you might want to check that out first, because I talk about toned paper sketchbooks, drawing supplies and more.

I've also got a FREE 5-page toned paper PDF for you to download and use as a reference while you're playing along at home. This will help you TONS with understanding the value scale, drawing shadows and drawing highlights. Plus you'll get a list of my FAV toned paper sketchbooks and drawing supplies to set yourself up for success!

Simply click the button below, and I'll shoot it straight over to your inbox.

I've included a reference photo of a sphere in black and white in the Toned Paper Packet.

Before we dive into drawing and shading a sphere on toned tan paper- I want to make sure you understand how to use the value scale to draw a sphere on white paper first.

I added "polka dots" in my cheatsheet reference image for you to indicate where your eye should be registering value changes that you need to replicate in your drawing.

Be sure to click over to the video to see this in action!

Last week I scribbled beneath each value scale dot with an example of the drawing pencil that can help you achieve each value. If you're a beginner with shading, this will come in really handy when you're ready to start drawing shadows we see in the reference image on your own paper.

And as always- when you're working with me- you don't have to use fancy supplies. You can also do this entire exercise in one #2 school pencil.

As you'll see in the video- today's shading practice is really all about me trying to make sure you understand the concept of how to look for values in a reference, and how to record what you see on your drawing. Your execution doesn't have to be perfect or even look that great -just lay down some value and do a little down and dirty practice!

When working on white paper - you need to cover every single shade of the value scale except white in your drawing.

When you're drawing on toned tan paper (or toned grey paper), you're "responsible" for adding all the shades of the value scale EXCEPT for the mid-tones, because those shades are represented by the tone of the paper. Pretty cool, right?!

For my sphere example on toned paper I'm starting with my white china marker (also called a china pencil or grease pencil) and adding in the lightest highlights I see in my reference image, then start adding in my darkest shadows with my black china marker. I use a little graphite to blend a bit of the midtones and use my blending stump ot help.

(The china marker doesn't really blend, so just be prepared for that!)

If you're new to working with china markers - all you need to do to sharpen your pencil is to pull on the string and then pull off some of the excess paper wrapping. If you're interested in learning MORE about china markers - I've got a video for you.

I love using the sides of my china markers to lay wide areas of color down, and don't mind the blunt tip. If you prefer working with something that gets to a sharper point - you might want to work in colored pencil.

There is a constant push/pull of working the values and studying your reference photo to make sure you're depicting the values in your drawing correctly.

If you'd like to work on drawing a sphere in more detail through a full lesson - I've got one of these in The Fun Fab Drawing Club.In this one - we draw it in pencil on white paper.

Currently enrollment for both of my clubs are closed at the moment- but you can add your name to the waitlist for the drawing club here, and mixed media club here. I'll let ya know as soon as doors open again!!

Next week on my YouTube drawing channel - we will be drawing and shading a face so you can practice these new skills in a different way!

Need the link to that Toned Paper Packet one more time? Here ya go! Click the button below and I'll send it right to your email!

And of course don't forget to watch the video....

Thanks for hanging out with me today!

If you're in the Mixed Media Society with me, our GNOME WORKSHOP (hosted by guest artist Sarah Turner of Tenderfoot Villange and I) opens today (June 1st)!

You DO need a special code from me to enroll for free. If you haven't already received that- please email me for help so you can enjoy this club perk!!

Not in the Mixed Media Society, but still wanna make these TWO adorable gnome projects?! I GOT YOU!!

❤️ CLICK HERE to enroll for $27 at Awesome Art School

❤️Did you miss my Fun Fab Fairies Workshop? NO worries!! You can STILL sign up and enjoy each of these lessons on your own time at your own pace in this stand alone classroom at Awesome Art School! CLICK HERE to REGISTER.

❤️Did you know I've started a FUN new podcast with my Scottish, artsy bestie, Lucy, ALL ABOUT SCOTLAND & the mythical goodness I can't get enough of about this magical place?! YES - we talk about everything including ARE Fairies Real?! (You know I think they are!!)

The podcast is called 1 Scot, 1 Not! Check us out on YouTube and here's our podcast website!

❤️EVEN BETTER - LUCY & I are creating a NEW ART MEMBERSHIP together called The Celtic Collective!! Learn More & add your name to the waitlist here.

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Adorable NEW Lesson Now Available in The Fun Fab Drawing Club!

25/10/2020

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If you are just getting to know me... it won't take you long to discover I'm obsessed with all things Scotland, and fairies!! I love drawing their adorable, pointy ears and teaching students how to draw fairy ears.

This is one of my art journal spreads from my Scotland art retreat last year. She's watercolor and ink!

Since I can't go back to Scotland for a while, I'm amusing myself at home in my studio whenever I can with cute fairy projects. The other day I posted one as a new lesson for The Fun Fab Drawing Club!

Club members are welcome to join at ANY stage of drawing experience to work on building new skills to really take their work to the next level. And of course, because this is my club - it's never stuffy or boring! I LOVE teaching students how to draw faces in a whimsical style to keep things light and enjoyable, without any pressure!!

Fun Fab Drawing Club members who consider themselves beginners learn the basics of line weight and do a bit of zentangling to get them used to having fun making marks on paper.

This month, I've added a cute new fairy drawing lesson for my Pixies - or anyone else who'd like to keep things easy, simple, colorful and FUN!! IF you're ALREADY a Fun Fab Drawing Club member, I've dropped this lesson into the Fantasy Classroom.

If you're not a member of The Fun Fab Drawing Club, and want to learn more about it and get your name on the waitlist to be notified when enrollment opens in the spring, just hop over to Awesome Art School!

One of my favorite things to see on Facebook after a new lesson has posted, are all the amazing artists who share their interpretations!! Each one is special. I'm SO PROUD OF ALL MY STUDENTS!!!

I need to brag on two of the first who shared their beautiful work...

How CUTE is that?! She's precious, Paula!! I LOVE how she used watercolor instead of copics to mix things up!

Debbie shared this one...

SO cute, Debbie!!! She is adorable!! Awesome highlights, girl!! Don't you wonder what she's looking at???

Thank you both for sharing and for letting me RE-SHARE your gorgeous artwork :)

If YOU are interested in learning more about The Fun Fab Drawing Club - please pop your name on the waitlist over at Awesome Art School so I can send ya a quick note when enrollment opens. We'd love to have you there!!

If you need a little drawing inspiration right now - please feel free to jump on over to my Drawing Channel on YouTube. I've got tons of fun projects for you to try - including my new Whimsical Women of the World Drawing Series!! We are having a blast with that, and would LOVE to have you join us!

All of these lessons are free on YouTube and are being posted once/week on Mondays. We'll have 12 Whimsical Women's faces when we're done.

See ya there!!

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EASY Pencil Shading Techniques on a Whimsical 3/4 Face!!

28/9/2020

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Today we're doing some EASY pencil shading techniques to add drama to our three quarter portrait face drawing! This is part two of my 3/4 face drawing series on my Drawing Channel over on YouTube.

If you missed the first episode, make sure you click the button below to download my FREE 3/4 view face drawing guidelines so you can draw along with me in episode one.

Once you've got your three quarter portrait guidelines printed and you're all set to begin practicing, click here so you can draw this girlie along with me in episode one. When that video is over, today's shading video should begin automatically so you can keep on going!

I used the same photo reference to give me some face shading ideas today as I did to sketch my original 3/4 portrait for this series.

Even though my drawing is semi-realistic / whimsical, I feel it makes a HUGE difference in my work if I use a reference photo to tell me where I should add in shadows, and how dark they should be.

One of the fun things about drawing in a whimsical style, is I can mix and match reference photos for my work and use them in different ways. For example, I really LOVE the dramatic shadows and highlights in this image (below). If I'm shading a face in pencil, I feel like it's super helpful to use a black and white shading reference like this one...

In my How to Draw and Find Your Style book, I talk in depth about how to take advantage of the value scale when you are shading, because it adds so much more depth and dimension to your drawings and sketches. The more tones you incorporate into your drawing from the value scale like bright white highlights, and dark black shadows, the more sophisticated your work will be.

In today's shading tutorial I'm using one of my Blackwing pencils (TOTALLY unnecessary, but I SO LOVE THEM!!!). This one is equivalent to about a 4B, but you can absolutely use a simple #2 school pencil, so don't stress about your supplies! I start applying graphite by looking at my reference photo for the darkest areas first. When I'm shading, I often use the side of my pencil to begin. My initial layer of shading is very light and almost scribbly.

After I have a light layer of shading down, I use my blending stump to "moosh" the graphite around. In this particular reference photo, the model is very light skinned, so I actually use the cleaner side of my blending stump to work my shading in and around the face. If I lay down too much, I simply pick a bit of that graphite back up with my eraser and moosh some more! For the darkest areas, I use the super dirty side of my blending stump.

When you're starting out with drawing and shading, I think it's SOOOOO much easier to practice in a whimsical drawing style. It just takes the pressure off and keeps things light and fun! And if you're having fun...you'll practice more, and if you practice... your skills will only grow and improve!!

When my first layer of shading is done, I go back for a second layer of shading to really punch up my details that could have been lost while "mooshing" my graphite around with my blending stump. This is where the drama starts to come in!! Sometimes it can also help you to look at a reference photo with squinted eyes. It may sound funny, but doing this can often help you see darks and lights a bit more.

The objective of shading for me is to use the WHOLE value scale. So you'll see me use a black colored pencil for the darkest darks - found in the crease of her lips and in her pupils. Additionally, for my brightest white highlights, I will typically carve out some of the graphite I already put down with an eraser.

I hope you have fun with this face shading practice!! Please stay tuned for next week's video. I'll be shading another 3/4 portrait using copic markers.

Thanks for hanging out with me today!

Wanna learn more about my How to Draw & Find Your Style book? Press play below to see the flip through of EVERY PAGE!

❤️ CHECK OUT ALL my art books on AMAZON
❤️ MY FAVORITE ART SUPPLIES on AMAZON
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❤️ FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM

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Why I'm Obsessed with YOUR Art Journey

18/9/2020

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I've been a full-time working artist for 15 years! If you've been wondering how to become an artist, how to become a better artist, or if it's too late to start your own art journey, you NEED to watch today's YouTube video on my Mixed Media channel, because that is EXACTLY what I'll be talking about!!

Would it surprise you to know that I don't sell ONE SINGLE PIECE of my art? I don't!!

So WHY do I make art and spend all of my time and energy on TEACHING art with a team of people behind me? Because I know the way art makes us FEEL. It can have a HUGE impact on our own lives and the lives of others.

You might find it interesting to know that becoming an artist was NEVER even on my to do list when I was growing up!!

Not for one second did I even consider becoming an artist! I grew up thinking art was a hobby - no more, no less.

So how did I get where I am today- with two YouTube channels, an online art school, and 12 art books already under my belt?!

I got into art later in life because I got addicted to the way it made me feel when I spent time being creative. If I was having a bad day, stuck home when my kids were little and I was changing diapers and wanted to cry, the minute that I sat down to draw, sketch or paint, all of those feelings melted away. It was like a drug. There was a transformation that happened inside of me - in my brain, in my soul, in my heart...and it made everything ok again.

Art gave me ALL the FEELS inside, and was something I craved because this goodness washed over me every single time I sat down to create.

These amazing feelings are what I hope ALL my students can experience, and they're WHY I spend SO much time coming up with cheatsheets and shortcuts and break things down step by step for my online art classes - because I want my students to get to their happy place TOO, and to get there even faster than I did!!

I became a good artist by default.

Because ALL the chasing of those good "happy place feelings" lead to practice, and all of that practice lead to really great results. Why does that matter? Because I grew up believing people who made art were BORN with talent. I didn't even entertain the thought that I could make art because I didn't think I was born with that talent.

Yet here I am, a successful working artist impacting students who are now making masterpieces of their own. So how does that happen?!

This is my philosophy on what happened... if I CAN LEARN to be a good artist... so can anyone!!!

SO CAN YOU!!!!!

After you watch today's video, make sure you sign up to join one or both of the art challenges I'm running next week. They start on MONDAY!!!

✅ SIGN UP for my MIXED MEDIA CHALLENGE

✅ SIGN UP for my DRAWING CHALLENGE

Now press play already for today's video so I can show you how YOU can become an awesome artist too ;)

I can't wait to show you!!!!

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EASY Pencil Shading Techniques on a Whimsical 3/4 Face!!

Why I'm Obsessed with YOUR Art Journey

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

Need Another EASY Zentangle Drawing Project?

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Ready to Take Your Drawing Skills to the Next Level?

Looking for Something Else?

Not Familiar with my Fun Fab Style?

Draw Along with Me!

How to Use Fineliners with Alcohol Markers WITHOUT Smearing!

Loved Today's Video? SHARE IT!

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

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How to Use Fineliners with Alcohol Markers
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