Category: Mixed Media YouTube

Testing a NEW MIXED MEDIA ART Idea From My STUDENT!

22/11/2022

Recently, one of my super-talented students suggested a mixed media art idea I can't wait to try!!

I LOVE creating alcohol marker drawings of faces. Over the years I've discovered quick layers in alternating directions will help me avoid streaks, and colored pencil over alcohol markers can soften transitions between marker shades.

My ROCKSTAR student shared an alternative alcohol marker blending technique: pan pastels over alcohol markers. I'm SO intrigued!! Join me in the studio as teacher becomes student, and I discover if THIS is the job my pan pastel set has been waiting for!

New to mixed media art, feeling intimidated to try it, or overwhelmed by the supplies? I've got 30 FUN Mixed Media Art Ideas with SIMPLE, tried, and true art supply combos like Pan Pastels over Alcohol Markers! Click the button below to download my FREE "Hot Dog Packet! "

Each mixed media example in The Hot Dog Packet reads like a recipe with ONLY 4 art supplies, so it's perfect for mixed media beginners and anyone on the lookout for NEW mixed media art ideas that won't make a hot mess!!

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.

Today's AWESOME mixed media art technique comes straight from one of my AMAZING students over at Awesome Art School, Darlene Hanna.

Darlene has been a part of my world FOREVER, and I'm SO grateful for her ever-supportive presence in my Facebook Group. I LOVE it when she posts what she's working on because everything she does is sheer magic. Just take a look...

Out of this world, right?! There's nothing she can't do!!

Darlene recently shared an alcohol marker blending technique with me that I've never tried before using pan pastels. I really don't know much about pan pastels and have only used them a couple of times. I never dreamed of trying them on top of my alcohol marker drawings.

Typically I only use colored pencils over alcohol markers, as you can see above (along with my white poscas and pentel pocket brush pen). I'm excited to try Darlene's technique AND to finally have a purpose for my ginormous pan pastels set!!

Last week's face chart-inspired alcohol marker drawing is perfect for today's experiment. My only concern is the paper used for this drawing - it's a super smooth Bristol. I *think* panpastels need a little texture in the paper in order to stick? Fingers crossed this paper isn't too slick!!

If you look closely at my drawing above, you'll see there are definitely some transition areas that could benefit from a little more blending.

I looked back at my face chart reference photo from last week also to see what else I might want to adjust. I love super dramatic shading and makeup in the faces I draw, so I started out by dabbing a little orange pan pastel around the corners of each eye to kick the makeup in my drawing up a notch.

My first thought as my pan pastel applicator hits the paper is, "WHY HAVE I NOT BEEN DOING THIS MY WHOLE LIFE?!"

I'm thrilled with the results!! The orange panpastel deepens my shading AND softens the transitions around each eye as soon as I start to apply it. Excited by how this is going, I reach for another shade and move on to the lips! Just look at these results...

The pan pastels are totally like a "corrector method" for alcohol markers!! The next question is if I can use my white posca pens for highlights and my secret weapon for creating gorgeous eyelashes OVER the pan pastel layering?

Watch the video to meet me in the studio and find out!!

Make sure you grab my FREE Hot Dog Packet for more FUN & EASY mixed media project ideas like the one we tried today. If YOU discover another art supply combo YOU love, there are even blank sheets in the packet where you can jot them down!

Thanks for hanging out with me today! And another HUGE shout out to my ROCKSTAR student, Darlene Hanna, for sharing her life-changing alcohol marker blending technique ??

WANNA DRAW the face-chart inspired alcohol marker drawing featured in today's video? Here's the FREE drawing tutorial:

NEED the FACE DRAWING REFERENCE from last week's drawing tutorial? Grab it here!

NEED MORE resources to get your creative juices flowing?

❤️ 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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20 MIXED MEDIA COLLAGE BACKGROUND Ideas that will CHANGE the way you do ART!

8/11/2022

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Creating a mixed media collage background is SO MUCH FUN and happens to be the first layer of my signature mixed media process called the Hamburger System.

Recently I received an email from a viewer asking me WHAT materials work best for collage backgrounds. I have hundreds of ideas, but here are my TOP 20 FAVORITES to use on canvas OR in my mixed media art journals!

Do you love collage or have always wanted to try it in your art, but aren't quite sure how to do it without making a HOT MESS? You need my FREE Hamburger System cheatsheet.

If you're new to mixed media, collage, art journaling, mixed media on canvas - any or ALL of it, my Hamburger System is gonna rock your art world! You'll learn my tried and true process of how to create a mixed media MASTERPIECE every time. It's simple, step-by-step, tells ya exactly WHICH supplies you need, and did I mention it's SO MUCH FUN?!

Click that button above or click here and I'll email my Hamburger System cheatsheet straight to your inbox!

My Hamburger System series on YouTube has been watched by over 140,000 people and even became a book, available on Amazon.

I LOVE starting my mixed media canvases and mixed media art journal pages with a layer of collage! There's something so simple and relaxing about this process that connects me with my inner child. It's honestly pretty brainless and kinda serves as an art warmup to get my head into a creative space.

Collage is also one of the BEST things to do to bust through creative block whenever it strikes (and trust me- it hits ALL of us).

Here are my TOP TEN favorite mixed media collage materials. Make sure you scroll down and watch the video to see TEN MORE ideas and watch a super fast mixed media collage tutorial I think you're gonna love!!

Scrapbook Paper

I LOVE a good scrapbook paper pad. This is the perfect collage material for people who have a hard time picking papers that go together and those who might be in a hurry or feeling lazy who just wanna grab and go!

With scrapbook paper, the work has already been done for you because EVERYTHING in the scrapbook paper pad only features colors and patterns that go together. All YOU have to do is pull out your favorites and start ripping.

Scapbook paper even tells you exactly what color paints to use for your acrylic layer! It's awesome :)

Make sure you click over to the video to see the mixed media collage examples I show you of how I incorporated scrapbook paper into BOTH the background and foreground of a mixed media portrait on canvas.

Phone Book Pages

This adorable mixed media fox painting was originally done on an upcycled record jacket I found in a thrift shop. I used the record jacket as my canvas. If you look closely at the pillow I had made of this canvas, you'll see some type in the background. Those are just phone book pages! So simple, right?!

Sheet Music

Sheet music collage is a favorite of mine, super cheap, and beautiful to use in both the background and foreground of your mixed media art.

You can either turn an old book of sheet music from a thrift shop into an altered book art journal or rip old sheet music into collage pieces like I did below.

Isn't it beautiful how the music notes peak through the skin tones in the painting?

If you wanna create the piece above with me, it's one of the projects in my Mixed Media Magic book over on Amazon. Check it out!!

Dictionary Paper

I LOVE a vintage dictionary! The really old ones have a yellow tone to them and rip SO easily for collage. They also have a distressed look to them already because they're old. I think these are fun to have peaking through the background in a mixed media face, or to use strictly in the background. Your options and endless (and SO CHEAP) here!

This art deco mixed media portrait project is available at Awesome Art School as a stand-alone project if you'd like to create along with me!

Masking Tape

Lots of people don't even think of masking tape as a collage element, but it's weirdly a perfect surface to art upon and creates a lovely texture to your art. It also accepts gesso, acrylic paint, and all the mediums you would typically reach for to create mixed-media art.

Look closely at the piece below and you'll see some subtle, horizontal lines from my masking tape collage layer.

Create her along with me or just watch because it's fun!

Trash!

You can totally use TRASH as a mixed media collage element. Hilarious, right?! I've enjoyed using beer bottle labels (I love to collect these when I travel), foil candy wrappers (shown below), discarded tissue paper from a gift, you name it!

See this project being made in my cereal box art journal or create along with me.

Fabric

I once found this pretty fabric with an adhesive backing to it that peeled off like a giant sticker. I used that to create the background of this fun Bathtub Babe in my cereal box journal. Don't be afraid to think outside the box with the collage elements you choose!

Washi Tape

Washi tape is SO fun to use in mixed media collage. I love how there are SO many fun colors, patterns and thicknesses of washi tape. I use it a lot like how I use scrapbook paper. Sometimes it's strictly in the background. Other times I've used washi tape in the foreground as hair or clothing (like the tutu below) and it looks SO awesome!

Washi tape doesn't always adhere the best, so you'll want to go over it with a sealant to keep it in place.

Maps

Maps are becoming SO old school now, but they can be such a fun way to create an art piece based on a place you visited or want to visit. In this one, I have elements from a map of Inverness, covered them in gesso, and went to town.

Duct Tape

You may not even know this, but duct tape comes in SO many fun patterns now!! I've used this kinda like I use washi tape- in the background or foreground.

In this Mixed Media Retro Girl project, I carved out my entire girl so I could use this fun camper duct tape for her clothes, shoes and hair. So cute, right?!

Just a quick warning on using duct tape as a mixed media collage element - it's super glossy, so can be tricky to paint on top of. Just make sure you seal it so the paint doesn't peal off when you're done.

This is only HALF my list!!

Make sure you click over to watch today's video to find out what my other TEN mixed media collage elements are. I KNOW there are some you haven't considered yet and just might love!!

Need more resources to get your creative juices flowing?

❤️ 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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MIXED MEDIA ART: Definition

4/10/2022

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Have you ever heard the words "Mixed Media Art" and wondered what the heck that even means?! Today's YouTube video is FOR YOU!

I'm sharing my super simple mixed media definition to eliminate ALL confusion and make mixed media feel more approachable - especially for beginners because it's SO MUCH FUN!

If you're new to mixed media, struggling to understand your art supplies or how to layer them so you can create a MASTERPIECE instead of a hot mess - you need to download my FREE Cheatsheet outlining my signature mixed media technique called the Hamburger System.

Simply click the button above, and I'll send my Hamburger Cheatsheet straight to your inbox. Once you've printed that out - meet me right back here to learn just how simple the definition of mixed media art is, and how much FUN it can be!

Wanna learn see the Hamburger System step-by-step, in action? Check out my Hamburger System series on this playlist next.

I loved doing this series so much, I turned it into a book!

Now that you know WHAT mixed media art is, I hope you feel empowered to try it - even if you're a total beginner.

YOU CAN DO THIS!! Need more resources to get going?

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

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How to Make Your WATERCOLOR MARKERS BEHAVE for Mixed Media Projects!

29/8/2022

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Today's mixed media art tutorial might just blow your mind if you're a beginner. Not only will I show you how to use Faber Castell skin tone watercolor markers to shade a mixed media face, but you'll learn 3 UNIQUE WAYS to melt, blend and freeze the pigment from your watercolor markers so they BEHAVE in YOUR OWN gorgeous mixed media projects at home!

Got a new set of watercolor markers, colored pencils, pens or watercolors? It's SO important to SWATCH your new colors so you know what to expect when each color hits your page!

I've made this process MORE FUN for you by creating a FREE Swatchsheet! Simply click the button below, and I'll send it straight to your inbox.

LOVE swatching, and can't get enough?! Check out the book I created with my Facebook Group called The Fun Fab Swatch Pad. These playful pages will keep you swatching for days!

How to Use Watercolor Markers
to Shade a Mixed Media Face

I love using watercolor markers in my mixed media projects because I feel like I've got the control of a marker and the magic of watercolors in ONE art supply!

A couple of weeks ago I tried Faber Castell Watercolor markers for the first time and tested them against my Winsor Newtons. I was thrilled to discover the Faber Castell set has SO many colors, including SKIN TONES! I can't wait to try these out today...

To get the face shading of this project started, I studied my drawing reference to see where the darkest shadows sit naturally on the model's face. Then I strategically laid down brush strokes of color on my drawing to replicate what I saw. It's that easy!

How to Activate Watercolor Markers With Water

Typically when I activate my watercolor markers (or any water soluble marker, pencil or pen) with water, I simply wet a watercolor brush (these are my favorites, by Polina Bright), and run the brush over the lines where I want to create watercolor effects.

After I dipped my watercolor brush in water today, I pulled it through the skin tone brush strokes and pushed it around my portrait's face to create lighter skin tones throughout.

As you'll see in the video, the downside of working with watercolor markers is streakiness. Even if you try to blend streaks out with water, they never totally come out. When this happens to me, I usually reach for another art supply in my stash, like gesso.

When to Activate Watercolor Markers
With Gesso & Matte Medium

In case you're new to gesso, white gesso has a translucency to it that will allow an underlayer of a mixed media project (like collage or today's shading with watercolor markers) to peak through. White gesso also has just enough opacity to hide something in an underlayer that you're not crazy about (like today's streakiness).

White gesso is one of MY TRICKS that I use to make watercolor markers behave for my mixed media projects!

As you can see in the above pic, I dipped a different paintbrush into some white gesso to even out my underlayer of face shading. I changed my brush because gesso will RUIN your expensive watercolor brushes. Trust me!

HOT TIP: Whenever you work with gesso, make sure to use a cheap, stiff brush,like these.

Once my gesso layer was fully dry, I added a second layer of shading with my skin tone watercolor marker. This needed some blending too, but I wanted it to remain dark, so reached for my clear matte medium instead of more white gesso.

I almost always use matte medium as my "glue" for mixed media collage. Today, I'm using its adhesive properties to "freeze" my underlayers in place and to lightly blend my last layer of face shading. Cool right?

Using gesso and/or matte medium with other watercolor markers, watercolor pencils and watercolor pens can totally HELP YOU whenever these water-soluble art supplies aren't cooperating for you just by adding water!

How to Draw Hair with Watercolor Markers

If you're not sure how to draw hair with watercolor markers, make sure you click over to the video to see this in action. When I'm drawing hairstyles, I typically draw in a couple of pencil lines to guide the general outlline of where I wanted the hair to sit on my paper. If I'm shading in color, like today, I usually choose three different shades of the same color to create dimension with a light, medium and dark.

I activated the hair brush strokes with water to indicate volume and blend the shades together. Once this layer was dry, I added a few more brush strokes for definition and started shading the facial features.

Hot Press vs Cold Press Watercolor Paper
for Mixed Media Projects

Today's mixed media project is on hot-press watercolor paper. This paper is really smooth and can be quite beautiful for portraits. If you plan to do lots of layering (or collage), cold press watercolor paper is your best choice because it's kind of like working on canvas.

You can throw whatever you want at cold press paper, and it's gonna survive. Hot press is a bit more delicate. If you're not careful or get a little too aggressive with your paintbrush - you can work a hole into the paper. Learn more about mixed media paper for beginners in this video.

I hope you enjoyed today's project, and feel empowered to know you can use MORE THAN JUST WATER to get results you LOVE from your water soluble art supplies!

Remember, all mixed media projects are kind of a big experiment. They're free-flowing. Sometimes things go well, sometimes they don't! Don't freak out.

Keep going, try to chill out, and enjoy the process!

Thanks for hanging out with me today!

❤️ 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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The BEST Mixed Media White Pencils, Paint Pens & Inks for Creating Dazzling Highlights!

1/8/2022

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No mixed media project of mine is complete without adding some dazzling white highlights. As a result, I've developed quite a collection of white pencils, paint pens, and inks over the years.

Today I'm pulling them ALL out to show you which ones I reach for most, and which ones are better off in the trash. Whether you're a mixed media beginner, or a seasoned artist curious about the BEST mixed media art supplies - today's video is for YOU!

Not sure WHEN to layer your white highlights, or feel like you're struggling with how to layer your mixed media art supplies so you create a MASTERPIECE instead of a hot mess?

You're in the right place! Download my FREE Hamburger System Cheatsheet and learn how to layer your supplies for mixed media success every time!

Once you've got your cheatsheet, check out my FREE YouTube series breaking down each layer of the Hamburger System in action!

Adding white highlights to my mixed media projects is one of my FAVORITE things to do when I'm creating. That's probably why I've collected just about every white art supply I can get my hands on!

To get this demo started, I've pulled eight of my favorite white pencils that are not water-soluble. I'm on the hunt for an opaque white that will really make the features in my mixed media drawings pop off the page.

Typically if I'm doing a mixed media drawing, I tend to reach for my white china markers because I'm creating something like this on tan toned paper...

I LOVE my white china marker, but have never actually tested it in a side-by-side product comparison like this, so it will be interesting to see how it performs.

Make sure you watch the video to see how each white pencil swatch compares. I was a little surprised by the results from my super soft, white Conte a Paris pastel pencil!

Next up, I tested all of the white mixed media art supplies that look like crayons or pastels. If you're familiar with my Hamburger System, you may already know how much I love using Faber Castell gelatos to shade my mixed media portraits over my acrylic paint layer.

I have tons of students who really love working with pastels, Neocolor Is (non-watersoluble) and Neocolor IIs (water-soluble) - so I included these in my white art supply product comparison as well.

To me, the brightness of the oil pastel really stands out when compared to the other supplies in this category. Watch the video to see what YOU think!

Since pastels work well on top of basically anything and don't require a sealer to stay in place, they could work perfectly for you at the end of a hamburger style project when you're ready to add highlights!

As far as white pens go, I really struggled to get anything substantial out of all the brands I tested. This comparison was a great reminder to me about WHY I typically avoid using white gel pens in my projects! From the uniball gelly roll pens and signos to a Recollections branded pen from Michaels - they all failed. I don't think any of them are worth your money. In fact, I threw a bunch of the ones I tested out while I was recording this video!

Pitt pens and paint pens by Sharpie (water-based) and Posca are ALL definitely worth it. I use my paint pens for highlights in everything from tone paper drawings to full-blown mixed media hamburger projects. Check out the video to see which one you think might be best for you.

When it comes to white ink product comparisons, I really love how both the copic opaque white and Dr. Ph Martin's Bleed Proof White look once dry. You almost can't tell them apart.

Copic opaque white comes in two different containers. One has a built-in applicator brush and works a lot like nail polish (- great for teeny tiny details). The other is a little jar that you simply dip a paintbrush into.

Dr. Ph Martin's Bleed Proof White is about half the price of a copic opaque white (jar), plus goes on easier with better coverage than the copic. I definitely recommend giving it a try.

I recently discovered the wonders of gouache and show you a swatch of an acrylic gouache as well. If you're interested in learning more about what gouache is, and all the different kinds out there on the market today, check out this recent video.

I hope this video helps you decide which white art supplies will work best for you! Thanks so much for hanging out with me today :)

Wanna learn about ALL my favorite art supplies? Check out this playlist!

❤️ 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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WHY You Need to Try FABER CASTELL WATERCOLOR MARKERS in Your Mixed Media Art Projects!

18/7/2022

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Today I'm unboxing a brand new set of Faber Castell watercolor markers! I've been in love with watercolor markers for my mixed media art projects for years, but only recently discovered Faber Castell makes a GIANT watercolor markers set filled with 30 colors!

Join me in my studio for a full Faber Castell watercolor markers review. We'll test these beauties against my favorite Winsor Newton watercolor markers, and compare their performance against mixed media artist brand favorites made by Ecoline and Tombow.

Got a new set of watercolor markers, colored pencils, pens or watercolors? It's SO important to SWATCH your new colors so you know what to expect when each color hits your page!

I've tried to make this process MORE FUN for you by creating a FREE Swatchsheet! Simply click the button below, and I'll send it straight to your inbox.

LOVE swatching, and can't get enough?! Check out the book I created with my Facebook Group called The Fun Fab Swatch Pad. This playful book will keep you swatching for days!

So WHY use watercolor markers in the first place? Control. It's a simple as that! Applying watercolors with a brush and water is a lot looser and can feel a bit dicier and unpredictable for tons of artists. Having the precision of a marker combined with the beautiful effects of watercolor is seriously magical!

I've been in LOVE with my Winsor Newton watercolor markers for years. They're a fine art product, so MUCH juicier, and more pigmented compared to other watersoluble markers on the market. They're also lightfast, which means the pigment is museum quality and the color in your mixed media art projects will stay beautiful FOREVER.

When I discovered this giant box of watercolor markers by Faber Castell, I immediately wondered how they would compare with my Winsor Newtons.

Because I've got mixed media beginners all the way to advanced students working with me over at Awesome Art School, I'm also going to test the Faber Castells against Ecoline Brush Pens and Tombow Dual Brush Pens as well because they're a little more budget friendly. Plus, LOTS of my students have at least a few watersoluble markers by one or both of these brands.

As far as a cost comparison for Faber Castell Watercolor Markers vs Winsor Newton Watercolor Markers, the Winsor Newtons are definitely more expensive, at around $6/marker - if you buy them individually. They do offer a few sets of 12 (check out my Amazon shop), but costs can vary up to $90/set!

The Faber Castell Watercolor Marker Set of 30 isn't cheap by any means, but you get 30 colors for less than $100 (current Amazon price is $94) - so you're getting a bigger bang for your buck!

As soon as I opened the Faber Castells, right away I noticed a skin tone watercolor marker! This got me SUPER excited, because I don't have one of these in my Winsor Newton Watercolor collection. I can't wait to play with that one for one of my mixed media faces!!

I also noticed I've got five gorgeous blues, five beautiful greens , and an awesome set of six grayscale shades to play with. I LOVE my Grayscale Tombow Dual Brush Pens set, so the Faber Castell version will be really fun to try out too.

The first thing I like to do when I'm comparing mixed media art supplies in any category is to see how juicy and vibrant the pigment is. How the colors look on my paper, and how much coverage I can get QUICKLY are both really important features to me.

All of them have decent coverage and the shades of blue I'm testing are all beautiful. But as soon as my Winsor Newton watercolor marker hits the page, I can immediately tell a difference. I felt a similar juiciness from the Faber Castell watercolor marker as well. Both beat out the Ecoline and Tombow brands here, hands down.

Before I tested the watersolubility factor on each of these brands, I decided to dry the page completely with my hair dryer to see how each brand activated with water when dry.

I used one of my favorite Polina Bright watercolor brushes to activate each line with water.

If you're new to Polina's watercolor brushes, you're in for a treat. They hold SO much water and are amazing. They are now the only watercolor brush I use. If you're interested in learning more about these, here is a recent product demo video and full Polina Bright watercolor brushes review.

If you'd like to pick up your own Polina Bright watercolor brush or set, Polina has offered a 10% discount to my followers, so be sure to use this link when you shop! If you do order anything here- just a quick fyi, Polina is located in Australia so shipping may take a bit more time, but I promise, it's well worth the wait!

If you're new to Polina Bright - her art is simply fantastic, so be sure to look her up to see the gorgeous faces she creates as well.

As you'll see in today's video, when I activated the Winsor Newton lines on my paper, I got such a rich effect. Plus, you'll notice I was able to fully disolve my original lines once I added water.

Both the Ecoline and Tombow activated beautifully too, but their original lines did NOT disolve as much as the Winsor & Newton and Faber-Castell lines. If this is a feature that's important to you, you might want to skip Ecolines and Tombows.

I also noticed a bit of granulation in the Faber Castells as well. Granulation is super common with watercolors becuase the pigment is typically made from minerals. This effect is something you won't see in a synthetic, dye based watercolor marker like Tombows or Ecoliners, and is something I LOVE about watercolors in general.

Here's what the brush nibs of each marker tested today look like side by side (above). I have to say they're all pretty comparable. Faber Castell has the widest nib (third from the left), while Winsor Newton's (far right) is both wide and long.

I felt the Winsor Newton nib was most flexible, and therefore felt most like a paint brush. The Faber Castell nib felt more like a felt tip or typical marker, and had zero flexibility.

When comparing the bullet nibs from each of the markers tested today, they're also quite comparable (below). I rarely use this side of my dual brush pens or markers, but if this is something you're curious about, here's what they look like (excluding the Ecoliner, because it doesn't come with a bullet nib).

I hope you found this info helpful. Make sure you click over to the video to see everything in action!

See ya back here next week with lesson six of my FREE #50FunFabFairies drawing challenge!

Thanks for hanging out with me today!

❤️ 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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WHAT IS GOUACHE?! How to Use it in Mixed Media Art + Gouache Alternatives for Matte Finish Lovers!

8/6/2022

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What is GOUACHE anyway?! I get asked about the meaning of gouache all the time by my mixed media beginners. In today's mixed media art supply demo, I'll show you WHAT gouache is, explain WHY mixed media artists might want to use it, plus give you a demo of my favorite brands and gouache alternatives for EVERY budget.

If you've been searching for a gouache definition, info on gouache vs acrylic, gouache vs watercolor, or simply want to know about ALL the supplies - today's video is FOR YOU!

Are you new to mixed media art, or just wanna learn more about mixed media art supplies so you can create mixed media masterpieces instead of a hot mess?! You're in the RIGHT PLACE!

Simply click the button below to grab my FREE Supplies Guide!

Need a video of me explaining the Supplies Guide in Action, after you print it out? I've got you!!

Everything I know about gouache, I've learned from my Scottish bestie, artist, Lucy Brydon (top right - that's us just a few short weeks ago, moments before we opened the doors to Wardhill Castle for our 2022 Castle Art Retreat!).

Lucy is truly a gouache artist! She loves painting portraits, animals and doing goache flower painting in the backgrounds of her work. Take a look at this recent piece she did of her dog, Miso! Isn't this gorgeous?!

If you look closely at Lucy's piece above, you'll notice there's no sheen to her paint, and it's very opaque. You might even guess that the painting was done in acrylics, but it wasn't, it's gouache.

Time for a quick gouache definition... Gouache is a watercolor that is totally opaque, and very, very matte. Take a closer look at the red background on my gouache portrait painting on the left, or the blue hair and skin tones in my girl on the right. This is the look gouache can help you achieve in your mixed media art projects.

Lots of students wonder about gouache vs acrylic paint. If you like a matte look, and that's really all you're after, why not just paint with acrylics?

Gouache doesn't behave like acrylics. Because it's actually watercolor, it's highly water reactive, it will keep reacting when water is added. This is really important to understand, because if you're working in layers, whenever you add a new layer of gouache on top of a previous layer, you can easily reactivate your bottom layer. Lots of artists love playing with these effects, but in case that's not YOU, stay with me, because I've got gouache alternatives to share with you today!

Before I get to today's demo, there are two other things you need to know about gouache...

1. Gouache works beautifully on ANY surface from cheap watercolor paper to wood or canvas (yup, I've tried them all!)

2. You DON'T need a a special gouache brush to work with this medium. In fact, I use my cheapies, because gouache texture is a thicker consistency than watercolor, but not quite as thick as acrylics. Choose a brush that is kind of inbetween a soft watercolor brush and a stiff acrylic paint brush. I recently found this brush set on Amazon for $7, and they're perfect for gouache!

Let's get to the demo. First I'm swatching a square of of red guache by Turner Design. I found this brand at my local Jerry's Artarama for about $15/tube.

In general gouache can get expensive, so if you're chasing that gorgeous matte look, stay with me to see how you can achieve that from a number of cheaper gouache alternatives.

The next product I'm testing today is an acrylic gouache by Liquitex. Since this is an acrylic paint, it's NOT water reactive, which some artists prefer. If this is you, you might want to consider trying a bottle (also around $15/color).

If you're in the mood to play with a watercolor gouache and don't want to spend a ton of money, check out Himi gouache. These are super interesting gouache "jelly cups." I purchased a set of 50 shades, for about $50. This type of gouache is very thick in consistency.

In case you DON'T want water solubility, Golden just came out with a line of "flat" acrylics. They're pretty pricey at $20 for a tiny jar, but if you compare it to the other brands of gouache and gouache alternatives I tested today, it's amazing quality for a matte finish, and I can't see any of my brush strokes like I can in the rest of today's swatches.

Another great "cheat" you can try if you're after that look of a super matte finish, is mixing your acrylic paint with matte medium. Now, if you're in my world, you know I use matte medium ALL THE TIME in my mixed media art projects as a type of glue for my collage because it's got great adhesive properties and is made to work with acrylic paint (which I typically use OVER my collage layers).

I recently discovered this "ultra matte" version of matte medium by Liquitex, and decided to test this out today mixed with a little acrylic paint to see how it compares to our other options.

In terms of opacity for the variations I tested today, Golden's So Flat line is definitely a notch above the rest. I can't see a single brush stroke line, so if this is the look you're after, and you can pay around $20/tube for it- I highly suggest choosing this one.

The Mattise Matte Acrylic is a runner up for me in terms of opacity, but still fairly expensive at $15 - 20 /tube.

The least opaque variation I tested today were the Himi gouache cups. These are also the cheapest option, and we all know you kinda get what you pay for. However, if you just want to experiment with gouache and love lots of color options for $1-2 / color - gouache jelly paint is your best bet.

If you're looking for a higher quality gouache, pretty much all the higher fine art brands carry them.I love this one (not tested today, but I often use this Winsor Newton Permanent White Gouache to add highlights on top of my watercolor pieces).

If opacity is what you're after, and you don't care about activating your matte layer with water, I highly suggest you consider one of the gouache alternatives I tested today - either the Liquitex acrylic gouache or Matisse Matte acylic. I think you'll be super happy with those!

Or, for even LESS of an investment, you can pick up a bottle of Liquitex Ultra Matte Medium for around $22. It will last you forever, and you can experiment with adding it any shade of acrylic paint or craft paint you already have on hand!

Make sure you click over to the video to see each of these gouache and acrylic alternative options side by side to see which one YOU might love most!

Do you LOVE fairies and fantasy art? I'm currently running a FREE drawing challenge called #50FunFabFairies over on my YouTube drawing channel.

Literally thousands of other artists - from beginners to advanced, are playing along. I set up a FREE classroom for the participants over at Awesome Art School. Come join in the fun!!

❤️ CHECK OUT ALL my art books on AMAZON
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The BEST Mixed Media Paper for Your Art Projects!

3/6/2022

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Mixed media paper is something I get asked about ALL THE TIME by my students! As mixed media artists, we need super strong paper that isn't gonna buckle no matter how many wet, messy mixed media art supplies we throw at it. If you're a mixed media beginner or a seasoned artist looking for answers that won't break the bank, today's video is for you!

Mixed media art supplies can get overwhelming FAST because there are so many to choose from. I've created a FREE 9-page Supplies Guide to explain which mixed media art supplies I love most AND how they perform so you know what to expect right from the start.

Simply click the button below, and I'll send it right over.

Once you understand your supplies a bit better, mixed media art will become SO much more FUN! If you need help with layering check out my signature Hamburger System. When you're in the mood to work with fewer supplies, check out the Hot Dog System!

When it comes to mixed media projects you want to complete on paper, my advice is to simply use watercolor paper EVERY time.

Are you surprised by my answer?!

People usually are. I know there are a zillion papers sold by amazing brands labeled "Mixed Media Paper," but trust me. I've tried them all, and nothing holds water soluble products, watercolors, fountain pen inks, acrylic paints, mod podge, and even collage- like watercolor paper!

Take a look...

See the vintage postcard collage materials above? I glued these all down with matte medium in my Strathmore Watercolor Journal, and did a full on, 7 layer mixed media project on top of it - "Hamburger Style" (see below). This page was FULL of matte medium, gesso, mod podge and acrylic paint!

If you're new to me and my work, I do mixed media art projects on anything and everything. Typically if I'm not working on canvas, I'll do projects in my Strathmore Watercolor Art Journal (above), or on loose sheets of watercolor paper.

To keep things simple, I'm teaching you about 3 main kinds of watercolor paper today:

Hot Press (super smooth like Bristol - it can't handle quite as much water as cold press or rough watercolor paper)

Cold Press (textured paper - holds MORE water than hot press watercolor paper)

Rough Cut (just like it sounds - very textured, chunky, often with untrimmed or torn looking edges). This watercolor paper is SO absorbant, it's almost like a sponge.

While rough cut watercolor paper can be super fun, keep in mind, your watercolors aren't going to work exactly the same as they would on cold or hot press paper. It's just different. Here's one of my rough cut watercolor art journals:

What about cost? You'll notice when you visit your favorite craft store that there's super cheap watercolor paper and crazy expensive watercolor paper.

What's the difference?!

When it comes to the cost of watercolor paper, the biggest factor connected with expensive watercolor paper is the percentage of cotton used to create the paper. The higher the percentage, the higher the price.

Arches is one of the most expensive watercolor papers because it's made up of 100% pure cotton. You can find the cotton percentage of paper on the cover (yellow arrow above). This type of paper typically comes in "blocks," so the paper stays nice and firm, and does not buckle.

If you find a watercolor paper without the cotton percentage noted, you're likely in the right place, and your cost will be significantly cheaper. I love using Canson watercolor paper for doing practice work. It's much more reasonable than Arches.

The second cost factor to watch for when you're buying watercolor paper for mixed media projects is the paper's weight.

At a minimum, I recommend using 140lb. paper, especially if you're doing mixed media work on top and not just watercoloring. Don't use the 90lb. paper because it's just not gonna hold up.

The watercolor paper I typically use now is by Fabriano. It's 25% cotton (and 75% cheaper than the Arches brand!), plus it comes in either hot press (smooth) or cold press (textured). This is a very high quality paper. You can work on this and it will be museum quality, is great if you want to sell or gift your work.

HOT TIP: You DON'T have to put gesso on top of watercolor paper to prime it for acrylic paints - just start painting!

Gesso is well-known in the world of mixed media art as a primer for acrylics, but when you're working on watercolor paper for mixed media projects, it's not needed, so save your money and skip the gesso!

I hope you found this info helpful! Be sure to click over to the video, so you know what to look for next time you head to the craft store on the hunt for mixed media paper for your own masterpieces!

Thanks for hanging out with me today!

❤️ CHECK OUT ALL my art books on AMAZON
❤️ MY FAVORITE ART SUPPLIES on AMAZON
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Create DREAMY Skin Tones with Caran d'Ache Luminance Colored Pencils for Your Mixed Media Portraits!

16/5/2022

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Today I'm trying Caran d'Ache Luminance colored pencils for the first time to create a mixed media portrait ("Hot Dog Style"). I'm not normally a colored pencil artist because I prefer art supplies I can work quickly with, but YOU HAVE to SEE the DREAMY skin tone effects these colored pencils create - especially when burnished with a Derwent Drawing Pencil in Chinese White. SO glad I tried this idea on page four of my FREE HOT DOG SYSTEM packet from my talented artist friend, Sharon Holmberg!

Click the button below to download this FREE 32-page stack of ideas just filled with "Hot Dog System" tried and true mixed media art supply combinations created by myself and 20 of my artsy friends!

Today I'm trying some new colored pencils recommended to me from artist, Sharon Holmberg. Her favorite mixed media art supply combo is shared on page four of the FREE 32-Page Hot Dog Packet. Sharon loves to combine Caran d'Ache Luminance colored pencils with watercolor and a bit of collage for the mixed media faces she creates in her Strathmore Mixed Media Visual Journal.

Instead of drawing a girl's face from scratch today, I decided to save a little time, and cut out one of the female faces from the coloring pages packet in my Skin Tone Secrets book.

Before I start shading this face in, I need to swatch out my colored pencils so I know exactly what colors I'm working with.

Even though the swatch sheets in my coloring pages packet (you can download this for free if you buy my Skin Tone Secrets book), are from a book all about using alcohol markers- the swatch pages can be used for ANY art supply, and honestly, the shading patterns presented in this book can also be used with any art supply - as you'll see in today's video.

This is my "I -hate -my -life -right -now -and -my -hands -hurt -face." LOL. If you've been following me for a while, you likely already know I kinda despise colored pencils because they honestly just take too long for me and it's very detailed work, which I'm just not that into. I think I stuck it out for like 5-6 layers of face shading, and had to move on with my life. HA! That's just me.

If you have the patience for working with colored pencils- you do you!! I know they can create some absolutely gorgeous portraits, even from the little shading I did with them today!

The part that really makes Sharon's faces flawless (and something I tried today!) is "burnishing" - which basically means blending the skin tones shades and layers together to create a smooth, finished look. Sharon's favorite tool for this is a Derwent Drawing Pencil in Chinese White. Watch the video to see how beautiful this colored pencil blending technique and tool are in action!

I finished off my girl's face with alcohol markers in the lips, hair and eyebrows because I had to give up on the colored pencils. Even though colored pencils in general are NOT my favorite art supply, they seriously do create a dreamy look for skin tones so I'm super glad I tried it!

Next, I used a simple adhesive spray (shown above), to secure my mixed media face to a sheet of watercolor paper so I can watercolor a background around her. I used two watercolors by Daniel Smith to create my watercolor background: Ultramarine Turquoise and Sap Green.

After my watercolor background is fully dry, I cut some cute flowers out of scrapbook paper I had lying around and glued those down with matte medium ( another STAPLE in my mixed media art studio).

As you'll see in the video, I had a little mishap with my cut out flowers while my watercolor was still wet and it made a tiny drop of green watercolor land smack dab in the middle of my poor girl's nose! Not to worry- I'll show you exactly how to fix a watercolor painting mistake.

First I tried adding a little water on top of the spot to lift the color with a paper towel. That didn't work because this particular color is very staining. I decided to try white gouache because this is super opaque and I know will do exactly what I need it to do. Luckily the watercolor mistake I need to fix is located right on the nose of my portrait where a highlight would naturally go anyway- so it's all good! The gouache worked perfectly.

Since I was already using a bit of gouache on the nose of my colored pencil portrait, I decided to use more to tie the piece together by pulling a few streaks of white through her hair, to enhance her eye shine and make her lower lip pop. So fun!!

What I LOVE about this whole Hot Dog System, is that it encouraged me to reach out to other artists in my community to ask them about their favorite supplies and processes. If I hadn't done that, this exact project and video wouldn't even be happening!

So a huge thanks to Sharon Holmberg for sharing her secret, gorgeous process for shading adorable mixed media faces using only 4 art supplies! I totally love how this project has turned out.

SO stinkin' cute!!

Thanks for hanging out with me today!

❤️ CHECK OUT ALL my art books on AMAZON
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QUICK & EASY! Mixed Media Portrait in Stabilo All Pencil, Pan Pastels & Paint Pens ["Hot Dog" Style]

10/5/2022

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Creating mixed media portraits is one of my FAVORITE things to do! When I don't have a ton of time to art, I'll use my quick Hot Dog System to layer just FOUR mixed media art supplies.

I asked 20 of my artsy friends about the simple mixed media art supply combos THEY love and have TONS of FUN ideas to share with you in a FREE 32-page PDF (you're welcome!). This packet contains our BEST, tried and true, 4 art supply combos- "HOT DOG" style.

Click the button below to download this FREE 32-page stack of ideas just filled with Hot Dog System inspiration!

Today I'm testing a new-to-me mixed media art supply combo recommended by one of my artsy friends, Alexa. Straight outta the Hot Dog Packet on page 3 - we're combining my beloved stabilo all pencil with pan pastels and paint pens on cardboard. If you're a beginner in the world of mixed media art, or just curious about these tried and true art supply combos - today's video (and FREE 32-Page Packet ) are FOR YOU!!

Today's combination of mixed media art supplies comes from page 3 of the Hot Dog Packet, and is a recommendation by artist, Alexa Ali Doebler.

She's suggested we create on cardboard. Feel free to use the back of a cereal box, an Amazon box, whatever. You can also just as easily do this project in an art journal (preferrably one filled with watercolor paper because we'll be activating a water soluble pencil with water). It's up to you!

I'm using cardboard like Alexa suggested. To get this party started, I'm covering my cardboard "canvas" with some swaths of white gesso (skip this step if you're working in a watercolor sketchbook or journal).

As you'll see in the video, I'm using a cheap foam brush to apply it. These are amazing for SO many applications and can easily be washed out and reused for a long time.

Typically gesso is used as a primer for acrylic paint, and absorbent ground is the primer for watercolor and water soluble products. However, because I know the Stabilo All Pencil in Black SO well as a product, I know it will perform beautifully when layered over white gesso.

To draw in the face for today's mixed media portrait, I'm sketching her in with my mechanical pencil first. I find this super helpful because I can erase if I need to. If you don't have an eraser you love, this one is my favorite.

Today's sketch is quick and dirty because I'm more into trying out the art supply combo and seeing how the layers work together, than making the drawing my life's work!

I know her neck is totally wonky, but I'm just letting it be since I'm in a hurry. Try to ignore that for now, LOL.

To activate the stabilo, I'm using my favorite watercolor brushes by Polina Bright (check out this video for a full product review of them!). If you'd like to get a set for yourself, Polina has extended a coupon code to my followers for 10% off if you enter my full name in caps (KARENCAMPBELL) at checkout on her website or in her Etsy shop.

Something to remember about the stabilo is that is WON'T stop activating. Some of my students LOVE this... and some HATE it. I love that feature, but I just want you to be prepared for how it will behave before you try working with it if it's a new art supply to you.

Now it's time for pan pastels. I'm still SUCH a newbie with these- but that's ok! I'm ready to learn!

There's a cute little pan pastels applicator that looks like it fell out of an eye shadow compact. This will help you dab color on wherever you want it, and do some blending.

I spent a little time playing with the pastels - incorporating shading into the face and hair to add dimension. At this point in the project, I was also just experimenting with what the pan pastels were capable of and how they worked. They're actually really fun!

Then it was time to bust out the paint pens. I'm just using whatever is hanging out on my art table. I've got a white sharpie paint pen and dabbed on a few highlights with that, then added some outlining and scribbles with my black posca paint pen. Simple, fun and done!

I hope you enjoy this quick mixed media portrait tutorial! Have fun experimenting with your art supplies, and make sure you post your version in the Facebook Group if you do the project too!

Thanks for hanging out with me today!

❤️ CHECK OUT ALL my art books on AMAZON
❤️ MY FAVORITE ART SUPPLIES on AMAZON
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blog

Testing a NEW MIXED MEDIA ART Idea From My STUDENT!

20 MIXED MEDIA COLLAGE BACKGROUND Ideas that will CHANGE the way you do ART!

Scrapbook Paper

Phone Book Pages

Sheet Music

Dictionary Paper

Masking Tape

Trash!

Fabric

Washi Tape

Maps

Duct Tape

MIXED MEDIA ART: Definition

How to Make Your WATERCOLOR MARKERS BEHAVE for Mixed Media Projects!

How to Use Watercolor Markers
to Shade a Mixed Media Face

How to Activate Watercolor Markers With Water

When to Activate Watercolor Markers
With Gesso & Matte Medium

How to Draw Hair with Watercolor Markers

Hot Press vs Cold Press Watercolor Paper
for Mixed Media Projects

The BEST Mixed Media White Pencils, Paint Pens & Inks for Creating Dazzling Highlights!

WHY You Need to Try FABER CASTELL WATERCOLOR MARKERS in Your Mixed Media Art Projects!

WHAT IS GOUACHE?! How to Use it in Mixed Media Art + Gouache Alternatives for Matte Finish Lovers!

The BEST Mixed Media Paper for Your Art Projects!

Create DREAMY Skin Tones with Caran d'Ache Luminance Colored Pencils for Your Mixed Media Portraits!

QUICK & EASY! Mixed Media Portrait in Stabilo All Pencil, Pan Pastels & Paint Pens ["Hot Dog" Style]

Karen Campbell

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Categories

What Fans Are Saying

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blog

Scrapbook Paper

Phone Book Pages

Sheet Music

Dictionary Paper

Masking Tape

Trash!

Fabric

Washi Tape

Maps

Duct Tape

​How to Use Watercolor Markers to Shade a Mixed Media Face

​How to Activate ​Watercolor Markers With Water

When to Activate Watercolor Markers With Gesso & Matte Medium

​How to Draw Hair with Watercolor Markers

​Hot Press vs Cold Press Watercolor Paper for Mixed Media Projects

Karen Campbell

Archives

Categories

What Fans Are Saying

Contact Us

How to Use Watercolor Markers
to Shade a Mixed Media Face

How to Activate Watercolor Markers With Water

When to Activate Watercolor Markers
With Gesso & Matte Medium

How to Draw Hair with Watercolor Markers

Hot Press vs Cold Press Watercolor Paper
for Mixed Media Projects