KAREN CAMPBELL, ARTIST
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Let's Get Your Creative Juices Flowing!!!

EASY Martini Glass Drawing Lesson on YouTube

16/5/2023

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While I was creating a lesson for the Fun Fab Drawing Club the other day, I was having so much fun, I decided to do a similar lesson as a Draw Along party in my Facebook Group! 

In case you missed that, or aren't on Facebook, I'm dropping the video on my YouTube Drawing channel as well :)

Today's FREE martini glass drawing lesson has a little twist to give us a teensy challenge...

1. No drawing in pencil
2. No drawing freehand

Sound fun?! Let's get started!!
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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.

Drawing Supplies for Today

Since we're not drawing in pencil, you might want to grab a few fineliners in different nibs (thicknesses). My favorite fineliner set is by Molotow, below.
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Since I plan to use alcohol markers to color in my martini glass drawing, I'm working on a super smooth sheet of cardstock that is similar to Bristol (but waaaaay cheaper).  

Next, you're gonna want a straight edge. You can easily use the edge of a book, or whatever you have lying around. Try NOT to reach for a ruler, because I don't want you to start measuring stuff :) I'm using a triangle for my straight edge and NOT measuring on purpose to keep the vibe FUN and wonky! 
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I've also got my ellipse and circle templates nearby. I use BOTH of these constantly when drawing faces. 

The ellipses are perfect for dropping in facial feature placeholders when I'm sketching in my face drawing guidelines at the beginning of a project. I love using the circle template whenever I'm drawing eyes to help me draw quick irises and pupils (because who wants to spend forever trying to draw a perfect circle?! NOT ME!!).
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If you don't have templates like this, it's totally fine! Use whatever you have lying around in the shape of a circle that you can trace. 

My last "supply" for today is seriously just a bunch of cocktail drawing reference images to provide me with a little inspiration and get my creative juices flowing.
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After you've grabbed your supplies, make sure to click over to the video because everything in today's FREE drawing tutorial is step-by-step, and in real-time so you can draw along with me from home :) ​

How to Make Your Line Drawing Even COOLER!

​Once you've got your basic martini glass drawing done, it's time to take your drawing from simple and plain... to awesome! We do that by varying LINE WEIGHT throughout the drawing.

Line variation is super easy to achieve. You can either use fineliners in a variety of nibs (thicknesses), or you can add some wonky lines with a straight edge like I'm doing in today's video, and then color them in! You're definitely gonna wanna see this in action! 
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Once you've got some line variation going on in your drawing, you can add even more interest with the addition of a few action lines. ​Action lines are common in cartoons and anime drawings to indicate movement or energy. I like to use a thinner fineliner for these, like a 0.4. 
HOT TIP: Make sure you wipe your straight edge off BEFORE adding action lines around the martini glass because we don't want any excess ink smearing onto your drawing once your template hits the page again. 
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Once the action lines are in place, it's time for some fruity embellishments, because who doesn't love a little fruit inside a sassy drink?!
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Let's Add Color

The first rule of thumb for coloring ANYTHING is to swatch! You can use a piece of scrap paper off to the side of your drawing, or download my FREE Fun Fab Swatch Sheet to make things even more interesting!
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I used to hate swatching and think it was boring, but trust me, there's nothing worse than grabbing a marker or tube of paint based on the cap, only to find a completely unexpected color popping onto your page! I've learned this the hard way time and again!

Your future self will thank you for swatching!!
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If you don't have any alcohol markers at home, don't sweat it. Use whatever art supply you have from colored pencils to watercolor! 

Wanna Learn MORE About Alcohol Markers?

In case you don't know this about me yet, I'm OBSESSED with alcohol marker art!! I love using my Copics and Ohuhus for shading faces, fairies, art deco fashions, and everything in between!!

Over the years, I've tried just about every alcohol marker brand from dollar store cheapies to my beloved Copics, and have learned a ton along the way. Check out this playlist to watch my BEST ALCOHOL MARKER COLORING TIPS in action, learn about blending, mixing alcohol markers with other media, and SO MUCH MORE!! 
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Need More Real-Time Drawing Lessons?

I've got TONS!! Go check out the Fun Fab Drawing Club over at Awesome Art School. There are SO many fun lessons just waiting for you to enjoy!! 
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Need More Resources?

​❤️ 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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Massive DRAWING ERASER Review!

20/3/2023

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I've been using my Vanish eraser faithfully for a decade, and think it's by far the best drawing eraser out there. I can always find them at my local Jerry's Artarama for $2 each, but I know they're not always easy to find, and can't get over how Amazon charges around $7 a pop for them!

Today I'm on the hunt for a vanish eraser alternative that produces awesome results, is more readily available worldwide, and CHEAPER.

Let's get to it!! 
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To get us started, I've laid some shading down on drawing paper in graphite, charcoal, black colored pencil, India ink and pastel. Lots of the erasers I've picked up for today's test claim to ERASE India ink! Who knew that was a thing?! Let's see how they do...
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​As you'll see in the video, I tested my Vanish eraser first. It leaves behind larger chunks of eraser shavings and no dust once used, which I find super easy to clean up.

​It did a beautiful job lifting graphite (as always), and even removed a bit of the India ink and pastel - which I never would've guessed was possible!
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​The Prismacolor Magic Rub did fairly well, but tended to smear on all mediums tested. It also left behind a LOT of eraser shavings that either made a mess or tried to kinda work their way into the texture of the paper wherever it was used. The price point on Amazon for the Magic Rub was just right at $1-2 each, but overall, I wasn't impressed with its results.
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The pentel Hi-Polymer eraser tended to smear like the Magic Rub and also left behind too many eraser bits for me. I found it on Amazon for only about $1/eraser, but felt it was only slightly better than the Prismacolor in performance.
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The first one to slightly impress me was by Faber-Castell. It didn't perform drastically different from the others, but didn't smear or leave behind a huge mess, and cost less than $1 on Amazon - so at this point is a contender.
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The Factis two-toned eraser by Generals was the first eraser in today's test to give me a noticeable difference from the rest. It left behind large "crumbles" after each use (which I prefer), and seemed to leave the page slightly whiter than my Vanish when erasing graphite!

The downside of this one is price point. I had a hard time finding it for less than $9 each on Amazon. It performed beautifully though, so if you see one at your local craft store for less, I highly recommend grabbing it!
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The Tombow Mono sanded eraser "for ink" (below) has a sanded edge to it, which is kinda unique. I didn't know erasing india ink was a thing before today! 
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Out of all the erasers tested, the Mono definitely worked best at lifting India ink shading, but it was a little rough on the paper. I felt like if I'd been working on watercolor paper it would've shredded it, so handle with care if you pick one of these up.
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The Staedtler Mars plastic eraser did a fantastic job. It was the best at lifting pastel, and did pretty well at lifting India ink. It's got a really nice shape and feels comfortable to hold, is widely available, and only about $1-2 all over Amazon. So far, this might be my fave!! 
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Make sure you click over to watch the video to see the remaining erasers I tested, and to get my FINAL recommendation if I had to choose an alternative to my beloved Vanish eraser! 

Wanna Learn How to Draw a Face? 

Feel like you've been putting your erasers to the test trying to draw a face?! I get it!!

If you're not sure how to draw a face, or have just started drawing faces, THIS IS MY JAM!! I'd love to make face drawing easier for you with my 
FREE whimsical face drawing guidelines. They're super easy to follow and will help you draw proportional facial features every time.

​Simply click the button below to request your free guidelines cheatsheet, and I'll email it right over!
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Once you print your guidelines out, check out this playlist and I'll teach ya how to use them while we draw and shade an easy face in pencil together, step-by-step.
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​
​Obsessed with Drawing?

Me toooooo! We're having THE BEST time over in my Fun Fab Drawing Club over at Awesome Art School and would LOVE for you to join us!!!

Need More Resources?

​❤️ 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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Alcohol Marker Face Shading Tips for Scaredy-Cats

17/1/2023

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I recently recieved an awesome question from one of my Wonder Bundlers (member of ALL THREE art memberships) at Awesome Art School. 

Her question to me was:
Can you shade a face with just ONE alcohol marker? 

The short answer is YES. But... I've got a few tips for you to make this technique work EVEN BETTER for you! Watch today's video to see exactly what I mean :) 
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​New to shading faces? Click the button below to grab my FREE Face Shading Guide! It will TOTALLY help you take your drawings to the next  level, no matter what art supply you're using. 
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This cheatsheet shows you 6 EASY shading patterns you can copy onto your own forward-facing face drawings to make them look more realistic.
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​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.
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My FREE Face Shading Guide is a page directly from my very first book, How to Draw Fun Fab Faces. ​
Another great reference used in today's video is one of my latest art books, Skin Tone Secrets.​
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This book is SUPER helpful for learning how to shade semi-realistic faces with alcohol markers. It takes ALL the guesswork out of choosing which markers go well together to create beautiful skin tones, and will have you creating gorgeous faces you can be proud of in NO TIME! ​


​What Paper is Best for Alcohol Marker Drawings? 

If you're new to alcohol markers, using the right paper for your drawing projects is SUPER IMPORTANT. 

HOT TIP: NEVER shade with alcohol markers on a super-absorbent surface like watercolor paper. It will totally wreck your markers! Always use bristol or something like my favorite card stock, which is a cheaper bristol alternative. 
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​Which Skin Tone Markers Are Best for Shading Faces? 

For today's dark skin tone face drawing demo, I'm using Ohuhu alcohol marker YR148 / Thin Persimmon.

If you don't have alcohol markers and want to shade the faces you draw, I recommend the Ohuhu Alcohol Markers Set of 24 or 36, it's excellent quality and super affordable!
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​How to Blend Alcohol Marker Streaking

​Here's what my drawing looked like when I tried to shade it as I normally would, except that I only used one marker.
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See how you can see EVEY streak and stroke, especially in the lightest areas? This is tough to combat if we limit ourselves to one marker. 

Click over to the video to see how the Ohuhu colorless blender worked to blend the streakiness above.
For comparison's sake, I also shaded a light-skinned face. Instead of using the colorless blender, I tried blending the streaks by using a marker one shade LIGHTER than the one I originally used. 
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I feel like this alcohol marker blending technique worked WAY BETTER than the colorless blender (by the way- today's demo is a great example of why I NEVER use the colorless blender to blend my alcohol marker shading).  ​
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If you're NEW to shading faces with alcohol markers or a scaredy-pants about shading, here's what I recommend... USE TWO MARKERS.
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1. Shade the face two complete times - once horizontally in one color and once vertically in ONE SHADE LIGHTER (this lighter marker is your "blending friend" and will help eliminate streaks).

2. Add shadows to your drawing using marker #1 to show depth.

This alcohol marker blending technique will give you a smooth and super subtle look...
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❤️Watch today's video to see these alcohol marker tips in action! 

❤️Ready to dive into shading faces with 3-4 alcohol markers per face? Check out my book,Skin Tone Secrets. 
❤️WANT MORE alcohol marker shading tips? Check out this playlist! 


​Wanna Stay in the Loop?

And get notified EVERY TIME I publish a new video on YouTube? ​Join my Email Newsletter!

​As my way of saying thanks - grab a copy of my FREE Fun Fab Swatch Sheet or my Whimsical Face Drawing Guidelines! ​

Need More Resources?​​

❤️ 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
​

Thanks for hanging out with me today!! 
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CHEAP & AWESOME Brush Tip Alcohol Markers for Shading Faces by ArtBeek

12/12/2022

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I'm OBSESSED with using brush-tip alcohol markers to shade the faces and figures I draw! If you've never tried shading your drawings with alcohol markers, or if you've been holding out on trying them because you're worried about the cost of copics - I can't wait to introduce you to Alcohol Markers by ArtBeek in today's video!
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Whenever you get a new art supply with multiple colors, PLEASE make sure you take the time to swatch your colors. It might feel like a tedious job, but it's honestly super relaxing and your future self will thank you because marker caps and color names can be deceiving!!

I've created a FREE Fun Fab Swatch Sheet for you to print out at home to make this process a bit more fun. 
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Simply click the button above and I'll send your FREE Swatch Sheet straight to your inbox. 
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​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.
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If you've been thinking about starting an alcohol marker collection, but have been intimidated by the price of Copic markers, I HEAR YOU!

​I've made it my mission over the last few years to test as many alcohol brands as I can, so I can recommend the BEST VALUE brands (including Copic marker alternatives) to my students over at Awesome Art School. 

It's ridiculous to expect everyone can afford to spend around $10/marker to have a little fun at their art table (even if I STILL LOVE my Copics!!). 
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If you've been hanging out with me for a while, you know I love the Ohuhu skin tone marker set (and really anything by Ohuhu!). But I also discovered an even CHEAPER brand of alcohol markers on Amazon that I also recommend you check out by ArtBeek - especially if you're looking to save a buck. 
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This is a screenshot of the ArtBeek Alcohol brush markers set of 120 colors for just $60!! I know!!! Who doesn't want 120 colors?! AND, at only 50 cents/per marker ?? - you can't go wrong!! 
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A couple of weeks ago I did the above face chart inspired drawing tutorial and used a ton of my ArtBeeks alongside a variety of more expensive alcohol marker brands from Copic to Winsor Newton, and felt the ArtBeeks performed beautifully. 

The brush nibs on the ArtBeeks are just right- not too firm or too soft. The ink is perfectly juicy!! I've used mine for everything from shading faces to creating Christmas cards (full-length lesson for the card below & MORE in The Fun Fab Drawing Club over at Awesome Art School).
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My only little complaint about this ArtBeek set is that they really should've included more PURPLES in this set (you only get 3). But, they do redeem themselves a bit with the giant collection of skin tone markers included (I think there are 24) - making the set of 120 perfect for anyone just starting an alcohol marker collection to shade faces. ​
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I highly recommend dropping them in your cart for yourself or as a gift for an artsy friend for the holidays. Check out today's video to see them in action!
And remember, if you've got a TON of new colors to swatch, use my FREE Fun Fab Swatch Sheet, or pick up a copy of my Fun Fab Swatch Pad over on Amazon.​
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I created this book with my beloved Facebook Group a couple of years ago and still use it ALL THE TIME (as you can see in today's video!). 

​Thanks for hanging out with me today!!
​
After today's video, make sure you watch this one because it gives you MY BEST skin tone marker secrets for shading faces with alcohol markers! ENJOY!! 

​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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Why Cheap Alcohol Markers are AWESOME **PLUS** 11 HOT Marker TIPS! (FaceChart Inspired Art No. 4)

30/11/2022

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When it comes to alcohol markers, I keep noticing there is such a HUGE range in price points. WHY is THAT?! For example, I bought a 5-pack Copic Sketch Marker set in grayscale that comes with a fine liner, for $38 (~$6.33/marker) on Amazon. Recently I also grabbed a 6-pack grayscale set of alcohol markers FOR $5 at my local Five & Below shop. You can't really beat the price at less than $1/marker.

But...will they perform? Let's find out!! 
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I seriously HOPE you are drawing along with me today! Face charts make amazing face drawing references!!

But before you even attempt drawing the fun makeup in today's reference, you NEED to make sure your facial features are proportional! How do you do that?! With my FREE whimsical face drawing guidelines! Click the button below and I'll send them straight to your inbox!
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​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.
Whenever I get new markers, I've gotta swatch 'em to see what I've got! I compared the Five & Below cheapies with my neutral grayscale set of copic sketch markers (see how they compare below). The top line is the cheapies (that set came with one additional marker, so score!), and the bottom line is my copics. 
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I love the gradation and the value scale range included in both sets, but I gotta say - whenever you can get MORE colors - I tend to gravitate toward that option, so way to go Five & Below!

However, I also REALLY love how Copic included one of their black fineliners in this set. The fineliner they included retails for about $12 on its own - so adding this to their grayscale pack is really pretty generous. 
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Whoever manufactured the cheapies from Five & Below DID cut some corners by producing their alcohol markers without labels. Kinda hilarious. At least the opposite sides of these caps have labels so I don't have to swatch again every time I grab a marker!! 
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In terms of quality- the nibs in this set are great, and the ink is nice and juicy, so these were definitely worth picking up. I have no idea how readily available this specific pack of alcohol markers are, but I guess my general advice is not to shy away from grabbing a set of cheapie alcohol markers when you find them at your local dollar or craft store.

Pretty much every set I've picked up, I've been happily surprised by in terms of quality. Now let's see how they PERFORM in an actual project! 
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Make sure you click over to see today's face chart inspired drawing tutorial so you can DRAW ALONG with me!! Don't just sit back and watch - go grab your markers and come draw with me!
Need today's face drawing reference? Grab today's along with the last 3 in this series right here in my YouTube & Cheatsheet Library. 
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Definitely check out today's YouTube drawing tutorial because I give you TONS of hot tips for shading faces with alcohol markers that will help you tremendously - whether you're new to alcohol markers as a medium or not!
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Shockingly, as soon as I started today's face shading with my cheapie alcohol markers, I was surprised to discover they felt identical to my copics. I KNOW!! This is a big deal, because if you've been following me for a while you KNOW how much I love my copics and ohuhus!!
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Today's project has once again solidified my opinion that copic marker alternatives are WORTH trying! And really, price point doesn't seem to matter as much as you might think as far as this medium is concerned.

​I've shared TONS of copic marker alternative product reviews for you here on YouTube, but hope YOU have confidence to try out whatever you find, especially if you're on a budget. You DON'T have to stop drawing, even when money is tight. 
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If you've never tried shading a face in alcohol markers, maybe you're addicted to shading faces in pencil - TRY today's free face drawing lesson. It's filled with tips to help you along.

If you're nervous to try shading faces with alcohol markers, especially when it comes to layering in darker shades, you REALLY CAN go at it slowly by adding multiple layers of the SAME shade over and over again. Your piece WILL get darker wherever you've added additional layers, and there's very little risk if you're afraid of screwing up :)

​Plus- if you're hanging out with me on YouTube (or in one of my online art classes or clubs at Awesome Art School)  you're NEVER alone, I'm right there by your side doing the project with you from start to finish! 
Thanks for hanging out with me today! If you drew along with me, make sure to share your work so we can give you some love over in my Facebook Group!! 

LOVING the whole face chart inspired drawing tutorial thing?
Here's a playlist with MORE of them for ya!!

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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FREAKY Fashion Face Chart Drawing Tutorial - Just in Time for Halloween!

19/10/2022

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Halloween is right around the corner, so I thought it would be super FUN to create an original drawing with inspiration from TWO fashion face charts! Not sure what a face chart is? No problem. I can't wait to introduce you to them in today's Halloween Drawing project!

Go grab a sheet of bristol, a pencil, and let's draw! 
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New to drawing faces? Or have trouble making them look proportional? It's WAY easier than you think.

​Simply click the button below to download my FREE Whimsical Face Drawing Guidelines. I'll email them right over!
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Then check your email, print out the guidelines and meet me right back here for today's FUN Halloween fashion face drawing tutorial. 

If you're TOTALLY brand new at drawing faces, you might wanna do this project first :)

What's a Face Chart?

​If you're not familiar with what a face chart is - I want to explain that right off the bat. Face charts are basically drawings of fashion faces that have been used since the 80s by makeup artists to plan out the makeup they'd like to do on their clients.

Tons of these are floating around online from individual makeup artists to big makeup companies like MAC. I think they're gorgeous and often print them out as drawing references to inspire me with new drawing ideas. Isn't this one stunning?! 
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It one was done by someone I follow on Instagram, @sonya_miro. I used one of her Halloween makeup looks to inspire me for the spiderweb makeup in today's drawing. 

If you'd like to get a copy of the face charts I'm using in this lesson, I've added them to my YouTube & Cheatsheet Library over at Awesome Art School. Use the coupon code YOUTUBESUB to save 25%.


​How to Draw & Shade a Halloween Fashion Face

I started this face drawing as I do all of them with a bazillion ovals, then slowly sketched in my face drawing guidelines. Once those were in place, I began adjusting my final oval into a face shape similar to my references, with chiseled cheekbones and a pointy jaw. 
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Even though we're drawing a semi-realistic face, it will look more sophisticated if the facial features are proportional, so I follow my face drawing guidelines, and pencil in three ovals along the eye line to help me space the eyes out correctly. 

As you'll see in the video, I look at both of the face charts I've printed out for guidance on eye, nose, and lip shape. I mix and match aspects I like from each face chart to create my own original drawing.
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Once I'm happy with my main lines, I erase my guidelines and draw in some simple hair so we can start coloring with alcohol markers (my favorite part!!).

If you're new to alcohol markers, they're really fun to use and you can cover your drawings quickly, but there are a few tricks to them. Watch the video and I'll talk you through the layering process and how to blend. If you're a total beginner and need more help, this is a GREAT intro lesson to try first. 

I've tried out ALL the alcohol marker brands over the years and discovered they really all work the same and can be used together interchangeably on a project, as you'll see in today's video.

I needed ALL my greens today so grabbed everything I could find, from my Copics, Ohuhus, Artezas, and ArtBeeks to the cheapies I recently found at Five & Below! 
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The way I shade a face with alcohol markers is very systematic. To show dimension on a face I typically use at least three shades of the same color in a light, medium, and dark. 
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Then I either make up a shading pattern of highlights and shadows for the face I'm drawing, or look to a reference image (WAY EASIER!!), like the green face chart (by @moiseartnyc on Instagram) I'm using today.

Isn't the reference image above gorgeous?! 

The pic below, on the other hand... not so much! LOL. 
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This is what I lovingly refer to as "the ugly stage." It happens to ALL of us in EVERY project. It's the point in your project when you pause, look down to see how it's going, and freak out. It's the point when you decide your work looks like garbage and think you should probably throw it in the trash.

DON'T!!!!

This is "the ugly stage," and it's trying to get the better of you. Accept it, acknowledge your work isn't finished yet, and KEEP GOING. 

If you KEEP PUSHING THROUGH till the end of the project, you will have another art experience under your belt that you've completed. Whether or not you love your finished work, you've gained experience and it's made you grow as an artist.

Take a look at my next picture.... 
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As soon as I started adding in eyebrows and drawing eyelashes, my character started coming to life, and the ugly stage disappeared. 

Once I finished my outlining and details in black, I added some white colored pencil on areas of the face that needed highlights, and got ready to start the crazy spiderweb makeup!

Make sure you click over to the video because the spiderweb makeup is in real-time (no timelapsing!), so you can see exactly how I do this, step-by-step. 
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I'm not gonna lie... I was pretty nervous adding this part in!! But in the end, it's just a drawing, right? And it's just FOR FUN!! 

SPOILER ALERT: The spiderweb makeup turned out great!!

I hope YOU draw along with me today!!

And please, if you do... take TWO pix of your drawing for me so you can share them in the Facebook Group. Take one of your ugly stage (I know it's hard - but we're ALL doing it!!), and one of your finished piece. 

It's gonna be SO encouraging to see all these posts. 

It's also gonna be more than a little hilarious to scroll through all these ugly stages at once, am I right?! 

​See ya there!!

​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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UNBOXING Blackwing Volume 7 Fiasco + The BEST BLACKWING PENCIL for Drawing

27/9/2022

3 Comments

 
What's the deal with Blackwing pencils anyway?! Lots of drawing artists love them, but why? Today, I'm talking ALL things Blackwing in this product review, will show you which Blackwing pencil is best for drawing, and can't wait to share the unboxing of my FIRST Blackwing Volumes Subscription Box!
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Wanna learn how to draw an easy face in pencil? Download my FREE whimsical face drawing guidelines! They're super easy to follow and will help you draw proportional facial features every time. ​Simply click the button below and I'll send it straight to your inbox!
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Once you print your cheatsheet out, meet me here to draw and shade the face below...
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​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.
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I'm OBSESSED with Blackwing pencils! The one above is my absolute fave and is what I'm drawing with in all of my videos (unless I need a finer lead and the weight of my mechanical pencil). 

If you're new to Blackwing - these pencils are basically the "aristocracy" of the graphite world. Some people only care about that, but I'm definitely not one of them. 

What I care about is the drawing experience a pencil provides for myself and my students. 
​I've discovered working with one single Blackwing pencil gives me the experience of having an entire pencil set and specialty eraser - packaged into a single pencil. Most importantly - it gives me FAB results!
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I often see the trio above of white, gray and black packaged together as a set on Amazon.  Make sure you click over to the video if you want to learn more about the difference between the Blackwing pencils in this set and see how they write.

Each pencil from this set has a different "hardness" to the graphite inside it. The white one is called Blackwing Pearl and has the hardest lead. It creates the faintest/thinnest lines. The gray one is a Blackwing 602 with medium soft lead and creates medium bold/slightly thicker lines than the Pearl. This one has been a favorite of musicians, authors, and artists since the 1930s! Two of the 602's most passionate followers include John Steinbeck and Shamus Culhane (animator for Disney's Snow White - who asked to be BURIED with his Blackwing 602!).

The black one above has the softest lead and is my favorite. It's the Palomino Black Matte and gives me the greatest range of light to dark for shading. Depending on how much pressure I use on my paper - I feel like this one can give me anything from a low H to an 8B. ALL of those values packed into one pencil make this one extremely valuable!
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Another thing that makes Blackwings unique is their eraser. The Blackwing pencil eraser has a rectangular shape that reminds me of working with my Tombow mono eraser. Even better - the erasers are totally removable and replaceable. You can flip the used side over to start using the opposite side, or slide it out completely to replace it.  So cool, right?! 
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The cheapest way to try Blackwings out is to grab one at your local art supply shop (typically around $4/each), or to drop a box of 12 into your Amazon cart. 

I know they're expensive, and the price point's not for everyone. If they're not in your budget, FINE! Pick up any old pencil you have lying around your house and draw with that. Who cares what YOU draw with! The most important thing is that YOU DRAW :)

When you're ready and have a few extra bucks - experiment with a pencil set like this from Amazon or your local craft store. 

If you're in the market for MORE than a pencil set - you might just LOVE the set of drawing supplies I curated with Jerry's Artarama called 
The Fun Fab Illustration Set. ​
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The pencils in this kit are by Cezanne and provide a super dark 12B  - which I never even knew existed before I tried them! 
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If you've been following me for a while - you know I'm a busy girl and kinda love flying by the seat of my pants! If I've got somewhere to go and want to bring my sketchbook ... for me - it's SO much easier to fly out the door with one pencil (that does literally everything), instead of fumbling around with an entire set. 
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Make sure you click over to the video to see the great reveal of what's inside this month's Blackwing Volumes Subscription Box! It's my very first one, and happens to be Blackwing Volume 7 - a tribute to animator Chuck Jones (illustrator of Wile E. Coyote).

I have a feeling there might be some limited edition Blackwing animation pencils inside! So excited to check it out...

​Come on!!
​
​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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Easy EVIL FAIRY DRAWING Tutorial in Pencil with Karen Campbell [#50FunFabFairies]

19/9/2022

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Already starting to think about Halloween? You're gonna LOVE today's TWO-PART evil fairy drawing tutorial! This full-length drawing lesson is step-by-step, simple enough for beginners, and challenging enough for seasoned artists interested in drawing faces at different angles. 

When you're finished, hop over to my mixed media channel to add sophistication to your drawing with a layer of watercolor in PART TWO of this lesson. 

Grab a pencil, eraser, blending stump, and a sheet of watercolor paper to draw along with me for our final lesson of the #50FunFabFairies drawing challenge!
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​Want easy access to today's fairy drawing reference and even MORE fairy drawing ideas? Join my FREE #50FunFabFairies drawing challenge over at Awesome Art School!

​Simply click the button below to receive instant access to ALL the fairy drawing images for each drawing prompt, plus info on supplies, cheatsheets, and more!
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​Wanna become a better artist? Do today's lesson (and every lesson of the challenge) five times, making a few creative alterations of your choice, and watch your skills soar as you practice fairy eyes drawing, fairy and ears drawing AND fairy hair drawing 50 different ways.
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​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.
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Today's fairy drawing reference comes from a cool art magazine I picked up a couple of months ago called Sketchbooks. I love the downturned head of this creepy fairy! If you've never drawn a head tilted down like this - don't worry, I've got you! Click over to the video and I'll show you how to do it step-by-step.
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Typically I start my faces off by sketching a zillion ovals, but today we're starting with the hair because it's key to replicating the head tilt in our reference photo.

Lots of people are intimidated by drawing hair, so if this is you - you're not alone. When students tell me they're not sure how to draw hair, I teach them to break it down into "clumps," as I do in this lesson.

As you'll see in the video, we're keeping things simple and not getting into the nitty gritty of drawing every hair strand. In fact, most of the clumps I draw are kinda like long skinny triangles. Easy, right? 
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If drawing eyes evenly is something you're trying to work on, watch how I sketch the eyes in for this fairy. I often tend to go back and forth between each eye - drawing one line at a time, then mirroring what I just did on the first eye to the second.

I've found this process of building both eyes up at the same time is much easier than drawing one whole eye and trying to draw the second eye to match.

If you feel like your eyes are still coming out uneven, don't stress. None of us are exactly proportional as humans anyway. Just keep practicing -  sometimes that's all you need!
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After I get the main lines of our fairy sketched in with my mechanical pencil, I switch over to my Blackwing pencil to add a little face shading. I'm obsessed with these because they're SO soft and make shading a breeze.

​These are fairly expensive, so don't feel like you have to buy them in order to be successful. Blackwings feel like a 6B or 8B drawing pencil to me, so reach for one of those if you have a drawing pencil set already. If you don't, that's fine too! Use what you have on hand. A #2 school pencil is totally fine! 
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My face shading technique for today is super simple. Just grab a dirty blending stump and "moosh" the graphite around wherever you want to add shadows. If you don't have a blending stump, a cue tip or your finger will do the trick.

Did you notice I forgot to draw in some fairy ears? ?

Head over to PART TWO of this project to sketch those in, and learn how to add a layer of watercolor to really make your drawing pop!  

​When you're finished drawing her, watch this video next to add watercolor!

If you're OBSESSED with fairies and fantasy art like this, you might just LOVE the 
Celtic Collective over at Awesome Art School that I run with my Scottish bestie, Lucy Brydon. Add your name to the waitlist to be notified when it's open for enrollment. 

You might ALSO enjoy our podcast 1Scot,1 Not. 
We talk about everything under the sun to do with Scotland - whether it's historical, fantasy, whatever. Just a quick warning - we have a blast and are totally ourselves on the podcast, which means there is some drinking and swearing. ​​​

❤️ 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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HOW to COMBINE INSPO from TWO FAIRY DRAWING IMAGES to Create Your Own Masterpiece!

2/9/2022

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Ever combine inspiration from 2 fairy drawing images to create your own magical drawing? I do it ALL the time when I'm drawing faces and fairies! If you've never done this before, I can't wait to show you how simple it is in lesson 9 of my #50FunFabFairies drawing challenge.

Today's fairy drawing tutorial is step-by-step and easy enough for beginners. Don't have tan toned paper or a fancy drawing pencil? Use the back of a paper grocery bag, a school pencil, and draw along with me anyway! 
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​​​Want easy access to today's fairy drawing images and even MORE fairy drawing ideas? Join my FREE #50FunFabFairies drawing challenge over at Awesome Art School!

​Simply click the button below to receiveinstant access to ALL the fairy drawing images for each drawing prompt, plus info on supplies, cheatsheets, and more!
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Wanna become a better artist? Do today's lesson (and every lesson of the challenge) five times, making a few creative alterations of your choice, and watch your skills soar as you practice fairy eyes drawing, fairy and ears drawing AND fairy hair drawing 50 different ways.
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I'm using this face drawing reference (by artist Anna Tsvell), to inspire the face shading that I'd like to do today in my own drawing. I love this messy, edgy approach - like how Anna used the side of her pencil for a little shading in the hair, and how she's created funky lines to indicate shadows on the face. 
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My second drawing reference today is by artist Monika Andruszkiewicz. I'm in love with the braided hairstyle and glowing eyes she's drawn!
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For today's lesson, I'm using some random craft paper I had lying around my studio. There's nothing special about it - it's just what I had nearby. Use the back of a paper grocery bag if you want, or if you have a pad of tan toned paper at home - use a sheet of that. I don't care what supplies you're using, I just care IF YOU'RE DRAWING ALONG WITH ME, because that is how you'll grow as an artist.
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I'm using my favorite blackwing pencil to draw for this lesson. Blackwings are super fancy drawing pencils, and feel like butter on your paper. You totally don't need them. It's fine to use whatever pencil you have on hand. 

After  I sketch in my oval for the face, I drop in my face drawing guidelines. If you're not familiar with face drawing guidelines (I NEVER draw a face without them!), these are available for FREE in my #50FunFabFairies classroom (also FREE) over at Awesome Art School.

Never drawn a face before? Here's a quick face drawing tutorial for total beginners that shows you exactly how to use my face drawing guidelines. Feel free to check that out and then pop back to this lesson to try drawing a fairy.
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Make sure you watch this video to see the drawing process in action - especially when I sketch in her eyes. They're very angular and widely spaced compared to what I typically do.
Neither of these awesome reference images have fairy ears, even though I'm using them as fairy drawing references. That's totally fine, because I love to go rogue and make stuff up as I draw.

If you're unsure how to draw fairy ears, click over to the video because it's all step-by-step. 
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I haven't drawn braids in forever, so I'll really be studying my drawing reference with this hairstyle. I'm a firm believer in using reference photos and drawings for anything and everything you don't know how to draw. 
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There is NOTHING wrong with studying a photo or someone else's drawing to learn. Never feel bad about it! You are developing your own observational skills as an artist. 

The only thing that could be wrong with using someone else's work as a reference, is if you copy every single detail of the reference and try to pass your work off as an original idea, or worse yet- if you try to sell it. Copyrights are there for a reason and SO important to artists. I'm a huge stickler about always crediting original artists. 

If you're just learning to draw at home and using a piece for inspiration and your own enjoyment - don't worry about it. Just make sure to always give that original artist credit if you ever share your work online as many do in my Facebook group. 
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When I got to the eyebrows for today's fairy, I decided to try the look from one of my references of a really thin, scraggly eyebrow. Look at how these completely change her expression (above)! My fairy looks super timid now, which I wasn't even going for, but now love.
​After the drawing was complete, I started adding funky lines to the braided sections to get the shading started. I kinda love this whole "not being precious" theme for about my project today! I hope you're giving this a try with me at home - especially if you're someone who is ALWAYS "precious" with your art ;) 
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If you've been following me for a while you know I'm obsessed with my pentel pocket brush pen for eyelash drawing and outlining. I really love it because it has actual bristles like a paintbrush instead of a marker nib that's shaped like a paintbrush tip. Depending on how you change your pressure as you're drawing - you'll get different line weights, all from one drawing tool. Super fun!

Not sure how to draw eyelashes? Watch this video and grab my free eyelash drawing cheatsheet. 
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I felt like my drawing needed more contrast so added shading with my black stabilo all pencil, China markers, and my white posca pen. I also got super crazy and added color to my fairy's eyeballs with straight-up acrylic paint! 
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Thanks for hanging out with me today! I can't wait to see your version of today's lesson in theFacebook group:)
​If you're OBSESSED with fairies and fantasy art like me, you might just LOVE the Celtic Collective over at Awesome Art School that I run with my Scottish bestie, Lucy Brydon. Add your name to the waitlist to be notified when it's open for enrollment. 

You might ALSO enjoy our podcast 1Scot,1 Not. 
We talk about everything under the sun to do with Scotland - whether it's historical, fantasy, whatever. Just a quick warning - we have a blast and are totally ourselves on the podcast, which means there is some drinking and swearing. ​​​

❤️ 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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SCARED of DARK Skin Tone Markers for Face Shading? Help is Here!

22/8/2022

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SCARED of your DARK skin tone markers? You are NOT alone! The process for shading faces with dark skin is EXACTLY the same as shading faces with light skin tone markers. Press play to CONQUER these fears once and for all and to see my BEST alcohol marker blending tips in action. Playing along with my #50FunFabFairies drawing challenge? Today's FAIRY face drawing and shading tutorial is lesson 8!
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​Want easy access to today's lesson and even MORE fairy drawing ideas? Join my FREE #50FunFabFairies drawing challenge over at Awesome Art School!

​Simply click the button below to receive instant access to ALL the fairy reference images for each drawing prompt (including today's elf ears drawing reference!), plus info on supplies, cheatsheets, and more!
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​Wanna become a better artist? Do today's lesson (and every lesson of the challenge) five times, making a few creative alterations of your choice, and watch your skills soar as you practice fairy eyes drawing, fairy and elf ears drawing AND fairy hair drawing 50 different ways!
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​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.
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​How to Draw a Fairy Face

To get today's drawing started, I simply draw an oval and sketch in my face drawing guidelines. Not sure what face drawing guidelines are? Check out lesson one of the #50FunFabFairies drawing challenge, and my face drawing guidelines are waiting for you in the FREE #50FunFabFairies classroom over at Awesome Art School!
HOT TIP: Grab a piece of bristol or my favorite cardstock (cheaper and works exactly the same!), to complete this project. This paper is smooth, non-porous, and will help your markers blend more easily!
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This week I'm using an ellipse template (above), to sketch in my eye drawing guidelines. You can TOTALLY do this at home too - it's a little time saver, and a simple trick to help you draw eyes evenly if you're just learning how to draw eyes for beginners. 
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Next I pencil in the fairy ears and facial features. I'm basically creating a "mashup," because I'm using two face drawing references today - one for the fairy ears, and one for the facial features and shading. Both images are with today's lesson in my FREE #50FunFabFairies classroom. 

Combining various aspects of different reference photos in this way is an awesome way to create your very own, original art. This is excellent advice as well if you're someone who is insecure about looking for copyright-free images. ​
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I'm an outliner and love this look in the faces I draw, so once I've finished sketching in my fairy face, I outline the whole drawing with a few of my favorite fineliners by Molotow. I use a thicker nib for outlining the hair, and a smaller nib for outlining facial features. 

Next, I erase all the graphite with my vanish eraser. This is a really important step if you're going to shade a face with alcohol markers because they will pick up any remaining graphite on your page and smear it around if you're not careful. 
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​How to Select Skin Tone Markers for Face Shading​

Typically my students tell me the most intimidating part of shading faces with alcohol markers is getting started and selecting your skin tone marker shades. I always recommend to use at least three so you have a light, medium and dark that go well together. 

I have TONS of references to help you with color selection. Inside the FREE #50FunFabFairies classroom, you'll get access to my Skin Tone Markers Guide (shows you the best skin tone marker combos for across THREE alcohol marker brands), along with the exact colors I'm using today from my Ohuhu Skin Tone Markers (Set of 24).  

In addition, I recently published a book ALL about shading faces with alcohol markers and how to choose which skin tone markers will go well together.  
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You can shade a face from light to dark, or dark to light- it's totally up to you. Lots of my students prefer shading light to dark - especially if they're intimidated by working with darker skin tone markers because it can feel like you've got a bit more control.
As you'll see in the video, the contrast between my initial three marker shades for today's project was just too great. This is OK and TOTALLY fixable. It's actually great for you to see this happen to me so you can watch how I troubleshoot.

If this happens to you at home, and the jump between shades 1 & 2 is too great, find a happy medium shade of a "1.5" to fill in that gap and help you blend your skin tones. It's really systematic.


​What to Do If You Hate Your Project

If you're new to my world, you may not have heard me talk about "the ugly stage" yet! EVERY project goes through this, especially when you're drawing and shading faces. Here is the perfect example of what I'm talking about below...
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She looks crazy, right?! This is the "ugly stage." It's the point in a project when you're about half-way done, and you look down at your piece and think it's garbage. She looks like an alien, you think you should just quit and move on with your life.

DON'T LISTEN TO THOSE VOICES IN YOUR HEAD! I'm serious. These feelings are SUPER normal and you just have to keep going no matter how ugly your girl is. Do NOT let the "ugly stage" win. Just KEEP GOING.

How do you keep going when you hate your project? In this case - more layers.


​How to Eliminate Streaking
​and Blend With Alcohol Markers

​As you watch the video, you'll see me adding additional layers of shading. Whenever I have streaking or want to ease the transition between two colors, I go back with my lightest skin tone marker to blend what I've already done.

Every time you do this add a new layer of shading in the opposite direction from your original layer. When you do this, you reactivate the previous layers of color, and they begin to blend (and reduce streaking). To create contrast, you can also add tiny bits of a new dark skin tone, as I did when I added a 4th "darkest" skin tone. 
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When I move on to shade the hair, I started off in the same way I did with my skin tone markers. I pulled three shades of the same color in a light, medium and dark. This is how you get dimension in your drawings. 


​Finishing Touches Make ALL the Difference

To pull everything together, and pump up the drama, I'm using my pentel pocket brush to add eyelashes and eye makeup. It works more like a paintbrush than a pen, and I use it in ALL of my eyelash drawings. 

Not sure how to draw eyelashes? I've got a cheatsheet for that too! Head over to my FREE #50FunFabFairies classroom over at Awesome Art School.

As you may notice in the video- the eyes in this drawing were a bit uneven, so I used my pentel pocket brush and switched from eye to eye to even them out with some eye makeup.  She ends up looking really glamorous, which I love! 

Finally, I added highlights with my copic opaque white "nail polish." Love this product! 
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Honestly, this project was one disaster after another to get through. And just when I thought I had about one minute left of adding in highlights, my white paint pen exploded on her chin and I had to try and rework the whole area to fix it!

This kinda stuff happens all the time in art, and you just have to problem solve a little to get back on track. It's ok! Accept the challenge, try another solution and move on! This mindset is REALLY important when it comes to your art, or it will destroy you!

Stay positive and you'll get there. Everything is fixable. 
Want MORE dark-skinned face drawing projects? You might just LOVE my Whimsical Women of the World series over on YouTube. This also turned into an online art class at Awesome Art School, AND a book! Enjoy!! 
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​If you're OBSESSED with fairies and fantasy art like me, you might just LOVE the Celtic Collective over at Awesome Art School that I run with my Scottish bestie, Lucy Brydon. Add your name to the waitlist to be notified when it's open for enrollment. 

You might ALSO enjoy our podcast 1Scot,1 Not. 
We talk about everything under the sun to do with Scotland - whether it's historical, fantasy, whatever. Just a quick warning - we have a blast and are totally ourselves on the podcast, which means there is some drinking and swearing. ​​​

❤️ 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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    Karen Campbell

    Founder of Awesome Art School.  Mixed Media Artist.  Author of 18 Instructional Art Books!

    Posting on YouTube every single Wednesday of the year!  

    The Alliance of Independent Authors - Author Member

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"Karen is flipping hilarious and she's very real...I like the way she teaches in a way that really gives you confidence, whether you're a beginner or advanced there's always something new to learn!"

- Elizabeth W.

What Fans Are Saying

Karen, you are absolutely fabulous! You make me feel like I can draw anything. I have recently retired and finally have the time to do some of the art that I have loved since I was in school. I am really at the beginning of my art journey and I hope to learn as much as I can. Thank you for all you do.

​-Jill Y.

I ordered your Fun Fab Faces book and loved it! I was having a little trouble getting the noses I wanted and now it's easy! Also, I love how you stressed how important having the three tones in your drawing is. Thanks a bunch!

-Donna L.

Thank you Karen! I never though I could do faces. You broke it down so it was understandable! And I love your book! I got it yesterday! Can't wait to start practicing! It's so much fun!!!!!

​-Debbie M.

Thank you for the encouragement to get back into my drawing and painting. After being away for 35 years.  THANK YOU.

- Teresa S.

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