
Mixed Media Workshops – Art Journaling
Lifebook 2021 is open for Early Bird Registration. Learn more here.
I have gotten to a point where I now want to DO something with my coloring pages. Don’t get me wrong, I still love my books and plan to continue my addiction but as an art supply addict as well, 2021 will bring some new elements to my adult coloring world including more self-care.
I have been checking out other resources to help me with drawing whimsical faces and have found a few that I LOVE and have been amazed at my results after only a bit of practice. Still not quite ready for prime time but enjoyable to me in my art journaling and that’s really the point of it all.
Click here to join the LIFEBOOK2021 fun!
This is the first book I found to help with learning to draw whimsical faces by Suzi Blu
Mixed-Media Girls with Suzi Blu: Drawing, Painting, and Fanciful Adornments from Start to Finish
Growing out of her popular online workshops and videos, Mixed-Media Girls with Suzi Blu takes you step-by-step through the process of drawing a folk art and stylized girl’s face. You will learn to create simple, balanced features and add shading with colored pencils and paint. From there, you will learn how to draw the rest of the figure and put it into a unique, textured, mixed-media background. One super important thing I learned about proportion was that the iris and pupil of the eyes really need to be a perfect circle.. both the same size. That is IMPOSSIBLE for me to hand draw and she suggested getting a circle template to take the stress out of it. That has been GENIUS for me.
In Mixed Media Girls, you’ll learn to design costumes and personalities for your girls and adapt them to fit your own artistic style. Create vivid, exciting backgrounds by layering paint, collaging with papers and ephemera, carving beeswax, distressing wood, and building up texture with mediums and pastes.
The accompanying online videos include a mini-workshop full of whimsical mayhem, motivation, and real-time video with Suzi Blu, showing you detailed drawing and shading techniques for faces, beeswax finishes, and how to make a mixed-media art journal start to finish.
Click to Order Amazon US, UK or Canada or on Book Depository
Jane Davenport has an entire line of mixed media supplies that have been released to Michaels exclusively so far. Many of them are completely sold out in all locations as soon as they are stocked. I’ll let you know what I think of the ones I’ve gotten so far as soon as I play with them. Her book I DO have and it’s fabulous!
Drawing and Painting Beautiful Faces: A Mixed-Media Portrait Workshop by Jane Davenport


Click to Order Amazon US, UK or Canada or Book Depository
If you are more of a visual learner, Jane Davenport also has a DVD
The Whimsical Face: Drawing and Painting for Art Journals, Canvas, and More
Amazon review by Jan “The colors are so brilliant and the directions are very simple, do easy to understand. Jane does a fantastic job of teaching you as a student, because she is very straight forward, encouraging, and has a very positive attitude about you being able to learn.”
Click to Order Amazon US, UK or Canada
creativeGIRL: Mixed Media Techniques for an Artful Life
Click to Order Amazon US, UK or Canada
I received a gift certificate to Barnes & Noble and since I already have SO many coloring books I decided to look in the art book section and found Dina Wakley’s book “Art Journal Courage” (This was before I signed up for Lifebook but I’m sure it influenced my decision to take the plunge.) Dina, like Jane, has her own line of mixed media art supplies.
Art Journal Courage – Fearless Mixed Media Techniques for Journaling Bravely
Click to Order Amazon US, UK or Canada or Book Depository
Art Journal Freedom: How to Journal Creatively With Color & Composition
Click to Order Amazon US UK or Canada Book Depository
Dina Wakley Mixed Media Supplies: Stamps
Dina Wakley Mixed Media Paint
Dina Wakley Washi / Media Tape
Dina Wakley Stamps