Sometimes we'd like to include faces or figures in our art journals, but we don't because we think we can't draw.  Many of us harbor a misconception that drawing is a matter of talent, when in fact like handwriting or reading, everyone can learn to draw. 

However. Until you learn how (drawing tutorial coming soon)—or, if you would just like to mix up the media and create wonderful faces and figures without a pencil or pen—here are four ways to do it withoutdrawing. The key for all, I believe, is to create your own entirely new image out of found images and materials. The trick to creating new images is to use your own hand and eye to alter, add, combine and/or embellish to create a unique image and a unique composition of your own.

So lets start, shall we? First, gather up a variety of printed, patterned and colored papers. Then, you'll need just a few more supplies, depending on the technique below. Have fun!

Non-drawing Method #1. TRACE

MATERIALS:

• art journal
• image
• carbon paper or soft pencil (4B or 6B)
• embelishing supplies such as paint, pens, markers, collage, etc.

WHAT YOU WILL DO:

Trace a face, figure or form directly onto your page using one of two methods—either carbon paper or with graphite.

HOW:

a. If you use carbon paper, simply place it on top of your art journal page (or a separate sheet of blank paper like I did). Then, put the image you wish to trace on top of that.

The image can be from a magazine, a photograph, whatever.

As an alternative to carbon paper, use the graphite (pencil) method of tracing. It isn't difficult. All you have to do is rub graphite right onto the back of that image.

Use the side of a soft pencil, rub it hard and in several layers all over the back of your image from side to side, top to bottom. Leave no white space. Then, place your image on your art journal page.

b. Now, with carbon paper between your image on top and art journal page below or graphite on the back of your image, simply trace your image. This is how I started tracing this image:

Then, I fully traced over the image and here is the new traced image:

c. Now the fun part begins—color in your image:

Non-Drawing Method #2. GESSO AND THEN PAINT

A second way to create an image without drawing it is to gesso over the image and then paint over that. It turns a photograph into a new painting!

MATERIALS:

• art journal
• image from a magazine or a photograph
• glue such as Matte Medium
• Gesso
• paper towel or baby wipe
• embelishing supplies such as pens, markers, collage, etc

WHAT YOU WILL DO:

Use Gesso to cover a face, figure or form—but not entirely— and then paint to create a new image on top of that.

HOW:

a.  Apply a thin coat of gesso on top of yor image and then, while still wet, gently wipe away with a paper towel (or even a baby wipe) in order to make the gesso layer as thin as possible. You want to see the image beneath the gesso. Dry.

c. Now, paint over the image. You can also doodle,  more collage and/or embellish using the faint outlines of the figure as guidance. I used only paint.

Non-Drawing Method #3. CREATE A FEATURE COLLAGE

Materials:

• art journal
• scissors
• facial feature images from magazines, and papers
• glue such as Matte Medium
• embelishing supplies such as pens, markers, collage, etc.

WHAT YOU WILL DO:

Create a fanciful or abstract figure with collage.

HOW:

a. Find a variety of different facial features and pattern-rich papers from your stash of magazines and papers.

b. Cut the pieces into shapes and collage together in the form of a face or figure.

c. Embellish with paint, pen or any other media to complete.

Non-Drawing Method #4. TORN PAPERS

Materials:

• art journal
• scissors
• Patterned papers
• glue such as Matte Medium
• embelishing supplies such as pens, markers, collage, etc.

This is one of my favorite methods:

a. Select pleasing papers from your stash.

b. Tear one or more shapes to form a figure.

c. Collage into place.

d. You can tear a full form without visible facial features, but if you choose to feature a face, you can collage together a face of your own liking as in Method #3 above.

d. Embellish as desired. You will notice that my image/page above is not finished yet. I have a background and and an image that I created with drawing it. But adding an image to an art journal page is just one layer—with many more to go. 

And there you have it. Four different ways to create a face or a human figure—or any other form for that matter—without drawing. I recommend experimenting away with all four methods. They are all fun and easy.