Frida Inspired
Mixed Media
Celebrate an icon, celebrate your art!
In this workshop, we take inspiration from the life of Frida Kahlo. Using her iconic image I show you my secrets to mixing a beautiful variety of skin tones and drawing a wide mix of faces with varying proportions and placements.

We go in-depth with sketching the turned face, adding colour using three distinctly different supply-oriented techniques! We expand on our own āversionsā of the icon to incorporate her life and love of Mexico into collage.
With this incredible woman as inspiration, I have created what I feel is a workshop full of heart and true skill-building lessons.
Learn more about the workshop
You’ll get instant access!
Are you fascinated by Frida Kahlo?
Me too!
Why am I obsessed with Frida Kahlo? ![]()
She proved to me that you donāt have to fit a box and follow rules made by others. That you are beautiful just the way you are and that your art can be meaningful just the way it is. Maybe what resonates most with me is how she was lead by heart-felt passion coupled with tenacity and perseverance.
Frida continually challenged her self to improve her skills, and balanced that with time to relax, contemplate and laugh with her loved ones. She remained curious and broadened her horizons with travel. She collected objects that fascinated and thoughtfully placed them in her home that became a personal sanctuary surrounded by plants, colour and beloved animals.
Frida Kahlo inspires through her art and her life illustrating that gender, age, nationality and dire personal circumstances can be transcendental elements. I adore her soul!
Lesson 1
Skin Deep
Letās start with the very thing that holds us together: skin. In this lesson, we will mix lots of different skin tones with watercolour using several methods.
Lesson 2
Little Fridas!
Letās create lots and lots of small faces! Weāll work with pens, coloured pencils, watercolour, inks, pastels and brush pens!
Lesson 3
Frida Sketchercise
In this lesson, we draw a turned face and then Frida-rize it!
Lesson 4
Worth Repeating
In this lesson, we take our Sketchercise face and add colour in three different ways! Frida believed in repetition in her artwork. Most of her paintings were self portraits and I see a quest for improvement in that repetition and practice.
Lesson 5
Frida Collage-oh!
I want to bring in one of my favourite collage techniques! Weāll work on Frida as well and Frida and Diego, her husband.
Lesson 6
Frida and Diego
I tend to think of Diego Rivera purely as Fridaās husband, but he was a big star of the international art world before he met her.
Lesson 7
Fridamania
Letās continue on with the fun of collage incorporating the Mayan calendar.
Lesson 8
Feeling a little Gelli
Youāll enjoy this fun lesson using Gelli Plates!
Lesson 9
Viva La Variety
Letās connect the Blue and Red Frida with some celebratory colour! Ladybug Dotters are the first art supplyIāve produced myself. You can substitute another supply, but for me, I LOVE lots of dots!
You’ll get instant access!

Who is it for?
Anyone that loves colour, drawing faces and Frida or course! Each lesson is step-by step so that makes it just as suitable for beginners as my loyal Davenpeeps (an affection term of respect for people that love doing all my workshops).Ā

Who is it not suited for?
If you don’t like a little fun, colour and eccentric whimsy in your art, then this may not be for you. If youāre just getting started with your art and are struggling with your creative confidence, you may want to start with my mini-workshop ‘Draw Happy’ as a gentle way back into your art making again and then join ‘Viva La Vida’ once you have found your creative feet.
How the Workshop is Delivered
I have created this class so you can take all the time you need and let the magic happen!
All sessions for the Self-guided study classes are up when you arrive. This means thereās no waiting for projects to be posted and you can take the course at whatever pace works for you.
You can revisit, rewatch, recharge and remind yourself of all the art supplies, all the drawing lessons, all the mixed media inspiration whenever you want.
You need never feel embarrassed about not āclickingā with a new skill straightaway. Itās a terrible feeling when you feel left behind, or that you dont āget itā and everyone else does in a learning situation! But you will NEVER feel that way in my classroom because you can pause and rewind, and ask questions.
Full instructions are on the site if this is your first online class experience. You are in safe hands!
What you Get
The classes are video based and typically between 7 and 20 minutes long each. Intense creative nuggets! I talk you through each of the art supplies, what they do and show you how to use them through a variety of drawing projects and exercises.
You’ll get instant access!
What you’ll need for the workshop
This is a summary list for the supplies you will see me using from all the lessons. But remember, you donāt need them. You can use the art supplies you have while learning so much about them as you go!
Buy Jane Davenport Watercolor Journal
Buy āMatchmakerā Acrylics
Buy ‘Aquapastels’ watercolor crayons
Buy Velvet Pastels: Monarch, Neon, Queen, Pink Princess
Buy Mermaid Markers: ‘Celestial Sky’
āIāve enjoyed this workshop very much. I feel I have been able to work through several obstacles along the way and from that I have learned a lot. I feel Iāve gained more confidence both in drawing the turned face and knowing my art supplies better. So thank you Jane for yet another wonderful workshopā
Camilla, Norway
āYippee first 3 lessons videos done and lots of tiny face shapes just waiting to become little Fridaās tomorrow. Jane your lessons are wonderful and I am loving reading and seeing all the Frida info. The more I understand her struggles and successes I like her even more. She died in the same year I was born..ā
Debby, Canada
āFrida – Larger Than Life – used so many JD art supplies in this one and so enjoyed it. Learned so much in this workshop – highly recommend. Thank you Jane (and Frida) for your inspiration.ā
Maryanne, USA
Buy Viva La Vida and Get Instant Access!
Viva La Vida











