Book cover of Inner Hero Creative Art Journal: Mixed Media Messages to Silence Your Inner Critic by Quinn McDonald

Let’s look at what this book is about!

Inner Hero Creative Art Journal is Quinn McDonald’s newest book. It’s about how you can send Mixed Media Messages to Silence Your Inner Critic.

The inner critic is the voice inside your head that tells you you can’t do this and you can’t do that and what ever you make is bad art. My IC is called Icky and I know her all to well. The Inner Heroes are the helpers, the ones you should actually listen to instead of that pesky IC. If you haven’t heard from the Inner Heroes yet Quinn tells you how to work with them in this book. She tells you their names, what their powers are – and how to find their messages. Maybe it is time we listen to their advice a bit more?

According to the publisher you will love this book if:

  • You want to learn more mixed-media techniques
  • Creativity flows better for you with art journal prompts
  • You’d like to explore ways to constructively deal with your inner critic

And that is true. You’ve gotta dig art prompts to get this book. It is a book overflowing with step-by-step instructions, almost like a class. If you need a guide into art journaling this is a great book for you!

Quinn suggests that you create a loose-leaf art journal with “card” pages made from watercolor paper. In each chapter she presents a new Inner Hero and two or more prompts to try on each card. For the back of your card there is a journaling prompt (free writing, guided meditation, finding inspiration in quotes etcetera) and for the front a technique. But no drawing skills required!

Quinn encourages you to think beyond illustrating, and think more about colors and movement. She shows you how to abstractly represent each Inner Hero by swirling ink around, machine sewing paper collage, painting on leafs found in nature and even how to glue egg shells to a page!

The last chapters shows you how to use your finished cards like a deck of inspiration, for dreaming, meditating or healing, almost like a tarot deck I guess (I’ve never tried tarot). Quinn also shows you how to make an expandable holder for your pages if a ring binder isn’t your thing.

There are also some contributing artist, where I find some old blog friends; TJ of Studio Mailbox and Michelle Ward! Hello ♥ sweet ones!

I really enjoyed Quinn’s first book Raw Art Journaling, and dived into the exercises quite a bit. But this one is not a keeper for me, so I am giving my copy away to someone who might need it better… Maybe you?

Book cover of Inner Hero Creative Art Journal: Mixed Media Messages to Silence Your Inner Critic by Quinn McDonald

Get Quinn McDonald’s book!

To win this book [giveaway now closed] leave one comment below telling me 1) your thoughts on your inner critic: do you have one and what do you do about that? You get extra points in the draw for:
2) liking my facebook page and/or 3) joining my newsletter. Let me know in your comment if you did any of those, because I sure appreciate your support! Thanks! Will pick a winner March 1st!

Further Art Journaling Inspiration