Unicorn Mashup Face Painting Designs with Janice Haney Webinar

Unicorns are one of the most requested face painting designs out there — but who says a unicorn has to be just a unicorn? In this FacePaint.com webinar, Janice Haney shows you how to take one simple unicorn head and turn it into a whole magical herd of mashups: mermicorns, seahorsicorns, zombiecorns, punkacorns, and even a soccer-ball unicorn perfect for World Cup season. Whether you're a beginner who finds unicorns intimidating or a pro looking to add some variety to your line-buster menu, Janice's relaxed, comicky cartoon style makes every one of these designs achievable.

About the Artist: Janice Haney is a professional face painter known for her fun, cartoony style and her wonderfully organized approach to teaching — she actually plans out her products before she paints (which, as host Blake Cabot will tell you, almost never happens!). Janice draws inspiration from the unicorn work of artists like Elodie Ternois and Frida Haas, blending different styles into designs that are playful, kid-friendly, and quick enough for the job.

Products Used in This Webinar

GTX Blue Lagoon — Janice's go-to inky dark blue for line work
Silly Farm Retro Bright Rainbow Arty Brush Cake — the new split cake she sponges on for the mermicorn
Kraze FX Tamina's Peaks Palette — the rich fall greens used for the zombiecorn
Kraze FX Spooky Palette by Linnéa Önnerby Novak
Diamond FX Yellow — a favorite bright yellow for teeth and accents
Starblend Powder — for adding soft blush to cheeks, ears, and muzzles
Art Factory 3/4" Angle Brush — Janice's workhorse for manes and split-cake hair
GTX Rainbow Cakes — custom cakes Janice mixes herself

Building the Basic Unicorn Head

Every design in this class starts from the same foundation, so Janice begins by breaking down a basic unicorn head. Start with a white circle for the face, add a curvy muzzle, and bring the ears up and angled. From there, she lays in a flowing rainbow mane with a 3/4" angle brush, keeping the strokes loose and "flowy." A key tip: when your paint starts to catch and streak, that's your cue to gently re-wet it.

For the eye, Janice keeps things simple with a small crescent shape, then lines with that gorgeous inky GTX Blue Lagoon, flicking out for lashes. She finishes the horn with subtle S-shapes — as she puts it, this keeps it elegant and avoids the dreaded "poop emoji" look. A little Starblend blush on the cheeks, ears, and muzzle adds a soft, finished touch.

The Mermicorn (Mermaid Unicorn)

The mermicorn takes the basic unicorn head and adds a flowing mermaid tail. Janice sponges on a Silly Farm Retro Bright rainbow cake, shaping it into a loopy tail rather than blending the colors so each one stays vibrant. While the board is still slightly damp, she uses a mermaid scale stencil and immediately poofs glitter on top before lifting — the perfect moment for glitter to stick.

Pro tip: Want a boy version? Swap the swoopy, girly hair for spiky "funky bangs" and you've instantly transformed the design. Janice also shows how to add little unicorn hooves for an extra-cute touch.

The Seahorsicorn

The seahorsicorn is nearly identical to the mermicorn, with one key difference: the seahorse has a smaller, shorter snout and tiny gill-like ears. Janice starts with a butterfly-like shape above the brow, adds a curling seahorse tail, and uses a graffiti "bubble" stencil for fun underwater texture. A rainbow horn keeps it kid-approved, and the bubble background is the kind of detail you can easily skip when you're working fast on the job.

The Zombiecorn

For a spooky twist, the zombiecorn uses angular, edgy shapes instead of soft curves. Janice loads up the green from the Kraze FX Tamina's Peaks palette and paints a Hulk-like snarl. Since zombies don't need legs, she keeps it simple with a little neck, then adds a broken, jagged horn, exposed rib bones, and fleshy meaty bits in pink, orange, and red. Yellow teeth (because zombies don't brush!) finish off this fun, slightly gross design that boys especially love.

The Punkacorn (Punk Unicorn)

This sassy "punkacorn" has attitude. Janice gives him a longer snout, a frowny "don't mess with me" face, and a spiky mohawk flicked out with the angle brush. A single yellow earring (because only the cool unicorns wear one) and a little snarky gap-toothed smile complete this fast, effective design that's great for older kids.

The Soccer-Ball Unicorn

Perfect for World Cup season, the soccer-ball unicorn places a soccer ball where the horn would be. Janice paints the unicorn head in team colors — red, white, and blue for the USA — then adds the classic hexagon pattern, branching out from each point to build the ball. A quick mohawk and flowing motion lines give it energy. You can easily customize the colors for any team, or turn the ball into a baseball or basketball using the same approach.

Janice's Top Takeaways

One base, endless designs. Master the basic unicorn head and you can mash it up into countless variations.
Watch your water. When paint drags or streaks, gently re-wet; when it pools, you've gone too wet — especially on practice boards, which absorb far less than skin.
Glitter while it's wet. Apply glitter right after stenciling, before lifting, so it sticks.
Softer line colors. Deep purples, blues, and maroons make lovely, less-harsh line work than black for delicate designs like unicorns.
Edit for the job. Skip stencils, backgrounds, and extra details when you're working a fast line — most of these designs can be done in 3–5 minutes.