Learn fast, fun, easy, low-cost, techniques that can improve your field sketches and nature journaling. Here are a handful of techniques that you can experiment with. If you like one of these approaches, add the new materials to your nature journaling kit. How can you use a brush with water-soluble pens, a pencil blender, or Read More
Category: Art Technique
Drawing Iridescent Birds
In this “Ask Jack” session, John Muir Laws deep-dives into rendering iridescence on birds, including hummingbirds, ducks, and cormorants. Read More
Wrapping the Pattern Around the Shape
In this “Ask Jack” session, John Muir Laws explores how to give your drawings a 3D feeling to them by blocking in their dimensions and then adding patterns that follow the contours. Read More
John Busby: nature journaling inspiration
Join John Muir Laws and Valters Videnieks for a close exploration of the sketches and work of bird artist John Busby. Both John and Valters have been strongly influenced by Busby’s work. His drawings accurately capture subtle and fleeting moments with simplicity and joy. We will learn from his drawings, analyze his style, and teaching Read More
Stipple 101
Learn the basics of stipple technique (shading with dots) to add value and volume to your drawings. Lion skull worksheet: https://johnmuirlaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Lion-Skull-line.pdf Read More
Toucan Draw It!
In preparation for a trip to Ecuador, John Muir Laws teaches how to draw toucans by looking at their basic shapes. (workshop Nov. 2021) Read More
Coastal Cliffs and Waves
Let John Muir Laws show you some problem-solving he did around drawing coastal landscapes. Play with different strategies and learn some fast ways to capture the effects of waves hitting the coastal cliffs, using watercolor, a white crayon, and pencil. Read More
Water Soluble Pencils
Join John Muir Laws in this “Ask Jack” session, where we explore creating a river landscapito using watercolor pencils, as well as some of the challenges in using them. Read More
How to Draw Bird Tails
Learn from John Muir Laws how to draw bird tails and the dynamics of that part of their bodies in this deep dive. Read More
Ask Jack: Bird Nests
In this session of “Ask Jack”, John Muir Laws teaches tips and tricks for rendering bird nests with texture and form. Read More