The way a cat is structured tells you something about the way it lives. How does the speed/power tradeoff affect how you draw? In this workshop, we compare the lion, leopard, and cheetah. How are their body conformations and patterns different? How does this affect the way we draw them? To access the class worksheet, Read More
Category: Drawing Mammals
Learn how to draw mammals with step by step tutorials and detailed demonstrations.
Africa Series: Lions!
Welcome to the mane event! How do we draw the King of Beasts? What about the queen? Let’s take a close look at lion structure, anatomy, and patterns. Class worksheet can be found here: https://johnmuirlaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Lion-Worksheet.pdf Read More
Let’s Draw Mice!
Learn to draw mice with John Muir Laws and special guests, Chloe, Penny, Nickel, and Dime. In this special workshop (Nov. 2022), we are joined by Chloe, her mother, and her three super cute friends Penny, Nickel, and Dime. John Muir Laws shows some approaches to drawing rodents, followed by a live drawing session led Read More
Africa Series: Jackals and Hyena
Guess who is coming to dinner? Today we compare and draw the Hyena and Jackal. By comparing hyena and jackal we can pick out the nuances that make each distinct. Learn to draw these important carnivores. The worksheet for the workshop can be found here: https://johnmuirlaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Hyena-and-Jackal.pdf Read More
Africa Series: Giraffe
You should see the view from up here! Learn to understand and draw giraffes. Appreciating the skeletal structure of a giraffe will help you understand and draw these magnificent animals. Also, learn a fast and easy trick to help you paint that crazy pattern with watercolors. The giraffe skeleton worksheet for the class can be Read More
Africa Series: Artiodactyla
Let’s explore Artiodactyls. Animals with cloven hooves are diverse and fun to sketch, from deer, to antelope, to cows and buffalo. Let’s understand their anatomy to help us draw them in the field. To download the Artiodactyl worksheet, please go to this link: https://johnmuirlaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Artiodactyls.pdf Read More
Constructing Mammal Heads
Learn how to draw mammal heads from the front, side, and 3/4 view. Let’s explore templates for drawing mammal heads from all angles. These methods will help you draw animal faces across many species. (Nov. 2022) Read More
Africa Series: One Toe or Two?
In this workshop, John Muir Laws leads a closer look at Perissodactyla – odd-toed ungulates, such as dazzling zebras and crashing rhinoceroses. We compare anatomy and then explore what these differences might mean for artists trying to render these incredible animals. The handout for this class is accessible here: https://johnmuirlaws.com/wp-content/uploads/woocommerce_uploads/2020/09/Perissodactyla-comparison-morvp2.pdf Read More
Africa Series: Graviportal Posture
Learn with John Muir Laws how to draw elephants, rhinos, and hippos, as well as how “scaling” affects the shapes of large mammals. The worksheet for this class can be found here: https://johnmuirlaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Elephant-Rhino-Hippo-Worksheet.pdf Read More
Africa Series: Four on the Floor
John Muir Laws demonstrates the basic quadruped plan. This is essential for fast drawings of any four-legged mammal. Learn how to quickly block in the body shape of any four-legged mammal. What should you notice and record first? What differences should we look out for as we move between species? What reliable generalizations can we Read More