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with G Caruso

Draw animals and discover the history behind mythological and magical creatures. Create a bestiarium, or collection of wild creatures, within your sketchbook.

Travelers and map-makers have filled countless sketchbooks with drawings and studies of the beasts they encountered on land, in the sea and in their imaginations. We follow their footsteps as a starting point for our creations. 

Some sources of inspiration:

• Werner’s nomenclature of colors aka Charles Darwin’s handbook
• Medieval illustrations of monsters and creatures
• Modern fantasy illustrations

Use a variety of techniques to create your creatures. Drawing techniques as well as painting with watercolor and gouache are covered in this exploratory approach.  

Study the basics of animal anatomy. Learn drawing and painting techniques to render textures such as fur and scales. These building blocks can be used to depict a beloved pet or to invent a new mythical creature. 

This workshop is open to participants starting at any level. Exercises are tailored to fit the group and the individual interests of students. Are you a complete beginner that loves animals? Are you experienced with life drawing but want to get started with four legged figures? Or perhaps your goal is to create illustrations or comics? G Caruso guides the class through basic and advanced techniques, with options for individual levels, to get you to where you need to go. 

Sketchbook Practice Workshops Series

This workshop is part of the year-round workshop series Sketchbook Practice. See scheduled modules for the entire year HERE. Join at the start of any module!