Drawing Monsters & Scary Creatures: Creature Design and Horror Art Class

I’ll teach a variety of drawing techniques unique to creating wild and scary creatures but also some fundamentals that are useful for any type of drawing. It's not a step-by-step drawing class in which we all draw the same thing. Instead I teach new tips, show examples, do demonstrations, and encourage students to apply these techniques in creating their own creatures.

I’ll be mostly working in pencil and ink, but sometimes I’ll add color with markers or watercolor. Students can always add color to any of their creations in their own time, and can draw digitally if they prefer.

I start class off with a brief round of introductions and give students the chance to share any drawings they've done over the course of the week. Then I usually show examples from famous or expert monster designs to point out the main technique of the day and how effective it is for creature design. Then I do a live demo of the technique. I usually show  stopping intermittently to offer constructive feedback if students desire and to answer questions. Students will draw along with me some as we practice the technique together, but then they will try out the technique on their own to create their own unique creations.

Techniques we focus on include:
-drawing eyes
-animal anatomy study
-ideation (coming up with ideas)
-how to draw tentacles
-drawing fangs and talons
-drawing wings
-drawing scales
-seeing and drawing in shapes
-perspective
-dynamic compositions
-shading and highlights
-light an shadow
-using contrast in creature design
-drawing humanoid figures and correct anatomy
-and much more!

ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR:
KEVIN CATALAN, PROFESSIONAL COMIC BOOK ARTIST: Kevin Anthony Catalan is a freelance Comic Cartoonist with two published comic books, Space Knights and Tales of Space Knights, and is featured as a cover artist and guest artist for various other comics.  Kevin was taught how to draw at a very young age by his father, an animator that worked at Disney and Warner Brothers, and was introduced to comics at age 9, instantly falling in love with the medium. Kevin graduated with a B.A. from San Francisco State University, majoring in Studio Arts with a focus on oil painting, and took various comic book classes. While in the University, Kevin tutored his fellow classmates in various subjects including Astronomy, Painting, and Comics Making. Kevin self published his epic action-packed comic book “Space Knights” a month after his college graduation in 2020, which has now been picked up by an independent Publisher. With all of this success as a comic book artist, teaching has been the most gratifying thing that has come out of his art career. Teaching is about growth on both sides. Kevin’s approach is to start a dialogue with his students, being able to ask questions and let them form their own way of tackling problems. There are no solid rules to art making, but they are lots of guides. So Kevin will help his students find their own individuality by showing them his methods but encouraging them to find their own unique interests and style. Outside of drawing comics, Kevin loves to play video games, watch movies, use his telescope to stargaze and exercise.