The Creature Garden

The Creature Garden is an illustrator’s step-by-step sourcebook for drawing and painting 50 real and imagined creatures in a whimsical folk-art style. With an embossed cover, striking endpapers, and extraordinary interior illustrations, this beautifully crafted book is a unique piece of art in itself.

Husband-and-wife illustrator team Harry and Zanna Goldhawk, the founders of Papio Press, teach you how to make vibrant paintings of these beautiful beasts and fictional fauna:

• Mammals, including big cats, wolves, sloths, and red pandas
• Marine life, including whales, sea dragons, narwhals, and giant Pacific octopi
• Birds, including peacocks, cranes, owls, and flamingos
• Insects, including butterflies, moths, bumblebees, and damselflies
• Mythical creatures, including mermaids, unicorns, dragons, phoenixes, centaurs, and hippogriffs
• And more!

The Creature Garden begins with the basics, first instructing you on which tools to use, how to create patterns, the importance of keeping a sketchbook, and even avoiding comparison with other artists. The book then navigates through each illustration in a step-by-step manner that is manageable and easy to understand. Each project carefully guides you through each phase of the artistic process, from creating an outline to adding a realistic animal pattern.

You’ll also learn how to draw botanical patterns from different environments—the garden, forest, jungle, and ocean—that enable you to surround your animal drawings with a natural environment.

Full of lush warmth and fairy-tale wonder, The Creature Garden is a wonderful addition to the repertoire of both seasoned artists and novices alike.