John Muir Laws

How to paint a Slate-colored Junco step-by-step

John Muir Laws — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 01:47:16 +0000

have received a lot of requests for more step by step illustration demonstrations. In this one I have emphasized the pencil technique that gives the bird texture. Note the direction of the pencil strokes. I stroke each feather group separately, … Continue reading →

How to paint a Mountain Bluebird step-by-step

John Muir Laws — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:03:58 +0000

have received several requests for more step by step guidance on drawing birds. I have started adding a touch of white colored pencil over dry watercolor and I really like the results. Note how much this illustration tightens up when … Continue reading →

Creating Illustrations for Field Guides

John Muir Laws — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 18:07:06 +0000

here are a few conventions that help illustrators make useful identification drawings for field guides. Real birds do not look like the illustrations in field guides. The field guide illustration is an attempt to average characteristics of many individuals into a … Continue reading →

How to paint shadows: Bohemian Waxwing

John Muir Laws — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 17:18:57 +0000

hadows are an important part of a successful painting. If you paint them at the end, they will feel like an afterthought and may muddy your colors. These last minute shadows may feel blotchy and inconsistent. Most importantly, it is … Continue reading →

How To Draw Birds in Flight

John Muir Laws — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 06:22:05 +0000

atching birds in flight is thrilling. The wings of small birds flap too quickly for the eye to catch. If all you see is a blur, draw the blur. Large soaring birds such as raptors, gulls and ravens hold their … Continue reading →

Speed Drawing Birds

John Muir Laws — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 06:43:29 +0000

ne of the best ways to train yourself to rapidly draw birds in the field is to practice at home with clear sharp photographs. Set a timer and give yourself one minute for each sketch. Do not worry about details but … Continue reading →

Unified Theory of Color

John Muir Laws — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 17:44:05 +0000

he way that pigments mix (subtractive color mixing) to produce colors is different from the way that colored lights mix (additive color mixing). The connections between these two systems are elegant if you use cyan, magenta, and yellow as pigment primaries instead … Continue reading →

Reinventing the Wheel: Why Red is not a primary color

John Muir Laws — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 06:43:18 +0000

ver had a painting turn to mud when you try to mix colors? The good news is it is not you. Conventional color theory using red, yellow and blue does not work. It will turn your pictures to mud … Continue reading →

Pimp my Palette

John Muir Laws — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 07:27:22 +0000

The Winsor & Newton Cotman Sketcher's Pocket Box is an excellent little palette. It is inexpensive, sturdy, and small enough to bring on a backpacking trip. It is good straight out of the box. However, with a little … Continue reading →

The making of a Naturalist’s Notebook page

John Muir Laws — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 19:05:53 +0000

reating Naturalist Notebook pages for Bay Nature makes one more opportunity for me to get out in nature and draw to learn. Consider subscribing to Bay Nature Magazine to learn more about bay area natural history. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeRVTddOCWg