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Based on my series Around the World in 80 Trees (in which we spent a year traveling around the globe by region and sketching interesting, weird, iconic, or beautiful trees and tree-like plants), this is a new series based on animals—we’ll travel the world and learn as much natural history as we can, plus master the art of quickly sketching birds, mammals, monotremes, and more!

No. 4: Africa (Part 1)

What you’ll need: a multi-media sketchbook or an accordion style booklet (see below), pen and / or pencil for our base drawings, and then watercolor or colored pencil to quickly bring them to life.

TIP: For plants I used a strip of heavy watercolor paper folded into four squares to create an “accordion” booklet to record my trees (8 total, 4 on each side). For animals I recommend a full sketchbook, or larger squares, at least 5” if you choose an accordion.

Prepwork: Create a map of the region so you can place the regions the species were located.

Length: 2 hours

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Downloads and Resources

Colors and brush I use:

I favor a simple primary “triad” plus two extra colors: Manganese Blue (“cyan”), Quinacridone Rose (“magenta”), Aureolin Yellow (“yellow”), and Burnt Sienna and Indanthrone Blue, all Daniel Smith.

I use an Isabey Squirrel Mop Travel Brush.

TIP JAR – show your appreciation!

Any amount is appreciated!