The Secret Lives of Dragons and Other Mythical Creatures: And How to Draw Them

Conjure a gathering of dragons and fantastical beasts and beings with step-by-step drawing instruction from leading fantasy illustrators.

Dragons have captured imaginations for centuries—from ancient myths and folklore to Romantasy epics, gaming adventures, and hit TV series. The Secret Lives of Dragons and Other Mythical Creatures: And How to Draw Them is a modern drawing guide that empowers artists of all levels to bring legendary beasts and mythical beings to life.

This comprehensive book includes step-by-step lessons on how to draw a variety of dragon types from a wide range of global traditions, plus other beasts like gryphons, unicorns, and kraken, and beings like fae, cyclops, vampires, and werewolves. 

Inside, you’ll find:

• Detailed tutorials for shading, texture, anatomy, and movement tips for lifelike and dynamic creatures
• Creature design breakdowns, including wings, scales, horns, and hybrid forms
• Rendering techniques that make your creative drawings pop off the page
• Fascinating lore and legends for each creature

The Secret Lives of Dragons and Other Mythical Creatures: And How to Draw Them is your essential fantasy art companion.

Michael Dobrzycki is an accomplished painter, carpenter, puppet maker, and sketch artist whose work has been featured in more than a dozen children’s books and small press publications over the last few years. In 2001, Michael was inducted into the Disneyland Entertainment Hall of Fame. He received a master’s degree in illustration from California State University, Fullerton, and holds bachelor’s degrees in both art and history from Whittier College. He is currently a visiting professor at Whittier College. Michael lives in Whittier, California.

Kythera of Anevern is a self-taught artist who revels in the strange and unusual. She has designed a handful of logos for small businesses and contributed illustrations for various role-playing game books. She also displays her work at fantasy and animation conventions, including the annual Gathering of the Gargoyles, where she has won many awards. She received her BFA in intermedia from Arizona State University and currently lives in Los Angeles.

After earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration from California State University, Long Beach, professional illustrator Jacob Glaser created storyboards, concept art, packaging, graphics, logos, animation, and illustrative art for many entertainment, design, and advertising projects. Currently, he lives in Los Angeles with his wife and son and works as an art director at Park County (creators of South Park), painting whenever he can. Jacob believes in aliens, ghosts, and all sorts of magical nonsense—possibly because he played Dungeons & Dragons too often in high school. 

Brynn Metheney is a concept artist specializing in creature and character designs for film, games, and publishing. Her clients include Sony Pictures, Dark Horse Comics, Disney Publishing, Dreamscape Immersive, Warner Bros., and Wizards of the Coasts, and she has been involved with such projects as Luc Besson’s Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, Warner Bros.’s Scooby-Doo, and Boots Riley’s Sorry to Bother You. Brynn also teaches creature design at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, California, and The Animation Workshop in Viborg, Denmark. She lives in the greater Los Angeles area.