Book excerpt: Drawing Unicorns - How to Draw Mythical Creatures for the Beginner Contents Introduction Part I | Tales of the Unicorns The Hunt of the Unicorn Unicorns in Christianity Medieval Ages: A Treasure Trove of Unicorns Other Hidden or Religious Meanings Modern and Children’s Literature Recreational Projects, Pop Culture, and Film Non-Fiction and Mysticism A Unicorn’s Horn Part II | How to Draw Unicorns Drawing Tools The Drawing Process Setting a Creative Intention What does drawing in layers mean? Rendering Basic Rendering Exercises Parts of the Unicorn Anatomical Structure and Proportion Perspectives, Foreshortening, Mannequinization, Gesture and Contour Drawing Hair Drawing in Layers Lines, Shapes, and Gesture Drawing Form Construction Detailing Unicorn Rendering The Unicorn’s Horn Glossary The Author Introduction Faraway, beyond the mountains and seven skies, there exists a land of wonders, where friendly dragons and unicorns frolic freely ‘neath the radiance of a thousand suns. When the pure hearted calls upon them, these creatures elude the veils of obstruction and offer their assistance to fulfill noble causes. In a nutshell, this is the tale of the unicorns. After our wonderful journey in the world of dragons, we now embark on a new exploration that attempts to uncover the truths and myths behind another mythical beast that has eluded humanity for ages: The Unicorns. Unicorns, the second of the How to Draw Mythical Creatures for the Absolute Beginner series, is divided into two parts. Part One delves into historical accounts, which may lend to the credibility or fraudulence behind these beloved creatures. Part Two discusses drawing techniques designed to instruct and develop the creative skills of novices. Some aspiring artists would like to learn the craft or hone their talent to prepare themselves for a career in the Arts. Others are just seeking a productive recreation, rather than a lucrative one. Regardless of your purpose, the drawing methods tackled in this course builds on the creative foundations most beneficial to the absolute beginner. Without further ado, I welcome you to join me in a quest for unicorns.