Master the art of visual storytelling through drawing and composition!

From renowned artist and instructor Will Weston comes a comprehensive guide to mastering the art of visual storytelling through drawing and composition. Inventive Drawing: Drawing, Composition, and Style Development in the 21st Century bridges the gap between basic drawing skills and the professional techniques you need to know in order to develop and create compelling environmental art in animation, game design, and illustration.

Weston draws from industry and teaching experience to reveal methods used in illustration, animation, and games to create immersive, narrative-rich environments. The process begins with fundamental drawing principles that progressively build toward advanced applications, and you’ll develop core skills that evolve into sophisticated visual storytelling techniques.

Unlike traditional drawing books that focus on figure work or observational skills, Inventive Drawing specifically addresses the challenges of environmental design and layout—showing you how to craft scenes that communicate story, establish mood, and provide the perfect stage for character action.

You’ll learn:

• Film composition principles for creating dynamic, cinematic layouts
• Thumbnailing techniques for rapid idea development
• Methods for using shape, proportion, and rhythm to control mood
• Perspective techniques that establish depth and guide the viewer’s eye
• Principles for creating overlaps, reveals, and spatial depth
• Techniques for drawing believable environmental elements—from rocks, trees, and fabrics to pipes, props, and building details
• Basic character staging and environmental storytelling methods
• A five-value system for dimensional lighting and atmospheric effects
• Creative approaches to drawing and designing “mad shacks” and “mad science” contraptions and eccentric structures
• Practical approaches to researching and developing authentic environments

Whether you’re struggling with flat compositions, lifeless environments, or scenes lacking narrative impact, Weston’s methodical approach offers solutions that transform technical knowledge into creative expression. Inventive Drawing provides the tools you need to create environments that don’t just look good, but effectively tell stories and create memorable visual experiences for your audience.

Will Weston is a Los Angeles-based artist and educator specializing in entertainment art. With decades of industry experience—working in feature and TV animation for Disney, Warner Brothers, Sony, and Nickelodeon, among others—Weston is well known for his expertise in drawing, design, and perspective in his work as a background painter, layout artist, set builder, and visual development artist.

He has taught at prestigious institutions such as ArtCenter College of Design, and he conducts workshops and lectures in America and Europe that focus on observational drawing, composition, and visual storytelling, which have influenced countless professionals in animation, illustration, and concept art.

Weston is particularly celebrated for his methodical approach to teaching foundational art skills while communicating complex visual concepts with tremendous clarity. Find him on Instagram @WillWestonStudio.