Why Kids Love Drawing Monsters, and How to Help Them Do It Well

Ask a room full of kids what they want to learn to draw, and you'll hear a few puppies, a few rainbows, and a whole lot of monsters, zombies, skulls, and creepy creatures. Kids love spooky stuff. So do plenty of adults. And now there's a drawing book that finally embraces it.

How to Draw Awesome Stuff: Chilling Creations by Catherine V. Holmes is a step-by-step drawing guide for those who dare to explore the darker and more unconventional side of art. Inside its 310 pages, readers learn to create creepy and scary images that are sure to give friends and family nightmares, from spooky creatures to nightmarish faces. And the best part? Every lesson has been student-tested and teacher-approved.

It's worth asking why so many people are drawn to spooky things in the first place. Researchers who study what they call "recreational fear" have found that many people genuinely enjoy being a little bit scared in safe situations, like watching a horror movie, walking through a haunted house, or telling ghost stories around a campfire. The thrill of fear, combined with the knowledge that we're actually safe, can be exciting and even satisfying, and it may help people practice handling uncomfortable feelings. For kids especially, spooky art can be a way to explore fears on their own terms, turning something scary into something they control with their own pencil. A monster on paper is a monster you created, and that's a powerful feeling.

Holmes channels that excitement into real learning. Her approach, the same one that made her bestselling How to Draw Cool Stuff series so popular with teachers and students, starts with a simple idea: every complicated image is built from basic shapes. The tutorials teach readers to recognize the circles, ovals, triangles, and rectangles hidden inside even the creepiest creature, then use those shapes as a foundation. From there, the lessons build step by step toward more intricate details, like shading and depth, that make a drawing truly come alive, or truly come to haunt you.

That structure makes the book accessible for beginners while still challenging intermediate artists. Each step is broken down into clear, easy-to-follow instructions, and readers can work at their own pace. Because the lessons have clear objectives and have been tested in real classrooms, the book works beautifully for art teachers looking for engaging projects that students will be genuinely excited about. There may be no better way to get a reluctant artist to pick up a pencil than promising they'll learn to draw something gloriously creepy.

And the skills don't stay spooky. Learning to see shapes, build structure, and add shading are fundamentals that apply to drawing anything at all. Students who start with skulls and creatures often find they can apply the same techniques to portraits, animals, landscapes, and more.

Catherine V. Holmes is an educator and author from the historic town of Plymouth, Massachusetts, and her books have introduced countless students and teachers to the joy of drawing. With Chilling Creations, she proves that learning the fundamentals can be every bit as fun as it is useful.

With Halloween around the corner, this book makes a perfect seasonal gift for young artists, a fantastic resource for October art classes, and a great family activity for dark autumn evenings. Grab your pencils, pens, and paper, and let your imagination run wild, and dark.

How to Draw Awesome Stuff: Chilling Creations by Catherine V. Holmes is available now in paperback and hardcover.