Learning how to draw like Laurel Burch shows students that they can play with bold shapes, vibrant colors and patterns to make their art feel alive.

Her style encourages them to break away from “realistic” rules and instead celebrate imagination, creativity, and individuality.

It’s a great way to practice confidence in choices, since there’s no “wrong” way to layer colors or add those signature decorative details.

They’ll notice how her cats, horses, and other animals aren’t just animals, they’re filled with patterns and energy that make them unique.

Teaching Tools

Video

Video Short

YouTube: Laurel Burch on 60 Minutes

YouTube video

Laurel Burch PDF

Laurel Burch Google Slides

Step by Step

Time needed: 1 hour

  1. Draw a circle or trace the one on page 3 of the PDF download.

  2. Add 8 rays, evenly spread out.

  3. Add side lines to the ray lines as shown.

  4. Add the bose and eye brow.

  5. Draw two eyes that are attached to the nose.

  6. Draw the stylish mouth.

  7. Add lines to close spaces on the face and background.

  8. Paint everything with water color paint. It’s a good project for warm and cool colors.

  9. After paint is dry, trace with a gold metallic marker.

Materials

Watercolor Paper

Real watercolor paper always makes the watercolor paintings much more vibrant. *affiliate link


Metallic Markers

Make bright, opaque lines and are safe for kids. Lots of uses in the art room. *affiliate link


Paint Brush

A good paint brush can make a big difference and this style with a sturdy rounded tip is my favorite. *affiliate link