Every Picture Tells a Story by Iain McCaig

Iain McCaig takes Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid and flips it into a sci-fi epic to show how story actually drives design. You’ll work through story beats, character silhouettes, and world-building with graphite, charcoal, and Photoshop, and see exactly why plot decisions change how a hero or villain looks.

🎯 What you’ll learn

• Break down a classic tale into usable story beats for visual development
• Design story-first character silhouettes that read instantly
• Use color and psychology to separate heroes from villains
• Build alternate worlds and environments that support the plot
• Work traditionally in graphite and charcoal and finish in Photoshop

✅ Requirements

• Skills: Basic drawing ability, interest in storytelling and concept art
• Tools: Graphite, charcoal, markers, Photoshop for digital finish work
• Hardware: Standard PC or Mac capable of running Photoshop

📝 Description

This isn’t a paint-this-button workshop. Iain starts with story structure and stays there until it hurts — in a good way. You’ll take The Little Mermaid apart, pick the beats that matter, then rebuild it as science fiction. That one shift forces every design choice to work harder.

In Volumes 2 and 3 he moves to cast. You’ll sketch character silhouettes first, no details, just readable shapes. Then he layers in costume, color theory, and backstory. Why does the Sea King stand like that? Why does the Space Witch get those sharp angles and cold palette? It’s all motivation on paper, not decoration.

Volume 4 is all place. You’ll do loose blue-line drawings, push marker thumbnails, and take environments into Photoshop for paint-over. Same rule applies: if the world doesn’t push the plot forward, it gets cut or reworked. Simple, direct, and super usable for film, games, or publishing work.

🧑‍🎓 Who this course is for

• Concept artists and illustrators who want story to lead their designs
• Beginners to intermediate artists stuck drawing cool shapes with no meaning behind them
• Storytellers, art students, and world-builders working on films, games, or personal IP

🧑‍🏫 About the Author

Iain McCaig has spent 40+ years in film and publishing as a concept artist, writer, and director. You know his work from Star Wars, where he co-designed Darth Maul and Padmé Amidala, plus projects for Lucasfilm, Marvel, and Disney. He teaches the way he works — fast, funny, pencil-first, and always asking what the story needs next.

🏁 Final Result

• A complete sci-fi adaptation package for The Little Mermaid — beat breakdown, hero/villain character sheets including the Sea King and Space Witch, and supporting environment concepts ready for portfolio or pitch.