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March 2021

  • Domestika Diary: Lilly Maetzig
    Craft

    Domestika Diary: Lilly Maetzig

    New Zealand-born, London-based ceramicist Lilly Maetzig takes us through the city she now calls home and into her pottery studio to share her creative process Lilly Maetzig (@mae_ceramics) is a ceramicist, designer, and artist who started her career (and life) in New Zealand before moving to London in 2016. Lilly first found ceramics in art school, but she truly fell in love with wheel-thrown pottery when she began working in a shared studio. In this Domestika Diary, she takes us on her surprisingly verdant walk to work and into her pottery studio to share with us a typical day in the life of a potter.

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  • Watercolor Tutorial: Basic Mark-Making Techniques
    Teacher Illustration

    Watercolor Tutorial: Basic Mark-Making Techniques

    Learn the basics of watercolor and how to use it for mark-making, with Amy Pearson Hand-painted watercolor strokes, shapes, and marks can help bring a digital illustration to life. Amy Pearson (@amypearsondesign) is an illustrator who combines analog and digital techniques to create striking images. In this tutorial, she shares how to use watercolor to make bright and beautiful marks that can be scanned and manipulated in Photoshop to create effective mixed media illustrations.

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  • 36 Days of Type 2021: This Challenge Pushes the Boundaries of Letter and Number Design
    Typography, Calligraphy and Lettering

    36 Days of Type 2021: This Challenge Pushes the Boundaries of Letter and Number Design

    From April 5 to May 10, this challenge invites you to design a letter or number every day for 36 consecutive days 36 Days of Type is the challenge par excellence that explores the graphic possibilities of the letters and numbers in the Latin alphabet. For the eighth edition, represented by the color orange, letter lovers, designers, illustrators, and graphic artists from all over the world will create and share one letter or number a day for 36 days, from April 5 to May 10.

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  • Free Adobe Photoshop brushes for Illustration
    Teacher Illustration

    Free Adobe Photoshop brushes for Illustration

    Create incredible illustrations with this three wax, pencil and stain brushes shared by Alex de Marcos When it comes to expressing your creativity in Adobe Photoshop, having a variety of brushes is essential for creating pixel art illustrations as brush strokes. To create a personal pictorial finish, you should experiment with tools that allow you to make different uses of color and give different textures to your composition. In order to achieve this, the illustrator Alex de Marcos García (@alex_de_marcos) offers you three digital brushes with very different effects.

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  • Interview with 3D Designer Alejandro Olmedo, Winner of Domestika Scholarships 2017
    Domestika

    Interview with 3D Designer Alejandro Olmedo, Winner of Domestika Scholarships 2017

    One of the winners of the 2017 edition of Domestika Scholarships tells us how he developed his work as a designer thanks to winning 50 Domestika courses 3D and graphic designer Alejandro Olmedo (@hollmed) was one of the winners of the first edition of Domestika Scholarships in 2017. He gained free access to 50 Domestika courses by submitting a strong portfolio that showed great commitment and creativity. Four years on, we decided to speak to him to find out how he made the most of this opportunity. We find out which courses he opted for, what benefits these brought to his practice, and generally what advantages can be reaped as a creative by taking part in Domestika Scholarships.

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  • What is Sustainable Design?
    Design

    What is Sustainable Design?

    Discover the true meaning of sustainable design, and find out how considering sustainability is beneficial for everyone, with Núria Vila

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  • Curious Minds Podcast: Why We ♥️ Symbols
    Design

    Curious Minds Podcast: Why We ♥️ Symbols

    Explore how artists, media, and brands have made meaning through imagery with Curious Minds, an original podcast by Domestika Curious Minds is an original podcast by Domestika that explores the curiosities and untold histories of the creative world. Each week we’ll bring you a new episode, interviewing experts and creatives as we dive into the unusual origins of the images, patterns, and designs we take for granted. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app to never miss an episode.

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  • How Did Yarn Bombing Reach Your City?
    Craft

    How Did Yarn Bombing Reach Your City?

    Discover the feminist roots of this unique street art using yarn and wool Whatever city you live in, you may have come across a tree decorated with wool or a lamp post covered in crocheted flowers. This practice is known as yarn bombing, and it’s everywhere. Yarn bombing is the decoration of public features with handmade fabrics. These colorful creations convey messages about care, respect, and the appreciation of public space. This street artform’s origins date back to the mid-19th century, the industrial revolution, and feminist resistance. Want to know more about knitted urban creations? Discover the roots of yarn bombing below!

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  • Curious Minds Podcast: Why Do People Hate Comic Sans?
    Typography, Calligraphy and Lettering

    Curious Minds Podcast: Why Do People Hate Comic Sans?

    Listen here to our first podcast episode, dedicated to the world’s most hated font Curious Minds is an original podcast by Domestika that explores the curiosities and untold histories of the creative world. Each week we’ll bring you a new episode, interviewing experts and creatives as we dive into the unusual origins of the images, patterns, and designs we take for granted. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app to never miss an episode.

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  • Mary Shelley: the Young Woman who Created Frankenstein and Modern Science Fiction
    Writing

    Mary Shelley: the Young Woman who Created Frankenstein and Modern Science Fiction

    Discover the story of the young woman who created Frankenstein, the first modern science fiction novel Frankenstein belongs in the pantheon of classic monsters that make up the images we associate with the horror genre. Made even more famous by Boris Karloff's portrayal in the James Whale-directed film adaptation, this creature is the protagonist of the novel Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus, considered one of the first modern science fiction novels, both for its plot and for the themes it explores. But it is not just its plot that made an impression on 19th-century society and continues to make an impression today. It’s the person responsible for its creation: 18-year-old Mary Shelley. Discover her fascinating story below:

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  • What Is Blocking in Animation and Why Is It So Important?
    3D & Animation

    What Is Blocking in Animation and Why Is It So Important?

    Learn about this technique and how it is used in 3D animation projects When it comes to working on a 3D animation project, not only do you need a strong concept, you also need to work out scale, volumes, and proportions in order to best position the characters and props within a scene. In this context, blocking is essential: it saves time and prevents mistakes. But what exactly is it?

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  • My Materials: Epoxy Resin Jewelry
    Craft

    My Materials: Epoxy Resin Jewelry

    Discover the tools and materials you need to make DIY epoxy resin jewelry at home, with Mia Winston-Hart Epoxy resin is a versatile material that lets you make creative DIY jewelry at home using just a few simple tools. Mia Winston-Hart (@miawinstonhart) is an educator and accessory designer who specializes in creating jewelry using epoxy resin. In this video, she shares simple tips and advice as she takes you through the materials you will need to create your own epoxy resin jewelry.

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  • How were Mrs. America’s costumes designed?
    Fashion

    How were Mrs. America’s costumes designed?

    We speak with renowned costume designer Bina Daigeler about capturing the feminist movement through clothing Named one of the best television shows of 2020 by the American Film Institute, Mrs. America is a historical drama chronicling the movement to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. Applauded for the performances of actresses like Cate Blanchett, Uzo Aduba, Margo Martindale, and Tracey Ulman - who all received Primetime Emmy nominations for their work - the show also received a Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Period Costumes. We spoke with renowned costume designer Bina Daigeler (@binadaigeler) about how she approached working on Mrs. America, and the important role costume design plays in bringing characters to life.

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  • Drawing Tutorial: Posca Pen Techniques for Beginners
    Teacher Illustration

    Drawing Tutorial: Posca Pen Techniques for Beginners

    Discover the perfect technique for drawing with paint markers to create bright, colorful illustrations with James Chapman Posca pens are an industry classic. While often associated with graffiti, there is a lot more you can do with these mighty markers. James Chapman (@jameschapman) is a digital artist who began using Posca pens to get a break from the screen, and in the process his charming illustrations have drawn him an impressive following. In this tutorial, he shares some basic techniques that he has developed for using Posca pens.

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  • Get Ready For SXSW Online 2021
    Film & Video

    Get Ready For SXSW Online 2021

    South by Southwest 2021 offers a diverse program of film, music, comedy, and conferences Founded in 1987 in Austin, Texas, SXSW (read “South by Southwest”) is about to celebrate its 28th edition. SXSW Online 2021 is scheduled to take place from the 16th to the 21st of March: a digital experience where the interactive, film, and music industries converge. This year’s program features Keynotes, Conference sessions, Music Festival showcases, Film Festival screenings, world-class networking, online Exhibitions, and more.

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  • 5 Online Beginner Courses for Drawing Manga Characters
    Illustration

    5 Online Beginner Courses for Drawing Manga Characters

    Learn to create your own manga and anime characters with Domestika experts Manga character drawing is a creative discipline inspired by the aesthetic and anatomical features of traditional Japanese comics. The following courses teach you how to illustrate manga and anime-style facial expressions and create kawaii characters. You can also learn coloring techniques and how to animate your creations. If you want to perfect your technique, you may want to check your progress with a little help from these illustrators, whatever your level of experience. They will inspire you with their work and reference material, and they'll share their methods so you can develop your own manga-style characters. Creation of Manga Characters, a course by Andrea Jen Andrea is one of the leading manga design figures in the Spanish-speaking world. She will teach you to create your own characters from the concept idea to the character sheet. You'll get to draw male and female figures in different poses, conveying emotions of various intensity.

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  • Celebrate 10 Years of Procreate With These 10 Amazing Timelapse Videos
    Illustration

    Celebrate 10 Years of Procreate With These 10 Amazing Timelapse Videos

    The illustration app, one of the most loved among creatives, is 10 years old The creators of Procreate claim that their dream was to develop the best drawing app for the first iPads. 10 years on from its launch, the team strives to improve this unique tool's drawing experience. Procreate's potential, versatility, and simplicity have won over artists from all over the world. The following 10 fascinating time-lapse videos showcase expert illustrators using Procreate, creating classic manga characters such as Sailor Moon, incredible portraits, or extraterrestrial figures. Watch them as they use analog and digital techniques to capture their projects' qualities and be inspired by their drawing styles and skillful character designs.

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  • Essential Equipment for Creating Podcasts
    Music & Audio

    Essential Equipment for Creating Podcasts

    Do you want to create your own podcast? Check the basic equipment you’ll need to get started There are some fixed rules to creating a podcast, but you don’t have to follow a model to the letter, and you can be quite flexible: you can record one wherever you want and about any topic. However, for your podcast to be of acceptable quality, you will need to use some basic technical tools. Journalist and podcast producer David Mulé Rebecchi (@davimulepodcast) runs through the essential kit you need to produce a good podcast.

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  • Sonia Pulido: "Illustration Fosters Reflection and Change"
    Teacher Illustration

    Sonia Pulido: "Illustration Fosters Reflection and Change"

    We spoke to Spain's winner of the 2020 National Illustration Award about the role of illustration in today's 'tsunami of images' We could say that Sonia Pulido, illustrator and winner of the National Illustration Award of 2020, decided that she wanted to devote herself to this profession after watching a rerun movie on a Sunday afternoon. When she was nine, she noticed a secondary character in one of those films: an illustrator who had a fantastic studio filled with art materials and drawing tables. Suddenly, all the illustrated books in her home took on a different meaning. "I almost felt something click when I realized it was those people who made the illustration," she recalls. Unlike many others, she never abandoned drawing. At the university where she studied Fine Arts, she discovered a book by illustrator Ana Juan in the library and had another revelation. It opened the doors to a whole other world. "I came across a style and method different to what I had ever produced before," she explained.

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  • 10 Creatives to Follow on TikTok in 2021
    Marketing

    10 Creatives to Follow on TikTok in 2021

    Domestika’s Instagram community votes for the social network's most inspiring accounts TikTok is much more than dance moves, reactions, and laughs. There is also a growing wave of creatives surprising everyone with their talents. On Instagram, we often get to see a more carefully-curated side of each user, with heavily edited photos and thought-out angles. TikTok gives us a more relaxed experience and a behind-the-scenes atmosphere. That's why we asked Domestika’s Instagram community which TikTok accounts they find most inspiring. These were the most voted: Marjan Roshan @dailymarjan A Persian-Spanish designer and illustrator based in Madrid. Her work has been featured in Spanish magazines and group exhibitions. On her TikTok, she shares creative processes behind her illustrations (mostly portraiture) with different techniques and materials.

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  • “Working Together, Apart”: Reinventing Relationships Between Teams and Clients
    Teacher Marketing

    “Working Together, Apart”: Reinventing Relationships Between Teams and Clients

    Sagi Haviv explains how the rebranding of discovery+ and Panda Global logos helped his team to reinvent their working methods In March 2020, when the pandemic hit, like everyone else, we were nervous about impact on our business. There were two main worries: one, that clients might be skittish about initiating or continuing design projects when the world was in crisis. This worry very quickly lifted when we discovered that many companies were eager to use the downtime of the pandemic to continue and even to accelerate their engagement with us. The second concern was more existential: working collaboratively and in person—both within our office and with our clients—has been at the core of our practice for decades.

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  • What Are the Key Characteristics of Manga Illustration?
    Illustration

    What Are the Key Characteristics of Manga Illustration?

    Discover more about this format and the key characteristics of Japanese illustration The word “manga” refers to Japanese comics and graphic novels. The manga industry is huge and a key part of Japanese culture: its reach goes way beyond the country’s borders. In this blog post, we explore the history and main features of this genre.

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  • What is ISO Sensitivity in Photography?
    Film & Video

    What is ISO Sensitivity in Photography?

    Learn the basics for beginners about ISO and how aperture and shutter speed settings interact with each other, by Giulia Candussi In analog film photography, ISO (or formerly ASA) indicated how sensitive a roll of film was to light. While most modern cameras do not use film anymore, the term stuck around and now refers to the relative sensitivity of a camera’s sensor to light. Along with shutter speed and aperture, ISO is one of the most fundamental settings to understand when taking digital photographs. In this video, Giulia Candussi explains what ISO is and how you can use it in your digital photography to achieve the best results possible:

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