Illustration

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  • 3 Free Inspirational Books For Illustrating Japanese-style Waves
    Illustration

    3 Free Inspirational Books For Illustrating Japanese-style Waves

    Boost your creativity with these early 20th-century illustrations from artist Mori Yuzan The ocean is incredibly hypnotic. Outlining the silhouette of a wave for an illustration requires letting the brush glide almost freely across the page. In Japanese art, waves express beauty and are packed with symbolism, and Hamonshū, a collection of three books from 1903, includes many great examples. Despite not being very well known, author Mori Yuzan demonstrates a unique ability to draw different types of waves with great accuracy. Thanks to Internet Archive and The Smithsonian Library, you can now access and download all three books free of charge. They will no doubt serve as an incredible source of inspiration and great reference material when creating mood boards in the early stages of your creative process.

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  • Domestika Challenge: Draw Your Favourite James Bond
    Illustration

    Domestika Challenge: Draw Your Favourite James Bond

    This month we’re celebrating one of the UK’s best-loved characters – James Bond The latest and much-anticipated Bond instalment No Time To Die hits our screens this month. As the final Bond film that Daniel Craig will star in, and after multiple delays in its release, we wanted to mark the occasion. To celebrate one of Britain’s best-loved characters, we’ve asked some of our favorite UK-based character and portrait illustrators to recreate their favourite 007. They call him Bond, James Bond, and they call themselves Teachers, Domestika Teachers…

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  • 10 Free Online Classes for Learning How to Illustrate With Ink
    Illustration

    10 Free Online Classes for Learning How to Illustrate With Ink

    Explore this versatile medium and get inspired by free ink classes led by Domestika experts Used for writing and drawing for centuries, ink is probably the most ancient medium in the history of humankind. The Egyptians used ink to write and draw on papyrus from as early as the 26th century BC, and it's believed that the Chinese were already using ink as far back as 4,000 years ago. Fast-forward to today, there are still infinite ways in which artists use this medium. Whether you're into calligraphy, illustration, urban sketching, or you enjoy experimenting in your sketchbook, you are bound to use ink in your artwork. This is largely because ink is so versatile, adapting to as many styles as there are artists. There are several techniques for drawing with ink, with some of the more traditional being hatching, cross-hatching and stippling when using a pen or fineliner. You can also apply ink washes with a paintbrush and achieve various degrees of transparency like you would use watercolor.

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  • 40 Essential Adobe Fresco Shortcuts for Illustrators
    Illustration

    40 Essential Adobe Fresco Shortcuts for Illustrators

    Make the most of the painting and drawing program's features with these speedy keyboard shortcuts When it comes to creating work digitally, many illustrators are looking to mimic the effects of real brushes and canvases. Adobe Fresco is a drawing and painting app that seeks to merge both worlds. This program offers drawing and painting experiences that feel natural, both for professional illustrators and people simply looking to experiment with different tools. In this post, we walk you through some of the program's key features and compile a list of shortcuts that will allow you to work more quickly and efficiently.

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  • 7 Online Courses for Learning How to Illustrate in Photoshop
    Illustration

    7 Online Courses for Learning How to Illustrate in Photoshop

    Unleash Adobe Photoshop’s full potential and start illustrating your ideas digitally Digital illustration gained popularity in the early 1980s, thanks to the birth of Adobe and its range of software. Since then, it has greatly evolved and built up a huge following, becoming one of the most widely used and most popular artistic mediums of our time. To ensure you don’t get left behind, we’ve curated a list of Domestika courses on digital illustration. Taught by top professionals, they will guide you as you master new techniques and get to grips with different programs so you can produce one-of-a-kind digital artworks.

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  • Illustration Challenge: 31 days, 31 drawings
    Teacher Illustration

    Illustration Challenge: 31 days, 31 drawings

    Flex your creative muscles and win free Domestika courses with our daily drawing challenge running through October The month of October is synonymous with daily drawing. And to keep this healthy habit alive, we at Domestika are inviting you to join in our challenge with thousands of other people around the world to draw something every day for 31 days. Of course, you'll be rewarded for your efforts - keep reading to find out more and how you could win a free course!

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  • 10 Free Online Digital Illustration Classes for Beginners
    Illustration

    10 Free Online Digital Illustration Classes for Beginners

    Up your skills and get inspired by these free digital illustration classes led by Domestika experts Digital illustration is the art of creating images that tell stories through the use of digital tools. Artists manipulate images using a digital illustration interface, like Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop, and a pointing device, such as a tablet, a mouse, or a stylus. Digital illustration is used extensively in web design, advertising, animation, video games, social media, and more. It's also often combined with traditional illustration for editorial work. When an illustrator's drawing skills are transferred to a digital environment, and paired with digital tools (used correctly), the work can take on a different form with unique and spectacular results. Taking a digital illustration course can help you make the most of these tools, giving you the opportunity to explore different possibilities with your drawing and develop your creativity through experimentation. It's also a way of playing around with and discovering the best software to suit your style.

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  • 4 Drawing Exercises That Will Loosen up Your Hand
    Illustration

    4 Drawing Exercises That Will Loosen up Your Hand

    Illustrator Raúl Urias shares tips on improving your drawing and illustration technique Raúl Urias (@raulurias) is an illustrator and visual artist who finds inspiration in pop culture, traditions, and history to create work with a modern twist. Having worked on major projects for clients such as Google, Nike, Converse, and ESPN, over the years he has developed a methodology that allows him to constantly reinvigorate his creativity. In this article, Raúl shares one of his favorite illustration exercises, which is not just a great way to practice technique but also opens the doors to new ways of working and new aesthetics.

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  • 3 Free Tutorials on Creating Your Portfolio in Less than 15 Minutes
    Illustration

    3 Free Tutorials on Creating Your Portfolio in Less than 15 Minutes

    Presenting your illustration or creative work well doesn't need to take as much time or effort as you might think Given how competitive the creative industries can be, first impressions will often be the key to securing (or missing out on) a great opportunity. To ensure you get as far as you deserve, you need to curate an incredible selection of your work that showcases your talent. If you want to make sure you are doing everything you can to achieve this, check out these three tutorials from professional illustrators that will guide you down the right path. They all insist that creating a decent illustration portfolio doesn't need to take as much time and energy as you think. Remember that you can access each tutorial in full by watching the videos below or clicking on the titles in red. Enjoy!

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  • Step into the Magical World of Gary Baseman
    Illustration

    Step into the Magical World of Gary Baseman

    Creator without limits and father of a world that bears his signature, Gary Baseman talks about his life and career He might be defined as an illustrator, in that what he draws comes to life, but Gary Baseman doesn’t just illustrate and design, he creates whole worlds that surround him and those who follow him. Don't miss our interview with him in which he tells us more about himself, his projects and his life, never far away from a notebook.

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  • Sarah Van Dongen Illustrates Her Experiences in This Draw Yourself
    Teacher Illustration

    Sarah Van Dongen Illustrates Her Experiences in This Draw Yourself

    The Dutch illustrator, specialized in creating children's books, answers questions about herself using... illustration Sarah Van Dongen (@sarahvandongenillustrations) is a Dutch illustrator based in Amsterdam who has always loved stories, and after studying literature did a masters in children’s book illustrations in Cambridge, UK. Since then, she has applied these skills and her passion for storytelling by creating children’s books and editorial pieces for magazines and clients such as Villa Augustus, Adobe, and Possible. In this Draw Yourself, Sarah draws various scenes from her life to help us get to know her better. She reveals what picture books she remembers seeing as a child and how they inspired her, why she loved to draw in 3D when she was growing up, and why she’d love for her teachers to see her now.

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  • Uemura Shōen: The Inspiring Story of Japan's First Female Professional Painter
    Teacher Illustration

    Uemura Shōen: The Inspiring Story of Japan's First Female Professional Painter

    Discover the work of the woman who broke down barriers and became one of Japan's most recognized artists A mold-breaking artist and outstanding painter who became famous within her lifetime, Uemura Shōen broke down barriers imposed on women in contemporary Japan. She won international awards and accolades, defied social norms as a single mother of two, and dived into the world of professional painting at a time when women weren’t welcome. This is the inspiring story of the Japanese painter who rose to fame and took her country's art scene by storm.

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  • Award-Winning Illustrator and Hand-Lettering Artist Lisa Perrin Stars in This Domestika Diary
    Illustration

    Award-Winning Illustrator and Hand-Lettering Artist Lisa Perrin Stars in This Domestika Diary

    The illustrator and teacher takes us behind the scenes at her home and studio to reveal her creative process Lisa Perrin (@perrin) is an award-winning illustrator with a unique style that combines humor with darkness and beauty with strangeness. Her work has been recognized by The Society of Illustrators, American Illustration, 3X3 Magazine, and Print Magazine, and her clients include Macy’s, Anthropologie, Penguin Random House, and Harper Collins. She is currently working full-time as a professor for the Illustration department at MICA. Join her in this Domestika Diary as she takes us through her creative process and shares some tips and advice for budding artists.

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  • Free Reference Sheet for Learning to Draw Eyes and Expressions
    Teacher Illustration

    Free Reference Sheet for Learning to Draw Eyes and Expressions

    Learn to depict different emotions and expressions in your character designs and make your comics unique A few years back, when thinking about comics, you would inevitably imagine superhero stories. With the advent of social media, the variety of themes and styles of this genre has become remarkable. The possibilities are endless when mixing illustration techniques and imagination. The same thing happens with the characters. There are so many out there, so how do you ensure yours will captivate the readers? Expressing their emotions is key for creating a closer bond and an interesting image. For this reason, the expressions sheet shared by illustrator and cartoonist Rocío Diestra (@rociodiestra) will be an excellent reference to help you draw how your characters feel at any given time.

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  • Essential Materials for Drawing Manga in Watercolor
    Illustration

    Essential Materials for Drawing Manga in Watercolor

    Learn the essential kit needed for a watercolor painting of the popular Japanese art Geoff Pascual ( @geoff_pascual ) is an artist who specializes in illustrating manga characters in watercolor. Although he had planned a career in business, when he realized he was making it through selling artwork online, he decided to dedicate himself completely to his art. To create his work, Geoff uses specific materials that help him capture the images he visualizes in his mind on paper.

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  • 8 Free Templates for Drawing Insects and Plants as a Beginner
    Teacher Illustration

    8 Free Templates for Drawing Insects and Plants as a Beginner

    Practice botanical watercolor illustration and loosen your strokes using these naturalist drawing templates There’s only one way to know if you are mastering the technique of naturalist illustration: going from theory to action. If you specialize in watercolor, the process begins with a pencil sketch to loosen your hand and get over the fear of the blank page. Then you bring your drawing to life by creating a color palette, playing with shading and volumes, adding textures and highlighting specific areas. Artist and illustrator Cristina Cilloniz ( @cristina_cilloniz ), specializes in watercolor and shares eight naturalist illustration templates with you. Simply choose your favourite and start practicing in pencil, before adding brush strokes. There are insect templates and other botanical themes for nature lovers like you.

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