Illustration

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  • How to Use Archetypes to Create A Graphic Novel
    Illustration

    How to Use Archetypes to Create A Graphic Novel

    Add meaning to your graphic novel by using thousand-year-old archetypes with Charles Glaubitz In Jungian theory, an archetype is described as a primitive mental image inherited from our earliest human ancestors, concepts present in our collective unconscious. Multidisciplinary artist and graphic novelist Charles Glaubitz (@mrglaubitz) explains how we can use these literal and visual archetypes that have been used throughout the history of human literature to create a comic. The most famous and widely-used archetype theory in storytelling is Joseph’s Campbell Hero’s Journey: a concept that describes the basic archetypes of any story.

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  • Creativity for Kids with Puño
    Teacher Illustration

    Creativity for Kids with Puño

    Illustrator and teacher Puño teaches us how to create animals based on basic shapes To encourage the creativity of the little ones at home, there’s nothing better than practicing a fun illustration exercise with them. It’s almost like a game. By keeping a few rules in mind we can help children imagine anything and everything they want with the help of a pencil or marker. In the following tutorial, Puño (@puno) shows us how easy it is to create a lot of different animals and characters starting with geometric shapes as basic as a square, circle or triangle. Discover more below:

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  • Architectural Drawing Tutorial: How to Make a Good Composition
    Teacher Illustration

    Architectural Drawing Tutorial: How to Make a Good Composition

    Alex Hillkurtz shares how to create a composition with depth using architectural illustration Composition is the foundation of all illustration, especially architectural sketches. That's why we should pay attention to how we place our elements in space before drawing them. In this tutorial, storyboard artist Alex Hillkurtz (@alexhillkurtzart) explains how to use two techniques give compositions dynamism and lift sketches to another level. Get your pencil and paper, and let's go!

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  • Illustration Tutorial: Basic Proportions of a Face
    Teacher Illustration

    Illustration Tutorial: Basic Proportions of a Face

    Learn how to make a guide for the basic proportions of a face with Carlos Rodríguez Casado Making a portrait is no easy task. A person's face can determine their age, background, and personality so we need to pay special attention when drawing them. All good work needs a solid foundation, that's why it's vital to learn these techniques to draw a balanced face. Editorial illustrator Carlos Rodríguez Casado (@carlosrodriguezcasado) explains how to make a basic guide for composing a face in this tutorial. With these tips, we'll learn a series of traits and proportions common to almost all faces that will help us in our illustrations. You can watch the tutorial below:

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  • What is Lowbrow Illustration?
    Illustration

    What is Lowbrow Illustration?

    Get to know the artistic movement also known as pop surrealism that was once considered bad taste Anyone who's a fan of classic punk or underground comics, read the Mad magazine, seen a horror B-movie, or enjoyed the work of Gary Baseman, will have come into contact with lowbrow illustration: an artistic movement that looks at old graphics and uses comics, cartoons, counterculture and the grotesque as a reference. One of its main exponents today is Ink Bad Company (@inkbadcompany), the studio and alter ego of Juan Carlos Guerrero, a young Spanish illustrator obsessed with, paper and the halftone pattern. In his course Lowbrow Illustration: Go Back to the Past in Style, he reveals the keys to understanding this type of style. But what exactly is lowbrow illustration? These are the key elements:

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  • Plasticine: Another Way to Paint, Color and Add Texture to Your Illustrations
    Illustration

    Plasticine: Another Way to Paint, Color and Add Texture to Your Illustrations

    Did you know you could paint with plasticine? Illustrator Jacinta Besa tells us more about this versatile modeling and painting material We all know and have even tried painting with watercolor, acrylic, colored pencils, and even spray cans. But, did you know you could paint with plasticine? Jacinta Besa (@jacintabesa) is a visual artist and painting expert. Over the course of ten years, Jacinta has developed her own style, using plasticine to make 2D pieces, using it as a means of adding color to her illustrations with a realistic touch, and also submerging objects inside it. Her fascination with nature is palpable in all her work. Her fascination with it, along with the role of the modern woman, her evolution, and revolution are all key elements. But it is plasticine that brings her work together: a versatile material that gives her pieces volume and texture. Let her explain further in the video below:

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  • Discover Karmen Loh’s Fantasy Portraits
    Illustration

    Discover Karmen Loh’s Fantasy Portraits

    Get lost in the dreamy world of independent illustrator, Bearbrickjia Karmen Loh, also known as Bearbrickjia (@bearbrickjia), is an independent illustrator and character concept artist from Malaysia. Loh uses her dreamy illustration style to explore fantasy worlds and femininity; her work channels tranquility and ethereal beauty. You will often find her portraits decorated with details from outer space, the ocean, and flora. She draws inspiration from Studio Ghibli’s Hayao Miyazaki, James Jean, and Aykut Aydogdu. As a character concept artist, Loh has worked on video games such as Street Fighter V and Steel Circus, and collaborated with clients such as XP-Pen and the electronic music YouTube channel, “MrSuicideSheep”. Here we take a look at a selection of works that show off Loh’s dreamy aesthetic and unique versatility. Color portraits – personal work Loh’s personal work is an exploration of femininity and tranquility, both in male and female subjects. Her portraits capture mystical youth culture in a dreamy color palette, playing with fashion and fantasy. Her personal work often features elements of nature, outer space, and the ocean.

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  • Download Free Brushes for Procreate
    Illustration

    Download Free Brushes for Procreate

    Experiment with these brushes in your digital illustration projects Román García Mora (@RomanGM) is a biologist, illustrator, and 3D modeler. His work consists of creating images of things we can’t see because they are from the past, in our imagination, or impossible for the human eye to detect. He mixes traditional techniques with 3D modeling and creative retouching.

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  • What Is a Sketchbook?
    Illustration

    What Is a Sketchbook?

    Discover the 5 ways a sketchbook can boost your creative potential Behind every masterpiece, there is always a sketch. The history of creativity is full of references that prove that sketchbooks are an indispensable tool across artistic disciplines. Capture your inspiration The sketchbook is the tool that every creative needs to give ideas a physical form. It doesn’t matter if these ideas come from a specific project you are working on, or if they are flashes of inspiration that you didn't see coming and that you simply need to jot down somewhere. The sketchbook can go anywhere with you, and it will be at your side in any situation and at any given time, ready to capture your ideas.

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  • Illustrator Confessions: What It's REALLY like to Be an Illustrator
    Illustration

    Illustrator Confessions: What It's REALLY like to Be an Illustrator

    6 illustrators share their experiences and give advice about their profession The best way to learn about any profession is to ask the people who know it best — so we did. Six illustrators sat down to tell us about what it's like working in illustration today, and to give advice to artists who are just starting out. From their struggle to get family members to understand their career choice, to explaining why illustration is anything but a dying profession, here's what they had to say.

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  • Drawing Prompts by Mattias Adolfsson
    Illustration

    Drawing Prompts by Mattias Adolfsson

    This tool will help you overcome any creative block and refine your style All artists, no matter how talented they are, face some kind of mental block sooner or later. There are days where it seems impossible to draw something that makes us proud. Creativity simply eludes us. On those occasions, a drawing prompt can help break the spell and get our creative juices flowing again.

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  • 5 Illustrators That Influenced Jorsh Peña
    Illustration

    5 Illustrators That Influenced Jorsh Peña

    Mexican illustrator Jorsh Peña shares the illustrators old and new who inspired him so they can inspire you Jorsh Peña (@jorshpena) is a Mexican illustrator with 10 years of editorial and motion graphics experience. His influences have helped him create a personal brand, distinguish his work from others, and work all over the world, between personal passions and work with global brands, like Cartoon Network, Kinder, Samsung, Snapchat, Alaska Airlines, and Old Navy.

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  • A Guide to Launching a Print Business
    Teacher Illustration

    A Guide to Launching a Print Business

    Tips for how to turn your passion into a business Selling prints is an excellent way to get to know your followers and explore new markets (added bonus: it also brings in extra income!). Why not give it a go? Pay attention to how your followers respond–their feedback will guide you on how to move forward. If you are an illustrator, my advice is that you experiment with different print companies and printing techniques. This way, you can evaluate which options work best for you. If you’re having any doubts about selling your illustrations, here is a quick guide that will hopefully answer any questions you have. 1. Spend money to make money If you have decided to start selling your illustrations as prints, you should be aware that it is unlikely that you will make a profit straightaway. First, you will need to spend money in order to build up your stock. Spend an amount that you can later increase. Bit by bit, you will get a clearer idea of how things work and what you need to do next. 2. Price range I recommend offering a range of products so that you have a range of prices (include more accessible items such as stickers or postcards). This way, you will be able to see which products work best so that later you can reproduce more of them. The more affordable items will sell quicker. My large format prints that are printed on high-quality paper take longer to sell because of the cost. I tend to produce stock when I have an upcoming opportunity to sell in person (such as at the Feria Domestika). Producing stock for an upcoming event will guarantee that you will at least earn back your production costs.

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  • The Importance of Sketching Every Day
    Illustration

    The Importance of Sketching Every Day

    Marco Mazzoni on how to develop your illustration style through sketching Marco Mazzoni (@marcomazzoniart) is an Italian artist, originally from Tortona in Piedmont, who creates intricate still lifes and portraits inspired by flora, fauna, and folklore (and which often feature female herbalists from centuries past). He began drawing at the age of five, sketching on every piece of paper he could find while waiting for his father to finish work at the paper mill. Color pencils have always been his favorite medium of expression, initially because they were so affordable, and later because of the range of possibilities they offered.

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  • How to Create a Gradient With India Ink
    Illustration

    How to Create a Gradient With India Ink

    Check out Hilda Palafox’s step-by-step guide for creating a color gradient using India ink India ink has been used for centuries in illustration and calligraphy all over the world. According to Mexican artist Hilda Palafox (@poni), creating a color gradient is a basic and very useful exercise to practice when learning to master the brush and ink. Here, Hilda explains how to master this illustration technique and create a monochromatic color spectrum with ten hues, from gray to black.

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  • Draw Yourself: Illustrator Emma Hanquist Draws Her Career
    Illustration

    Draw Yourself: Illustrator Emma Hanquist Draws Her Career

    How did Emma Hanquist start drawing? Did you know she lives on an island with her family? Discover more about her in this edition of Draw Yourself Emma Hanquist has been working as a freelance illustrator for over ten years, during which time she has worked with clients such as Airbnb and Spotify and filled magazines, like Modern Psykologi, Scandinavian Traveler, and Natur & Kultur, with her illustrations. The Swedish illustrator, armed with a pencil, opens a window to a few of the key moments of her life and the way she understands her profession. From the day she began to illustrate to how she'll look when she's old, Hanquist shows her ability to create wonderful imagery in this Draw Yourself.

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  • Watercolor Tutorial: Basic Exercises to Inspire Your Painting
    Teacher Illustration

    Watercolor Tutorial: Basic Exercises to Inspire Your Painting

    Learn the watercolor basics: transparency and opacity, gradients, water use, pulse and precision with Cristina Cilloniz Despite being one of the most popular visual arts, getting the most out of watercolor requires a lot of technical skill. As we can't use the colour white to create light, we must introduce the colors gently and work with transparency, or we will never achieve the effects we're looking for in our illustrations. In this tutorial, botanical illustrator and artist Cristina Cilloniz (@cristina_cilloniz) shares her different techniques for letting go and taking advantage of watercolor's gentle layers. Get your materials ready and let's go. Watch the tutorial in the video below:

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  • The Illustrations That Represent Marcos Chin
    Illustration

    The Illustrations That Represent Marcos Chin

    Get to know iconic illustrator Marcos Chin through the pieces that define his art Marcos has worked for everyone from Google to Ford, Rolling Stone Magazine to The New York Times. But, he didn't grow up in such grand circumstances. Civil war forced his family to leave Mozambique, where he was born, in the mid-1970s. From a humble background, Marcos has been working since he was ten. "I've been paying most of my significant purchases on my own since I was a kid," he told The Illustration Department. "Back to school clothing, books and supplies, my undergraduate education, rent and now my mortgage." Don't miss the opportunity to knoe more about Marcos on his . Here is a collection of the works that took him from there to where he is now. The first big job: Lavalife After working for magazines for a while, his big commission came from an online dating agency, Lavalife: "Where singles click." The company blew up and gave him the platform so he could too. "This campaign lasted for about nine years and it afforded me a life that I never knew could be possible for an illustrator."

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  • Useful Tips for Drawing Comics
    PLUS Teacher Illustration

    Useful Tips for Drawing Comics

    Salva Espín shares some tips to deal with particular aspects when drawing comics Starting a few decades ago, comics have started to gain more strength and relevance in the creative world. This special language mixes the art of storytelling with graphics, allowing spectacular and exciting narratives. If you like drawing and are a lover of stories, you will discover an exciting outlet for expression in comics. Salva Espín (@salvaespin) is a prolific illustrator who has worked for Marvel Comics since 2007 and is one of the few Spanish-speaking cartoonists who has given life to more than twenty comic books of characters such as Deadpool, Wolverine, or Hulk. Below, Salva reveals some of his secrets to dealing with certain aspects in your comics like a professional:

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  • Cinema to Watercolor: The Work of Alex Hillkurtz
    Illustration

    Cinema to Watercolor: The Work of Alex Hillkurtz

    Learn how this visual artist’s love of cinema inspired his painting Alex Hillkurtz (@alexhillkurtzart) is a storyboard artist and watercolor painter specialized in architectural motifs. Originally from England, he grew up in California, where he has worked on storyboards for films like Argo, Almost Famous, and Captain America: Winter Soldier. Alex says painting and drawing help us to live at a more relaxed pace by making us aware of our space and what surrounds us. Don’t miss his live chat on Domestika Live. Watch him create a sketch and see his process in action. Let’s learn more about how he developed his artistic style.

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  • Domestika Diaries: Joel Santana
    Illustration

    Domestika Diaries: Joel Santana

    Joel Santana, an illustrator specialized in character design, has a daily routine that helps him start the morning with more creative energy Staying active and creative, especially during times when you can't leave the house, can be difficult if you fall into certain routines. But thankfully there are always ways to reignite that creative spark and to get back on track. In this Domestika Diary, the concept artist and children's book illustrator Joel Santana (@themaddhattr) shares his routine and the daily rituals that help him start his morning off on the right foot so that he can stay focused throughout the day. Learn more in the video below:

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  • 10 Steps to Make a Self-Portrait Collage
    Teacher Illustration

    10 Steps to Make a Self-Portrait Collage

    Follow the steps below to create a unique collage with the materials you have at home I recently shared techniques and ideas to create collages at home with your family in a Domestika live chat. After the live chat, I received several beautiful portraits of the Domestika community. I decided to document the process of portrait collage as a photo tutorial to share with everyone. Read on as I explain how to create a portrait and give it a personal touch step-by-step: 1) Gather all materials We are going to use various types of paper, scissors, glue, and a mirror. We will not need pencils or markers. Best to keep them off the table. Now we need to look at ourselves in the mirror with affection. Remember that a self-portrait not only depicts us physically but also reveals something about us: what we feel, what we desire, what excites us and represents us.

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  • Designers Against Coronavirus
    Illustration

    Designers Against Coronavirus

    Learn more about the project that is engaging with people through images all over the world During these difficult times, the response of the international creative community of all industries has been amazing. Many illustrators and designers have created images to inform, express solidarity, and spread a sense of hope. CaroselloLab, the Italian agency specialized in brand building and designing, wants to make sure all this work does not fade away. Over the past few weeks, they have built Designers Against Coronavirus, DAC, a platform gathering this artwork and making it available to the public.

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  • 5 Procreate Timelapses to Inspire Your Illustration and Lettering Projects
    Illustration

    5 Procreate Timelapses to Inspire Your Illustration and Lettering Projects

    Observe, enjoy and learn with these time-lapses on illustration and digital lettering A timelapse is a video that compresses many hours or days into just a few seconds or minutes. It is ideal for sharing creative processes related to illustration, design or lettering. Aware of this fact, Procreate added a function that allows you to record your work process, save it as a video file and easily share it on YouTube, Facebook or Instagram. At Domestika we love observing and learning from the best professionals and these timelapses have become the perfect way to discover their way of working. On the Domestika YouTube channel, you will find a playlist with exclusive timelapses made by a range of artists. Here, we recommend just five by some of the professionals who teach courses on our platform: Creating Characters From Scratch, with Microbians (@microbians) Gabriel Suchowolski, better known as Microbians, is a creative and art director specializing in character design. In this speed painting, he shows how to create an attractive character composition in Procreate, from the skeleton and the first sketch to the work of light and shadow, application of color and gradients, and the variation of lines.

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  • Three Watercolor Timelapses to Boost Your Creativity
    Illustration

    Three Watercolor Timelapses to Boost Your Creativity

    Discover different watercolor techniques in these speed painting videos Watercolor is one of the oldest illustration mediums. Almost everyone who has ever been interested in drawing and painting has practiced it. By diluting pigments in water, it is possible to create stains of enormous depth and beauty, which have been part of our cultural heritage for millennia. We share these three timelapses that will allow you to discover the work process of great creatives, or simply relax and enjoy the care and affection that they put into their strokes. Timelapse: Illustrating with Watercolor and Procreate, by Naranjalidad

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  • The Greatest Albums Covers By The Man Who Defined The Jazz Look
    Illustration

    The Greatest Albums Covers By The Man Who Defined The Jazz Look

    David Stone Martin is the album cover artist who defined how jazz looked for the greats for Astaire, Coltrane, Fitzgerald, and dozens of other jazz greats He’s the only artist who worked with Fred Astaire, John Coltrane, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, and many more jazz greats without ever recording as much as a ditty. You might now know David Stone Martin’s name, but he made it onto the cover of Time Magazine eight times. Nowadays, record collectors scour stores searching for his work, not to listen to it, but to see it. Martin is perhaps the most iconic designer of jazz record sleeves of all time. His signature hand-sketched graphics, with just one or two bright colors, epitomized the sharp energy and spontaneity of the world of jazz.

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