Creative resources, tools and tips for students and professionals in the creative sector.
Award-winning artist and illustrator Mika Takahashi teaches us how to improve a digitized illustration by touching up imperfections and small details on the paper step-by-step
Learn to create a mockup in Adobe Photoshop with Robert Tirado When it comes to editorial design, it’s important that we test out our illustrations and photographs on the finished product. Will these two images go well together on the same page? Does this cover work? Design mockups help us to answer these questions before going to print. In the following video tutorial, illustrator, art director, and graphic designer Robert Tirado (@roberttirado) shows us how to use editorial design mockups to experiment with our illustrations and see how they work together with other design elements. Learn more below:
Learn these basic tips to start working on your watercolor portrait eyes with Sol Barrios The eyes are the element of the face express the most and bring the most personality to a portrait. Therefore, it is important that we dedicate special attention and detail to them in our projects. In this tutorial, Sol Barrios (@solbarrios), watercolorist and muralist, teaches us how to approach the drawing of the eyes step by step in a watercolor portrait. You can follow the process in the following video:
Create professional animated fonts in Adobe After Effects with these practical tips by Érico Santana
Learn to create characters by setting your pencil free and leaving your comfort zone, with these tips from Cecy Meade Drawing for pleasure is usually fun, however, drawing every day for a living can be wearing. If you have to constantly churn out new characters, you will of course have days where you feel less inspired or you just can’t find a way to create something fresh and original. To help you overcome these creative blocks and tap into your creativity, designer and 2D and 3D illustrator Cecy Meade shares her top tips below. Although they focus on character design, these tips can be applied to any illustration task or, in fact, any creative task.
Learn the basic keys of the drawing and illustration tool with José Luis Ágreda The drawing and animation program Clip Studio Paint is one of the most interesting alternatives to Adobe Illustrator, although it is perhaps less well known. The software, of Japanese origin, is created especially to help in the illustration process, so it is worth trying it out in order to compare it with other more popular ones. José Luis Ágreda (@agreda), illustrator and comic book artist who was also recently the art director of the animated film 'Buñuel en el laberinto de las tortugas', is an expert in the handling of Clip Studio Paint and has synthesized everything you need to know when starting to use the program in 8 essential points. Discover the Clip Studio Paint tutorial in the following video:
Discover with Enric Jardí the advantages of using OpenType fonts in your editorial design projects OpenType is a unique and scalable typographic format, capable of offering a complete range of typefaces, and is also able to adapt to the main operating systems (Windows, Mac and Unix). Enric Jardí, a graphic designer specializing in editorial and typographic design, reveals all his secrets when it comes to getting the most out of OpenType fonts
Discover the keys to representing the human figure in architectural illustration, with Marcelo Marttins
Create an illustrator profile on Instagram that makes your work stand out and attract new clients, with a little help from the illustration agency Pencil A social media profile has become the new cover letter for creatives across all fields, especially illustrators. It serves as an intuitive, free, and attractive way to present your portfolio of work. Instagram, being so easy to use and having such a wide reach, is among the best options you have available. It is a great way for people to discover your illustration work. To help you make the most of your illustrator profile on Instagram, Sandra López–from the illustration agency Pencil (@Pencil)–shares some key tips to help you make wise decisions and reach as many people as possible. Discover Sandra’s tips in the following video:
Learn how to add color to your illustrated stories simply and easily with Paula Bossio Watercolor offers an interesting way to add color to your drawings. Its flexibility allows for an original style that's worth trying out and experimenting with. In this tutorial, graphic designer, illustrator and author Paula Bossio (@paulabossio) explains how to use it to bring color to your work. Prepare your sketch and let's go!
Learn the keys to organizing the illustrations in your portfolio an appealing, elegant manner with Ricard López
Learn how to define a color palette and apply the 60-30-10 rule in the low cost decoration of your home with Sofía Savarí O'Keefe Colors can help us create harmonious and elegant environments, but their combination, as well as their proportion, has to follow a series of guidelines to achieve the best results. In the following tutorial, Sofía Saraví O'Keefe (@decolookbook), decorator, teaches us how to define a color palette and apply the 60-30-10 rule to design interiors. Discover it below:
Learn how to draw a Swiss Cheese Plant leaf from scratch with Luli Reis
Discover the professional keys to get started in the oil painting technique, with Alai Ganuza
Learn these tricks to give your embroidery a professional finish, as well as tips to protect your designs in the long-term
Basic notions to define and complete spaces through lighting, with Nook Architects In an interior design project, artificial lighting is one of the most important elements: a well chosen light will elevate the characteristics of the space while poor lighting can undermine the rest of the work. In the following video tutorial, Nook Architects (@nookarchitects), an architecture and interior design studio, explains how to best illuminate a public or private environment. Learn more below:
Learn the main Adobe Illustrator keyboard shortcuts to improve your vector illustration processes with Marmota vs Milky
Learn to loop an animation in After Effects with Moncho Massé One of our favorite features from After Effects is that it enables you to create loop animations. A loop animation has no beginning nor end–it repeats itself infinitely. This makes it easy to create gifs and is a very useful tool for generating social media content. Freelance illustrator and animator Moncho Massé will show you how to create your own loop animation in After Effects in the following video. You just need to have already designed the character that you’ll be using to create your continuous loop.
Learn how to use Photoshop tools to achieve the best possible result in an illustration project with Isadora Zeferino
Learn the basic creation and design tips for a comic book page step by step with Salva Espín In the world of superhero comics, character design is vital. However, it's also necessary to know how to distribute these characters on a page so that it is simple to read and effective, both narratively and aesthetically. Illustrator and comic book artist Salva Espín (@salvaespin) shows us how to distribute our superhero story and make a initial pencil sketch. You can see the video here:
Delve into the mesmerizing realm of needlepoint knitting with Adriana Torres. Learn the art of raised cup stitch and infuse your creations with original textures. Get ready to embark on a journey of creativity and relaxation! Ready to jump into the embroidery world? Imagine yourself with a needle, crafting intricate patterns and textures on your fabric canvas. Well, get ready because today, we're delving into the secrets of the raised cup stitch with the guidance of Adriana Torres, our creative guru.
Ed Vill shows us how to draw characters from scratch, starting with their personality Pencil, paper, tablet, computer: when contemplating drawing a character, you’re sure to think about the different physical tools you’d use. What about their personality? For Venezuelan illustrator and designer Ed Vill (@edvill), who is based in Mexico City, you should start by focusing on the essential characteristics of your creation, such as their distinctive facial features, how they behave, and how they react in certain situations. Only after deciding these traits will you be able to put pen to paper (or stylus to screen) and start sketching ideas. In this tutorial, Ed Vill shows us how to develop a “psychological” profile for a character and give them a personality that brings them to life. Discover more in the video below:
Freelancer illustrator Natália Dias teaches us the basics of the female anatomy
Learn how to organize and present the animations in your portfolio, with Caio Martins
Learn how to make a cross stitch pattern easily and quickly, in this step-by-step tutorial with Ignacia Jullian
Learn which are the five most common beginner mistakes in this technique, with Isabel Sanchez. The moulage technique allows you to create the design of your garment in a three-dimensional way, working the fabric directly on the mannequin, in a simple way and with excellent results. However, getting started in this type of tailoring can seem complicated if we do not know some important aspects, which would lead us to fall into certain mistakes. The designer Isabel Sánchez (@isabelsanchezh), who has collaborated with big names in Spanish fashion such as Devota & Lomba, Jesús del Pozo or Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, is an expert in this art and will teach you in this tutorial the most common mistakes and how to solve them. Don't miss it!
Follow Jose Luis Ágreda's advice to draw people in natural poses Life drawing is one of the essential skills of any illustrator, whatever their style. Knowing how to capture the real world will always be useful for building characters or settings. The main problem novice illustrators face is that it's easy to get lost in the details of a figure instead of looking at its overall structure.
Learn the basics of drawing a characters’ facial expressions, from the skin and the wrinkles to how different facial features affect each other, with Laura Ewing The face is one of the most expressive parts of the body, which is why understanding how to illustrate believable facial expressions can be the difference between creating a good character and a great one.. Laura Ewing (@le_lauraewing) is a storyboard artist and character designer whose job it is to capture the essence of a story quickly and efficiently for films, documentaries, and publishing houses. In this tutorial, she shares a few basic tips for drawing facial expressions that your viewer will instantly be able to understand.
Learn the recipe and steps to make the classic binder you need to make watercolors at home with Scriptorium Yayyan. Is there anything more crafty than painting your own watercolor paintings? Yes: doing it with watercolors made at home by ourselves! Discover how to make the binder that will give body to our watercolors with Scriptorium Yayyan: we will use only six eggs, honey, water, gum arabic and clove essential oil. Gather the ingredients and let's go!
Graphic designer and illustrator Mauro Martins gives us advice on how to sell and make our work better known in order to live from illustration You know that the work of an illustrator goes far beyond drafts, sketchbooks, ideas, software and commissions. What you may not know yet is how to sell your work better, from how to advertise everything you do to how to gain more clients or a loyal audience. Graphic designer and illustrator Mauro Martins (@mauromartins) summarizes the most valuable tips he has used in his career to help beginners and experienced illustrators who want to learn how to better sell their work. You can watch the video below: