Imaginary Worlds Illustrated with Ink and Watercolor
A course by Flor KaneshiroIllustrator
A course by Flor Kaneshiro, Illustrator
Tell an original story by learning the techniques to illustrate characters and the world that surrounds them
Are you looking for a different approach to storytelling? Argentine illustrator Flor Kaneshiro is the perfect person to lend a hand, teaching you how to draw fantasy scenes with original characters and the worlds they inhabit. She specializes in traditional Japanese-style illustration for publishing and video projects.
If you're interested in watercolor, in her first course Watercolor Illustration with Japanese Influence, Flor Kaneshiro teaches the Sumi-e painting technique. In this course, work on the design of a character and the world around them based on a concept inspired by the artist Hundertwasser. Get to grips with the basics such as line work, light, and composition, then let Flor guide you through drawing, ink, and watercolor techniques to create an illustrated scene from another world.
What will you learn in this online course?
19 lessons & 24 downloads
Introduction and materials
9 minutes, 46 seconds
Ink 1
12 minutes, 42 seconds
Ink 2
8 minutes, 43 seconds
Watercolor 1
17 minutes, 0 seconds
Watercolor 2
15 minutes, 6 seconds
Ink and watercolor
19 minutes, 13 seconds
What's included in this course?
Flor Kaneshiro starts the course by introducing herself, showing you some of her most significant work, and sharing a selection of artists she admires and who inspire her to keep learning.
Next, find out what the course involves and what materials you need to complete it. Get straight into a series of exercises, first with ink to understand the importance of line work and texture, then with watercolors.
Using the drawing of a character, have a go at inventing a whole universe around them. Take inspiration from artist Hundertwasser's "five skins" concept and apply it your work.
Design your character by using their personal world as a guide. Decide on a theme for your project and continue building up your universe, doing some exercises on techniques and exploring references.
Now it's time to apply your designs to the final illustration: a scene where the character appears with other secondary characters in the world you designed. Paint your illustration with watercolors and add the finishing touches with ink.
What is this course's project?
Create an illustration in ink and watercolor based on a character your design and their world.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Anyone curious about the world of illustration. It's also great for anyone who's passionate about drawing or does it as a hobby and who'd like to try other approaches or to delve into character design and world creation for storytelling.
Requirements and materials
No prior knowledge is necessary for this course.
In terms of materials, you need paper for sketching, graphite, an eraser, a sharpener, watercolor paper (300 GSM), India ink, a fine paintbrush, a dip pen, watercolors, watercolor brushes, a palette, a container of water, masking tape, and absorbent cloths.
Reviews
- 4 months ago
Curso recomendable y con buenos ejercicios de inicio.
- 6 months ago
とても優しい世界で癒されます。コース内容もとてもよかったです！
- 8 months ago
Idk, man. I lost motivation halfway through. It starts with really basic stuff like materials to jump to character design real quick. Like this meme with "draw some circles" and then "draw the rest of the owl".
- 8 months ago
Gostei bastante
- 8 months ago
Corso meraviglioso. Le indicazioni sono molto chiare e dettagliate e mi ha colpito in particolare la spiegazione sui personaggi.
In addition to her studies in Argentina, she obtained a scholarship at the Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts in Japan, where she has also exhibited her art. In her work, she depicts Japanese culture, nature, people, stories, and animals using watercolor as the main technique.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Presentation
- Influences
- U2
The technique
- Introduction and materials
- Ink 1
- Ink 2
- Watercolor 1
- Watercolor 2
- Ink and watercolor
- U3
The five skins and the theme
- Hundertwasser
- The five skins
- Theme and documentation
- U4
Design of the character and his world
- Character 1
- Character 2
- Home
- Community
- World
- U5
Illustrated scene step by step
- Sketch and pose illustration
- Apply the color with watercolor
- Inking and final details
- FP
Final project
- Imaginary Worlds Illustrated with Ink and Watercolor
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
Certificates
PLUSIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
You'll learn mixed techniques combining watercolor and ink, such as wet-on-wet, dry brush, salt textures, using nib and brush, masking, and layering to create detailed, atmospheric narrative illustrations.
Yes, the course is designed for those with basic drawing or painting skills who want to deepen their mixed-media techniques and develop more complex illustration projects.
You'll need watercolor paper, watercolors, India ink, brushes, nib pen, palette, salt, liner brush, tape, water, and a hairdryer. Digital tools like Photoshop are also recommended if you want to explore digital coloring.
You'll learn to design original characters, create maps and settings, apply proportions, poses, and perspectives, and incorporate environmental references and concepts like the five skins to enrich your narrative worlds.
Yes, the course includes an introduction to applying digital color in Photoshop, complementing traditional watercolor and ink techniques to expand your creative options.
Yes, the course covers techniques and formats used in editorial projects, children's stories, and card games, helping you adapt your illustrations to various professional contexts.
You'll do exercises like sketching scenes, studying line and texture, creating characters, designing illustrated maps, applying mixed techniques, and producing a final narrative illustration.