Creative Drawing with Ink and Gouache
A course by Lucía CozIllustrator and Engraving Specialist
A course by Lucía Coz, Illustrator and Engraving Specialist
Learn to let your hand and imagination run wild by creating lively illustrations with lines and color
Drawing, in addition to being a creative technique, is an effective tool for communicating and releasing your emotions. Lucía Coz, the engraver, illustrator, and muralist, uses drawing to capture nature and portray the human being in relation to their space. She has worked for several national and international brands, specifically through the painting of incredible murals in restaurants, museums, and public spaces.
In this course, Lucía teaches you different creative and observational exercises to let your hand and imagination run wild before you begin any project. You will learn how to experiment with whole color planes and play with light and shadow using gouache. You’ll wrap things up by completing the final shapes and volumes by drawing with a black India ink pen.
What will you learn in this online course?
17 lessons & 10 downloads
What will we do in the course?
1 minute, 39 seconds
Presentation of materials
4 minutes, 0 seconds
Approach to the stylus
17 minutes, 5 seconds
Approach to color
18 minutes, 10 seconds
Color and line
10 minutes, 41 seconds
Observation and creation: Plants
14 minutes, 23 seconds
What's included in this course?
Start by meeting Lucía Coz and how she entered the world of illustration and murals. She explains a bit about her creative influences and gives you a brief summary of what this course entails.
Begin by reviewing the necessary materials. Discover how to draw lines with a stylus before reviewing some basic color theory and the many uses of gouache. Start experimenting with a preliminary exercise that combines lines and stains.
Get to know the differences between imaginative and observational drawing by creating your own universe of color and shapes based on nature. Sketch your character and the environment, create volume by using three different colors, and reinforce the shadows with lines. Finally, add the lights.
Review some basic rules of composition and understand how your choice of colors, spacing, and lines transmit different sensations. Lucía explains her creative process step by step so you can get inspired and develop the idea for your next piece.
Prepare the medium for your final project and begin to outline your pencil sketch. Paint the background of the drawing with gouache in your chosen color palette, lightening and darkening the color to create segments. Outline the shadows, textures, and details using the stylus. Lastly, add some volume with cool colors and an ultra-thin brush.
To finish, Lucia gives you her tips for creating the fine details and achieving a perfect drawing made with lines and color.
What is this course's project?
A medium format drawing (31cm x 41cm) made with gouache and ink. Learn to apply the colored backgrounds of each element with a brush, and create the shapes, textures, and lights with the pens.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Anyone with an interest in drawing who would like to learn new creative illustration techniques.
Requirements and materials
To take this course, no previous skills are needed.
As for the materials, you will need brushes (thick, thin, and ultra-thin sizes with soft bristles), gouache, watercolor, ink, and liquid watercolor to give the color base in the drawing (gouache will be used in the course, but these are other valid options). You will also need black India ink, a pencil, an eraser, two containers, a dropper, water, some pens (Rotring style), some tape that does not harm paper, a wooden base for the support of the final drawing or 300gr arch pads that do not require a base, small metal spatulas, thick cotton paper without texture for the final drawing, and thick fiber paper or cotton for the different exercises.
Reviews
- 3 months ago
Awesome!
- 4 months ago
This is a fab little course, I really enjoyed it. I'm definitely taking the skills I learned and seeing what else I can do to try and come up with my own style.
- 1000instantesPLUS4 months ago
Todavía no he finalizado el curso, pero me está encantando!!!. Me gusta mucho cómo está explicado y los tips para desarrollar la creatividad. Lo recomiendo muchísimo!!!
- 6 months ago
I loved this class! I’m not an illustrator and tend to be more aligned with fine art so I was a bit intimidated to take this course. Lucia made me feel comfortable with the materials and the step by step guides helped me through the final project. I have dis I’ve read that I can be an illustrator!
- 9 months ago
I loved this course! I can loosen up a little bit. The course is teaching me how not to judge myself. I also love the work of ink and color! I am enjoying it a lot! Thank you!
The goal of her work is to communicate a message, which must be adapted according to the context of each project. She is passionate about conveying themes like nature and human beings' relationship with space.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Presentation
- Influences
- What will we do in the course?
- U2
Preparation
- Presentation of materials
- Approach to the stylus
- Approach to color
- Color and line
- U3
Finding our elements and characters
- Observation and creation: Plants
- Movement and ease: Animals 1
- Movement and ease: Animals 2
- Composition in space
- The ideas
- U4
Landing ideas
- Pencil approach
- Money
- Line over color 1
- Line over color 2
- Lights and details
- FP
Final project
- Creative Drawing with Ink and Gouache
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.
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FAQs
You’ll learn creative drawing techniques, how to illustrate marine species, use gouache and technical pens, and represent nature in your art—developing original projects and exploring artistic collaborations.
Yes, this course is designed for those with basic drawing skills who want to refine their abilities and explore new techniques and creative approaches.
You’ll need Arches cotton paper, gouache paints, Rotring technical pens, mechanical pencils, brushes, a palette knife, a white palette, and cleaning supplies for the pens. Keeping a sketchbook to jot down ideas is recommended.
The course covers techniques like technical pen drawing, gouache painting, printmaking, stippling, gradients, mural composition, and creating textures and volume using line and color.
No prior experience in screen printing or engraving is required, but basic drawing or illustration skills are recommended.
You’ll work from direct observation of plants and animals, learning to simplify shapes and interpret natural details into creative, personal compositions.
You’ll be able to create original illustrations, botanical murals, graphic installations, collaborative works with NGOs, and pieces for exhibitions in museums or other public spaces.