Illustration of Vectorial Caricatures
A course by Jorge ArévaloIllustrator / designer
A course by Jorge Arévalo, Illustrator / designer
Learn to create portraits of recognisable characters with an elegant style
Jorge Arévalo -ilustrator, graphic designer and regular contributor to publications such as Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, Vogue or Rolling Stone- will show you his method of work when illustrating a vector character to be published in a magazine or editorial.
In this course you will learn to develop an editorial illustration project from start to finish: from the reception of the briefing, to the elaboration of the first sketches, through the creation of the atmosphere of the character, its final edition and the delivery of the material within the demands of the most important international publications.
What will you learn in this online course?
13 lessons & 9 downloads
The briefing
4 minutes, 29 seconds
First steps
6 minutes, 40 seconds
My color palette
4 minutes, 3 seconds
Find the character in a few strokes
5 minutes, 9 seconds
The body and the gesture
9 minutes, 18 seconds
Character Styles
6 minutes, 56 seconds
What's included in this course?
You will begin by knowing the trajectory of Jorge Arévalo and the styles, authors and publications that have influenced him throughout his career.
Next, you will discover how the beginning of an illustration project is based on the briefing that the publication sends to the creative and how it proposes a counterbriefing with all the doubts that may arise.
Next, it will be time to analyze the character that has to draw, its strengths, the treatment that will be given and understand the context that surrounds it.
Once the character has been defined, he will touch hands and select the palette of colors that will identify him, give the first strokes on the screen (through some simple drawing techniques that Arévalo will explain step by step) and some features that will make his personality as: the gestures, the attitude and the costumes. Also, at this point, you will learn to apply textures to illustration through mixed media.
The next step will be to create an environment for the character by creating a scene that tells a story and add some extra details such as lights and shadows that complete the atmosphere and add depth to the whole.
Finally, you will know how to make the final preparation of the illustration for delivery by applying the final touches with Photoshop such as brightness and color adjustments and how to send the publication along with some tips to give even more visibility to your work.
Recommended software & tools for this course
What is this course's project?
Make an illustration of a known character (actor, singer, model, etc.) within an environment that brings personality to the illustration.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
To illustrators, designers, animators and creatives of other areas in general who want to specialize in the elaboration of portraits and cartoons and to become familiar with the demands of publications.
Requirements and materials
Some basic background knowledge of Illustrator, Photoshop or Freehand is required.
Regarding materials, you will need a computer, Illustrator and Photoshop, a graphics tablet, pencils, ink and marker.
Reviews
- 11 months ago
The course was very informative.
- 1 year ago
True to form, once again Domestika offers another great course taught by an inspiring instructor! Thank you Domestika!!!
- 1 year ago
por mi 20%
- leno_ulaPLUS2 years ago
I absolutely loved this course! The content is super well-organized and easy to follow, even for beginners. What made it even better was the immediate feedback from the teache. It feels like the instructor genuinely cares about the students' progress. Highly recommend this course to anyone wanting to learn!
- 2 years ago
El curso ha sido práctico, completo y muy bien explicado, me ha gustado mucho. Jorge Arévalo es un gran comunicador que transmite su pasión por la ilustración vectorial ¡Muy recomendable!
Throughout his career he has been awarded with a Gold medal, two Silver and several mentions in the International Awards of the SND (Society for News Design-USA) and in 2005 he published his first book, "Portraits", awarded with the National Award of Editorial Design Daniel Gil and the National Award of the AEPC.
Next he would publish "Bis", a book of erotic illustrations inspired by the collection "Cherchez la femme". "Retratos" and "Bis" are currently sold in bookstores around the world.
His next job challenge was to create the illustrations for the presentation of the new television channel Cuatro for which he also designed two animated films. Later, a series of illustrations for the clothing collections of the Custo Barcelona brand arrived. Along with Custo, he also decorated an MTV plane and ferries of the Barcelona-Ibiza line.
In 2014 his illustrations were included in the "Illustration now" compilation of the Taschen publishing house as well as in the compilation "Portraits" and "100 illustrators" where the 100 best active illustrators in the world are selected.
In 2015 he published "Portraits", a new book of almost 200 pages with new characters published in magazines such as Vanity Fair or The New Yorker. It was published in three languages and is currently distributed worldwide.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Presentation
- Influences
- U2
Point
- The briefing
- First steps
- U3
Illustrating the character
- My color palette
- Find the character in a few strokes
- The body and the gesture
- Character Styles
- Textures
- U4
Money
- Pose an environment to the character
- Final details and lights
- U5
Final preparation of the illustration and delivery
- Last touches in Photoshop
- How is delivery, how to promote it
- FP
Final project
- Illustration of characters for press
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
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FAQs
You’ll learn how to create digital characters, apply vector illustration techniques, develop textures, compose scenes, adapt your work for editorial and fashion projects, prepare portfolios, and manage self-publishing of illustrated books.
This is an intermediate-level course, perfect for those with basic illustration skills who want to refine their digital techniques and develop professional characters for publishing and fashion.
You’ll need a computer with vector illustration software (like Adobe Illustrator or FreeHand), a graphics tablet is recommended, and access to editing programs such as Photoshop for touch-ups and texturing.
The course teaches you how to organize, present, and professionally adapt your work, selecting key pieces and showcasing versatility to attract publishers and fashion brands.
You’ll learn a methodology based on editorial briefs, anatomical construction, visual synthesis, palette selection, texture and volume application, tailoring characters to different contexts and publications.
Yes, the course covers both analog and digital techniques for creating and manipulating textures, as well as applying light, shadow, and volume in character and scene building.
Yes, you’ll learn the essential steps for self-publishing—from selecting and sequencing illustrations to layout, distribution, and professional presentation of your illustrated book.