Surrealistic Fineliner Illustration
A course by Redmer Hoekstra
, Illustrator
Discover a new fantastic reality and learn how to create unpredictable drawings with an artisanal approach
- Best Seller
- 97% Positive reviews (31)
- 1306 students
- Audio: English
- English, Spanish, Portuguese, German, French, Italian

Discover a new fantastic reality and learn how to create unpredictable drawings with an artisanal approach
- 97% Positive reviews (31)
- 1306 students
- Online and at your own pace
- Audio: English
- Level: Beginner
- 15 Lessons (1h 58m)
- Available from the app
- English, Spanish, Portuguese, German, French, Italian
- Unlimited access forever
A fish smoking a pipe, a leopard violin, a flying teapot, a banana canoe…they may seem like combinations of random words, but they’re actually the concept behind some of Redmer Hoekstra’s surreal illustrations. The Dutch artist’s method involves associating seemingly distant concepts to create works that defy your expectations and bring a smile to your face.
In this course, learn the techniques Redmer uses for drawing with fineliners, paying attention to the aspects that make a drawing lifelike. Discover a series of associative thinking exercises that will help you design and create a surreal drawing.

About this course
Course table of contents
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U1U1. Introduction
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U2U2. Preparation
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U3U3. Growth Season Has Started
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U4U4. Post-production
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FPFP Final Project
Start the course by getting to know Redmer, how he became an artist, his influences, and what he most enjoys about their work. Get an overview of the course’s content before continuing onto the preparation of your final project.
Learn different techniques to start familiarizing yourself with fineliners. Redmer teaches you some basics about working with light, shadows, and structures that will be helpful in the creation of your final drawing. Then, get some tips on how you can correct minor mistakes.
Learn Redmer’s unique process for coming up with ideas and explore his creative methods for creating a surreal drawing from beginning to end. Create your drawing in pencil before using fineliners to add the finishing touches.
After your piece is finished, Redmer will show you the best ways to present it. Learn how to digitize your work to share on social media and how to frame it so it stays protected from the elements.
What is this course's project?
Create a surrealistic fineliner drawing combining an animal with an object.

Projects by course students
Who is it for?
This course is for anyone with an interest in drawing who would like to learn more and improve their existing skills.
What you need
Some drawing experience is necessary to take this course.
As for materials, you need a Staedtler pigment liner (0.1. and 0.3), a mechanical pencil (0.5), an eraser, and some reference material like books, magazines, or even online resources.

Reviews

A course by Redmer Hoekstra
Redmer Hoekstra graduated from the Art Academy in Zwolle (Netherlands) as a visual artist and illustrator in 2009. His work plays with form, meaning, and function, giving birth to strange, surprising, and funny illustrations that question our view of the world.
He works with fineliners, creating light and volume through shading, which gives life to his drawings. The purpose of Redmer’s work is to make people smile and think about their world and reality.
Contents
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U1
Introduction
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Introduction
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Influences
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What Will We Do in This Course?
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U2
Preparation
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Materials and Tips
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Hatching
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Light and Dark
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Drawing Textures
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When Ctrl+Z Is Not An Option
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U3
Growth Season Has Started
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Planting the Seeds
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Weeding and Watering
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Giving All Your Attention to the Right Plant
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Bloom and Pollinate
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Watching It Bear Fruit to Harvest
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U4
Post-production
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Leaving the Nest
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Hiding and Flying
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FP
Final Project
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Surrealistic Fineliner Drawing Techniques
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This Is What Domestika Courses Are Like
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Learn at Your Own Pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule. You set your own timetable.
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Learn From the Best
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
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Expert Instructors
Each instructor teaches only what she/he does best, conveying true passion and excellence in every lesson.
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Certificate Pro
Demonstrate your course attendance with a certificate signed by the teacher. Get it with your Domestika PRO subscription
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Front Row Seats
Videos of the highest quality ensure that you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them over and over.
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Share Knowledge
Ask questions, request feedback, offer solutions. Share learning with other students in the community.
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Creative Community
More than 1M creatives and growing. Domestika is the place to share and learn what you love.
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Professionally Developed Courses
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Frequently Asked Questions
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What are Domestika's online courses?
Domestika's courses are online classes that provide you with the tools and skills you need for completing a specific final project. Every step of the project combines video lessons with complementary instructional material, so you can learn by doing. Domestika's courses also allow you to share your own projects with the instructor and other users, thus creating a dynamic course community.
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When do the courses start and when do they finish?
The course is 100% online, so once they are published, courses start and finish whenever you want. You set the pace of the class. You can go back to review what interests you most and skip what you already know, ask questions, answer questions, share your projects, and more.
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What do Domestika's courses include?
The courses are divided into different units, each one includes lessons, informational texts, tasks and practice exercises to carry out your project step by step, with additional complementary resources and downloads. You will also have access to an exclusive forum where you can interact with the instructor and other students, and share your work and your course project, thus creating a community around the course itself.
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Have you been given a course?
You can now redeem the course you received, just access redeeming page to enter your gift code and redeem it.
margonaude
I loved this course! Redmer has a clear teaching style, and provided many tips and tricks for producing a great piece of art. Thank you, Redmer!
rbaroman
ProEste curso ha sido increíble, me encanta la técnica y además Redmer es un gran artista...
repetía una y otra vez los videos para ver todos los detalles y como resolvía las ilustraciones.
He quedado muy conforme con este curso y creo que es uno de los mejores que he realizado en domestika hasta ahora.
100% recomendado
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jwolin05
The course is helpful and inspiring. Redmer is a very good teacher, and it is a treat to see him at work. I am still working on my final project, but I am enjoying the process.
vcdaud
Cursos simples, mas eficiente. É preciso bastante treino para se aperfeiçoar na técnica de textura, mas os ensinamentos do instrutor são válidos e devem ser levados em consideração. Mais uma vez chamo a atenção para uma revisão das legendas por parte do #domestika, que mais uma vez apresenta traduções literais para expressões figurativas. Revisem corretamente ou recompensem usuários que apontam esses erros. O curso em si é ótimo.
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hassnaa_emara
ProI enjoyed every moment attending this amazing course