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
- 99% positive reviews (653)
- 12616 students
- Audio: English
- English, Spanish, Portuguese, German, French, Italian, Polish, Dutch

Discover a new fantastic reality and learn how to create unpredictable drawings with an artisanal approach
- 99% positive reviews (653)
- 12616 students
- 15 lessons (1h 58m)
- 20 additional resources (9 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English
- English, Spanish, Portuguese, German, French, Italian, Polish, Dutch
- Level: Beginner
- 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.

What will you learn in this online 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 this online course for?
This course is for anyone with an interest in drawing who would like to learn more and improve their existing skills.
Requirements and materials
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.
Content
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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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What to expect from a Domestika course
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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.
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Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
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Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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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Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
Domestika's courses are online classes that provide you with the tools and skills you need to complete a specific 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 teacher and with other students, creating a dynamic course community.
All courses are 100% online, so once they're 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.
The courses are divided into different units. Each one includes lessons, informational text, tasks, and practice exercises to help you carry out your project step by step, with additional complementary resources and downloads. You'll also have access to an exclusive forum where you can interact with the teacher and with other students, as well as share your work and your course project, creating a community around the course.
You can redeem the course you received by accessing the redeeming page and entering your gift code.
uu_natu
Muy buen curso, Perfecto para complementar formación
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junebugarmy
This is such a great class and a fantastic teacher!
bgrivot
Bonjour, merci pour ce cours très intéressant. J'ai pris beaucoup de plaisir à le suivre. Je ne sais pas encore si je suis capable de produire une image avec cette technique qui demande un apprentissage assez dur à acquérir. La difficulté pour moi est de trouver des idées et de créer un lien entre les éléments.
Je regrette que certaines ressources ne soient pas exploitables car elles sont en anglais.
Cordialement
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hans.snyder
The Artist is quite approachable in his descriptions. I looked for this artist in hopes I would find him here. I did. I was so pleased I boaght the class tor two art friends of mine who also liked his whimsical and cheeky style of juxtaposition. We are all three enjoying it together for our birthdays. A gift we will remember fondly through the years!
ana.saliba
Ótimo curso! Perfeito para se inspirar nas técnicas e conceitos surrealistas.
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