Illustration and Digital Collage for Children's Stories

A course by Ana Matsusaki, Graphic Artist

Graphic Artist. Curitiba, Brazil.
Joined August 2020
99% positive reviews (110)
2,260 students
Audio: Portuguese, English, Spanish (Latam), French, Indonesian, Italian, Romanian, Turkish
Portuguese · Spanish · English · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish · Indonesian · Romanian

Learn to illustrate a classic story by combining handmade elements and textures with a digital collage

The world of illustration is much like a children's story, requiring an adventure through a weird and wonderful land filled with possibilities. And who better to guide you on this journey than graphic artist Ana Matsusaki, author of the Portuguese-language book "A colecionadora de cabeças"?

In this course, learn to illustrate children's stories using a mixture of freehand drawing and digital collaging in Photoshop. Just like in Jack and the Beanstalk, Ana plants the seed of creativity helping you build fantastical worlds as if straight from a dream.

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What will you learn in this online course?

14 lessons & 27 downloads

What will we do in the course
4 minutes, 9 seconds
Tools
5 minutes, 24 seconds
Planting the seed
10 minutes, 17 seconds
Seeking the giant
8 minutes, 49 seconds
Stamps
11 minutes, 34 seconds
Cut paper
7 minutes, 34 seconds

What's included in this course?

Start the course by getting to know Ana Matsusaki, who talks about her career as a graphic artist. Ana shares her biggest influences and gives a detailed explanation of the final project

before going though the materials needed to create your final piece. Using Jack and the Beanstalk as an example, learn how to look for reference materials for your kids' illustrations. With the help of your teacher, produce some initial sketches playing with a few different ideas and compositions.

Now it's time to get to work! Using pencils, stamps, paper cuttings, and India ink, create a collection of customized textures and prints to scan helping you bring your illustrations to life in digital form.

Ana walks you through the selection process for the color palette and teaches you how to combine all your elements and motifs to create a sequence of three digital illustrations using Photoshop. To wrap things up, she shares some tricks for finishing up your piece in the program and gives some invaluable tips on presenting it to potential clients.

  • 99% positive reviews (110)
  • 2,260 students
  • 14 lessons (2h 3m)
  • 27 additional resources (6 files)
  • Online and at your own pace
  • Available on the app
  • Audio: Portuguese, English, Spanish (Latam), French, Indonesian, Italian, Romanian, Turkish
  • Portuguese · Spanish · English · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish · Indonesian · Romanian
  • Level: Beginner
  • Unlimited access forever

What is this course's project?

Using a classic children's story as your reference, combine manual drawing techniques and digital collaging in Photoshop to create a sequence of three illustrations.

Projects by course students

Who is this online course for?

Artists, illustrators, designers, and anyone interesting in exploring new techniques for creating original textures and finishes.

Requirements and materials

Some basic knowledge of Adobe Photoshop and drawing skills are required for this course.

In terms of materials, you need both black and white paper, tracing paper, EVA foam, scissors, tweezers, ink and an ink pad, a paintbrush, and a graphite pencil, as well as a computer with access to Adobe Photoshop.


Reviews

2,260 Students
110 Reviews

Ana Matsusaki

Ana Matsusaki
A course by Ana Matsusaki

Teacher Plus
Graphic Artist

Graphic artist Ana Matsusaki has been fascinated by the world of images and words from a very young age. She received a degree in graphic design from Belas Artes in São Paulo and in 2015 she decided to combine her two passions opening her own studio where she dedicates herself full-time to illustration and design.

She is the author of the children's book "A Colecionadora de Cabeças", published in 2020, and her work has also appeared on clothes, wallpaper, murals, and artesanal pieces. She has also collaborated with big names such as Globo, FGTD, and the publishing house Abril.


Content

  • U1

    Introduction

    • Presentation
    • Influences
    • What will we do in the course
  • U2

    Research and sketches

    • Tools
    • Planting the seed
    • Seeking the giant
  • U3

    Production of elements and textures

    • Stamps
    • Cut paper
    • Ink and pencil
    • Texture library
  • U4

    Composition of the final illustration

    • Color study
    • Finishing the image
    • Finishing touches
    • Presenting your work
  • FP

    Final project

    • Illustration and Digital Collage for Children's Stories

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

    Plus

    If 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

The course is intermediate level, ideal for those with some basic drawing or illustration experience who want to deepen their collage skills, digital processes, and portfolio development.

You’ll need basic supplies like paper, pencils, scissors, glue, EVA foam, gouache paint, tracing paper, plus digital tools like a scanner and access to Photoshop or Procreate.

You’ll learn to combine analog and digital techniques, create textures, develop book projects, build a portfolio, research visual references, and finish illustrations in Photoshop.

The course teaches you how to select work, organize, and present a digital children’s illustration portfolio, covering both personal projects and editorial market demands.

You’ll practice manual collage, stamp making, cutting geometric shapes, digital collage, and mixing materials to create original compositions.

Basic Photoshop knowledge is recommended since the course covers digitizing, image editing, layer manipulation, and digital finishing of illustrations.

Yes, the course guides you through integrating manual and digital processes, exploring textures, digitizing elements, and assembling hybrid images using software like Photoshop.

Information about the course and certificate


Illustration and Digital Collage for Children's Stories. Illustration course by Ana Matsusaki

Illustration and Digital Collage for Children's Stories

A course by Ana Matsusaki
Graphic Artist. Curitiba, Brazil.
Joined August 2020
  • 99% positive reviews (110)
  • 2,260 students