Expressive Illustration Line by Line
A course by Daniel Torrent RibaIllustrator, Writer, and Educator
A course by Daniel Torrent Riba, Illustrator, Writer, and Educator
Create illustrated picturebooks for kids (and adults) with evocative scenes made using colored pencils and pastels
Would you like to tell a story through your drawings? Illustrator and writer Dani Torrent teaches you how to create a narrative where style and content go hand in hand by experimenting with different composition strategies and new techniques for drawing with pencil.
In this course, discover how to draw more expressive lines and bring your illustrations to life. Learn about the key elements of illustrated picturebooks with one of the biggest names in the field and create your own illustrated picturebook for kids.
What will you learn in this online course?
17 lessons & 19 downloads
What Will We Do in the Course?
4 minutes, 39 seconds
Illustration for (Not So) Narrative for Children
4 minutes, 48 seconds
Materials
5 minutes, 8 seconds
Our History at a Glance
14 minutes, 6 seconds
Composition
3 minutes, 33 seconds
Composition through Theater
18 minutes, 24 seconds
What's included in this course?
To start, Dani talks about his professional career and how it led him to the field of illustration, as well as how his work flits between the world of literature for children and adults. He also shares some sources of inspiration that helped him find his voice as an illustrator.
Now it's time to dive headfirst into the world of illustrations for picturebooks. Start with some advice on how to tackle a book illustration project, explore the different way images and text can interact, and learn to organize your work using a storyboard.
Then, discover how to create images that are not only expressive, but that also tell a story. Gain some knowledge on different cinematic, theatrical and pictorial strategies to help you create a more engaging story.
Learn specific pencil techniques and experiment with different materials and ways to hold your pencil. Create a backdrop for your composition using chiaroscuro, add lines to give it detail, and mix in some splashes of color to bring it life.
Lastly, after digitalizing your illustration and retouching it in Photoshop, prepare a mock-up and submit it to a publisher: your story is finally ready for the world to read!
Recommended software & tools for this course
What is this course's project?
Create your own two-page illustration for a children’s picturebook using graphite pencils, colored pencils, and a few touches of pastel.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
For anyone interested in drawing, and more specifically, in illustrating a story and discovering all their potential with a pencil.
Requirements and materials
No prior knowledge of illustration is needed to take this course.
All you need is a pencil, paper, an eraser, and colored pencils. You also have the option of using graphite sticks, graphite putty, blending stumps, and dry pastels. And, if you want to retouch your illustration, you need Photoshop.
Reviews
- aidanoriadPLUS19 days ago
El profesor tiene muchos conocimientos sobre el mundo del cine o del teatro que sabe explicar muy bien en relación con la ilustración, me parece un curso en el que se aprende mucho.
- 7 months ago
Je viens de commencer mais déja j'aime beaucoup la façon d'aborder les livres jeunesses
- 7 months ago
Además de gran artista, Daniel Torrent es un gran profesor. Da gusto verle dibujar, pero es que además se expresa muy bien y sus explicaciones son muy didácticas. ¡Deseando poder hacer algún curso presencial con él como maestro!
- lowrivincettiPLUS9 months ago
really inspirational when it come to illustration and story that is for all ages.
- 1 year ago
Veramente ben fatto e interessante, vorrei fosse durato di più
He has created illustrations for media outlets and advertising, but he is most well known for his creative work in the field of children’s and young adult literature. He has worked for Spanish publishing companies such as Edelvives, Kalandraka, Alfaguara, Cal.lígraf and Comanegra, but his artistic work has had a much greater impact on his career and led him to be a renowned illustrator. He has also published his work in France, Italy, Belgium, Mexico, China, Korea, and the United States.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Presentation
- Influences
- What Will We Do in the Course?
- U2
Ready, Set...
- Illustration for (Not So) Narrative for Children
- Materials
- Our History at a Glance
- U3
The Composition
- Composition
- Composition through Theater
- Composition through Cinema
- Composition through Painting
- The Base Illustration
- U4
The Pencil as an Expressive Tool
- Drawing in Real Size
- Chiaroscuro
- The Expression of the Stroke
- Colored Pencil and Pastel
- U5
The Mockup
- Retouching
- Presenting Your Project to an Editor
- FP
Final project
- Expressive Illustration Line by Line
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.
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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.
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 how to create illustrated books using dry media like pencil and pastel, work on narrative composition, contrast styles, symbolism, and visual storytelling—from the initial idea all the way to professional retouching and editorial presentation.
This is an intermediate-level course, perfect for those who already have basic drawing skills and want to deepen their understanding of expressive techniques, visual storytelling, and illustrated book creation.
You’ll need pencils of varying hardness, graphite sticks, blending tools, papers of different weights, pastels, colored pencils, tape, and access to Photoshop for final touch-ups.
The course covers dry techniques such as chiaroscuro, graphic synthesis, collage, Mannerist composition, use of vivid colors, expressive pastel effects, and digital retouching in Photoshop.
Advanced Photoshop skills aren’t required, as the course explains the basic tools needed for retouching and preparing files for print.
Yes, you’ll learn how to develop stories, integrate text and image, use ellipsis, condense emotions, and tackle complex themes in contemporary children’s illustration.
Dark expressionist illustration focuses on leaden atmospheres, symbolism, graphic synthesis, and intense emotions, setting it apart from traditional illustration through its deeper conceptual and visual impact.