Naturalist Illustration Techniques: Whales in Watercolor
A course by Antonia Reyes Montealegre, Naturalist Illustrator
Joined May 2017
Dive into an ocean of watercolor and learn how to illustrate a majestic sea creature by exploring drawing and painting techniques with a splash of experimentation
Joined May 2017
The ocean is an infinite source of inspiration—from its picturesque skylines to the vast aquatic world beneath its surface. Whales are one of the most breathtaking underwater dwellers, known for their ability to communicate through song and their regal presence. Naturalist illustrator Antonia Reyes is captivated by these magical creatures and has dedicated a part of her work to illustrating them.
In this course, dive deep into the world of watercolor and illustration to capture the beauty of these sea animals. Brush up on your knowledge of whales, explore drawing and watercolor techniques, and add a bit of experimentation to your illustration process.
If you enjoy naturalist illustration of animals, you might also be interested in Antonia’s previous course Naturalist Bird Illustration with Watercolors.
What will you learn in this online course?
18 lessons & 26 downloads
What's included in this course?
Meet Antonia Reyes, naturalist illustrator and teacher for this course. She shares her creative journey in natural illustration and how whales became her favorite subject to illustrate. Hear about her professional background and her sources of inspiration.
Start your creative journey by learning about orcas, blue whales and humpback whales in both an artistic and environmental context. Get inspired by creating a reference board with visual elements such as anatomical forms, colors, and details.
Get an overview of the materials needed as Antonia guides you through the different uses of your art supplies. Discover Antonia’s techniques by exploring color mixing, creating undertones, gradients and pigment spots. She also covers experimental watercolor techniques such as adding sea salt and masking fluid to create texture. Learn how to make an accurate preliminary sketch through drawing techniques focused on anatomy, shape and proportion.
Apply everything learned throughout the course by starting your first illustration: the orca whale. Hear Antonia’s tips for creating a 3-dimensional effect and adding detail with different brushstrokes. Next, illustrate a blue whale while focusing on their key feature: their grooves. Discover how to recreate patterns using masking fluid. Create the final illustration of the humpback whale and see how to add unique textures with sea salt.
- 99% positive reviews (406)
- 15,673 students
- 18 lessons (3h 14m)
- 26 additional resources (8 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English, German, Spanish (Latam), French, Indonesian, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Turkish
- English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish · Romanian · Indonesian
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
Recommended software & tools for this course
Adobe PhotoshopWhat is this course's project?
Create 3 naturalist watercolor illustrations of an orca, a blue whale, and a humpback whale.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is for anyone with a passion for sea creatures and watercolors.
Requirements and materials
Basic experience in drawing and watercolor painting is required.
To take this course, you need water colors, paint brushes in various sizes, masking fluid, and sea salt.
Reviews
Antonia Reyes Montealegre
A course by Antonia Reyes Montealegre
Antonia Reyes, or as some know her, Antonia Pajarito, defines herself as a naturalist illustrator. She has become an expert in depicting the native flora and fauna of Chile. Her relationship with nature always begins with exploration, then moves on to artistic interpretation from her studio. Her goal is to create illustrations that move viewers and show the beauty of the earth. Her method is entirely analog, using pencils and watercolors on paper.
Most of her projects are independent, as she is passionate about combining illustrations with experiences, workshops, excursions, etc. She shares her work and discoveries on social media and on her website, both of which have become her logbooks.
Content
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U1
From The Shore, Gazing At The Horizon
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About Me
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Influences
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U2
Testing The Waters
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An Introduction to Whales
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Building a Reference Board
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U3
Let’s Dive In
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Art Supplies for Drawing and Watercolor
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Techniques to Create Color and Texture
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Whale Structure and Preliminary Drawings
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U4
There She Blows!
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Orca Whale 1
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Orca Whale 2
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Orca Whale Details
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Blue Whale 1
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Blue Whale 2
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Blue Whale Details
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Humpback Whale 1
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Humpback Whale 2
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Humpback Whale Details
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U5
Expanding Your Horizons
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Going In Deeper
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A Final Story: Illustration As A Pathway To Explore Nature
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FP
Final project
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Naturalist Illustration Techniques: Whales in Watercolor
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What to expect from a Domestika course
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FAQs
This course is best suited for intermediate artists who have basic sketching and watercolor experience and want to advance their skills in naturalist whale illustration techniques.
You’ll need watercolor paints, brushes, cold-pressed watercolor paper, masking fluid, sea salt, tracing or carbon paper, a ceramic palette, and reference images or field guides for whale anatomy.
You will learn naturalist illustration techniques, whale anatomy and proportions, experimental texturing with sea salt, sketch transfer methods, layering and blending in watercolor, and how to use references for realistic and expressive whale paintings.
No prior knowledge of whale anatomy is required, as the course covers anatomical basics, but some familiarity with drawing animals will help you follow the lessons more easily.
You’ll learn to use wet-on-wet techniques, layering, sea salt, and masking fluid to mimic the textures, patterns, and highlights found on whale skin.
Yes, the course teaches you how to collect, categorize, and organize whale references using Pinterest and digital folders to build a visual reference archive.
Yes, the course covers sketch transfer methods using tracing or carbon paper to accurately move your drawing onto watercolor paper before painting.
Adobe Photoshop
Para aprender nuevas técnicas.
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Ótimo curso👏👏👏
Es un curso hermoso y muy bien explicado.
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