Expressive Manga Illustration in Watercolor
A course by Geoff PascualArtist
A course by Geoff Pascual, Artist
Explore the vibrant Japanese art form by learning a range of drawing and watercolor techniques
Manga and anime are art forms known for the expressiveness of their characters. The magic of Geoff Pascual’s artwork happens when he adds the fluidity of watercolors into the mix. His work combines the nostalgia of his favorite anime characters with the vivid nature of watercolor.
Discover how to bring your own manga character to life by learning drawing and watercolor techniques. Express your imagination on paper by exploring visual elements, color mapping, and painting in layers.
What will you learn in this online course?
15 lessons & 22 downloads
Tools and Materials
4 minutes, 22 seconds
Drawing with Anime Proportions
11 minutes, 11 seconds
Watercolor Techniques
16 minutes, 24 seconds
Mixing Paint
11 minutes, 30 seconds
Thumbnail Compositions and Color Mapping
5 minutes, 15 seconds
Tracing onto Watercolor Paper and Painting the Base Layer
16 minutes, 27 seconds
What's included in this course?
Begin by getting to know Geoff. Hear about his artistic journey, and learn about the artwork and artists that have shaped his style. Then, get an overview of the course project.
Go over the different materials needed and get some recommendations on what to use. Learn essential drawing techniques when sketching a manga character’s body proportions and facial expressions. Discover different watercolor techniques and learn how to mix paint to achieve the right look. Get inspired by collecting references to help decide on your design.
Following the drawing techniques from earlier, sketch different thumbnails of your design. Choose your favorite and draw it to a larger scale. Geoff guides you through the painting process and demonstrates different brush stroke techniques. Explore how to paint your illustration in different layers to give your work depth and detail. Then, analyze your artwork and add the final touches.
In the final unit, Geoff shows you his method for photographing and sharing his work. He shares lighting techniques and shows how to scan your work to make prints. He also shows how you can use Photoshop to format your work for social media and prints.
What is this course's project?
Create a watercolor painting of your own manga character.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Anyone interested in learning how to draw and paint manga characters.
Requirements and materials
A basic understanding of drawing is recommended.
To take this course, you need sketching and watercolor paper, drawing tools like a pencil and eraser, paint brushes, and watercolors. Access to a computer with Photoshop and a camera are also needed to digitize your work.
Reviews
- 1 year ago
Muy lindo curso, muy útil.
- 1 year ago
Excelente curso, le recomiendo.
- gugliellPLUS1 year ago
really interesting and informative, my daughter learnt a lot ant had lots of fun from this course, would recommend.
- 1 year ago
highly recommend this course for all the beginner artists who chose water color as their go to medium and struggling to find their unique artstyle with watercolors. Personally, I really enjoyed Mr. Pascual's methods of bringing out flow and movement to a static sketch. It was like using water color techniques to breathe life into charecters.
- 1 year ago
Muy buen curso bien explicado y sencillo de aprender, aplicare lo aprendido en mis próximos proyectos
In 2018, he opened Pascual Productions studio in Santa Ana, California. His work has been exhibited at industry-leading events in major cities across the USA, including Anime Expo in Los Angeles and San Diego Comic-Con. He has also been featured in publications like Coast Magazine and ZO Magazine.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- About Me
- Influences
- What Will We Do in This Course?
- U2
Preparation
- Tools and Materials
- Drawing with Anime Proportions
- Watercolor Techniques
- Mixing Paint
- Gathering References and Inspiration
- U3
Painting Process
- Thumbnail Compositions and Color Mapping
- Building the Linework
- Tracing onto Watercolor Paper and Painting the Base Layer
- Shadow Layer
- Final Details
- U4
Photographing Your Work for Social Media and/or Print
- Photographing Your Work
- Creating Web and Print Files in Photoshop
- FP
Final project
- Expressive Manga Illustration in Watercolor
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.
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
Yes, this course is designed for beginners and covers foundational watercolor and manga techniques, making it accessible even if you have little to no prior experience.
You’ll need watercolor paints, brushes (mop and round), watercolor paper, pencils, erasers, a palette, water containers, and access to a camera or smartphone for photographing your artwork.
You’ll learn how to draw and paint expressive anime characters in watercolor, master layering and color mixing, plan compositions, develop unique characters, and prepare your artwork for print and online sharing.
You’ll learn to analyze anime features, use personal inspirations, plan character designs, and apply watercolor techniques to bring your original manga characters to life.
Techniques covered include wet-on-wet, dry brush, layering washes, color mapping, controlling blooms, lifting, and creating gradients for dynamic and expressive manga illustrations.
No previous drawing experience is required. The course covers essential skills for drawing anime faces, proportions, and simplifying complex features.
Yes, you’ll be guided through photographing your artwork, editing images for print and digital portfolios, and exporting files for web or print use.