Editorial Illustration - From Concept to Published Artwork
A course by Tim PeacockIllustrator and Cartoonist
A course by Tim Peacock, Illustrator and Cartoonist
Learn how to build strong visual concepts and gain a comprehensive understanding of the editorial industry
Illustrators have the ability to conceptualize the ideas behind a text into a single image, making them an important part of the storytelling within magazines, newspapers, and other visual mediums.
Join illustrator and cartoonist Tim Peacock as he unveils his creative process from first sketch to final details. Explore his editorial illustration work and learn how to create memorable visuals that enhance the message of any written text. Discover how to prepare illustration work for publishing and get some expert tips on promoting your work through networking and a solid portfolio.
What will you learn in this online course?
27 lessons & 17 downloads
What Will We Do in This Course?
1 minute, 41 seconds
Introduction to Editorial
4 minutes, 12 seconds
What Is a Brief? What Information Should We Focus On?
5 minutes, 23 seconds
What Makes a Good Illustration?
2 minutes, 49 seconds
The Importance of Thumbnail Sketches
3 minutes, 25 seconds
Coming Up with Original Concepts from Our Brief
13 minutes, 16 seconds
What's included in this course?
Get started by meeting your teacher, illustrator and cartoonist Tim Peacock. Learn a bit about his professional background and how he got started out in the field. Get to know Tim’s artistic influences by taking a look at a variety of different comic artists. Then take a look at the course content and learn what to expect.
Dive into editorial illustration with a quick introduction to its history and the roles of those you may need to collaborate with. See what an email from a prospective client looks like and the information you need to get started. Discover the elements of a good illustration and explore multiple approaches to a topic.
Understand what thumbnail sketches are and what a client expects when seeing them. Delve into Tim’s creative process for producing visual concepts that offer a fresh perspective and connect with a text. Talk about character creation and see how to give more life to people and objects.
Go through Tim’s process for creating your illustration’s final linework. Refine your chosen sketch and learn how to add the fine details. Then, take a look at some more traditional techniques and the tools preferred by professionals. Finally, learn how to properly scan and prepare your work for coloring digitally.
Apply the color and finishing touches. Add basic blocks of colors and incorporate textures to use in your final image. Use color masks, shadows, and highlights to create added texture and effects to your illustration.
Recommended software & tools for this course
What is this course's project?
Create an original, publication-ready illustration based on a written text.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is for anyone who is interested in illustration–especially editorial illustration–and wants to learn new techniques for enhancing their drawing and creative thinking skills.
Requirements and materials
A basic understanding of drawing fundamentals is recommended but not necessary to take this course.
To create your illustration, any medium or technique can be used. Tim will focus on using a digital drawing tablet with Adobe Photoshop.
Reviews
- 4 months ago
Tim explica muy bien y el curso merece la pena
- 8 months ago
muy lindo
- 11 months ago
I really enjoyed this course, it was well explained!
- 1 year ago
a great course to learn
- 1 year ago
O curso foi incrível! O Tim tem muita experiência e sabe compartilhar seu conhecimento de forma simples e clara. O curso me deu novas perspectivas sobre como trabalhar com ilustração editorial, e com certeza vou aplicar os ensinamentos e dicas no meu trabalho. Obrigado, Tim!
His client list includes editorials such as The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, NBC News, The Atlantic, Playboy, Billboard, MIT Technology Review, and Vice.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- About Me
- Influences
- What Will We Do in This Course?
- U2
Inside Illustration
- Introduction to Editorial
- What Is a Brief? What Information Should We Focus On?
- What Makes a Good Illustration?
- U3
Creating Original Ideas and Sketches
- The Importance of Thumbnail Sketches
- Coming Up with Original Concepts from Our Brief
- Creating Your Thumbnail Sketches 1
- Creating Your Thumbnail Sketches 2
- Creating Your Thumbnail Sketches 3
- U4
Creating the Final Line Work
- Alternative: Working Traditionally 1
- Alternative: Working Traditionally 2
- Refining Your Sketch 1
- Refining Your Sketch 2
- Final Line Work
- U5
Color, Texture, and Final Touches
- Color Flats
- Shadows and Lighting
- Creating Your Own Textures from Scratch
- Applying the Final Colors and Final Touches 1
- Applying the Final Colors and Final Touches 2
- Applying the Final Colors and Final Touches 3
- Applying the Final Colors and Final Touches 4
- U6
Getting Started and Navigating the Industry
- Building a Portfolio
- Finding Prospective Clients
- Getting Your Work Out There
- Business Practices and Expectations
- FP
Final project
- Editorial Illustration: From Concept to Published Artwork
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 intermediate artists who want to advance their editorial illustration and comics skills, build a professional portfolio, and learn industry workflows.
You’ll need basic drawing tools (pens, paper, markers), a scanner, and access to Photoshop or similar digital illustration software. Details on traditional and digital tools are covered in the course.
You’ll learn industry-standard workflows, portfolio building, self-publishing, creating prints, working with clients, advanced sketching, color theory, traditional and digital illustration techniques, and preparing artwork for print and web.
Yes, the course teaches portfolio development, content selection, and best practices for showcasing your work to potential clients and art directors.
Yes, the course covers the process of self-publishing comics, preparing prints, and strategies for participating in independent comic festivals.
You’ll learn how to research prospective clients, submit your portfolio, communicate professionally, and manage freelance illustration workflows.
You’ll explore styles such as halftone, clear line, exaggerated poses, manga storytelling, metaphor illustration, and traditional comic printing methods, as well as digital color, texture, and lighting techniques.