Illustrated Portraits: Adobe Fresco for Beginners
A course by Carina LindmeierDigital Illustrator and Artist
A course by Carina Lindmeier, Digital Illustrator and Artist
Create a digital portrait with floral elements using references on topics such as female empowerment, positivity, and relationships
The artwork of digital illustrator Carina Lindmeier, who works primarily with Adobe Fresco, stands out for its hearty textures, detailed patterns, and vibrant colors which give it a hand-drawn appearance. Carina has worked with big-name brands such as Bombay Sapphire, Adobe, and Refinery29.
If you'd like to develop your own style for portrait illustration and discover the endless possibilities of this digital art form, then this Domestika course is the one for you. Illustrate your own digital portrait in Adobe Fresco and learn how to design mood boards, create sketches, select color palettes, and add shading and lighting effects.
What will you learn in this online course?
13 lessons & 21 downloads
Brainstorm your project and create your mood board
3 minutes, 15 seconds
User interface and tools
5 minutes, 14 seconds
Setting up your document and choosing the brushes
2 minutes, 52 seconds
Rough sketching
7 minutes, 12 seconds
Getting started with your composition
9 minutes, 0 seconds
Let's start with the color selection
13 minutes, 12 seconds
What's included in this course?
Begin by getting to know your teacher Carina Lindmeier. She shows you her influences and creative approach as well as how to brainstorm ideas and where to find reference photos before starting on your illustration. With those concepts in mind, create your own mood board by compiling images, shapes, colors, and other elements that inspire you.
Next, Carina introduces you to Adobe Fresco. Try your hand at some basic exercises and experiment with different tools and brushes before drawing a sketch of your digital portrait. Using this drawing, learn how to reposition each element, analyze different layers, light, and shadows, and organize your document in Adobe Fresco so everything is easy to find.
Now it's time to bring your portrait to life with color. Refer back to your mood board and select a color palette that speaks to you. Carina then shows you how to use clipping masks to work on finer details as well as how to add light and shadows to give your project depth.
Finally, add a touch of personal style to your portrait by doing some color correction and editing each part individually. Once you've finished, Carina shows you how to export your project and share it with the world.
Recommended software & tools for this course
What is this course's project?
Following Carina's instructions, illustrate a digital portrait in color that inspires confidence with bold details.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Any creative mind interested in drawing and digital illustration. No prior knowledge is necessary, but some experience with digital drawing on an iPad or similar tablet will be helpful.
Requirements and materials
You need an iPad or a tablet, a compatible stylus, and the Adobe Fresco app.
Reviews
- 3 months ago
Great teacher and great coirse! Very effective for a quick realization of the artwork
- 4 months ago
It is a great crash course to get started right into Adobe Fresco without prior experience
- 7 months ago
Excelente curso a mi hija le encantó! Fresco es muy amigable tambien
- 8 months ago
Great course. It helped me get started with Fresco and learn the basics and understand the step-by-step creation process.
- 10 months ago
Really enjoyed this course. Was so easy to follow and you can easily learn the process to create a beautiful piece. It's broken down step by step so its perfect for beginners in adobe fresco as well.
Carina's illustrations stand out for their varied textures, patterns, and colors, which give them a hand-drawn appearance, and depict concepts such as female empowerment, positivity, relationships, health, and well-being. The artists she draws on for inspiration in her work include Olaf Hajek, Kelly Anna, and Frida Kahlo. Throughout her career, Carina has collaborated with major brands like Bombay Sapphire, Adobe, Refinery29, and more.
Content
- U1
introduction
- presentation
- Influences
- U2
Introduction to digital illustration, portrait and color in Fresco
- Brainstorm your project and create your mood board
- User interface and tools
- Setting up your document and choosing the brushes
- Rough sketching
- U3
Creation of the composition
- Getting started with your composition
- Let's start with the color selection
- Lines, shadows and depth 1
- Lines, shadows and depth 2
- Brush, structure and layers
- U4
The finishing touch
- Textures and handcrafted elements to complete details
- Time to go out into the world!
- FP
Final project
- Illustrated Portraits: Adobe Fresco for Beginners
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
This course is designed for beginners and newcomers. No special prior knowledge of digital illustration is needed—just basic computer skills and a passion for creativity.
You’ll need an iPad with an Apple Pencil, the Adobe Fresco app, and internet access. Optional extras include paper and traditional materials for textures, plus apps like Adobe Capture or Pinterest.
You’ll learn how to blend digital and traditional textures, create moodboards and color palettes, illustrate characters and portraits, manage layers, and prepare artwork for social media or print.
You’ll photograph or scan traditional textures like paper or brushstrokes and incorporate them into your digital work to create a unique look.
The course teaches you how to use moodboards and Pinterest boards, analyze different sources of inspiration, and develop your own style by exploring trends and community feedback.
Yes, the course guides you step-by-step through Adobe Fresco, explaining all the basics, including brushes, layers, and essential tools.
You’ll discover how to export and present your artwork perfectly for platforms like Instagram, making sure it looks polished and professional.