Character Creation for Illustrated Books with Watercolor
A course by Lorenzo SangióIllustrator
A course by Lorenzo Sangió, Illustrator
Learn to bring the protagonists of your stories to life in watercolor, from the first sketch to the final retouch in Photoshop
The driving force behind the story of any children's book are its characters: through their movements and their expressions we can tell captivating stories that resonate with young readers. In this course, illustrator Lorenzo Sangió teaches you how to create fun and expressive protagonists for your stories who will put a smile on any reader's face.
With Lorenzo as your guide, learn how to use watercolors to create vibrant characters for picturebooks, from studying expressions and movements to digitally applying the finishing touches. Discover how to transform words into images and use color and illustration to bring the characters in your story to life.
What will you learn in this online course?
14 lessons & 15 downloads
Material
5 minutes, 14 seconds
Find a way of working
4 minutes, 18 seconds
The study of the character
7 minutes, 51 seconds
Sketch on paper
15 minutes, 52 seconds
Study of expressions and movements
12 minutes, 41 seconds
Definition of the pencil drawing
7 minutes, 22 seconds
What's included in this course?
To start, meet children’s book illustrator Lorenzo Sangió. He tells you about his professional career and talks about the artists and directors that have inspired his style and approach to drawing.
Then dive straight in and lay the groundwork for your project. Lorenzo gives you an overview of the materials you need and explains his creative process to give you ideas and help you discover what works best for you. Study the concept of a character and analyze a brief to extract key information you can use for your first sketch.
Next, start developing your character's personality by learning how to draw different expressions and continue by adding movement and increasing layers of detail. Once you've finished your drawing in pencil, it's time to add color.
Transfer your work to watercolor paper, do a color test, and then prepare your paints. Lorenzo shows you his color palette and the hues he prefers to work with. Now roll up your sleeves, grab your brushes, and paint the final version of your illustration.
To add more depth to your story, drop your protagonist into a more complex scene where they can interact with other characters from the brief. Finally, digitize your illustration, add the finishing touches in Photoshop, and get it ready for printing.
What is this course's project?
Design a character for a children's book based on one of several briefs and bring them to life with watercolors.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Anyone interested in illustration, regardless of skill level. All you need is a curious mind and the desire to draw fun and expressive characters.
Requirements and materials
The materials for this course include pencils, an eraser, sketch paper, watercolors, and watercolor paper. If you'd like to digitize and retouch your work, you also need a scanner and a computer or a tablet with Photoshop.
Reviews
- 3 months ago
Mille informazioni pratiche, corso bellissimo
- 4 months ago
Excellent course, full of practical informations. It shows all the steps of character development from beginning to end.
- 7 months ago
Wonderful course, very inspiring and beginner friendly
- 7 months ago
Lovely course packed with lots of information and very inspiring
- 9 months ago
l'insegnante dà spiegazioni molto chiare e dettagliate. Mi piace moltissimo il suo stile di insegnamento e di disegno
After finishing his studies, Lorenzo began to participate in illustration competitions and won several of them, earning himself the title of Best Illustrator in the Città del Sole competition and the Battello a Vapore Award. In 2017, he studied a master's degree in editorial illustration at the Ars in Fabula school in Macerata and finished the course by publishing his final year project with the company Carthusia. Since then, he has been creating illustrations for different publishing houses such as Orecchio Acerbo and Edizioni Corsare.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Presentation
- Inspirations
- U2
From brief to character
- Material
- Find a way of working
- The study of the character
- U3
The character comes to life
- Sketch on paper
- Study of expressions and movements
- Definition of the pencil drawing
- U4
After the pencil, the color
- Transfer onto watercolor paper
- Try color
- Color with watercolor 1
- Color with watercolor 2
- U5
History and digitization
- The characters meet
- Post-production digitization
- FP
Final project
- Character Creation for Illustrated Books with 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.
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FAQs
The course is designed for those with basic drawing skills who want to deepen their knowledge of editorial illustration, watercolor, and character design, both traditional and digital.
Advanced experience isn’t required, but it’s recommended to be comfortable with drawing and have basic knowledge of watercolor or software like Procreate and Photoshop.
You’ll need watercolors, watercolor paper, 2B pencils, a kneaded eraser, an iPad with Procreate, a computer with Photoshop, and a sketchbook for exercises and drafts.
You’ll learn how to develop an illustrated book project, create original characters, use watercolor and digital techniques, manage sketchbooks and creative workflow, and handle post-production and visual storytelling.
Yes, the course guides you in creating effective storyboards to organize scenes and narrative in picture books, with practical examples and professional strategies.
The program covers traditional watercolor techniques, paper selection, color tests and textures, plus digital techniques in Procreate and Photoshop for sketching, coloring, and post-production.
Yes, you’ll learn to design original characters starting from the brief, studying anatomy, expressions, clothing, and distinctive details, with a focus on character design.