Sketchbook Landscapes: A Colorful Approach
A course by Agnès DecourchelleIllustrator
A course by Agnès Decourchelle, Illustrator
Observe, interpret, and illustrate a landscape by exploring a drawing approach based on spontaneity, color, light, and your sketchbook
For Agnès Decourchelle, drawing is a language in its own right, with words made up of colors, light, and contrasts. Her carefree drawing style and unique approach to working with light has allowed her to collaborate with big names from the press like The Guardian and The New York Times.
In this course, she teaches you how to take a run-of-the-mill scene and make it spectacular, capturing beauty and light with original techniques based on color, composition, and use of a sketchbook. By the end of the course, you'll be able to convey the essence of any place, without sacrificing spontaneity in your drawing.
What will you learn in this online course?
14 lessons & 21 downloads
Drawing material
4 minutes, 8 seconds
Why draw in a notebook?
12 minutes, 33 seconds
Inspiration collection
6 minutes, 0 seconds
My little recipes
16 minutes, 54 seconds
Movement
13 minutes, 2 seconds
Framing and composition
8 minutes, 14 seconds
What's included in this course?
Agnès Decourchelle starts by introducing herself and telling you about her artistic influences. The press, publishing houses, communication agencies, the audiovisual sector...she loves nothing more than working on diverse projects.
Dive in and take a closer look at the practice of drawing. Agnès walks you through the recommended course material and teaches you how to use a sketchbook to capture a place's essence and serve as your catalogue of spontaneous images. Carry out some research on the place you've chosen to paint, with particular emphasis on the light, then work on movement in drawing with a practical exercise.
Now it's time to explore the exciting world of color! Draw some sketches to find the right frame and composition for your illustration, then define a color palette. Structure the composition of your final drawing and move on to adding the color using a technique that doesn't sacrifice any of the spontaneity of your drawing.
To go one step further, Agnès invites you to try a more abstract technique for landscape drawing, using a photo series. She wraps up by showing you the best way to share your creations on social media so you can gain an even larger audience.
What is this course's project?
Create a landscape drawing that transmits an air of spontaneity.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Anyone interested in learning to draw, whether they are a beginner or a seasoned artist.
Requirements and materials
You need a sketchbook, colored pencils (watercolor or regular), markers, a soft or reservoir paintbrush, and fine grain white paper.
Reviews
- 3 months ago
I liked it, but the project was a very simple one. I would like to learn more techniques that the instructor uses for mark-making and for implementing texture.
- 3 months ago
Beautiful artwork, but the course itself was disappointing. I honestly didn't learn much. It mostly felt like watching someone paint without explaining the reasoning behind a lot of her choices. The course is called Colourful Landscapes, yet the lesson on color is only 3 minutes long, while 12 minutes are spent showing her sketchbooks. If you're looking for actual instruction rather than a painting demo, this course may not be for you.
- 5 months ago
Ce n'est pas inintéressant mais un peu faible. J'ai du mal à apprendre quelque chose. A moins que cela ne soit pour débutant n'ayant jamais touché un pinceau...
- 5 months ago
5stars!
- 5 months ago
Corso molto bello per l'uso di tecniche miste e del colore. Agnes Dourchelle è molto brava e fornisce stimoli anche di storia dell'arte. Corso consigliato.
Always faithfully accompanied by her sketchbook, she works on many projects and particularly enjoys drawing portraits and landscapes.
She has collaborated with Les Inrocks, The New York Times, The Guardian, The Independent, The Observer, as well as publishers (Gallimard Jeunesse, Penguin Books, and Hachette), the audiovisual sector, and brands such as Santa & Cole and Carolina Herrera.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Presentation
- Endless sources of inspiration
- U2
Work techniques
- Drawing material
- Why draw in a notebook?
- Inspiration collection
- My little recipes
- Movement
- U3
Color immersion
- Framing and composition
- Color exploration
- Drawing construction
- Coloring 1
- Coloring 2
- U4
The birth of a series
- From figurative to abstract
- Digitization and sharing
- FP
Final project
- Landscapes: approach by drawing book and color
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
This course is aimed at intermediate learners: it’s best to have some basic drawing skills, but no advanced mastery is required. Techniques are explained step-by-step and are accessible to anyone wanting to improve their landscape illustration.
You’ll need a sketchbook, colored pencils (watercolor or regular), markers, a water brush, a craft knife, suitable paper, and a camera or smartphone for field documentation.
You’ll learn how to observe and analyze a landscape, choose a framing, compose an image, explore color and light, use mixed media (pencils, markers, collage), and capture atmosphere or emotion through drawing.
The course covers visual note-taking, photo analysis, quick sketches on location, layering, color palettes, urban and natural framing, using Posca and watercolor markers, and photo collages.
No, it’s not required. The course touches on scanning and digital editing, but most exercises are done on paper with traditional tools.
Yes, you’ll learn how to stylize shapes, work with abstraction, experiment with composition, and explore graphic freedom to create dreamlike or expressive landscapes.
Absolutely! The course includes tips on illustration for children’s books and develops creativity, visual storytelling, and personal expression useful in that field.