Fairy-Tale Illustration with Pen and Ink
A course by Sveta DoroshevaIllustrator
A course by Sveta Dorosheva, Illustrator
Explore creative inking techniques to bring to life magical illustrations for fairy tales that capture the culture, time, and magic of the story
Illustrating a fairy tale with detailed ink techniques allows you to create a layer of mystery to your compositions. Through her artwork, Sveta Dorosheva conveys a magical atmosphere in her black-and-white drawings, which have been featured in books for publishers like HarperCollins, Penguin Books, and Macmillan.
In this online course, learn how to create enchanting illustrations using just pen and ink. Explore drawing exercises that allow you to recreate the stories that captivated you when you were younger. By the end of the course, you will be able to draw a rich and atmospheric image filled with wonder.
What will you learn in this online course?
17 lessons & 11 downloads
Materials
3 minutes, 36 seconds
Scene Selection and Draft Composition
8 minutes, 16 seconds
Final Sketch and Tonal Scheme
20 minutes, 0 seconds
Working with Ink
7 minutes, 36 seconds
How to Fix a Mistake
3 minutes, 5 seconds
Inking the Illustration
12 minutes, 13 seconds
Finalizing the Lines
2 minutes, 12 seconds
What's included in this course?
Meet Sveta Dorosheva, a Ukrainian illustrator, and your teacher for this course. Hear about her creative journey, which saw her go from a writer to a creative director, to now a full-time illustrator. She also shares some of her favorite artists who have greatly impacted her work.
Get an overview of the materials needed, before diving into the magical world of fairy tales and getting into the mindset necessary to create them. Choose the scene you want to draw and learn how to do thorough research in order to develop an authentic and meaningful idea.
Sveta then shows you some drawing exercises to get familiar with ink: first with the geometry of flowers, then with hair, and lastly with magical creatures. Learn how to correct any mistake using a small brush and opaque white paint, before tracing the final sketch, and working on the final image.
Once the drawing is complete, Sveta shows you how to adjust the contour lines, and finalize the work with Photoshop. To wrap up the course, learn about the rhythm of drawings in a book, so you can illustrate a complete fairy tale.
What is this course's project?
Illustrate a detailed fairy-tale scene using ink techniques.
Sveta illustrates a scene from The Frog Princess, but you're free to choose whatever fairy tale you like.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is for anyone interested in learning to draw with ink by creating an atmospheric composition inspired by old fairy tales.
Requirements and materials
Previous drawing experience would be beneficial.
To take this course, you need
⦁ a pencil, eraser, rulers, paper, and tissue
⦁black ink, opaque white paint, and water
⦁brushes, drawing nib and dip pen nib holder
⦁Optional: Photoshop
Sveta explains the materials in detail in the second unit.
Reviews
- 5 months ago
Truly a charming and inspiring course! Wholeheartedly recommend it to all fairytale lovers interested in art of illustration.
- 6 months ago
Me ha gustado mucho.
- 8 months ago
ho acquistato questo corso, ma non riesco ad entrarci ho bisogno di aiuto
- 9 months ago
Very interesting course with a teacher which is a true source of inspiration. Her work is astonishing and her advices precious.
- 9 months ago
Excelente
Her work is hand-drawn on paper, merging a lot of mythical and traditional motifs from various cultures with contemporary ideas. She’s worked with numerous publishing houses to create art for books, including HarperCollins, Penguin Books, Macmillan, Disney-Hyperion, Usborne, and Chronicle Books. Sveta has also created artwork for movies, including The True Adventures of Wolfboy, commercial art for advertising agencies like JWT New York or D8 studio in Glasgow, and editorial pieces for magazines like The New Yorker and The LA Times.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- About Me
- Influences
- U2
The First Steps
- Materials
- The Magical World of Fairy Tales
- Scene Selection and Draft Composition
- The Importance of Research
- Final Sketch and Tonal Scheme
- U3
Learning to Ink
- Working with Ink
- Ink Exercise: The Geometry of Flowers
- Ink Exercise: Hair
- Ink Exercise: Magical Creatures
- How to Fix a Mistake
- U4
Sketching and Inking
- Working on a Clean Copy
- Inking the Illustration
- Finalizing the Lines
- U5
Digitizing the Illustration
- Digitizing and Refining Your Work
- The Rhythm of Illustrations in a Book
- FP
Final project
- Fairy-Tale Illustration with Pen and Ink
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.
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FAQs
This course is designed for intermediate illustrators who have basic drawing experience and want to advance their skills in ink and narrative illustration. It is not for complete beginners but does not require advanced expertise.
You’ll need smooth paper, pencils, erasers, rulers, ink, calligraphy brushes, nib holders with nibs, and white correction paint. Specific recommendations for brands and alternatives will be provided in the course.
You’ll learn to create magical, detailed ink illustrations, research references, build compositions, use inking techniques, correct mistakes, and develop a professional illustration portfolio tailored for book publishing.
Some prior experience with drawing is helpful, but you do not need to be proficient with ink. The course covers ink techniques from the ground up for those new to the medium.
Yes, the course includes methods for selecting, researching, and illustrating scenes from Russian and global fairy tales, integrating cultural and historical references into your artwork.
The course teaches systematic approaches to visual storytelling, composition, and inking techniques that evoke fantasy and surreal moods, including metamorphosis and magical transformations.
Yes, you’ll complete multiple projects and learn professional techniques to develop a strong illustration portfolio suitable for presenting to publishing houses.