Botanical Animal House: Watercolour, Ink and Graphite
A course by Violeta HernándezIllustrator and Designer
A course by Violeta Hernández, Illustrator and Designer
Illustration techniques inspired by nature and femininity
If anything can characterize the work of Violeta Hernández—a graphic designer and illustrator specialized in watercolor—it's the constant presence of the female figure, frequently accompanied by exotic flora and fauna. This imaginary world that makes up Violeta's work, marries perfectly with the watercolor technique due to its delicate and unexpected touch.
In the course Design and Illustration of a Fanzine, Violeta taught you how to embark on a self-published editorial project. Now, she reveals all the secrets to using traditional drawing techniques, such as watercolor, ink, and graphite to create your own illustrated botanical animal house.
What will you learn in this online course?
20 lessons & 13 downloads
Drawing material: graphite, stylus, ink and nib
18 minutes, 35 seconds
Watercolors, brushes and paper
20 minutes, 18 seconds
Exercises of looseness: graphite, stylograph and pen
17 minutes, 44 seconds
Basic watercolor exercises
9 minutes, 7 seconds
Drawing flora with photographic reference
19 minutes, 45 seconds
Drawing wildlife with photographic reference
15 minutes, 49 seconds
What's included in this course?
Get started by exploring Violeta Hernández's work and influences. Then she tells you what materials you need to do your illustrations, and teaches you how to use them along with useful recommendations.
To familiarize yourself with the technique, carry out a series of drawing exercises with graphite, a stylograph, and a nib pen. Also learn to apply watercolor correctly and combine it with other techniques.
Once you master the tools, start looking for photographic references of flora and fauna for your illustration. Initially, base your drawings on those references, but once you feel comfortable, draw them from your own imagination to give them a little extra fantasy.
Next, Violeta explains the techniques she uses to draw the female figure and how to refine the lines to obtain the desired result.
Create a composition with three elements: animals, nature, and women, and Violeta gives you some tips to do it in a harmonious way. Once you're happy with your sketch, apply color with watercolors.
When you've finished your illustration, Violeta explains how to digitize it, clean it, and make small adjustments so that you can use it in all kinds of projects.
Recommended software & tools for this course
What is this course's project?
Do an illustration with watercolor including three fundamental elements: nature, animals, and the female figure.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Illustrators, designers, cartoonists, and anyone interested in exploring the technique of watercolor from a fantastical and mythological point of view.
Requirements and materials
No prior knowledge is necessary, as Violeta explains the entire process from start to finish.
Regarding the materials, you need pencils, stylographs, nibs, India ink, watercolor, brushes, drawing and watercolor papers, and a computer with Photoshop.
Reviews
- 5 months ago
Amazing course!!!
- 10 months ago
He disfrutado mucho con este curso, lo recomiendo.
- 1 year ago
Explica muy bien. La combinación de técnicas no lo había usado antes y me ha sorprendido. Me gusto mucho
- 2 years ago
se aprende sobretodo de estructura en dibujo y acuarela también propone ejercicios y eso esta muy bien me gusto mucho
- 2 years ago
epico asi de simple
Her work has been exhibited in different galleries around the world, including Monterrey, Mexico City, Los Angeles, Detroit, London, and Barcelona. It can also be seen on various digital platforms and print media, such as Picnic magazine, ERRR magazine, Juxtapoz Latin America, NotCot.Org, NiceFuckingGraphics!, Prison For Young Offenders, Artvvork.com, FormFiftyFive.com, Artvvork.com, and Smile in Your Face.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Presentation
- Influences
- U2
materials
- Drawing material: graphite, stylus, ink and nib
- Watercolors, brushes and paper
- U3
Basic principles of drawing and watercolor
- Exercises of looseness: graphite, stylograph and pen
- Basic watercolor exercises
- U4
Drawing with references and developing our imaginary
- Drawing flora with photographic reference
- Drawing wildlife with photographic reference
- Drawing flora and fauna with our imagination
- U5
Creating our female character
- General review of the female figure
- Basic sketches of the female figure
- Stylization of female characters
- U6
Drawing our landscape with flora, fauna and a character
- Mapping our illustration
- Preparing our support
- Creating our final illustration: fine sketch
- Creating our final illustration: application of color to the flora
- Creating our final illustration: application of color to the characters I
- Creating our final illustration: application of color to the characters II
- Creating our final illustration: application of color to the characters III
- Work registration and digitalization
- FP
Final project
- Botanical animator: watercolor, ink and graphite
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
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FAQs
You’ll learn how to blend graphite, technical pen, dip pen, and watercolor to create botanical illustrations, master gradients, textures, volume, and the use of historical visual references, as well as integrate fauna and human figures into artistic compositions.
Yes, the course is designed for intermediate learners who already have basic drawing skills and want to deepen their mixed media techniques and develop a personal style.
You’ll need H and B pencils, mechanical pencils, technical pens, dip pens, kneaded erasers, watercolors, synthetic brushes, watercolor paper, a rigid support, masking tape, plus visual references and materials for digitizing your work.
Basic drawing knowledge is recommended, but the course is aimed at those looking to refine their techniques and experiment with traditional and mixed media tools.
You’ll learn how to create gradients, transparencies, pigment blends, control moisture, work in layers on dry and wet surfaces, and combine watercolor with ink and graphite for botanical and wildlife illustrations.
The course teaches how to use historical visual references and scientific symbols, like those from alchemy or astronomy, to enrich your compositions and add deeper conceptual meaning to your illustrations.
H pencils are hard and produce light lines, perfect for sketches and guidelines; B pencils are soft and dark, great for shading and adding volume. The course explains how to use each to enhance your drawings.