Subject Research for Portrait Composition
A course by Ivan Canu , Writer and illustrator
Create an original portrait by combining celebrity styles and famous figures based on thorough research of your subjects
"Images are a powerful and complex medium with the same cultural force as words." According to writer and illustrator Ivan Canu, the more references and resources involved in your creative process, the easier it is to convey your ideas. In this online course, learn how to create an original portrait by combining famous figures from different eras.
Ivan, who has worked with major clients like Die Zeit, The Guardian, L’Espresso, and Mondadori, teaches you how to design a compelling image by combining thorough iconographic research with different styles, such as the collage technique and digital and analog illustration.
Blend the best of multiple art forms to create extraordinary compositions.
What will you learn in this online course?
13 lessons & 17 downloads
- 100% positive reviews (11)
- 240 students
- 13 lessons (1h 55m)
- 17 additional resources (3 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: Italian
- Italian · Spanish · English · Portuguese · German · French · Polish · Dutch
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
Recommended software for this course
Adobe PhotoshopWhat is this course's project?
Create a portrait for a magazine by combining the iconic features of two celebrities or famous figures, one past and one present.
Who is this online course for?
Anyone who wants to learn the art of subject research to create compelling, one-of-a-kind portraits.
Requirements and materials
Solid research skills and basic notions of human anatomy along with art and media history are recommended for this course, as well as a good dose of curiosity.
As for materials, you can use the medium of your choice for your project; if you decide to work digitally, you need a computer with Adobe Photoshop.
Reviews
Ivan Canu
A course by Ivan Canu
Ivan Canu is a writer and illustrator who lives in Milan. Growing up surrounded by books and magazines, he was captivated by their images and learned to draw at a young age. After studying performing art history in Florence, he moved to Milan and began working at the magazine Hystrio, where he held several positions including portrait artist, illustrator, graphic designer, and, finally, art director. He later branched out to collaborating with the publisher Mondadori, in the educational sector, as well as a range of newspapers and magazines such as Il Sole 24 ore, La Repubblica, L’Espresso, Focus, and The New York Times.
In 2009, he founded Mimaster Illustrazione in Milan. In 2016, he started collaborating with the Richard Salzman illustration agency, which gave him the opportunity to create art for brands and publications such as Die Zeit, The Boston Globe, The Wall Street Journal, L’Express, L’Obs, The Guardian, Yahoo, and Audible. Through his career, he has also worked with publishing houses like Laterza, Feltrinelli, Mondadori, Einaudi, and Salani.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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About Me
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Influences
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U2
The Research Method
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It All Depends on the Starting Idea
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The Search for Sources
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Search for the Current Character
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Research of the Historical Figure
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Skimming of Sources
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U3
The Portrait
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The Collage of the Drafts 1
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The Collage of the Drafts 2
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Chromatic Research and Selection
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Advancement of Drafts
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U4
Final Touches
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Final Processing
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Digital Formats
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FP
Final project
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Subject Research for Portrait Composition
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What to expect from a Domestika course
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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.
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Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
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Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
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Certificates
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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.
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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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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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Watch professionally produced courses
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FAQs
Domestika's courses are online classes that provide you with the tools and skills you need to complete a specific project. Every step of the project combines video lessons with complementary instructional material, so you can learn by doing. Domestika's courses also allow you to share your own projects with the teacher and with other students, creating a dynamic course community.
All courses are 100% online, so once they're published, courses start and finish whenever you want. You set the pace of the class. You can go back to review what interests you most and skip what you already know, ask questions, answer questions, share your projects, and more.
The courses are divided into different units. Each one includes lessons, informational text, tasks, and practice exercises to help you carry out your project step by step, with additional complementary resources and downloads. You'll also have access to an exclusive forum where you can interact with the teacher and with other students, as well as share your work and your course project, creating a community around the course.
You can redeem the course you received by accessing the redeeming page and entering your gift code.
Adobe Photoshop
aluchino
Mi ha aiutato molto a capire concretamente cosa vuol dire lavorare alla realizzazione di una illustrazione, come gli oggetti/soggetti di ispirazione possono diventare l'elaborato finale. Grazie @IvanCanu
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angelaciccarello.art
Ottimo corso tenuto da un eccellente illustratore
Chiaro ed esaustivo
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cibersapiens
PlusMuy buen curso, con pocos recursos se puede dar un toque mas creativo a cualquier personaje. Recomedable.
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martinaaaa
Good course, exciting, you can get very nice tips from the teacher. The only things I wish this course was longer and the part about " illustrating" was well explained. Maybe I have this feeling because I am a beginner. Still, I highly recommended this course
judykoot
Lovely course. Gives you some interesting ideas to combine different elements to create a new personality.