Thematic Digital Illustration: Depict Different Worlds
A course by Chiara VercesiIllustrator
A course by Chiara Vercesi, Illustrator
Boost your design skills and enrich your portfolio by turning a topic close to your heart into a coherent series of illustrations with Procreate
As an illustrator, working on a series is a complex and rewarding process that invites you to delve into each and every element of a theme, while at the same time ensuring coherence throughout.
A graduate of the IED and in contact with the Brera Academy since she was a child, illustrator Chiara Vercesi has worked in a wide range of fields, winning over important international clients. A question of luck? Not at all. These collaborations are due exclusively to her tenacity and method, and the good news is, she's now ready to reveal her secrets!
In this online course, Chiara guides you in creating a coherent and impactful series of illustrations, helping you to develop designs, your own voice, and a more complete and diverse portfolio.
Portray your surroundings, find your own style, and shine a light on the causes you believe in.
What will you learn in this online course?
13 lessons & 33 downloads
Introduction to Procreate
11 minutes, 17 seconds
Illustrating in series: telling a story
4 minutes, 33 seconds
The importance of good research
5 minutes, 12 seconds
Practice drawing animals
13 minutes, 18 seconds
Visual notes: miniature compositions
11 minutes, 15 seconds
Choose the right composition for the series
10 minutes, 33 seconds
What's included in this course?
Start by hearing about Chiara's journey so far and her influences, from Sir David Attenborough and botany textbooks, to the music of Morphine and the paintings of Malevich, Charley Harper, and Lorenzo Mattotti.
After an introduction to Procreate, discover the value of working with illustration series and the importance of good research. Move on to practice drawing animals from basic geometric shapes.
Now it's time to get to work, making the first miniature sketches and gradually defining the composition of your pieces. After a few notions about color, Chiara explains how to define the details along with how many to include. Then finalize the sketches.
Next, choose your color palette and begin color drafting. Once you've applied the base and controlled colors that suit the whole series, add light, shadow, and textures, learning to highlight the contrast between figure and background to emphasize depth.
Recommended software & tools for this course
What is this course's project?
Create a series of illustrations based on a single theme, while developing design skills, awareness of your personal style, and the ability to argue your choices.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is aimed at aspiring illustrators from a beginner to intermediate level.
Requirements and materials
To follow the course, an iPad Pro and the Procreate software would be useful, but not essential.
Reviews
- 6 months ago
Corso molto interessante, proprio quello che mi serviva! L'insegnante spiega molto bene come creare una serie di illustrazioni coerenti tra loro, sia per tema, per forma e per palette di colori. Anche le risorse aggiuntive sono molto interessanti, aprono una bella panoramica su molti artisti e i loro metodi.
- 1 year ago
Excelente curso! a Didática da instrutora foi incrível! Parabéns!!
- 1 year ago
To me this course was very helpful. Chiara gets straight to the point and her illustrations are absolutely amazing. Thank you very much.
- 2 years ago
Fun course! I always love seeing how other artists use their tools to create a unique style.
- 2 years ago
Ótima técnica. Só não gostei das partes que aceleram e omitiram algumas partes do processo.
In 2018, Chiara founded the designer collective Sail Ho Studio. Her creative process always starts with a research phase and a sketch or project. She then allows herself to be guided by a lively style, characterized by abundant textures and atmosphere.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Presentation
- Sources of inspiration
- U2
A design approach
- Introduction to Procreate
- Illustrating in series: telling a story
- The importance of good research
- Practice drawing animals
- U3
Sketches and composition
- Visual notes: miniature compositions
- Choose the right composition for the series
- Finalize the sketches
- U4
From color to final designs
- Create the color palette
- First draft: spot colors and palette checks
- Definitive spot colors and color wheels
- Finalize with volumes and textures
- FP
Final project
- Represent nature with a vector illustration
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.
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
The course teaches how to create vector illustrations of natural subjects, animals, and habitats, developing a personal style and covering all stages: research, design, composition, color palettes, and digital finishing using tools like Procreate.
This is an intermediate-level course, ideal for those who already have basic drawing skills and want to deepen their knowledge of naturalistic vector illustration and develop a personal style.
You’ll be able to create a consistent series of vector illustrations, manage color palettes, use Procreate professionally, and present an illustration portfolio with your own unique style.
It’s recommended to have basic knowledge of Procreate or other digital graphics software, but the course also guides you step-by-step through the essential tools for vector illustration.
To take the course, you’ll need a tablet with Procreate installed (or similar software), a digital pen, and sketching materials like paper and pencils for preliminary studies.
Developing a personal style means learning to simplify shapes, choose custom color palettes, and make compositional choices that make your work recognizable, including through technical experimentation and visual research.
Yes, the course covers designing editorial and scientific illustrations, useful for portfolios and work aimed at publications or industry clients.