Illustrated Travel Sketchbook: Recording Nature
A course by Antonia Reyes Montealegre, Naturalist Illustrator
Joined May 2017
Learn how to represent animals and extraordinary places in your sketchbook by connecting with nature through illustration
Joined May 2017
Nature illustration allows us to tell stories of extraordinary places and wild animals while expressing our own personal style. Antonia Reyes, an illustrator specialized in depicting the native flora and fauna of Chile, uses just her pencil and watercolors to capture all the details she discovers in her adventures.
In this online course, she teaches you how to record nature through illustrations in a travel sketchbook. Learn how to use it as a tool for exploration and create beautiful compositions that reflect your adventures, drawing animals, plants, and unique places in exquisite detail.
If you want to delve deeper into this style of illustration, you might be interested in Antonia's other two courses: Naturalist Bird Illustration with Watercolors and Naturalist Illustration Techniques: Whales in Watercolor.
What will you learn in this online course?
13 lessons & 16 downloads
What's included in this course?
Begin the course by getting to know Antonia Reyes, who talks about her adventures as an illustrator and her mission to get people to reconnect with nature through drawing.
Dive into the world of the travel sketchbook, analyzing the most popular techniques from the very first explorations to present day. Your teacher also explains how you can how to record the outdoors in a responsible and mindful way.
Then, come up with some ideas to artistically convey the experience of your trip over three pages of your sketchbook. After analyzing the geometric structure of the organisms you want to illustrate, draw the first simple elements and add all kinds of details, creating a unique visual narrative.
Antonia awakens your inspiration by showing you other possible scenarios through her own sketchbooks. To wrap up the course, she invites you to reflect on the impact and responsibility involved in your expeditions in nature.
- 98% positive reviews (94)
- 4,546 students
- 13 lessons (2h 3m)
- 16 additional resources (2 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: Spanish, English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish
- Spanish · English · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
Work on the composition of several pages in your travel sketchbook, representing nature through illustrations.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Artists, curious minds, and exploration fans who want to step outside to record nature.
Requirements and materials
To take this course, you need basic knowledge of drawing and watercolor illustration.
As for the materials, have at the ready:
- Graphite pencils
- A refillable watercolor brush
- A portable watercolor palette
- A travel sketchbook
- A natural space to find inspiration
Reviews
Antonia Reyes Montealegre
A course by Antonia Reyes Montealegre
Antonia Reyes, or as some know her, Antonia Pajarito, defines herself as a naturalist illustrator. She has become an expert in depicting the native flora and fauna of Chile. Her relationship with nature always begins with exploration, then moves on to artistic interpretation from her studio. Her goal is to create illustrations that move viewers and show the beauty of the earth. Her method is entirely analog, using pencils and watercolors on paper.
Most of her projects are independent, as she is passionate about combining illustrations with experiences, workshops, excursions, etc. She shares her work and discoveries on social media and on her website, both of which have become her logbooks.
Content
-
U1
Introduction
-
About Me
-
Influences
-
-
U2
Prepare the exit
-
The notebook
-
Art and observation tools
-
Attention and registration of the experience
-
From experience to paper
-
-
U3
Drawing nature: the secret
-
First page: drawing simple elements 1
-
First page: drawing simple elements 2
-
Second page: more details in drawing 1
-
Second page: more details in drawing 2
-
Third page: introduce the narrative element
-
-
U4
Keep traveling
-
Notebook review
-
The explorer of the future
-
-
FP
Final project
-
Illustrated Travel Sketchbook: Recording Nature
-
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
Naturalistic illustration is the art of depicting nature with scientific accuracy and artistic sensitivity. It uses techniques like watercolor to capture native species, ecosystems, and field scenes, blending direct observation, drawing, and visual storytelling.
The course is aimed at an intermediate level. Basic drawing and watercolor skills are recommended, but it dives deeper into specific techniques and processes for those wanting to develop naturalist skills and visual storytelling.
You’ll need a watercolor sketchbook, pencils, kneaded eraser, refillable brush, watercolor palette, paints, pencil extender, magnifying glass, and lightweight materials for fieldwork. Having photo references and pressed plants is also recommended.
You’ll learn to observe, draw, and paint native flora and fauna, create illustrated maps, develop field journals, use watercolor on animals and plants, integrate visual storytelling, and apply environmental ethics principles when documenting nature.
Naturalistic illustration combines the scientific rigor of observation and recording with artistic creativity, allowing you to depict species accurately while expressing a personal vision and fostering empathy for nature.
Yes, many activities encourage direct field observation to record plants, animals, and landscapes. However, you’ll also learn how to complement your drawings with photo references and later documentation.
The course teaches gradient techniques, color mixing, shading, layering, controlling transparency and volume, plus specific methods for rendering textures, feathers, and botanical details in watercolor.
Zbyt mało konkretnej wiedzy. Za dużo "lania wody" o podróżach i książkach a zbyt mało instrukcji jak budować dziennik podróży jak prowadzić narrację i zbyt mało samej techniki.
Me encanta la manera en que explica, transmite muchas ganas de querer salir a explorar todo. Me encanta como puntualiza el cuidado del medio ambiente. Super recomendado
que hermoso curso!con cuanta pasion ella explica su oficio y profesion! contagia las ganas de explorar!ahora voy por el resto de sus cursos!!!
Ok, miło i sympatycznie, fajna inspiracja, jak tworzyć szkicownik. I tyle.
Eu amei o curso, porém infelizmente o que aparece no vídeo de propaganda não é o material das aulas. Havia me interessado nas borboletas mas elas não estão inclusas. As aulas são maravilhosas mas o conteúdo não bate.