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    Expressive Character Design with Watercolor & Dip Pen

    A course by Agnès ErnoultChildren's Book Illustrator

    Expressive Character Design with Watercolor & Dip Pen

    To find inspiration for a children’s book illustration, you need look no further than yourself… literally. Illustrator Agnès Ernoult often incorporates her own facial expressions and body language into character designs, which has led her to collaborate with clients like Hinkler Books and Cricket Media, among many others.

    In this online course, Agnès teaches you **how to draw quirky characters **perfect for any children’s book. Learn how to illustrate using watercolors and dip pen to bring playful protagonists to life. Ready to inspire young readers with your artwork?

    What will you learn in this online course?

    13 lessons & 21 downloads

    View all lessons ↓

    What's included in this course?

    Meet Agnès Ernoult, a children’s book illustrator, and your teacher for this course. Hear about her journey into the world of illustration, which started from a young age. She also talks about some of the artists who have influenced her work.

    Get an overview of the materials needed forthe course. Explore the textures you can achieve with watercolor, and experiment with the dip pen. Next, Agnès reviews the **basics of anatomy **in illustration.

    Time to start drawing your final character! Get inspired by using your reflection to sketch lively expressions. Agnès shows you how to refine your doodle into a ready-to-paint drawing, before applying the** ink and colors. **

    Wrap up the course by perfecting your illustration using Photoshop. To finish, Agnès shares with you some tips on how to personalize your pictures for social media.

    What is this course's project?

    Illustrate a quirky cartoon character inspired by your own facial expressions using watercolors and a dip pen.

    Expressive Character Design with Watercolor & Dip Pen

    Projects by course students

    Who is this online course for?

    This course is for anyone interested in exploring children’s illustration, from beginners to intermediate creatives.

    Requirements and materials

    Basic experience of drawing is helpful, but not mandatory.

    To take this course, you need:

    ⦁pencils

    ⦁an eraser

    ⦁watercolors and sepia ink

    ⦁brushes and a dip pen with nibs

    ⦁a hardboard panel

    ⦁brown paper tape

    ⦁a cutter blade

    ⦁Optional: Photoshop, a lightbox and a graphic tablet

    Expressive Character Design with Watercolor & Dip Pen

    Reviews

    7,003
    Students
    173
    Reviews
    97%
    Positive ratings
    • gwenkontae
      6 months ago

      Totally helpfully with many special tricks!

    • dasarchana65
      7 months ago

      Helpful and interesting content to learn!!

    • rcarrion_ba
      7 months ago

      Me gusto mucho! muy entretenido y didáctico.

    • makifmatematik_1
      PLUS
      9 months ago

      I enjoy this course

    • astro_2
      1 year ago

      Dieser Kurs hat wirklich Spaß gemacht! Sehr klar und übersichtlich wurden Schritt für Schritt beschrieben und gezeigt. Ich empfehle diesen Kurs voll weiter.

    More reviews
    Agnès Ernoult

    Agnès Ernoult

    Teacher
    Plus

    Children's Book Illustrator

    Joined December 2021

    Agnès is a children’s book illustrator based in France. She has been published in Australia, France, China, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Agnès enjoys creating whimsical characters using her nib and watercolor palette, and believes that every tale she illustrates is like a journey into a new world, filled with deeper messages for children and parents to discover together.

    Her career as an illustrator has also taken her into the world of advertising and communication. She’s collaborated with clients like Andros, Raynaud-Ercuis, DSM, Dansez dancewear, Hinkler Books, Cricket Media, Magnard Jeunesse, and the Jacquemart-André museum in Paris.

    Content

    • U1

      Introduction

      • About Me
      • Influences
    • U2

      Materials and Fundamental Techniques

      • Materials and Tools
      • The Wonder of Watercolours 1
      • The Wonder of Watercolours 2
      • The Joys of the Dip Pen
      • Believability through Anatomy
    • U3

      Creating the Character and Telling a Story

      • The Character
      • The Sketches
      • Preparing to Paint
      • Adding Colour
    • U4

      The Final Details

      • Sharing the Picture with the World
      • Personalising the Picture
    • FP

      Final project

      • Expressive Character Design with Watercolor & Dip Pen

    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

      PLUS

      If 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

    Yes, this course is designed for beginners and covers foundational skills in watercolor, character design, and children's illustration.

    You’ll need watercolor pans, gouache, brushes, watercolor paper, a dip pen, ink, a sketchbook, erasers, and a lightbox or grid for transferring sketches.

    You’ll learn character design, watercolor and ink techniques, portfolio creation, and how to prepare your work for children’s books and products.

    Yes, the course teaches you how to build and refine a professional portfolio tailored for children’s illustration and related fields.

    The course provides guidance on the publishing process for children's books and strategies for seeking illustration agency representation.

    You’ll learn best practices for photographing, editing, and sharing your artwork on social media to grow your audience and network.

    Yes, you’ll discover methods for lifting watercolor errors and erasing ink stains using specialized brushes and erasers.

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