Urban Illustration with Procreate
A course by Vincent MahéIllustrator
A course by Vincent Mahé, Illustrator
Learn to observe a city and turn your sketches into narrative drawings by discovering all the secrets of a professional illustrator
Inspiration is all around us. Paris and its crowded boulevards, the hidden corner of a street, a quiet park in the middle of the day...it's just a matter of looking. Illustrator Vincent Mahé is passionate about cities, their stories, and their architecture. He attaches great importance to the process of observation, and his sketchbook is the place where he cultivates his creativity day after day.
In this online course, immerse yourself in Vincent's creative process, from the first sketch to drawing in Procreate. For the final project, create a full-color illustration that captures the richness of an urban scene, highlighting its people and their stories. Get ready to discover the secrets of an artist who has worked for big names like The New York Times.
What will you learn in this online course?
19 lessons & 16 downloads
The sketchbook: wandering around the city
19 minutes, 51 seconds
Composition theory
9 minutes, 37 seconds
Thumbnails: find the composition
9 minutes, 9 seconds
The final sketch
15 minutes, 46 seconds
Characters
14 minutes, 5 seconds
Preparation and adjustments
11 minutes, 0 seconds
What's included in this course?
Begin the course by getting to know Vincent Mahé and discover his path through illustration, which has led him to work for Télérama, The New York Times, and The New Yorker.
Get straight into the preparation of your design. For Vincent, this always starts with a walk through the city and sketching in a notebook. With the help of composition concepts, explore your ideas through a series of thumbnails and develop your final sketch by focusing on the characters.
Then import your creation to refine it in Procreate. Start by learning about clear linework before inking the various elements of your illustration, such as characters, background, and secondary components.
Discover color theory and Vincent's approach to it. Now add some color to your drawing!
To wrap things up, get some great advice on the use of social media and some tips to make your drawings pop by playing with brushes and effects.
Recommended software & tools for this course
What is this course's project?
Create a poster-like illustration of a vibrant urban scene.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Whether you are studying fine art, illustration is your profession, or you just like to draw in your spare time, this course is for you.
Requirements and materials
To follow the course, you need some time and basic observational drawing skills.
For materials, bring a Moleskine-type sketchbook (A5 or A4 size), a fountain pen (or black ink), a mechanical pencil, and colored pencils. You also need an iPad with Procreate.
Reviews
- 5 months ago
This course is a very good introduction to urban sketching, from sketch to illustration in Procreate. It is inspiring, easy to follow, and useful for both beginners and more experienced artists who want to improve their work.
- 5 months ago
Cours très intéressant et inspirant ! Les explications sont progressives et permettent de suivre avec aisance l'ensemble du processus créatif, de la phase d'inspiration/observation jusqu'à la sensibilité des détails. Vincent nous transmet son regard passionné qui donne envie d'aller explorer la ville !
- 9 months ago
Un excellent cours d'illustration ! Je le recommande vivement !
- 10 months ago
looks interesting and the teacher is really passionate about everything he shows
- 11 months ago
Superb…it’s a in depth course .. really worth recommending it
Since then, he has collaborated with Télérama, The New Yorker, and The New York Times, public institutions such as the Lyon Auditorium and the Grand Paris, as well as big brands like Kenzo, Apple, Google, and even Facebook.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Presentation
- My sources of inspiration
- U2
Preparation
- The sketchbook: wandering around the city
- Composition theory
- Thumbnails: find the composition
- The final sketch
- Characters
- U3
Inking on Procreate
- Preparation and adjustments
- The subject in Scene 1
- The subject in scene 2
- Secondary elements 1
- Secondary elements 2
- U4
Colorization and finishes
- The color palette
- Coloring 1
- Coloring 2
- Finishes and effects 1
- Finishes and effects 2
- U5
Latest tips
- Share your work on social networks
- The evolution of the project
- FP
Final project
- Urban Illustration with Procreate
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
This course is mainly aimed at intermediate level: it's best if you already have some drawing basics, but it's still accessible to motivated learners wanting to deepen their urban and digital illustration skills.
You'll need a sketchbook, ink pens, pencils, an iPad with Procreate or similar, and possibly tools for engraving or watercolor depending on the modules covered.
You'll learn how to create expressive on-the-spot sketches, build urban scenes in layers, use digital tools like Procreate, play with color and light, and put together a cohesive illustrator portfolio.
Yes, the course walks you through every step from traditional sketch to digital illustration: scanning, adjusting, inking, coloring, and adding effects in Procreate.
You'll discover key composition rules: the rule of thirds, radial composition, layering, visual weight management, framing, symmetry, and directing the viewer's gaze.
No, the course includes detailed tutorials for beginners on Procreate, from file creation to inking, coloring, and layer management.
Yes, you'll learn how to organize, showcase, and promote your work to build an attractive, coherent portfolio, especially on social media.