Intro to Anatomy Drawing with Graphite Pencil
A course by Ella Nitters, Medical and Scientific Illustrator
Learn to depict the intricate details of human and animal anatomy using graphite pencils, from sketching and linework to texture, contrast, and volume
Anatomical illustration is an opportunity to draw the delicate intricacies of human and animal life. For medical and scientific illustrator Ella Nitters, winner of the World Illustration Award for Microsurgery of a Rat, recreating realistic corpses is all about celebrating the beauty of life.
In this online course, explore the fundamentals of anatomical illustration with graphite pencils, and develop your skills for creating hyperrealistic drawings. Learn about humans and animals through a scientific and artistic lens by capturing what you see on paper.
What will you learn in this online course?
16 lessons & 27 downloads
- 96% positive reviews (74)
- 5,474 students
- 16 lessons (2h 59m)
- 27 additional resources (10 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English, German, Spanish (Latam), French, Indonesian, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Turkish
- English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish · Romanian · Indonesian
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
Recommended software & tools for this course
Adobe PhotoshopWhat is this course's project?
Create an elaborate depiction of a human or animal bone, focusing on texture.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Any beginners wanting to get into anatomical drawing, as well as beginners and slightly more advanced students interested in scientific illustration.
Requirements and materials
No previous knowledge is needed for the course, except in the optional digital lesson, where some experience with scanning and Adobe Photoshop would be useful.
For materials, all you need is graphite pencils, carbon dust, and some paper.
Reviews
Ella Nitters
A course by Ella Nitters
Ella Nitters is a medical and scientific illustrator from Rotterdam, Netherlands. As a child, she was phobic of human anatomy, especially skeletons, but, influenced by her grandfather, was always interested in drawing. Her degree in industrial design engineering from Delft University of Technology helped her consolidate a combination of analytical thinking and creativity. After deciding to pursue illustration, anatomy slowly became an important part of her work, and she discovered that fear and fascination often go hand in hand.
The aim of her art is clarity, and her process consists of getting lost in the scientific details of organic structures. She works for a variety of clients on projects relating to surgical procedures, patient information, medical innovations, and scientific articles. In 2018, she won a World Illustration Award for her representation of the microsurgery done on a rat.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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About Me
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Influences
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U2
Basic Drawing Techniques
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The Materials
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Sketching Lines and Shapes
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Drawing Volumetric Shapes 1
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Drawing Volumetric Shapes 2
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Rendering with Graphite Pencil
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Rendering Volumetric Shapes
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U3
Elaborate Pencil Drawing
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Reference and Research
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The Line Drawing
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The Rendering 1
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The Rendering 2
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The Rendering 3
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U4
Additional Options: Color and Carbon Dust
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Scanning and Coloring the Graphite Drawing 1
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Scanning and Coloring the Graphite Drawing 2
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Introduction to Carbon Dust
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FP
Final project
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Intro to Anatomy Drawing with Graphite Pencil
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What to expect from a Domestika course
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Learn at your own pace
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FAQs
Yes, this course is designed for beginners and covers foundational skills in graphite pencil drawing, perspective, shading, and both traditional and digital anatomy illustration techniques.
You’ll need graphite pencils, eraser pencils, sketching paper, vinyl or masking paper, a caliper for measurements, and access to a scanner and Photoshop for digital coloring.
You’ll learn how to research anatomical subjects, create realistic graphite renderings, use carbon dust and layered shading, transfer sketches, and digitally enhance your illustrations with Photoshop.
No prior experience is required. The course starts with basic drawing skills and gradually introduces more advanced anatomical and illustration techniques.
You’ll learn step-by-step how to observe, sketch, layer tones, use shading techniques, and refine details to create lifelike anatomical drawings of bones and skulls.
Yes, the course covers scanning your graphite drawings and using Photoshop to color and enhance them while maintaining anatomical accuracy and detail.
The carbon dust technique involves using powdered carbon and brushes to create smooth gradients and detailed shading, adding depth and realism to scientific illustrations.
Adobe Photoshop
C'est un cours très complet et le contenu que l'on peut télécharger aussi.
bastante didáctico!
Amazing course! Very detailed, I was able to finally get the anatomy right on my works
Cours magnifique avec une professeur si passionnée...des détails précis, la possibilité de tant de nuances et d'ombres avec le graphite...une pépite de poésie au coeur d'un cours d'anatomie!!
this course is detailed and practical for any level of artists, especially for beginners.