Fantasy Drawings in Graphite and Watercolor: A Field Guide
A course by Iris CompietIllustrator
A course by Iris Compiet, Illustrator
Learn how to sketch fantasy drawings with graphite pencils and watercolors. Tell a story through your fantastical creatures.
Discover the enchanting realm of fantasy illustration with the guidance of Iris, an artist renowned for her award-winning creations.
In this course, you will embark on a journey to bring your imaginative characters to life using the magical combination of pencils and watercolors. Iris's passion for telling stories through art will inspire you to look at the world around you with new wonder and excitement.
Iris's expertise in fantasy illustration is demonstrated through her collaborations with prominent clients like Wizards of the Coast and her concept art contributions to Netflix. With her published book "Faeries of Faultlines," she invites you into her studio filled with treasures and oddities that ignite her creativity.
On this creative expedition, Iris will reveal her artistic process and show you how to create captivating fantasy creatures using traditional tools: graphite, colored pencils, and watercolors. You will also learn to integrate your creatures digitally through InDesign, among other tips that you will discover throughout the course.
What will you learn in this online course?
12 lessons & 28 downloads
A Bestiary or Field Journal
10 minutes, 28 seconds
Materials
1 minute, 58 seconds
About Creatures
4 minutes, 41 seconds
Fleshing Out Some Ideas
10 minutes, 34 seconds
Adding Another Dimension: Sketching with Watercolors
17 minutes, 55 seconds
Bringing Everything Together
4 minutes, 1 second
What's included in this course?
To start this artistic journey, Iris will introduce you to the concept of a "bestiary" or a field guide of fantastical creatures. You'll dive into the essentials required for the course and explore the fascinating world of creating fantasy illustrations.
Through Iris's guidance, you'll embark on the journey of crafting a unique creature illustration. You'll explore the stages of choosing a creature, developing its story, and gathering references to inspire your creation. As you progress, you'll sketch and flesh out your creature from various angles, using watercolors to add depth and dimension to your artwork.
The course will culminate with Iris guiding you through the digital integration of your masterpiece using Adobe InDesign. You'll also receive insights on perfecting your art, overcoming creative blocks, and expanding your artistic horizons.
What is this course's project?
Your final project for this course will be to develop the beginnings of your very own bestiary or "field guide." Guided by Iris's teachings, you'll create a captivating illustration of a fantasy creature. This project will showcase your newfound skills and your ability to transform your imaginative visions into reality.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course welcomes anyone who possesses a passion for storytelling through illustration. Whether you're an aspiring artist or an experienced creative, Iris's comprehensive guidance will equip you with the tools and techniques to turn your inspirations into captivating artworks. No matter your background, if you're fascinated by fantasy and driven to communicate stories through art, this course is tailor-made for you.
Requirements and materials
To embark on this enchanting artistic journey, you only need a genuine interest in fantasy illustration and storytelling. Whether you're a novice or an experienced artist, Iris's step-by-step guidance will empower you to bring your imaginative characters to life using traditional tools and techniques.
Reviews
- 1 month ago
A really exciting realm for me and one I have loved all my life but never attempted. What a lovely motivating and encouraging instructor. I always go back and forth with lessons because that is the way I learn which is idiosyncratic due to the childhood of always wanting to go off and explore and I frequently did, not much has changed. Thank you for giving me this opportunity, I am so grateful.
- 2 months ago
Excellent course. Love Iris Compiet's work and she was so lovely and down to earth. Very generous in her teachings and I particularly enjoyed her tips for overcoming art block and imposter syndrome. Her honesty about comparison - looking at where others and your peers are at, felt particularly grounded and relevant. Highly recommend this course. One of the best I've done on Domestika. Sketching is something I've always struggled with and this has given me some much needed encouragement.
- 2 months ago
This course is wonderful and was explained very well. Learned great tips and was filled with inspiration for what I can make. Thank you
- 2 months ago
Me gusta el curso, bien explicado, te permite hacer tus creaciones de cero, buenos consejos y tips que ayudan a que tu trabajo sea mas prolijo
- 3 months ago
Iris Compiet's course is one of the most inspirational and well put together courses I've taken. It shows how to use your imagination in creating your own creatures, their characteristics, and habitats. Thank you Iris for sharing your magical talent with us.
Inspired by fairy tales, folklore and the world around her, Iris's creative process is a testament to the magic of traditional artistic techniques. Her captivating fantasy creatures come to life thanks to her masterful use of pencils and watercolors.
Iris shares her wealth of experience and knowledge by guiding you on an immersive journey into the art of fantasy illustration. Embark on this creative adventure with Iris and learn to give voice to your imaginative characters through the timeless magic of traditional art.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- About Me
- Influences and Inspiration
- U2
Exploration and Discovery
- A Bestiary or Field Journal
- Materials
- About Creatures
- Developing a Story around the Creature
- Finding References and Inspiration for Your Creature
- U3
Observing and Documenting: Let’s Create a Field Journal Entry!
- Let's Explore! It's Time to Sketch
- Fleshing Out Some Ideas
- Adding Another Dimension: Sketching with Watercolors
- U4
Designing the Layout of the Journal's Spread and Overcoming Creative Blocks by Sketching
- Bringing Everything Together
- Perfection, Art Blocks, Fear of Failure? Just Keep Sketching!
- FP
Final project
- Fantasy Drawings in Graphite and Watercolor: A Field Guide
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
Yes, this course is designed for beginners and guides you step-by-step through sketching, watercolor, character development, and book illustration techniques for creating your own bestiary.
You’ll need graphite pencils, colored pencils, watercolors, mixed media paper, kneaded erasers, gouache, a mixing tray, mechanical pencils, spray bottle, and access to a scanner and basic digital tools like InDesign.
You’ll learn to sketch and paint fantasy creatures, combine graphite and watercolor techniques, develop character backstories, layout field guide pages, and create detailed bestiary entries using both traditional and digital methods.
The course teaches you to illustrate and describe original creatures, organize entries, and design professional layouts for a complete bestiary or field guide using both hand-drawn and digital tools.
Yes, you’ll use traditional materials like graphite and watercolor for artwork, then scan and lay out your illustrations digitally with programs like InDesign for a polished final presentation.
You’ll practice brainstorming, word association, reference gathering, and iterative sketching techniques to design original creatures, develop their backstories, and adapt them to imaginative environments.
Absolutely. The course encourages daily sketch practice, provides methods for overcoming art block, and shows how keeping a sketchbook can fuel creativity and artistic growth.