By Hand and On The Cover

A course by Sergio Jiménez , Illustrator and Letter Artist

Illustrator and Letter Artist. Madrid, Spain.
Joined October 2005
92% positive reviews (61)
1,371 students
Audio: Spanish
Spanish · English · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish

Design with handwritten letters

In this online course, Sergio Jiménez (Subcoolture) teaches you how to illustrate the cover of a book from our own hand-drawn letters. Work from references from the world of illustration and letters in the less literary and more typographic sense, then experiment with different materials and drawing tools. In addition, see different techniques and tricks when transferring that drawing to a digital environment.

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What will you learn in this online course?

10 lessons & 19 downloads

Materials
24 minutes, 9 seconds
Fundamentals of the letters
25 minutes, 49 seconds
Sketches
5 minutes, 35 seconds
Go to ink
7 minutes, 14 seconds
Scanning
5 minutes, 43 seconds
  • 92% positive reviews (61)
  • 1,371 students
  • 10 lessons (2h 28m)
  • 19 additional resources (16 files)
  • Online and at your own pace
  • Available on the app
  • Audio: Spanish
  • Spanish · English · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish
  • Level: Beginner
  • Unlimited access forever

Who is this online course for?

For students, illustrators, and graphic designers who want to start drawing letters. Or, simply, to anyone who wants to experiment with illustration and letters.

Requirements and materials

Basic knowledge of drawing is required.

As for materials, you need a pencil, India ink, tube watercolor, eraser, round brushes, ink roller, watercolor paper, acetate, tracing paper, Photoshop, Illustrator, and a scanner.


Reviews

1,371 Students
61 Reviews
  • More reviews

Sergio Jiménez

Sergio Jiménez
A course by Sergio Jiménez

Teacher Plus
Illustrator and Letter Artist

Sergio Jiménez is a freelance illustrator specializing in illustration and lettering. In his works, a manual approach to the drawing of letters and an experimental use of typography feature heavily. He currently lives in Madrid from where he has worked inside and outside the country for clients such as Computer Arts, Random House Mondadori, Etapes, Rolling Stone, Público, El País, Yorokobu, Uno Skateboard, and el Periódico de Catalunya.

He has collaborated with prominent advertising agencies such as Attik London, Coca Cola, Sra Rushmore, Vodafone, Avalancha, and Vallnord Freestyle. In 2010 he was selected as an emerging designer at the IV International Typography Congress in Valencia, and for a few years he has been giving lectures and workshops at different schools and universities.


Content

  • U1

    Documentation and choice of your cover

    • Introduction
    • Influences
  • U2

    Materials, foundations and sketches

    • materials
    • Fundamentals of the letters
    • Sketches
  • U3

    Go to ink and scan

    • Go to ink
    • Scanning
  • U4

    We become digital

    • Selection, color and use of textures
    • Composition
    • We finish the details and present the cover in a "Mockup"
  • FP

    Final project

    • By hand and on the cover

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

You’ll learn how to hand-draw letters, blend illustration with typography, create both manual and digital textures, experiment with traditional and digital materials, and design editorial covers and illustrations with fresh, creative approaches.

The course is aimed at people with intermediate drawing or design skills but doesn’t require advanced experience in typography or professional illustration.

You’ll need a mechanical pencil, tracing paper, India ink, fine-liner pens, watercolors, a rubber roller, brushes, kneaded eraser, plus access to a scanner and editing software like Photoshop or Illustrator.

Techniques covered include hand lettering, woodcut printing, watercolor, inking, cover composition, engraving, texture creation with rollers, and blending manual and digital methods.

Yes, the course teaches how to scan your work, edit in Photoshop, use smart objects, apply textures, and prepare files for professional printing and presentation.

You’ll create letter sketches, book or magazine covers, original typographic compositions, and editorial mockups, combining traditional and digital techniques.

The course draws on visual references from comics and skateboarding graphics to encourage free, experimental, and expressive lettering styles.

Information about the course and certificate

By Hand and On The Cover. Calligraphy, and Typography course by Sergio Jiménez

By Hand and On The Cover

A course by Sergio Jiménez
Illustrator and Letter Artist. Madrid, Spain.
Joined October 2005
  • 92% positive reviews (61)
  • 1,371 students