Painting Nature Portraits with Mixed Illustration Techniques
A course by Alexandra Finkeldey , Illustrator
Improve your drawing skills by capturing the beauty of animals and real places in your nature portraits
Immerse yourself in the enchanting world of traditional and digital illustration techniques as you embark on an exploration of the natural world through art. Introducing your guide on this journey, Alexandra Finkeldey, an accomplished illustrator with a profound love for painting nature. Known fondly by her Instagram handle, "Scatterbee," Alexandra has delivered a wide range of commercial, editorial, and personal illustrations for esteemed clients like The Quarto Group, Cottage Life Magazine, and MooShu Ice cream. Her eclectic use of both digital and traditional media creates rich, textured compositions that echo the intricate beauty of nature and evoke feelings of comfort, wonder, and nostalgia.
This online course offers an immersive foray into the world of nature portraits, where students will learn to blend traditional and digital illustration techniques to create vibrant, textured landscapes and characters. As the final project, students will paint a captivating landscape complemented by a whimsical, color-filled animal portrait, bringing to life the charm of the natural world.
What will you learn in this online course?
14 lessons & 23 downloads
- 100% positive reviews (18)
- 702 students
- 14 lessons (2h 43m)
- 23 additional resources (6 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English, Spanish, French, Indonesian, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Turkish
- English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish · Indonesian · Romanian
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
Paint a vibrant landscape and a whimsical animal filled with color and detail.
Who is this online course for?
This course for anyone who wants to boost their illustration techniques.
Requirements and materials
Students should have basic drawing skills and access to materials such as pencils, pens, ink, thick paper, brushes, and paint.
Reviews
Alexandra Finkeldey
A course by Alexandra Finkeldey
Alexandra Finkeldey is a Canadian illustrator based in Ottawa, Canada. Known for her keen eye for detail, she finds joy in capturing the small, cozy moments of daily life through her illustrations. Her preferred subjects encompass a diverse range, including animals, plants, landscapes, people, and food. Alexandra has a particular affinity for warm color palettes, which she skillfully employs to bring her artwork to life.
Combining both traditional and digital techniques, she creates captivating illustrations that are characterized by their rich textures. Alexandra draws inspiration from a variety of sources, including old children's illustrations, animals, her frequent walks in nature, video games, fashion, vintage packaging, and animation.
Aside from her artistic pursuits, Alexandra is also an avid reader of non-fiction books, with a particular interest in ecology and our connection to the natural world. Her passion for learning about the environment further fuels her creativity and lends depth to her illustrations. With her unique artistic vision and dedication to her craft, Alexandra Finkeldey continues to captivate viewers with her delightful illustrations that celebrate the beauty of everyday life.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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About Me
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Influences
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U2
Materials, Techniques, and Explorations
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The Materials
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Warm-up Exercises with Dry Media
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Ink and Gouache
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U3
Preparing the Illustration
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Gathering References
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Choosing the Landscape Reference
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Choosing the Animal Subject
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Composition
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Creating the Final Sketch
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U4
Bringing It All Together
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Background Illustration
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Adding the Animals
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Basic Edits on Procreate and Photoshop
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Preparing the Final Artwork
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FP
Final project
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Painting Nature Portraits with Mixed Illustration Techniques
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What to expect from a Domestika course
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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.
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Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
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Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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 beginner-friendly and covers foundational skills in drawing, painting, and building an illustration career from scratch.
You’ll need basic art supplies such as gouache, acrylic ink, Posca markers, mixed media paper, fineliner and liner brushes, colored pencils, and a mechanical pencil. A smartphone or tablet for gathering references is also recommended.
You’ll learn illustration techniques, character and environmental design, mixed media methods, using references, and building an art career through online shops, commissions, and social media.
Yes, the course includes practical steps for opening an Etsy shop, running an online art store, and strategies for selling art both online and at markets.
The course explains how to grow your Instagram presence, engage with followers, and attract commissions and freelance opportunities through consistent content sharing and networking.
Yes, you’ll explore children’s book illustration techniques and analyze visual storytelling styles, including those inspired by Studio Ghibli.
You’ll practice drawing animals from references, gesture sketching, environmental design, and layering paint to create textured, vibrant nature and animal illustrations.
This course was so inspiring! I love her style, and also the way she explains her work. In this course I discovered some new materials, new techniques and got very much inspired. One of my favorite courses on this platform!
I love Alexandra's work, and it's such a treat to see how process! Highly recommend!
This amazing artist really inspires you to practice and explore. I'm excited to learn more!
Me encantó!Muy inspirador
Me encanta cómo explica cada pequeño detalle, muy ameno.