Draw Wildlife with Pen and Ink: Illustrate Realistic Animals Step by Step

A course by Alberto Russo , Painter and illustrator

Painter and illustrator. Lausanne, Switzerland.
Joined November 2020
22 students
Audio: English, Spanish
English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch

Learn how to draw animals using pen and ink and create outstanding illustrations.

Unleash your creativity and enhance your drawing skills by delving into the fascinating world of animal illustration. This course guides you through the essentials of sketching from references, emphasizing the importance of composition and negative space. Explore the intricate techniques of hatching and crosshatching to bring your artistic vision to life. Whether you're using a pencil, pen, or brush, learn to capture the essence of your subjects with precision and flair.

Transform your understanding of proportions and develop a keen eye for detail as you progress. From scaling your initial sketches to finalizing a digital masterpiece, every step in your artistic journey is meticulously crafted. Discover the joy of drawing through a daily practice that not only hones your skills but also fuels your passion. With the right tools and guidance, see how easy it is to express your unique perspective, capturing the soul of the animal kingdom with every stroke.

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What will you learn in this online course?

12 lessons & 16 downloads

  • 22 students
  • 12 lessons (1h 15m)
  • 16 additional resources (5 files)
  • Online and at your own pace
  • Available on the app
  • Audio: English, Spanish
  • English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch
  • Level: Beginner
  • Unlimited access forever

What is this course's project?

Create a captivating pen and ink illustration by combining three distinct views of a tiger. Master the art of using positive and negative space, employ hatching techniques to bring depth and emotion, and enhance your drawing skills without any prior experience required.

Who is this online course for?

Aspiring artists, beginners in illustration, and enthusiasts of animal drawing will benefit from learning pen and ink techniques. Individuals interested in exploring composition, stylization, and sketching from references will find valuable insights to enhance their artistic skills.

Requirements and materials

Grab a pencil, eraser, paper, Indian ink, brush, and nib pen. No extensive prior knowledge needed, just a passion for drawing and creativity. These essentials will help you dive into sketching, composition, and rendering techniques with ease.


Alberto Russo

Alberto Russo
A course by Alberto Russo

Teacher Plus
Painter and illustrator

Alberto “Sting” Russo is an accomplished Italian graphic designer, painter, and illustrator based near Lausanne, Switzerland. He founded his design studio, Area Design, in 2000, specializing in illustrations and typographic treatments. Since 2015, Alberto has focused primarily on drawing and painting, driven by a passion for studying and exploring diverse artistic styles. Inspired by early 1900s pen and ink illustrators and etching techniques, he began mastering these mediums in 2020. His career boasts collaborations with notable brands such as Nike and Absolut Vodka, along with the creation of the digital painting project "300 Heroes Faces." Alberto’s work as a Sakura ambassador highlights his dedication to the craft.

A former graffiti artist and a graphic design graduate, Alberto seamlessly blends traditional and digital techniques. His creative process is a daily routine involving sketching, reading, and analyzing the works of other artists. He is passionate about the arts of drawing and painting, constantly seeking to understand how different mediums can express his vision. Alberto’s dedication to composition and his ability to convey a unique aesthetic perspective aim to awaken viewers to the world around them. His commitment to sharing his knowledge reflects a lifelong passion for drawing as an essential and fulfilling pursuit.


Content

  • U1

    Introduction

    • About Me
    • Influences
  • U2

    Basics of Ink Drawing

    • Materials
    • Practice: Sketching from References
    • Concept: Composition & Negative Space
    • Rendering Volumes: Cross-Hatching and Hatching Techniques
  • U3

    Drawing our piece - Production

    • Scaling the Thumbnail into the Final Composition
    • Rendering Shape 1: The Big Elephant
    • Rendering Shape 2: The Middle Elephant
    • Rendering Shape 3: The Small Elephants and the Black Rectangle
  • U4

    Polishing the piece

    • Digitizing the Piece
    • Do not stop drawing - how to keep the juice going
  • FP

    Final project

    • Draw Wildlife with Pen and Ink: Illustrate Realistic Animals Step by Step

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

Domestika's courses are online classes that provide you with the tools and skills you need to complete a specific project. Every step of the project combines video lessons with complementary instructional material, so you can learn by doing. Domestika's courses also allow you to share your own projects with the teacher and with other students, creating a dynamic course community.

All courses are 100% online, so once they're published, courses start and finish whenever you want. You set the pace of the class. You can go back to review what interests you most and skip what you already know, ask questions, answer questions, share your projects, and more.

The courses are divided into different units. Each one includes lessons, informational text, tasks, and practice exercises to help you carry out your project step by step, with additional complementary resources and downloads. You'll also have access to an exclusive forum where you can interact with the teacher and with other students, as well as share your work and your course project, creating a community around the course.

You can redeem the course you received by accessing the redeeming page and entering your gift code.

If you're a Plus member, when you complete a course you've purchased, you'll instantly get your personalized certificate. You can see all your certificates in the Certificates section of your profile. You can download your certificates as PDFs and share the link online. Learn more about certificates.
 Draw Wildlife with Pen and Ink: Illustrate Realistic Animals Step by Step. Illustration course by Alberto Russo

Draw Wildlife with Pen and Ink: Illustrate Realistic Animals Step by Step

A course by Alberto Russo
Painter and illustrator. Lausanne, Switzerland.
Joined November 2020
  • 22 students