Composition and Color for Creative Illustration

The course starts with Marcos talking a bit about himself, how he got started as an illustrator, where he draws inspiration from, and what you’ll be learning in this course. He will also go through the materials you'll need for the course.

Everything needs a strong foundation, so the next unit is devoted to that. Art and design theory can be loaded with so much information; however, knowing the basics will provide the foundation you need to build your illustration. Marcos covers the basics of composition and color, as well as the combination of both.

Like people, animals, and things, an illustration has an interior and an exterior. The outside is what the viewer sees, whereas the inside is the concept, idea, message or story. You will start by focusing on the inside of your illustration, reading the text, brainstorming ideas, and looking at references for support.

After this, you'll draw and add color to your illustration, using the medium of your choice. Marcos will share his digital illustration process with you.

Once you finalize your drawing, you'll add your own touch of personality to it. In this step, Marcos uses a combination of manual techniques to add textures and marks using paint, charcoal, and pencils, which he then digitizes again to manipulate on his computer and give the final touches to his illustration. He'll give you some final tips to make this process a straightforward one.