Kawaii Illustration: Create Charming Characters

Begin by getting to know Ilaria, your teacher for this course. She talks through her journey to becoming an illustrator as well as the influences which have inspired her style.

Explore what kawaii is, its history, and how the culture is linked to illustration. Then, delve into how to develop your own unique style by creating mood boards and taking part in drawing challenges. Discover the tools and materials needed for this course and see which ones Ilaria uses on a daily basis as part of her illustration process. Then, learn the basics of kawaii illustration, from facial expressions to body proportions, and practice your drawing with these elements in mind.

Time to create your kawaii character. Develop your character by creating its backstory and building a board on Pinterest. Then sketch it according to the personality you’ve created. Learn how to digitize your sketches with Procreate before experimenting with color palettes, outlines, and more. Finalize and arrange your digitized sketches on your sticker sheet using Photoshop.

Learn to print and cut your stickers with the cutting machine. To finish the course, Ilaria shares her advice on starting a kawaii sticker business, from sharing your work on social media, to creating packaging that is appealing to customers.