New skills, projects, ideas and fun facts about the world of illustration
Impressionism transformed art in the 19th century: rapid brushstrokes, vibrant light and a new way of looking at the world. What happens when a group of artists decide to challenge the established norms? In the mid-19th century, while the academies were dictating what should be considered art, a movement began to take shape in Paris with a simple but powerful idea: paint what you see, the instant you see it.
Capturing the quiet, radical beauty of love through color, tenderness, and authenticity. For Bulgarian artist [url=https://www.domestika.org/en/evstatieva_monika Id_user: 6474802]Monika Evstatieva, her third-place entry in the Design with Pride contest was more than a visual statement—it was a heartfelt tribute to the everyday courage of living authentically. Her piece, Pride Month, portrays two people simply existing together in love, without performance or pretense, bathed in the optimism of a bright yellow background. “I wanted to capture the tenderness of love as something beautifully ordinary yet profoundly powerful,” Monika shares. The work was deeply inspired by her best friend, whose openness and vulnerability reshaped her understanding of love and freedom. “This artwork became a quiet tribute to him, and to everyone who has ever fought for the simple right to love and be loved.” Blending traditional materials like watercolor pencils with the flexibility of digital tools in Procreate, Monika’s process is intuitive and playful, guided by mood boards, sketches, and even poetic phrases. Her goal is never perfection, but presence—a visual language that speaks honestly to the soul. Read the full interview with Monika Evstatieva here to discover how she keeps her work authentic, overcomes creative self-doubt, and finds inspiration in the unfiltered creativity of children. 1. Can you tell us what inspired you to create the winning project? What story or emotion did you want to convey? My inspiration came from a deep desire to celebrate love as something beautifully ordinary yet profoundly powerful. Pride Month isn’t just about bold statements - it’s also about quiet truths, about being seen without pretense. I wanted to capture the tenderness of two people simply existing together in love, free from performance, free to follow their happiness. To me, that quiet authenticity is a radical act in itself. The yellow background reflects optimism and the joy of living truthfully, a reminder that love, in its gentlest form, is a source of strength and resistance and everyone has the right to be happy and free to be. While creating this piece, I often thought of one of the people dearest to me - my best male friend, who is gay. His openness, his vulnerability, and the way he chooses to live authentically have touched me deeply. He showed me a new way of seeing love and freedom - through eyes that have longed for acceptance and found it within. This artwork became a quiet tribute to him, and to everyone who has ever fought for the simple right to love and be loved. 2. What is your process for developing original ideas from scratch? My process begins with the intention to play and have fun, it may sound childish, but this is what works for me, it liberates me and ignites my mojo flow. I am more of a spontaneous and intuitive person and I allow what needs to come through me to come without really thinking what I am doing. 3. Do you start with a sketch, an inspiration board, or something else? I have the problem that my mind lights up like a Christmas tree with all sort of ideas almost simultaneously. Associations, colors, forms, textures, words, music lyrics my brain becomes a crazy vibrant amusement park. It can be quite overwhelming, so what I do in order to ground myself is - I pour myself a cup of tea (+ something sweet) and I put everything in an inspiration board, combined with quick, loose sketches. The board helps me create a mood - colors, shapes, visual metaphors - while sketching keeps my ideas flowing without judgment. Sometimes I even write short poetic lines or phrases that set the tone for the piece before I touch the canvas. 4. How would you define your style, and how has it evolved? My style is rough, intuitive, playful and spontaneous. It blends softness and boldness - simple forms with layers of meaning. Over time, I’ve moved away from trying to “impress” with complexity, and instead, I focus on creating honest visuals that speak to the soul. My style is now less about perfection and more about presence and feeling.
Learn how paper moisture, brush type, and painting techniques can transform your watercolor skies. Painting clouds with watercolor is one of the most versatile and rewarding skills for artists of all levels. There are thousands of ways to approach this technique, but understanding how watercolor behaves on different paper surfaces will instantly improve your results. In this tutorial, watercolor artist Katanak shares a simple yet powerful method to master cloud painting techniques by comparing three surfaces: wet paper, semi-wet paper, and dry paper.
We celebrate International Cat Day (August 8) with a tour of the most iconic works of art in which felines are the protagonists.. August 8International Cat Day is celebrated on August 8, established in 2002 by the International Fund for Animal Welfare to promote their care. In honor of these creatures, we explore their iconic depictions in art, from the divine to the domestic, inspiring artists of all ages.
Discover how to develop your own style in illustration with these 5 exercises and practical tips for beginners and advanced illustrators. Finding your own illustration style is a common challenge. It requires exploration, practice and reflection. Here are five key steps to start or continue on this path with purpose.
Discover how abstract shapes and visual hierarchy help reveal the deeper meaning in a painting—featuring a breakdown of Renee McGrit’s surreal composition. Understanding composition in art is key to unlocking how visual storytelling works. In this breakdown, artist and educator Tanya Konova takes us inside one of her favorite artworks by Renee McGrit, guiding us through the creation of a compositional summary that reveals the painting’s deeper meaning.
Did you know that you can convey emotions with just a few strokes?. Step 1: Draw a base face. Start with a simple face shape: it can be a circle, an oval or a basic silhouette. You don't need to add details, the important thing is that you have a neutral template where you can try different expressions. Tip: leave enough space to place eyebrows, eyes and mouth. Step 2: Draw two straight eyebrows. Draw two horizontal lines on top of the face shape. These lines represent the eyebrows, and their position or inclination will begin to suggest emotions. You can try long, short, straight or angled strokes.
Start painting with simple, relaxing and colorful projects. Watercolor is one of the most versatile and accessible techniques to get you started in illustration. Here are 8 easy ideas to get you started in watercolor, lose your fear of the brush and discover everything you can express with this technique. 1. Simple flowers Draw basic flowers like daisies, tulips or lavender. They are perfect for practicing soft shapes, color mixtures and loose brushstrokes. They are also very decorative and always nice to paint. 2. Fruits and vegetables. Start with simple pieces such as lemons, strawberries or carrots. Their organic shapes and vivid colors will help you practice gradients, light and shadow. 3. Skies at sunset. Color transitions in the sky are ideal for learning to blur and control water. Add silhouettes of mountains or trees to create a simple but striking composition.
The impasto, a centuries-old technique to add texture and emotion to painting, did you know that it can be replicated in digital? We explain how to achieve it in traditional media and in your digital illustrations. What is impasto? The impasto is a painting technique that consists of applying the paint in a thick and visible way, generating volume and texture on the canvas. The stroke of the brush or palette knife is not concealed: it forms an active part of the work and adds dynamism. Painters such as Van Gogh or Rembrandt used this technique to intensify the light and emotion in their compositions. The paint stands out from the canvas, capturing the light in a different way and bringing a tactile sensation to the viewer. Learn more in this video about impasto with water-based oil paint.
International Tattoo Day is celebrated on July 17. A date that recognizes the cultural and artistic value of tattooing as a form of body expression. To pay tribute to this day, we compiled the 10 most influential tattoo artists worldwide, with diverse styles and outstanding careers.
Do you work with Photoshop on a daily basis and feel that you could optimize your time?. Photoshop is one of the most powerful tools for designers and illustrators, but it can also become a maze of layers, brushes and shortcuts if you don't know how to get the most out of it.
Illustrator Alberto Russo shares his top technique to boost creativity and track your artistic progress with a sketchbook. If you're looking to improve your drawing skills, there's one simple yet powerful habit every aspiring illustrator should adopt: filling a sketchbook. According to professional illustrator Alberto Russo, this daily practice is one of the most effective ways to develop your artistic abilities, experiment with new techniques, and visually track your creative evolution over time. In this tutorial, Alberto walks us through his step-by-step sketching process, using a lion portrait as a reference. He emphasizes the importance of analyzing proportions, focusing on the aspect ratio of width and height, and reproducing it carefully on paper.
Master the Process of Designing Pixel Art Avatars Using Photoshop If you've ever wanted to turn a photograph into pixel art, this step-by-step tutorial is the perfect place to start. Pixel art portraits are not only a fun creative exercise but also a great way to design unique avatars for social media, video games, or digital art projects. In this guide, Jude Buffum, an experienced pixel artist, walks you through the process of creating a perfectly symmetrical pixel art portrait using Photoshop. You’ll learn essential techniques for preparing your image, creating symmetrical designs, selecting color palettes, and using classic pixel drawing tools.
Improve the composition of your portraits with this free guide on the rule of thirds. Learn from Gabriela Niko, an expert in illustration. Want to improve the composition of your portraits? The rule of thirds is one of the most important principles in creating a balanced and attractive image. To help you master it, at Domestika we give you a free downloadable guide with the key concepts to take your drawings to the next level.
Free downloadable posters on color theory for beginners in drawing and painting, created for the course Painting and drawing for beginners: a basic guide by Daphne Frizzle (Miss Frizzle Art).
Meet Amy Sherald, the artist behind Michelle Obama's portrait, and discover how her work is transforming contemporary art. Amy Sherald is an influential figure in contemporary art for her unique style and dignified representation of the African American community. Her international fame grew after she officially portrayed Michelle Obama, but her career was already significant.
Master Color Theory with These Easy and Inspiring Tips from Illustrator Allison Cole If you've ever stared at your canvas wondering which colors to choose, you're not alone. For illustrators and surface designers, color palette decisions are key to making artwork pop and feel cohesive. In this tutorial, artist and surface designer Allison Cole shares 5 expert color palette tips rooted in color theory to help you level up your creative process. Whether you're designing a pattern, illustration, or digital artwork, these color palette techniques will help you work with confidence and create more vibrant, harmonious compositions.
Master the Art of Preparing Your Canvas for a Perfect Painting Foundation Toning your canvas before painting is an essential step that can dramatically impact the final result of your artwork. By applying a thin, even layer of color, you create a harmonious base that helps unify your composition and enhances the vibrancy of your paints. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to tone a canvas using burnt sienna and Gamsol, ensuring a smooth and balanced surface for your next masterpiece.
Starting illustration is exciting, but mistakes can slow progress. This article covers common beginner pitfalls and gives practical tips to avoid them. Frustration is completely normal when you're starting out. Many beginners look at professional illustrators on social media and think, "How do they create such amazing work?" The truth is, over time, common mistakes gradually disappear with practice. This article will highlight the most frequent beginner mistakes and share tips on how to overcome them.
Art Deco reshaped design, architecture, and illustration in the 1920s and 1930s. Its geometric elegance and sophistication left a lasting impact on fashion, advertising, and art. 1. Tamara de Lempicka No list of Art Deco artists would be complete without Tamara de Lempicka. Her portraits of women stand out for their bold colors, geometric forms, and sleek aesthetic that perfectly captured the modern spirit of her time. Influenced by Cubism and the avant-garde, her signature style remains an enduring symbol of Art Deco glamour and sophistication.
Make Your Sketchbook More Dynamic with These Creative Layout Techniques A sketchbook is more than just a place to draw—it’s a space for exploration, creativity, and storytelling. Whether you're an illustrator, a picture book artist, or simply someone who enjoys sketching, how you arrange your sketches can enhance the visual appeal and functionality of your sketchbook. In this tutorial, illustrator and picture book maker Raahat Kaduji shares creative sketchbook layout ideas to make your pages look more engaging and dynamic.
Master simple techniques to enhance your sketching practice and bring your creativity to life When it comes to drawing, preparation is key! Whether you’re sketching for fashion design, illustration, or personal projects, warming up helps you loosen your hand and get into a creative flow. In this tutorial, illustrator Josefina Fernández shares her go-to method for starting a drawing session, from choosing the right tools to layering color for depth and vibrancy.
Discover eight powerful female painters from the 20th century whose works have left a lasting impact!
Discover the life and legacy of Mary Blair, the creative behind It’s a Small Word at Disney.
Discover a free download of these popular brushes that are now compatible with Photoshop!
The young Cuban designer tells us how Domestika boosted her creativity and led her to place third in the Domestika contest. In the dynamic world of design and illustration, talent finds its way in many forms. For Wanda, a recent graduate in Visual Communication Design from the Instituto Superior de Diseño (ISDi) in Havana, Cuba, Domestika became a key platform in her creative development. After participating in the Domestika Contest and being named one of the winners, her confidence and motivation have reached new heights. She shares her experience on the platform, the lessons that have shaped her journey, and the impact this recognition has had on her career. How did you discover Domestika, and what motivated you to join the platform? I first came across Domestika during my studies at ISDi. One of my professors, noticing my passion for illustration, recommended several courses—many of them from Domestika. From that moment, I was drawn to the platform and its content. What really pushed me to officially join was the Character Design Contest, an opportunity I simply couldn’t pass up. How many Domestika courses have you taken, and which ones are your favorites? Throughout my studies, I’ve explored numerous Domestika courses, guided by my professor’s recommendations. However, illustration-focused courses—especially those related to scene and character creation—have been my favorites. I love the variety of approaches and techniques that each instructor brings, and I’m always eager to learn from their tips and tricks.
Dive into the art of journaling and access a free download from a course that contains a few different prompts for you to start with!
Learn How to Create Flawless Repeating Patterns with Illustrator’s Powerful Tools Creating seamless repeating patterns is an essential skill for illustrators and surface designers, allowing you to develop eye-catching designs for textiles, wallpapers, packaging, and more. In this tutorial, Allison Cole, an experienced illustrator, shares her step-by-step process for designing patterns using Adobe Illustrator, ensuring smooth and dynamic compositions.
Discover Adobe Fresco and Procreate, which is better for your needs, and the pros and cons of each platform!
At Domestika, we highly value creativity, but also the ability to share the process and teach others. Recently, we held an illustration contest in which we received 142 high-quality projects from our creative community. Domestika invited its creative community to design a captivating character inspired by two themes: "The Bright Side," focused on positivity and joy, and "The Dark Side," centered on mystery and intrigue. With a $500 prize at stake, the competition was fierce, and the level of entries was exceptional.
