Naturalist Illustration Techniques: Whales in Watercolor
A course by Antonia Reyes Montealegre , Naturalist Illustrator
Joined May 2017

Dive into an ocean of watercolor and learn how to illustrate a majestic sea creature by exploring drawing and painting techniques with a splash of experimentation
The ocean is an infinite source of inspiration—from its picturesque skylines to the vast aquatic world beneath its surface. Whales are one of the most breathtaking underwater dwellers, known for their ability to communicate through song and their regal presence. Naturalist illustrator Antonia Reyes is captivated by these magical creatures and has dedicated a part of her work to illustrating them.
In this course, dive deep into the world of watercolor and illustration to capture the beauty of these sea animals. Brush up on your knowledge of whales, explore drawing and watercolor techniques, and add a bit of experimentation to your illustration process.
If you enjoy naturalist illustration of animals, you might also be interested in Antonia’s previous course Naturalist Bird Illustration with Watercolors.
What will you learn in this online course?
18 lessons & 26 downloads
- 99% positive reviews (392)
- 14,493 students
- 18 lessons (3h 14m)
- 26 additional resources (8 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English
- English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
Create 3 naturalist watercolor illustrations of an orca, a blue whale, and a humpback whale.

Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is for anyone with a passion for sea creatures and watercolors.
Requirements and materials
Basic experience in drawing and watercolor painting is required.
To take this course, you need water colors, paint brushes in various sizes, masking fluid, and sea salt.

Reviews

Antonia Reyes Montealegre
A course by Antonia Reyes Montealegre
Antonia Reyes, or as some know her, Antonia Pajarito, defines herself as a naturalist illustrator. She has become an expert in depicting the native flora and fauna of Chile. Her relationship with nature always begins with exploration, then moves on to artistic interpretation from her studio. Her goal is to create illustrations that move viewers and show the beauty of the earth. Her method is entirely analog, using pencils and watercolors on paper.
Most of her projects are independent, as she is passionate about combining illustrations with experiences, workshops, excursions, etc. She shares her work and discoveries on social media and on her website, both of which have become her logbooks.
Content
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U1
From The Shore, Gazing At The Horizon
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About Me
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Influences
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U2
Testing The Waters
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An Introduction to Whales
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Building a Reference Board
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U3
Let’s Dive In
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Art Supplies for Drawing and Watercolor
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Techniques to Create Color and Texture
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Whale Structure and Preliminary Drawings
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U4
There She Blows!
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Orca Whale 1
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Orca Whale 2
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Orca Whale Details
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Blue Whale 1
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Blue Whale 2
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Blue Whale Details
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Humpback Whale 1
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Humpback Whale 2
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Humpback Whale Details
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U5
Expanding Your Horizons
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Going In Deeper
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A Final Story: Illustration As A Pathway To Explore Nature
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FP
Final project
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Naturalist Illustration Techniques: Whales in Watercolor
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What to expect from a Domestika course
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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.
magdalenamdp1999
Muy bueno el curso, se explica muy bien el paso a paso, definitivamente era lo que esperaba y más!!!
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violette_mayer22
Bonjour,
Un cours pas à pas , avec beaucoup d'explications sur les créatures marines.
On peut suivre le déroulement de la mise en peinture , le choix des couleurs , les textures...
les explications sont très claires. Aquarelle tout en finesse, ce qui me correspond bien.
Je suis très satisfaite des cours D'Antonia et j'espère d'autres cours aussi passionnants
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tattooista
Exactly the course I was looking for. Thank you!
leosato
PlusMuito bom curso, pude aprender como conseguir estas texturas incríveis que era inicialmente meu objetivo.
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felipichu
Me encanta el curso, las explicaciones y la fotografía.
La única pega que no sea en castellano, lo cual lo hace un poco más complicado, pero el contenido y la metodología son muy interesantes.
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