Kawaii Illustration: Create Charming Characters
A course by Ilaria Ranauro, Illustrator
Design joyful illustrations inspired by Japanese kawaii and turn them into stickers by combining digital and analog techniques
Delve into the world of Japanese kawaii and create lovable characters with their own personalities. Illustrator Ilaria Ranauro aims to tell stories through the images and characters she illustrates. She sells her stickers, prints, washi tape, and more via her online Etsy shop and creates children’s illustrations for clients around the world including Penguin Random House Mexico.
In this course, she teaches you about kawaii culture and how to illustrate unique characters of your own ready to be printed and shared with the world in sticker form. Create a unique character that sparks joy and leaves people with a smile on their face.
What will you learn in this online course?
16 lessons & 14 downloads
What's included in this course?
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.
- 100% positive reviews (869)
- 27,328 students
- 16 lessons (2h 49m)
- 14 additional resources (8 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English, Spanish (Latam), French, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish
- English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
Recommended software & tools for this course
Adobe Photoshop
ProcreateWhat is this course's project?
Design and illustrate your own kawaii character and learn how to turn them into printable stickers.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Anyone who is interested in kawaii art or illustrating their own character from scratch.
Requirements and materials
No previous experience is necessary.
You will need drawing utensils such as paper and pencils as well as the software Procreate and Adobe Photoshop for digitizing your illustrations. You will also need sticker paper, a printer, and a sticker-cutting machine.
Reviews
Ilaria Ranauro
A course by Ilaria Ranauro
Berlin-based illustrator Ilaria Ranauro has loved painting and drawing since she was a child. She would spend her afternoons illustrating characters from magazines and mangas and later went on to study Graphic Design professionally. She worked as a graphic designer in Rome and Berlin for eleven years whilst continuing to draw characters in her spare time. She eventually set up her own brand of homemade toys and completed a master’s degree in toy design in Milan. In 2017, Ilaria turned her childhood love of illustration into a career, opening an Etsy shop where she sells stickers, washi tapes, prints, and other accessories.
Alongside her online shop, Ilaria works as a children’s book illustrator for clients around the world including Penguin Random House Mexico.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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About Me
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Influences
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U2
What Is Kawaii and How to Draw a Kawaii Character
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What Is Kawaii Art?
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How to Find Your Style
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Materials
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Faces and Body Proportions
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Friends and Animal Objects
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U3
Creating Your Own Kawaii Character
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Developing Your Kawaii Character
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Time to Draw Your Kawaii Character 1
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Time to Draw Your Kawaii Character 2
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Digitise and Outline Your Kawaii Character
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Coloring Your Kawaii Character
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Final Composition of Your Sticker Sheet
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U4
Preparing the Stickers with a Cutting Machine
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Print and Cut with the Cutting Machine
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How to Start Your Own Kawaii Sticker Business
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Packaging for Kawaii Stickers
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FP
Final project
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Kawaii Illustration: Create Charming Characters
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What to expect from a Domestika course
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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.
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Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
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Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
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Certificates
PlusIf 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Watch professionally produced courses
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FAQs
Yes, this course is designed for beginners and covers the basics of kawaii illustration using Procreate, making it accessible for those new to digital art.
You’ll need an iPad with Procreate installed, an Apple Pencil or compatible stylus, and basic drawing supplies if you wish to sketch traditionally before digitizing.
You'll learn to design and illustrate kawaii characters, create sticker sheets, choose color palettes, use Procreate tools, and turn your art into products for platforms like Etsy.
Yes, the course includes step-by-step guidance on using Procreate’s interface, brushes, layers, and coloring techniques for kawaii digital illustration.
Yes, the course teaches you how to create, package, and present your kawaii art for sale on platforms like Etsy, including branding and product photography tips.
Absolutely. The course walks you through brainstorming, sketching, digitizing, and arranging kawaii characters into cohesive sticker sheets ready for print and sale.
Recommended tools include an iPad with Procreate, Apple Pencil, Paperlike cover, sketchbooks, and optionally colored pencils or markers for traditional practice.
Adobe Photoshop
Procreate
Me ha sido de mucha ayuda para volver a reencontrarme con los dibujos ; además que es muy buena explicando cada detalle , lo recomiendo mucho para quienes quieran empezar en el mundo de dibujos kawai, tanto a grandes cómo a chicos.
Definitely worth the time and money!
Il corso è veramente interessante e completo: dallo sviluppo del progetto alla realizzazione dell'idea complessiva! Lo consiglio!
This course is full of helpful tips and techniques for times when you're stuck and unsure of what to draw or how to draw it.
Just what I needed, a nice pace of teaching.