Character Creation from Observational Drawings
A course by Sarah van DongenIllustrator
A course by Sarah van Dongen, Illustrator
Draw and paint unique characters inspired by the world around you using a variety of artistic materials
Portraying people through illustration is a powerful tool for capturing them in their best light and their natural habitat. Illustrator Sarah van Dongen has illustrated a number of children’s books and worked with clients including Adobe, Lannoo, and Querido.
In this course, she teaches you how to design characters based on drawings of human anatomy. Create a spread in your sketchbook of your own, unique character and bring them to life with different poses. Ready to give a real human touch to your illustrations?
This is Sarah’s second course with Domestika. In her first Exploratory Sketchbook: Find Your Drawing Style, she explores using your sketchbook as a way to develop both your ideas and artistic style.
What will you learn in this online course?
13 lessons & 15 downloads
My Materials
7 minutes, 42 seconds
Use of Materials
17 minutes, 9 seconds
Materials and Colour
13 minutes, 35 seconds
Human Anatomy
17 minutes, 11 seconds
Drawing People from Pictures 1
17 minutes, 39 seconds
Drawing People from Pictures 2
12 minutes, 30 seconds
What's included in this course?
Begin the course by getting to know your teacher, Sarah van Dongen. She talks you through the creative career which led her to become an illustrator, along with the influences that inspire the work she creates.
Dive into the materials needed for the course, from paintbrushes to gouache sticks. Sarah walks you through a number of exercises designed to help you get used to using them before moving on to color. Explore warm and cool colors, dark and light colors, and how to combine them to achieve different effects in your artwork.
Learn the basics of drawing human anatomy, including the skeleton, proportions, and the elements of the body that move. Discover how to use reference images to draw people, taking into consideration things like skin tone, posture, and composition. Then unleash your creative freedom and learn how to draw people in real life from observation.
Time to create your own unique character! Begin by choosing your favorite sketches and simplifying them. Then learn how to exaggerate a person’s personality to transform them into a character. To finish the course, choose your colors, materials, and composition, and bring everything you’ve learned together to create your final character spread.
What is this course's project?
Fill a sketchbook with your own unique characters in a variety of poses.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is for anyone with an interest in using observational drawing to illustrate unique characters inspired by the real world.
Requirements and materials
No previous experience is needed to take this course.
In terms of materials, you will need gouache, colored pencils, brush pens, markers, and other materials specified by the teacher in this course.
Reviews
- 3 days ago
One of the most important and effective tools and techniques I’m in love with this lesson
- 11 days ago
Hermoso curso... te lleva a descubrir tu creatividad! Me encanta Sarah
- 20 days ago
gostei muito do conteúdo e dos exercícios, achei o material muito rico também.
- 1 month ago
Super pour débuter !
- 1 month ago
love her style very much~
Sarah’s illustration work can be found in children’s books, stationery, newspapers, and magazines across the globe. Her clients include Flow Magazine, Adobe, Tiny Owl Publishing, and Ragged Bears Publishing, among others. Sarah enjoys exploring themes like gardens, food, social interactions, mental health, and her childhood. She doesn’t shy away from subjects like insecurity, loneliness, and loss, she expresses them in her sketches to help make these feelings more comprehensible.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- About Me
- Influences
- U2
Materials and How to Use Them
- My Materials
- Use of Materials
- Materials and Colour
- U3
Theory and Observation
- Human Anatomy
- Drawing People from Pictures 1
- Drawing People from Pictures 2
- Drawing People from Observation
- U4
Creating Unique Characters
- Creating a Character
- Choosing Colours and Materials and Composition
- Creating Your Character Spread 1
- Creating Your Character Spread 2
- FP
Final project
- Character Creation from Observational Drawings
What to expect from a Domestika course
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.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
Yes, this course is designed for beginners and covers foundational skills in drawing, character design, and illustration techniques, making it accessible for those new to art.
You’ll need a sketchbook, gouache, colored pencils, water-soluble crayons, ink brush pens, markers, and suitable paper. The course explains different tools and suggests alternatives for mixed media projects.
You’ll learn to draw people, develop unique characters, practice human anatomy, experiment with color and texture, use various art materials, and build creative drawing habits for expressive illustrations.
Yes, the course includes tips on sharing your artwork on Instagram, building an online presence, and engaging with the illustration community to showcase your creative progress.
Yes, the course teaches both realistic and abstract character drawing techniques, helping you explore different styles and develop your own artistic voice.
The course emphasizes daily sketchbook practice, providing routines, prompts, and strategies to help you develop and maintain regular drawing habits.
Yes, you’ll learn techniques for figure drawing, facial proportions, hands, feet, and using references to capture accurate and expressive human forms.