Writing and Illustration of a Non-Fiction Picturebook
A course by Catarina Sobral , Author, Illustrator, and Director
Combine storytelling and illustration techniques to craft a captivating children’s book inspired by the real world
Combine storytelling and illustration techniques to craft a captivating children’s book inspired by the real world
Through non-fiction children’s books, you can poetically translate the real world using illustrations and words. Author, illustrator, and director Catarina Sobral writes award-winning picturebooks that have been exhibited around the world and published in 16 different languages.
In this course, she teaches you how to write and illustrate a story rooted in real events that appeals to a broad audience. Develop the storytelling and drawing skills needed to create the first and last spread of a captivating picturebook. Become a visual storyteller and craft a non-fiction picturebook for young readers.
This is Catarina’s second course with Domestika. In her first, Experimental Techniques for Picturebooks, she explores how to use tempo, tension, and plot to create visual narratives from scratch.
What will you learn in this online course?
22 lessons & 25 downloads
- 98% positive reviews (81)
- 2,470 students
- 22 lessons (4h 20m)
- 25 additional resources (9 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
Recommended software for this course
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe PhotoshopWhat is this course's project?
Write and illustrate two spreads of a non-fiction picturebook for children: the first double-page and the glossary.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is for anyone with an interest in improving their drawing and storytelling skills.
Requirements and materials
No previous experience is needed to take this course.
In terms of materials, you will need a sketchbook, tracing paper, acetate sheets, alcohol or water-based markers, pencil, acrylic black paint, a box cutter, brushes, paper tape, a scanner, and a computer with Adobe Photoshop or InDesign installed.
Reviews
A course by Catarina Sobral
Catarina Sobral is a Portuguese illustrator, author, and director of animated films. Before launching her career as a freelance illustrator, she studied graphic design and illustration, developing a unique style blending her eye-catching illustrations and strong narrative voice.
Catarina’s work can be seen regularly in illustrations for press, album covers, posters, and of course, picturebooks. Her award-winning picturebooks have been published in 16 different languages and exhibited around the world, gaining recognition from the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, the Portuguese National Illustration Award, the Portuguese Authors’ Society, the White Ravens catalog, and 3x3 magazine.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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About Me
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Influences
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U2
Key Concepts
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Nonfiction Picture Books
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Creating Children’s Content
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Denotation and Connotation
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Materials
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U3
Warm-up
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Color Exercise
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Illustration Technique: Analogue 1
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Illustration Technique: Analogue 2
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Illustration Technique: Digital 1
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Illustration Technique: Digital 2
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Nonfictional Text
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U4
Hands-on
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Choosing a Theme
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Creative Writing for Nonfiction 1
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Creative Writing for Nonfiction 2
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Sketch the First Spread 1
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Sketch the First Spread 2
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Sketch the Glossary
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U5
What’s Next?
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Final Art of the First Spread
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Final Art of the Glossary
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Digital Post-production
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Other Formats
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FP
Final project
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Writing and Illustration of a Non-Fiction Picturebook
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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
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
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.
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Photoshop
camanhhng
I love the course. The technique is very creative and interesting!
elsab
Very clear and inspiring. I particularly appreciated all the influences and life of the artist, the part with acrylics on plastic. Many thanks!
helene.delaborderie
Excellent cours où j’ai surtout appris sur le processus d’écriture. Le professeur est généreux et prend le temps d’expliquer tout son processus de réflexion de façon assez détaillée.
Une vraie source d’inspriration
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fgenobesio
Me encanto!
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anne.darling
PlusLoved this course!