Digital Techniques for Illustrated Portraits

A course by German Gonzalez Ramirez , Graphic Designer and Digital Illustrator

Graphic Designer and Digital Illustrator. Medellín, Colombia.
Joined August 2015

Perfect your digital illustration techniques and learn to tell stories through portraits

99% positive reviews (312)
4,623 students
Audio: Spanish
Spanish · English · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch

Perfect your digital illustration techniques and learn to tell stories through portraits

When creating an illustrated portrait full of magic, it is vital to find and highlight the features and characteristics that make it unique. Germán González–a graphic designer and digital illustrator who has worked with clients such as Air Berlin, Entertainment Weekly, and Adobe–is obsessed with color, which he applies to his portraits through compositions that often hide discordant and unexpected elements that give his illustrations a unique character.

In this online course, learn the fundamental concepts to get started in the world of digital illustration and see how to create portraits from the sketch to the final art so that you can use it the way you want. Germán teaches you to better understand light, shadow, and color, and gives you the keys so that your portraits have a special narrative and graphic component.

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What will you learn in this online course?

21 lessons & 21 downloads

Lighting basics
10 minutes, 42 seconds
Essential aspects of color
10 minutes, 31 seconds
Aspects of Illumination
17 minutes, 55 seconds
Theory of color
6 minutes, 23 seconds
Face proportion
13 minutes, 29 seconds
Archive morgue
6 minutes, 34 seconds
  • 99% positive reviews (312)
  • 4,623 students
  • 21 lessons (3h 13m)
  • 21 additional resources (10 files)
  • Online and at your own pace
  • Available on the app
  • Audio: Spanish
  • Spanish · English · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch
  • Level: Beginner
  • Unlimited access forever

What is this course's project?

Make a digital illustration based on the portrait of one of the characters from your favorite movie.

Projects by course students

Who is this online course for?

Illustrators, designers, cartoonists, and anyone interested in learning illustration techniques and digital portraiture.

Requirements and materials

Previous knowledge of drawing is recommended, although to follow of this course it is not essential, since Germán explains the entire illustration process starting from a photograph.

Regarding the materials, you need a computer with Adobe Photoshop and a graphics tablet, although you can also work with an iPad Pro.


Reviews

4,623 Students
312 Reviews
99% Positive ratings

German Gonzalez Ramirez

Teacher Plus
Graphic Designer and Digital Illustrator

Germán González is a graphic designer trained at the Pontifical Bolivarian University, although in 2014 he discovered digital illustration and since then he has used it to create portraits of the protagonists of his favorite films and series, adding all kinds of visual references and an explosion of color very characteristic of his work.

He works as a graphic designer at Parque Explora, a science museum in the city of Medellín, Colombia, a job that he combines with his activity as an independent illustrator, collaborating with local and foreign publications.


Content

  • U1

    Introduction

    • Presentation
    • Influences
  • U2

    Essential aspects

    • Lighting basics
    • Essential aspects of color
    • Aspects of Illumination
    • Theory of color
    • Face proportion
  • U3

    Steal to create

    • Archive morgue
    • Canvas
    • Brushes
    • Sketch
    • Creation of color palette
    • First layers of paint
    • Defining shadows
    • Hair and eyes
    • Locker room
    • Narrative complement Part 1
    • Narrative complement Part 2
    • Final details
  • U4

    The Devil Is In The Details

    • Final retouching
    • Export
  • FP

    Final project

    • Final project

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
    Plus

    If 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

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.

If you're a Plus member, when you complete a course you've purchased, you'll instantly get your personalized certificate. You can see all your certificates in the Certificates section of your profile. You can download your certificates as PDFs and share the link online. Learn more about certificates.
Digital Techniques for Illustrated Portraits. Illustration course by German Gonzalez Ramirez

Digital Techniques for Illustrated Portraits

A course by German Gonzalez Ramirez
Graphic Designer and Digital Illustrator. Medellín, Colombia.
Joined August 2015
  • 99% positive reviews (312)
  • 4,623 students