Fantasy Character Design in Procreate
A course by Nicholas Kole (nkole)Character Designer and Illustrator
A course by Nicholas Kole (nkole), Character Designer and Illustrator
Explore the depths of your imagination to develop original character designs using Procreate, from the initial concept to the final artwork
“Style is like your accent when you speak, technical ability is like the vocabulary you use, and design is what you have to say”
Nicholas Kole is a character designer and illustrator who weaves words into the very fibers of the beings he creates, telling their story through visual elements. He’s worked on franchises like Sonic the Hedgehog, Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon, and collaborated with major clients including Disney, Dreamworks, Nintendo, and Netflix.
In this online course, learn how to design fantasy characters from scratch in Procreate. Nicholas walks you through his creative process step by step, from the initial concept to the final artwork. Explore shapes, shadows, color, and volume to transform ideas from your imagination into original heroes.
What will you learn in this online course?
21 lessons & 15 downloads
About Me
4 minutes, 32 seconds
Influences
6 minutes, 42 seconds
Thumbnailing 1
19 minutes, 1 second
Flow and Line of Action
19 minutes, 59 seconds
Color Strategy and Harmony 1
18 minutes, 56 seconds
Ambient Occlusion
16 minutes, 31 seconds
What's included in this course?
Meet your teacher for the course, Nicholas Kole, and hear about his career in the world of illustration. Discover his influences and what inspires him to create art.
Start developing your character concept by answering some key questions, such as the kind of story you want to tell. Make a mind map to connect ideas and visualize them in a mood board.
Next, draw a set of thumbnails, focusing on flow and the line of action to make your figures more dynamic. Nicholas also teaches you how to create rhythm and balance in your design by playing with shape proportions. Continue refining your sketch with details until it's ready for color.
Learn masking and painting techniques to give your character a vibrant personality. See how to create chromatic harmony, hard and soft shadows, and a sense of volume, before adding the final touches.
What is this course's project?
Design a fantasy character in full color using Procreate.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Anyone who wants to learn how to design original characters with Procreate.
Requirements and materials
Basics notions of Procreate are recommended to take this course.
As for materials, you just need an iPad with the app installed and a compatible stylus.
Reviews
- 23 days ago
Excelente curso! Súper recomendable. Me encantó... Nicholas explica muy bien el proceso, tener un curso de él es lo máximo.
- 2 months ago
100000/10 super recomendado
- 3 months ago
This course provided comprehensive information on this type of illustration.
- 3 months ago
buena
- 3 months ago
Dios el estilo de Nicholas es muy agradable me encantan sus ilustraciones y tener un curso sobre su proceso es un sueño
Over the course of his career, he has worked on franchises like Sonic the Hedgehog, Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon, and collaborated with clients including Disney, Dreamworks, Nintendo, Activision Blizzard, Netflix, Hasbro, Mattel, Warner Bros., and EA Games. He currently holds the role of principal concept artist at Phoenix Labs.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- About Me
- Influences
- U2
Thinking
- Asking a Question
- Making a Mind Map
- Creating a Mood Board
- U3
Sketching
- Thumbnailing 1
- Thumbnailing 2
- Flow and Line of Action
- Barcodes and Ladders
- Tightening the Sketch 1
- Tightening the Sketch 2
- Tightening the Sketch 3
- U4
Painting
- Masking 1
- Masking 2
- Color Strategy and Harmony 1
- Color Strategy and Harmony 2
- Hard and Soft Shadows 1
- Hard and Soft Shadows 2
- Ambient Occlusion
- Finishing Touches 1
- Finishing Touches 2
- FP
Final project
- Fantasy Character Design in Procreate
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
This course is best for those with some basic drawing or digital art experience, as it covers intermediate character design concepts and workflows in Procreate.
You'll need an iPad with Procreate installed, a stylus (like Apple Pencil), and a basic understanding of digital drawing tools. Reference images and a willingness to experiment are also helpful.
You'll learn the complete workflow for creating fantasy characters, from ideation and mind mapping to reference gathering, mood boards, sketching, color theory, rendering, and storytelling through design.
Yes, the course teaches how to build effective mood boards, gather references from Pinterest and other sources, and organize visual inspiration to guide your creative process.
The course introduces creative strategies like mind mapping, stream-of-consciousness sketching, and visual brainstorming to help you start projects confidently and generate new ideas.
Yes, you'll explore Procreate features such as digital brushes, masking, texture overlays, color blocking, and layer management for sketching, coloring, and rendering characters.
Absolutely. You'll discover how to ask design questions, use metaphorical symbolism, and create character designs that express emotion and narrative visually.