Best seller

Drawing with Thread

A course by Cecilia Santamaria Mandujano , Embroiderer and Illustrator

Embroiderer and Illustrator. Mexico City, Mexico.
Joined August 2022
Best seller
100% positive reviews (98)
6,231 students
Audio: Spanish, English, French, Indonesian, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Turkish
Spanish · English · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish · Romanian · Indonesian

Learn to embroider and draw with thread. Transfer your sketches to fabric to create realistic illustrations.

In this online course, the renowned embroiderer and illustrator Ceci Santamaria invites you to immerse yourself in the exciting world of realistic embroidery. Through her unique black thread drawing technique, Ceci has collaborated with prestigious brands such as Bleiz, Cetrería de México and COATS. Her focus on portraying nature with surprising precision has led her to create works that shine with the magic of the handmade.

The course will give you the necessary tools to give life to your illustrations on fabric, combining different textures with mastery to achieve volume and definition in your embroidery. You will learn to take traditional techniques and give them a contemporary twist, obtaining surprising results.

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What will you learn in this online course?

19 lessons & 15 downloads

Make your own pattern
10 minutes, 44 seconds
Gradient exercise 2
13 minutes, 58 seconds
The first lines
16 minutes, 22 seconds
Dark areas and spots
16 minutes, 59 seconds
Final touches
3 minutes, 33 seconds
  • 100% positive reviews (98)
  • 6,231 students
  • 19 lessons (3h 22m)
  • 15 additional resources (5 files)
  • Online and at your own pace
  • Available on the app
  • Audio: Spanish, English, French, Indonesian, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Turkish
  • Spanish · English · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish · Romanian · Indonesian
  • Level: Beginner
  • Unlimited access forever

What is this course's project?

You will have the opportunity to create your favorite animal with a needle and black thread. Using all the techniques and knowledge acquired during the lessons, you will embroider a stunning realistic portrait of the majestic jaguar.

From whiskers to volumes and finishes, you will capture every detail with precision and dedication. Through this project, you will experience the satisfaction of bringing your favorite animal to life with your own hands, taking home a unique and contemporary work of art.

Projects by course students

Who is this online course for?

This course is aimed at all those lovers of embroidery and illustration who wish to explore the exciting world of realistic embroidery. It doesn't matter if you are a beginner or already have experience in embroidery, Ceci Santamaría's guide will help you discover a new way to express the beauty of nature with black thread.

If you are passionate about portraying nature and want to learn unique techniques to achieve realism in your works, this course is perfect for you. Dare to immerse yourself in the world of realistic embroidery and discover a magical way to illustrate on fabric!

Requirements and materials

To fully enjoy this course, you will need threads, needles, paper and pencil, as well as an embroidery hoop and a cotton square. There are no limits to your ability to depict the beauty of nature through embroidery, so grab your black thread, get ready to illustrate on fabric, and experience a new way to create realistic portraits. Let your emotions and your passion for nature be reflected in every stitch!


Reviews

6,231 Students
98 Reviews

Cecilia Santamaria Mandujano

Cecilia Santamaria Mandujano
A course by Cecilia Santamaria Mandujano

Teacher Plus
Embroiderer and Illustrator

Ceci Santamaria is a talented embroiderer and illustrator with an overflowing passion for nature. Her ability to portray flora and fauna through realistic embroidery has allowed her to collaborate with renowned brands and leave a mark in the world of handmade art. With a unique drawing technique with black thread, Ceci seeks to create emotional connections with her works, transmitting the magic and beauty of nature through each stitch.

Her career includes projects with renowned brands such as Bleiz, Cetrería de México and COATS, as well as a series of contemporary creations that combine tradition and modernity. The subtlety with which she handles color and textures in her embroidery highlights her talent for capturing the very essence of nature in each work.

Ceci Santamaría has become an influential figure in the world of embroidery and illustration, sharing her knowledge and techniques with enthusiasm. Her passion for nature and her ability to create realistic portraits with black thread make her a unique artist, whose creativity and skill continue to captivate those who appreciate the beauty of what is handmade.


Content

  • U1

    Introduction

    • Presentation
    • Influences
  • U2

    Drawing with black thread

    • A unique technique for embroidered realism
    • Materials for drawing with thread
    • The best image to embroider
  • U3

    Prepare the embroidery

    • Make your own pattern
    • Transfer the pattern to the fabric
    • Mounting the fabric on the hoop
    • Gradient exercise 1
    • Gradient exercise 2
  • U4

    Embroider the project

    • The first lines
    • Dark areas and spots
    • Points and textures
    • Texture with short lines 1
    • Texture with short lines 2
    • Final touches
  • U5

    Closing content

    • Preparation for assembly
    • And the back?
    • Photograph your embroidery
  • FP

    Final project

    • Thread embroidered drawing

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

This course teaches you how to create realistic embroidery on fabric using mainly black thread, combining drawing and naturalistic illustration techniques to depict animals, flowers, and architecture with rich detail and texture.

The course is intermediate level, perfect for those with basic embroidery skills who want to refine thread drawing and textile realism techniques.

You'll need threads (especially black Mouline), embroidery needles, fine-point scissors, fabric (like lonetta), an embroidery hoop, tracing paper, carbon paper, a pencil, and a reference image.

You'll learn how to choose reference images, transfer sketches to fabric, create patterns, blend shades, work on textures, mount fabric in a hoop, and professionally present your embroidery.

The course covers methods like tracing with tracing paper, using carbon paper, or direct printing to transfer outlines and sketch details onto fabric before stitching.

Techniques such as short stitches, dotting, layering thread, and tonal gradients are used to mimic volume, shadows, and realistic textures in embroidery.

Sharp, well-lit images with clear poses and visible details are recommended. The course teaches how to select and edit photos for the best embroidery results.

Information about the course and certificate

Drawing with Thread. Craft course by Cecilia Santamaria Mandujano Best seller

Drawing with Thread

A course by Cecilia Santamaria Mandujano
Embroiderer and Illustrator. Mexico City, Mexico.
Joined August 2022
  • 100% positive reviews (98)
  • 6,231 students