Character Design Sketchbook: Storytelling with Pencil
A course by Raahat Kaduji , Illustrator
Explore the art of sketchbooking by creating your own animal character and learn how to tell stories with it.
Explore the art of sketchbooking by creating your own animal character and learn how to tell stories with it.
Unleash your creativity by diving into the world of character design with a focus on stylized animal figures. This course guides you through a sketchbook process, where you'll learn to experiment and explore ideas. Begin by researching and sourcing reference materials to gain a deeper understanding of your chosen animal subject. Through observational drawing and shading techniques, you will sketch realistic animal renderings, laying the groundwork for more stylized creations.
Transform these sketches into unique animal characters with their own narratives. Discover how to infuse personality into your designs and explore the art of anthropomorphism. This course is perfect for those interested in picture books and children's illustration, offering a foundation in character development. By the end, you'll have a completed sketchbook spread showcasing your stylized animal character, along with a collection of vibrant sketchbook pages. Grab your pencils and sketchbook, and embark on a journey of artistic expression.
What will you learn in this online course?
14 lessons & 22 downloads
- 100% positive reviews (19)
- 1,273 students
- 14 lessons (1h 44m)
- 22 additional resources (10 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English, Spanish
- English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
Create a unique animal character using sketching techniques, develop its personality through props and narratives, and complete a sketchbook spread showcasing your stylised character with observational studies and creative designs.
Who is this online course for?
Aspiring illustrators, picture book enthusiasts, and creative individuals seeking to develop unique stylised animal characters with personality and narrative will find this program valuable. Ideal for those interested in foundational character design and sketchbook exploration using pencils and other traditional media.
Requirements and materials
A sketchbook, pencils, colored pencils, or pens are essential. No extensive prior knowledge needed, just a willingness to explore. Familiarity with basic drawing techniques can be helpful. A creative mindset and eagerness to experiment will enhance your experience.
Reviews
A course by Raahat Kaduji
Raahat Kaduji is a talented freelance illustrator and picture book creator based in Oxfordshire, England. With a background in English and Creative Writing from Royal Holloway University of London, Raahat brings a unique narrative flair to her artistic endeavors. Her journey into the world of illustration began without formal art education, influenced by her father's career in special effects within the film and game industry. This early exposure ignited her passion for art, leading her to develop her skills independently. Today, Raahat is known for her digital illustrations that combine vibrant colors and whimsical designs, often inspired by her favorite season, autumn.
Her career blossomed through a growing social media presence and collaborations with notable brands like Wacom and Adobe, who recognized her distinctive style. Raahat's debut picture book, "I'm Not Scary," published by Alison Green Books of ScholasticUK, showcases her ability to weave engaging narratives with charming visuals. Her work continues to evolve, incorporating mixed media techniques and exploring new materials like gouache and pastels. Raahat is committed to sharing her creative process, encouraging others to embrace their artistic journey by developing a solid portfolio and staying true to their unique vision.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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About Me
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Influences
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U2
Tools, Mood boards, and Observational Sketching
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Tools
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The Sketchbook & Layout
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Looking for Inspiration & Mood boarding
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Sketching animals from observation
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Shading and Adding Texture
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U3
Exploring Anthropomorphism
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Poses using human references
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Styling your character with poses and expressions
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Introducing personality with props/clothes & location
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Animal in the scene with props and location
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U4
Beyond the Sketchbook
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Digital Sketchbook Editing in Photoshop
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Tips on Photographing and Sharing Online
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Final Advice
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FP
Final project
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Character Design Sketchbook: Storytelling with Pencil
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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.
paulacolors
Me encantaría ver más cursos de ella en el futuro, es una muy buena maestra, su forma de explicar es entretenida y su trabajo es muy lindo.
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carolinemcpherson
A thoroughly enjoyable and insightful course from an inspiring and accomplished illustrator. Raahat is a natural teacher and I would love to see more courses from her in the future. A follow up course to this one, perhaps demonstrating traditional painting techniques would be amazing =)
saraibram2007
Excelente curso, muy bien realizado y explicado. ¡Lo recomiendo ampliamente!
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debowich
very clear creative process, simple to follow and Rahaat explains everything with ease. lovely course!
maildesylsam
This course is very interesting and very well explained. I think I've yet made a lot of progress in my animal character design. Thank you Raahat !