Guided Course: Watercolor Techniques for Naturalist Illustrations
A guided course by Antonia Reyes Montealegre , Naturalist Illustrator
Joined May 2017

Master realistic watercolor techniques to create expressive orca illustrations, combining anatomical accuracy with vibrant textures
Dive into the world of naturalist illustration with a focus on creating a stunning watercolor orca. Begin your creative journey by exploring the fascinating world of whales, learning about their anatomy, and gathering inspiration through a curated reference board. Equip yourself with the necessary art supplies, then delve into watercolor techniques that build depth and texture. Through this process, you'll enhance your understanding of color and form, essential for capturing the orca's majestic presence.
Progress through comprehensive stages, starting with preliminary sketches that capture the orca's structure and proportions. Refine your work by applying watercolor in progressive studies, focusing first on broad forms before honing in on the intricate details that bring your illustration to life. You’ll fine-tune anatomical accuracy and painterly texture, resulting in a vibrant watercolor artwork that reflects the orca's natural beauty and grace. This course combines observation and artistic skill, providing an enriching experience that merges scientific precision with creative expression.
What will you learn in this online course?
9 lessons & 12 downloads
- 91 students
- 9 lessons (1h 33m)
- 12 additional resources (4 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English, German, Spanish (Latam), French, Indonesian, Italian, Dutch, Polish, 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?
Create a realistic watercolor illustration of an orca, exploring naturalist techniques from reference board building to final detailing. Develop foundational skills in whale anatomy, watercolor texture application, and color blending to produce a detailed, expressive artwork.
Who is this online course for?
Aspiring naturalist illustrators and watercolor enthusiasts seeking to master realistic orca illustrations will find this course valuable. Ideal for those interested in exploring whale anatomy, refining watercolor techniques, and creating expressive, detailed artworks with precision and creativity.
Requirements and materials
This watercolor illustration course welcomes beginners. Essential needs include watercolor paints, brushes, quality paper, pencils, and a reference board for inspiration. Familiarity with basic drawing techniques helps but isn't mandatory—just bring your creativity and willingness to explore.

Antonia Reyes Montealegre
A guided course by Antonia Reyes Montealegre
Antonia Reyes, or as some know her, Antonia Pajarito, defines herself as a naturalist illustrator. She has become an expert in depicting the native flora and fauna of Chile. Her relationship with nature always begins with exploration, then moves on to artistic interpretation from her studio. Her goal is to create illustrations that move viewers and show the beauty of the earth. Her method is entirely analog, using pencils and watercolors on paper.
Most of her projects are independent, as she is passionate about combining illustrations with experiences, workshops, excursions, etc. She shares her work and discoveries on social media and on her website, both of which have become her logbooks.
Content
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Guided Course: Watercolor Techniques for Naturalist Illustrations
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Podcast: Giants in Intimate Focus, When Patient Eyes Meet Ocean Power
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An Introduction to Whales
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Building a Reference Board
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Art Supplies for Drawing and Watercolor
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Techniques to Create Color and Texture
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Whale Structure and Preliminary Drawings
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Orca Whale 1
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Orca Whale 2
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Orca Whale Details
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Final project
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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
What are Domestika's online courses?
Domestika courses are online classes that allow you to learn new skills and create incredible projects. All our courses include the opportunity to share your work with other students and/or teachers, creating an active learning community. We offer different formats:
Original Courses: Complete classes that combine videos, texts, and educational materials to complete a specific project from start to finish.
Basics Courses: Specialized training where you master specific software tools step by step.
Specialization Courses: Learning paths with various expert teachers on the same topic, perfect for becoming a specialist by learning from different approaches.
Guided Courses: Practical experiences ideal for directly acquiring specific skills.
Intensive Courses (Deep Dives): New creative processes based on artificial intelligence tools in an accessible format for in-depth and dynamic understanding.
When do the guided courses start and when do they finish?
All guided courses are 100% online, so once they're published, guided 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.
What do Domestika's guided courses include?
The guided courses are divided into different modules. 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 other students, as well as share your work and your final project, creating a community around the guided courses.
Have you been given a guided courses?
You can redeem the guided courses you received by accessing the redeeming page and entering your gift code.