Artistic Illustration Techniques with Graphite Pencils

A course by Ricardo Núñez Suarez , Illustrator

Illustrator. Bogota, Colombia.
Joined December 2019

Expand the pencil's limits in editorial illustration and learn the process to tell stories through drawing

97% positive reviews (299)
3,754 students
Audio: Spanish
Spanish · English · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch

Expand the pencil's limits in editorial illustration and learn the process to tell stories through drawing

One of the most important phases in illustration is observation. When working up to the concept of a strong idea, you need to become an avid observer of the world around you. One of Ricardo Nuñez’s biggest influences is life itself, the root of the stories and adventures he interprets in his work, using his favorite tool: the pencil. His work has been internationally recognized by Latin American Illustration, American Illustration, Applied Arts Students Awards, HiiiBrand in China, Australian Centre for Moving Image in Australia, and more.

In this course, Ricardo will teach you various pencil techniques, as well as his own methodology. See the importance of conceptualization in your project to develop your initial ideas, sketches, and move on to the development of your illustration and finalization.

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What will you learn in this online course?

12 lessons & 9 downloads

What will we do in the course
1 minute, 10 seconds
History of the pencil
3 minutes, 45 seconds
Materials
4 minutes, 43 seconds
Blending techniques and textures
12 minutes, 29 seconds
  • 97% positive reviews (299)
  • 3,754 students
  • 12 lessons (1h 17m)
  • 9 additional resources (5 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?

Illustrate an anecdote about your life using graphite. Ricardo shares some illustration ideas if you need some inspiration.

Projects by course students

Who is this online course for?

This course is for anyone who wants to learn this technique and find a new medium of expression.

Requirements and materials

No previous drawing knowledge is necessary, only the motivation to learn.

As for materials, you will need graphite pencils 2H, F, B, HB, 4B, and 8B, and a kneaded eraser. You will also need a mechanical pencil with soft and hard lead (ideally 4H, HB, 2B, and 4B), a drawing pen with a 1.0 tip, and an art fixative spray, a nail file, a retractable eraser, a sketchbook, and any fine-textured paper without enamel: Bond paper of 120 grams minimum is a good start, and fine Bristol or Fabriano paper, for the final illustrations.


Reviews

3,754 Students
299 Reviews
97% Positive ratings

Ricardo Núñez Suarez

Teacher Plus
Illustrator

Ricardo Suárez is a freelance illustrator from Colombia. Although he has illustrated his entire life, it wasn’t until he was thirty years old that it became his career. He left his Graphic Design job for advertising agencies in Australia to go back to Colombia and achieve his dream of becoming an illustrator. He took part in many exhibitions in Brazil, Colombia, England, and Cuba; He also obtained a grant to do a Master’s in Illustration, in the United States.

His biggest influence when illustrating is life itself, filled with stories, landscapes, and adventures that deserve to be illustrated in pencil, his favorite tool.

His work has been recognized by Latin American Illustration, American Illustration, Applied Arts Students Awards, Creative Quarterly, 3x3 Magazine, Manifest Gallery in the United States, HiiiBrand in China, Australian Centre for Moving Image, among others.


Content

  • U1

    Introduction

    • Presentation
    • Influences
    • What will we do in the course
  • U2

    Brief introduction to pencil and materials to use

    • History of the pencil
    • materials
    • Sketching and hatching techniques
    • Blending techniques and textures
  • U3

    The time has come to put what you have learned into practice

    • Looking in the text to make good sketches
    • Make the sketch a professional illustration
    • Calm after the storm: application of techniques
  • U4

    We must treasure what we do

    • We are going to make our work last
    • From here to heaven. Applications
  • FP

    Final project

    • Artistic pencil illustration

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.
Artistic Illustration Techniques with Graphite Pencils. Illustration course by Ricardo Núñez Suarez

Artistic Illustration Techniques with Graphite Pencils

A course by Ricardo Núñez Suarez
Illustrator. Bogota, Colombia.
Joined December 2019
  • 97% positive reviews (299)
  • 3,754 students