Introduction to Picturebook Creation

A course by Ricard López Iglesias , Painter and illustrator

Painter and illustrator. Barcelona, Spain.
Joined November 2018

Learn how to combine illustration with text to create unique stories by applying manual and digital techniques

100% positive reviews (214)
3,427 students
Audio: Spanish
Spanish · English · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch

Learn how to combine illustration with text to create unique stories by applying manual and digital techniques

In contrast to a story, a picture book can fully narrate a story through images, with text that works more like an ally, to complement and integrate the illustrations. But what about all the other singularities that make up a picture book? Illustrator Ricard López explains them all at the start of the course and guides you through each step so that you carry out your picture book project as if it was commissioned by a publisher. Ricard (who also goes by Ricardilus) has worked for major clients like Penguin Random House, Planeta, TSL Jewellery (from Hong Kong), and the National Art Museum of Cataluña, in Barcelona, Spain, among others.

In this course, learn how to create your own book using analog and digital techniques on Photoshop. See the entire process to illustrate your story, learning about the script, characters, scenes, book cover, and more, and learn how to create your own watercolor, pencil, or other textured paintbrushes.

This is Ricard’s second course, in the first one Illustration Techniques with Digital Watercolor he shows you different illustration techniques to create unique digital watercolor portraits on Photoshop.

Read more ↓

What will you learn in this online course?

28 lessons & 13 downloads

Let's get to know the materials
2 minutes, 43 seconds
The commission
16 minutes, 56 seconds
Character Creation 1
15 minutes, 36 seconds
  • 100% positive reviews (214)
  • 3,427 students
  • 28 lessons (6h 1m)
  • 13 additional resources (10 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?

Design your own picture book, creating a character proposal and all the illustration content in an elegant, original, and professional way to include in your portfolio.

Projects by course students

Who is this online course for?

This course is for anyone passionate about picture books or those who want to learn about how to make one of their own.

Requirements and materials

Basic drawing and Photoshop skills are required to take this course.

As for materials, you will need: watercolor paper, a sketchbook or paper to sketch your illustrations, paintbrushes, pencils, and an eraser, watercolor paint, India ink, gouache or any other liquid pigment (one type is enough), as well as a computer with Adobe Photoshop, a graphics tablet, and a scanner or camera.


Reviews

3,427 Students
214 Reviews
100% Positive ratings

Ricard López Iglesias

Teacher Plus
Painter and illustrator

Ricard—aka Ricardilus—López’s passion for drawing started when he was three years old, always surrounded by pencils, paints, and sketchbooks, although his vocational calling for illustration started at the age of sixteen when he began his art studies.

He started with Fine Art studies for one year, which he later changed for Higher Level studies in Animation and 3D at EASD Pau Gargallo, in Barcelona, Spain, as he always loved the idea of bringing his drawings to life. During that time, he also took several illustration courses and completed his studies with a short animated film (La Folie), for which he was selected and rewarded by many renowned competitions. He then studied Graphic Arts at the Escuela Joso in Barcelona and graduated in 2017. Currently, he devotes all his professional energy into illustration, alternating many different types of projects that all relate to art in some shape or form.

His illustrations are usually based on the female figure, although he strongly believes that a good illustrator should never stay within a particular style, and is always looking for new areas and techniques to learn and include in his work. This has secured a long list of major clients for Ricard, including Penguin Random House, Planeta, TSL Jewellery (Hong Kong), Joyería Suárez, SofarSounds, or the National Art Museum of Cataluña (MNAC), in Barcelona, Spain.


Content

  • U1

    Introduction

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

    Preparing the backpack

    • Let's get to know the materials
    • Creating our own brushes 1 (analog part)
    • Creation of our own brushes 2 (digital part)
  • U3

    We plan the excursion

    • The commission
    • Character Creation 1
    • Character Creation 2 (frist part)
    • Creation of characters 2 (second part)
    • Storyboard 1
    • Storyboard 2 (first part)
    • Storyboard 2 (part two)
    • Tips for deck
  • U4

    Final art_ok_definitivo_3.psd

    • Preparing the canvas
    • Line 1
    • Line 2
    • Line 3
    • Color 1 (part one)
    • Color 1 (second part)
    • Color 1 (part three)
    • Color 1 (part four)
    • Color 2 (first part)
    • Color 2 (second part)
    • Color 2 (part three)
    • Final text and adjustments
  • U5

    Export and conclusions

    • Export your work for printing
    • Conclusions and tips to enter the professional world: the portfolio
  • FP

    Final project

    • Introduction to Picturebook Creation

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.
Introduction to Picturebook Creation. Illustration course by Ricard López Iglesias

Introduction to Picturebook Creation

A course by Ricard López Iglesias
Painter and illustrator. Barcelona, Spain.
Joined November 2018
  • 100% positive reviews (214)
  • 3,427 students