Best seller

Intro to Portrait Sketching: Draw in Real-Time

A course by Bill Robles , Courtroom Illustrator

Courtroom Illustrator. Los Angeles, United States.
Joined June 2021

Learn to draw on-the-spot sketches with a famous courtroom illustrator, using pens, colored pencils, and markers to capture a subject and their environment

Best seller
94% positive reviews (100)
3,825 students
Audio: English
English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch

Learn to draw on-the-spot sketches with a famous courtroom illustrator, using pens, colored pencils, and markers to capture a subject and their environment

“I love courtroom illustration: the immediacy, working feverishly, the adrenaline rush, and suddenly, it’s over… onto the satellite, and seen around the world.”

Bill Robes’ career as a courtroom illustrator was launched when he covered the 1970 Charles Manson case. Since then, he’s worked on cases involving O.J Simpson, Michael Jackson, Harvey Weinstein, and Britney Spears among others. He was also commissioned by NASA to cover the first four space shuttle missions.

In this online course, Bill teaches you the art of on-the-spot illustration, using pens, colored pencils, and markers. Learn how to capture the essence of your subject and their environment in a short timeframe by harnessing the power of observational drawing. Ready to put your illustration skills to the test?

Read more ↓

What will you learn in this online course?

14 lessons & 12 downloads

Materials
3 minutes, 11 seconds
The Human Head 1
18 minutes, 31 seconds
The Human Head 2
18 minutes, 14 seconds
Architectural Sketching 1
16 minutes, 22 seconds
Adding Details and Environment
8 minutes, 51 seconds
Adding Color 1
15 minutes, 54 seconds
  • 94% positive reviews (100)
  • 3,825 students
  • 14 lessons (2h 24m)
  • 12 additional resources (3 files)
  • Online and at your own pace
  • Available on the app
  • Audio: English
  • English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch
  • Level: Beginner
  • Unlimited access forever

What is this course's project?

Illustrate a subject of your choosing in real time, focusing on details, shadows, highlights, and their environment.

Projects by course students

Who is this online course for?

This course is for anyone interested in learning how to draw on-the-spot illustrations.

Requirements and materials

No previous experience is required.

In terms of materials, you will need drawing equipment like graphite pencils, erasers, and a sketchbook, which the teacher discusses in more detail as part of the course.


Reviews

3,825 Students
100 Reviews
94% Positive ratings

Bill Robles

A course by Bill Robles

Teacher Plus
Courtroom Illustrator

Bill Robles is a courtroom illustrator from Los Angeles who has worked on some of the world’s most high-profile cases. He received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the Art Center College of Design, and went on to work on the 1970 Charles Manson case, which launched his career. He has since worked on cases involving O.J Simpson, Michael Jackson, Harvey Weinstein, and Britney Spears among others.

Outside the courtroom, Bill has received numerous awards and assignments, including an Emmy Award nomination and three gold medals from the Broadcast Designers Association. He has worked with clients including CBS News, CNN, NBC News, and Fox News. Bill was also commissioned by NASA to cover the first four space shuttle missions. He is still active in TV News and Illustration Commissions, and gives lectures about his courtroom artwork at libraries, colleges, and art groups.


Content

  • U1

    Introduction

    • About Me
    • Influences
  • U2

    Foundations of Sketching

    • Materials
    • The Human Head 1
    • The Human Head 2
    • Full Figure Sketching
    • Architectural Sketching 1
    • Architectural Sketching 2
  • U3

    Drawing from Observation

    • Capturing the Likeness of the Figure
    • Adding Details and Environment
    • Adding Color 1
    • Adding Color 2
  • U4

    Tips from a Courtroom Artist

    • Working in a Courtroom Environment
    • Tips for Drawing Quickly
  • FP

    Final project

    • Intro to Portrait Sketching: Draw in Real-Time

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.
Intro to Portrait Sketching: Draw in Real-Time. Illustration course by Bill Robles Best seller

Intro to Portrait Sketching: Draw in Real-Time

A course by Bill Robles
Courtroom Illustrator. Los Angeles, United States.
Joined June 2021
  • 94% positive reviews (100)
  • 3,825 students