Creative Lab: Illustrate Characters for Children
A course by Anna Süßbauer , Illustrator
Learn creative techniques to illustrate fictional characters that captivate young readers, from adorable little creatures to more extravagant ones
Learn creative techniques to illustrate fictional characters that captivate young readers, from adorable little creatures to more extravagant ones
"I get bored easily and stereotypical illustrations, especially in children's books, really put me to sleep." The goal of illustrator Anna Süßbauer is to make memorable, eye-catching art that entices viewers to take a closer look, which typically involves breaking a few drawing rules and defying the laws of nature.
In this online course, she shows you techniques to create your own experimental characters. Learn how to piece them together following the building-block principle and explore your imagination until you've created never-before-seen creatures. Then, experiment with texture and funny features to give your characters a special look before assembling them all in a collage on a poster.
What will you learn in this online course?
18 lessons & 15 downloads
- 98% positive reviews (46)
- 1,022 students
- 18 lessons (2h 25m)
- 15 additional resources (2 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: German
- German · Spanish · English · Portuguese · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
Recommended software for this course
Adobe PhotoshopWhat is this course's project?
Create a cast of fun, unique, and colorful characters and arrange them in a collage on a poster.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Illustrators, creative professionals, families with kids (those in pre-school or elementary school), and anyone who enjoys digital painting.
Requirements and materials
Basic knowledge of Adobe Photoshop and its tools, including how to work with layers and color palettes, is required for this course.
The only materials you need are a computer and access to the program itself.
Reviews
A course by Anna Süßbauer
Anna Süßbauer is a Cologne-based illustrator who specializes in children's books and editorial projects. After working in several professional fields, she decided to pursue her passion for creating art and self-expression through images, a skill she taught herself. Her favorite way to bring the mundane to life is by illustrating brightly colored creatures with unusual shapes and funny features.
She's illustrated books for major clients like Miles Kelly, DK Children, Little Tiger, Hachette Worthy Kids, and Combel Editorial, where she was given the creative freedom to explore her style in ¡Tengo un hambre de dragón! by Mar Benegas. In the publishing field, she got to complete her dream project for the magazine Brigitte and has already illustrated the children's puzzle page of Die kleine Brigitte several times.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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About Me
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Inspirations
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U2
Creating Creative Characters
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Finding Inspiration
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Creativity Techniques
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The Necessary Brushes
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Finding the Right Color Palette
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Creating and Editing Shapes
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Combination of Shapes and Lines 1
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Combination of Shapes and Lines 2
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Combination of Shapes and Lines 3
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Texture: Depth, Shadows, and Transitions
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Adding Movement
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Working Out Special Elements
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U3
Creating the Poster
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The Layout and the Sketch
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Arranging the Figures on the Poster
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Adding Details and Elements
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The Finishing Touch
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U4
Additional Information
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Staying Productive: Tips for Instagram
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FP
Final project
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Creative Lab: Illustrate Characters for Children
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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.
Adobe Photoshop
kjulia80
Interessant!
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mjfilipe
A Anna tem um método de trabalho muito imaginativo e as personagens são muito engraçadas.
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petradi
Ich habe schon mehrere Illustrations-/photoshop-Kurse gemacht. Die unterschiedliche Herangehensweise der Lehrer ist wirklich interessant. Dadurch lernt man, mit welchen Techniken man selbst am besten zurechtkommt und einen persönlichen Stil zu etablieren. In diesem Kurs steht für mich eindeutig die Kreativität im Fokus. Danke dafür.
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araucanablue
I enjoyed this course very much. Her characters are gorgeous. I use Procreate instead of Photoshop but I was able to successfully adapt the methods.
miguelutanig
buen curso
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