Fantasy Character Illustration with Japanese Influence
A course by Elena G. Bansh , Illustrator
Learn to transform real-world inspiration into captivating characters designs influenced by Japanese culture.
Learn to transform real-world inspiration into captivating characters designs influenced by Japanese culture.
Enter the fascinating world of illustration and animation with Elena G. Bansh, a talented illustrator and animator with a deep passion for Japanese styles.
Influenced by her time living in Japan and her admiration for Japanese folklore, this online course guides you through the exploration of traditional and digital techniques to develop unique fantasy drawings.
You'll learn how to bring to life characters inspired by rich Japanese culture, from anime and manga to pop culture and traditional arts.
Elena will share her process for turning everyday experiences into artistic inspiration, allowing you to create characters with deep and meaningful stories.
What will you learn in this online course?
17 lessons & 24 downloads
- 100% positive reviews (19)
- 1,417 students
- 17 lessons (2h 31m)
- 24 additional resources (10 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
Recommended software for this course
Clip Studio Paint
ProcreateWhat is this course's project?
The final project of the course consists of creating a Japanese-style character, which will be inspired by your own experiences and brought to life by your imagination.
This character will be the result of applying both traditional and digital techniques learned during the course.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is aimed at illustrators, animators, and anyone interested in Japanese culture and learning how its elements can be integrated into the creation of fantasy characters.
It is ideal for those seeking to deepen their knowledge of illustration and animation techniques, as well as for those who wish to incorporate a rich and diverse narrative into their works.
Requirements and materials
To participate in this course, it is recommended to have basic drawing skills.
Materials needed include paper, pencils, an eraser, an ink pen or Japanese ink pens, and access to digital painting software like Clip Studio Paint for the digital coloring portion.
Reviews
A course by Elena G. Bansh
Elena G. Bansh is an Italian illustrator and animator whose career has spanned from Italy to London, with a significant stint in Japan.
Educated in animation at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia in Italy and holding a master's degree in Visual Communication from the Royal College of Art in London, Elena has collaborated with renowned international clients such as NATURE, Apple, and BBC Science Focus.
Her work frequently delves into fantasy themes and is deeply influenced by her experiences in Japan. It has been recognized and awarded multiple times, showcasing her ability to weave stories through vibrant colors and memorable characters.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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About Me
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Influences
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U2
Introducing Japanese Characters
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Character Design with Japanese Influence
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Materials and Tools
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Searching for References
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The Story Behind the Character
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Warm-up Exercises
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U3
Creating the Character Illustration
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The Animal’s Head
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Designing the Character’s Full Body
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Thumbnails and Composition
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Cleanup and Inking
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The Background
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U4
Colors, Shadows, and Lights
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Fixing the Composition
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Coloring 1
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Coloring 2
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Shadows and Lights
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The Animated Character Illustration
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FP
Final project
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Fantasy Character Illustration with Japanese Influence
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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.
Clip Studio Paint
Procreate
basti_ohwee
I enjoyed the course a lot. Highly recommended!
bilgindmstk01
I wish there were courses that explained such techniques in more detail. Please explain the techniques used in some courses in more detail. The course is amazing and inspiring.
jschesto
Es un buen curso para aprender métodos con los cuales generar ideas para hacer diseños de personajes. El proceso se puede adaptar perfectamente a ilustración manual.
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ececbn5
Temel atmak için mükemmel bir kurs, kesinlikle tavsiye ediyorum.
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levongrigoryan246
I recently completed the, and I couldn’t be more thrilled with my progress. As someone who came into the course with only basic drawing skills, I was looking for a structured way to improve—and this course delivered!