Have you ever wondered how some artists capture so much personality in their characters? Having a unique and lively character style is a hallmark of a great illustrator. It requires risk-taking, experimentation, and a willingness to look beyond expected shapes, colors, and proportions. In this workshop, you’ll use your intuition to create quirky, stylized bodies that surprise and delight. Then, you’ll turn to color for inspiration, thinking through what different color schemes communicate, and how they can bring mood and excitement to your work. Finally, you’ll bring it all together, using bold colors and simple shapes to create a stylized self-portrait. This workshop is perfect for anyone interested in expanding their character horizons — to illustrate with more verve, and straight from the heart.

Workshop Timeline

Milestone 1: In Odd Bodies: Illustrating Expressive, Stylized People, illustrator Tom Froese will help you break free from traditional character drawing to experiment with what’s possible. You’ll learn key principles for successful stylized illustration, how to use your intuition instead of relying on others for inspiration, and how to embrace quirks and incorporate them into your work. Share your odd bodies in the project gallery by May 20th.
Milestone 2: Next up, illustrator and cartoonist Ira Marcks will (re)acquaint you with the magic of color in World of Color: Using Color to Design a Character. You’ll learn some history; explore how color communicates ideas; plan your own color palettes; and experiment with hues, saturation, value, block coloring, and lighting techniques in Photoshop. Share your characters in the project gallery by May 28th.
Milestone 3: Lastly, explore the intersection of color, shape, and inspiration with famed illustrator Olimpia Zagnoli in Graphic Illustration: Boldly Design with Color and Shape, a Skillshare Original. Olimpia will teach you to harness the power of simple shapes and see illustration as an opportunity to communicate a message. Create your own self-portrait — an expression of your personal style — and share it to the project gallery by June 10th.

Develop Your Illustration Style with Memorable Characters

May 13 - Jun 10

Develop Your Illustration Style with Memorable Characters

May 13 - Jun 10