I’m moving forward, as promised in the last post, with a course syllabus for learning illustration. Let’s keep things simple! My goal is to become a better illustrator, not to create a full-blown illustration course. So, I’m not going to spend too much time on a rigid plan. The key here is flexibility—we’ll keep things in pencil so we can adjust as we go!
Setting goals
The first step when deciding on a study path is to set clear goals. If you’re designing your own self-taught course, you’ll want to think about what you want to achieve.
For me, I want to focus on improving my technical skills, like drawing and composition. I also want to explore how to use those skills to tell stories through illustration. I’m not sure if that means creating picture books, working in magazines, or something else. Part of my goal is to figure out how I can use illustration for storytelling.
Here are my main goals:
- Develop technical drawing and compositional skills
- Practice illustration with storytelling in mind
- Explore different ways to use my art
Creating a learning path
Where to begin? I think it’s smart to start with the basics. Even though I’ve been practicing art for a few years, there have been times when I’ve struggled with advanced topics because I was missing some fundamentals. So, I’m going to refresh my foundational drawing and design skills. This will also help me build a solid study routine.
Once I’ve got a handle on the basics, I can dive into more advanced topics—like learning to use digital tools or refining techniques for mood and atmosphere. I’d love to get to a point where I can create the mood of a piece without overthinking it!
I’ve also looked into subjects taught in university illustration programs to get a sense of what to study. Here’s a summary of what I found:
- Drawing techniques
- 2D and 3D design
- Art history
- Figure and life drawing
- Digital illustration
- Character design
- Narrative illustration (comics, graphic novels)
- Typography
- Portfolio development
- Animation and motion graphics
It looks like a lot, but it’s exciting! I’ll take it one step at a time, and most importantly—have fun!
Books and supplies
’ll need some books to guide me through this journey. I already have a few that I’ve been meaning to dive into. They’re great references, and now is the perfect time to use them!
For foundational drawing, I’m starting with The Natural Way to Draw by Kimon Nicolaides and Keys to Drawing by Bert Dodson. Both are filled with exercises and tips, and Nicolaides’ book even has a weekly practice schedule.
For design, I’ll be using Principles of Two-Dimensional Design by Wucius Wong. I also have Creative Illustration by Andrew Loomis, a fantastic resource that I’m eager to spend more time with.
Alongside these, I’ll be reading Gardner’s Art Through the Ages: A Global History, which I’ve had on my shelf for years, and various books about the illustration process by authors like Steven Heller and Alan Male.
Here’s my starting book list (I buy used books when I can):
- The Natural Way to Draw by Kimon Nicolaides
- Keys to Drawing by Bert Dodson
- Principles of Two-Dimensional Design by Wucius Wong
- Creative Illustration by Andrew Loomis
- Gardner’s Art Through the Ages by Fred S. Kleiner
As for starter supplies, I’ve already got most of what I need—sketchbooks, pencils, and a computer/tablet. I’ll be doing a lot of sketching, both from life and using online resources like Quickposes.com for gesture studies.
I’m excited to get started, and I’ll adapt this plan as I go. It’s all about learning, growing, and enjoying the process!
Next steps
I think I’ve outlined a flexible, self-guided approach to learning illustration. It has clear goals, such as developing technical skills and storytelling through illustration, but is flexible to adjustment. The plan is to revisit foundational skills like drawing and design, using resources such as Kimon Nicolaides’ The Natural Way to Draw and Bert Dodson’s Keys to Drawing, before progressing to more advanced topics. I’ve listed a variety of subjects to explore, from traditional drawing techniques to digital illustration, and will rely primarily on books and practical exercises for information, as well as a few online sources for variety.
