Zodiac Illustration: Creating A Unique Series
A course by Silja Goetz, Illustrator
Use ancient horoscope symbols to illustrate a series that captures your style
Applying ancient symbology to an illustration series is the ideal opportunity to generate a fresh perspective on a familiar idea to surprise and delight your audience. The twelve signs of the zodiac have been depicted for over four thousand years, yet they still feature in magazines, calendars, books, and websites all around the world today. Illustrator Silja Goetz is passionate about turning classic subjects into surprising compositions. Clients like The New Yorker, Vogue, Harrods, and Penguin Random House seek her expertise to tell their visual stories.
In her second Domestika course, Silja shows you how to create an original illustration series using a classic subject. Discover how to transform zodiac symbols into fresh and interesting compositions while maintaining consistency and harmony among your series. See also Silja’s first course, where she unravels the secrets of book cover illustration to capture the essence of a story using analog and digital techniques.
What will you learn in this online course?
17 lessons & 18 downloads
What's included in this course?
Meet Silja, discover her illustration work throughout her twenty years of experience as an illustrator, and see the artists that inspire her to further explore her imagination. Discover what you are going to learn in the course before delving into theory and practice.
Next, as Silja puts it: “Time to get seriously serial!” Analyze the zodiac by looking into its history and modern depictions. Explore other types of series such as playing cards to understand what makes an illustration series come together.
Discover the different versions of the zodiac and see the endless possibilities of interpretation. Learn about format, frame, color, composition, and recurring symbols. Unravel your personal style by exploring ideas and putting them on paper. Search for references to find inspiration for style and composition, and sketch your ideas.
Silja shows you how to create a blueprint for your series by working on its format, color scheme, and basic composition. Next, get your pencil and paper and draw the different elements for your zodiac signs. Scan and assemble your elements on Photoshop, seeing the basic functions, tools, and layer system Silja uses in the software. Polish and perfect your artwork until it is ready to print.
Analyze Silja’s twelve finished illustrations to explore different ideas and possibilities of where to apply an illustration series. Finally, get Silja’s expert advice on how to make a living from illustration and discover the best ways to get your first paid illustration assignments.
- 100% positive reviews (51)
- 792 students
- 17 lessons (3h 10m)
- 18 additional resources (6 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English
- English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish · Romanian · Indonesian
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
Recommended software & tools for this course
Adobe PhotoshopWhat is this course's project?
Create an illustration series of three zodiac signs in your own style with Silja’s methodology.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is for anyone interested in learning how to create an illustration series, as well as for illustrators who want to fill their portfolio with creative ideas
Requirements and materials
Basic drawing skills are required to take the course.
As for materials, Silja suggests you use whatever you prefer. She will be creating her illustrations with a pencil and paper, and then work on her illustrations on Adobe Photoshop to add color and details.
Reviews
Silja Goetz
A course by Silja Goetz
Silja has always loved to draw, and with the encouragement of her parents, she kept it up and decided early on that she wanted to become an illustrator. She studied Communication Design in Nüremberg while working as an illustrator for a magazine about animals for children, along with some work for magazines like Elle and Cosmopolitan.
Silja worked as a layout designer for Allegra Magazine (Germany) for over two years, where she learned to see illustration from an art director’s perspective. After deciding she wanted to create illustrations instead of working with the work of others, she took a leap of faith and moved to Spain, where she started working as a freelance illustrator.
She has worked with press clients like The New Yorker, Elle, Vogue, Vanity Fair, Die Zeit, Outdoor magazine, and more, as well as on advertising projects for clients like Estrella Damm. Her book cover illustrations adorn the books of publishers like Penguin Random House, Harper Collins, Gräfe und Unzer, and Doubleday.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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Introduction
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Influences
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What Will We Do in This Course?
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U2
Research
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The Zodiac in the Past
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The Present: Modern Zodiacs and Other Series
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Personal Style and How to Find It
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Preparation
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U3
Production
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Layout 1
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Layout 2
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Drawing by Hand 1
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Drawing by Hand 2
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Drawing by Hand 3
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Assembly in Photoshop 1
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Assembly in Photoshop 2
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Touch-Ups and Comparing
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U4
What to Do with Your Illustrations
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The Series Completed
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How to Make a Living
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FP
Final project
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Zodiac Illustration: Creating A Unique Series
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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
This course is designed for intermediate artists with some drawing experience, but motivated beginners can also benefit if they are comfortable with basic illustration tools and concepts.
You'll need drawing supplies like pencils and paper, as well as access to Photoshop or Procreate for digital work. A scanner or camera for digitizing artwork is also recommended.
You will learn how to develop a personal illustration style, create cohesive series, adapt illustrations for commercial use, integrate traditional and digital techniques, and effectively present your portfolio.
Yes, the course covers both traditional techniques like pencil drawing and tempera, and digital workflows using Photoshop or Procreate for coloring and finishing artwork.
Yes, you will learn how to curate, present, and promote your illustration portfolio, including strategies for Instagram and selling your art online.
The course includes structured exercises, creative limitations, and series projects to help you analyze, refine, and consistently apply your personal style across multiple works.
Yes, you'll explore the history and symbolism of the western zodiac, learn to research references, and create modern zodiac illustrations with historical and cultural context.
Adobe Photoshop
Great teacher and so course! Love it!
Excelente profesora. Sabe transmitir muy bien sus conocimientos, tiene un gran sentido del humor y mucha humanidad.
Great
Ótimo curso, a instrutora dá boas dicas e gostei de seu método de trabalho.
Excelente docente y divertida! Genial curso