Lifestyle Illustration for Vibrant and Expressive Characters
A course by Jordi LabandaIllustrator
A course by Jordi Labanda, Illustrator
Learn to draw expressive characters and become the scriptwriter, stylist, and art director of your own illustrated stories
According to internationally renowned illustrator Jordi Labanda, "transmitting an idea is the cornerstone of illustration." Under this premise, his unequivocal style has been the protagonist of pieces for publications such as Vogue USA, the poster for the latest Woody Allen movie, and ad campaigns for adidas as well as household products and more, for over 19 years. In this online course, discover the secrets behind Jordi Labanda's most symbolic and fashionable characters.
Throughout the course, learn to give your illustrations personality and tell memorable stories using gouache paints. Jordi shows you how to put yourself in your characters' shoes, working on empathy to connect to a shared subconscious, for truthful and expressive results reflected in both the clothes and body language of your protagonists.
The aims of the course are:
- Discover the psychological resources necessary to give your work character and soul.
- Achieve a sort of transcendence and improved connection with your audience.
- Enrich your stories and the narrative behind each illustration.
- Explore fashion as a tool for transmitting ideas and emphasizing the massage you want to convey.
What will you learn in this online course?
18 lessons & 30 downloads
Drawing and expressiveness of characters: in search of a voice
12 minutes, 56 seconds
Basic gouache: outline and hair 1
16 minutes, 0 seconds
The sketches
7 minutes, 16 seconds
Second phase of the sketch and tracing 1
11 minutes, 29 seconds
Second phase of the sketch and tracing 2
11 minutes, 32 seconds
Painting process 1
20 minutes, 30 seconds
What's included in this course?
Start off by hearing Jordi Labanda talk about his career in the world of commercial illustration. He also shares the artists that have influenced his work and helped mold his personal style.
Continue by finding out what materials you need and learn to develop your own story. Explore how to achieve maximum expression through drawing techniques, fashion, and color, and discover the importance of composition and finding your voice before diving into the first steps using gouache.
Move on to learn more about the brief and look for references to put together a mood board. Now it's time to get sketching in two separate phases. After settling on the definitive design, trace it using a light table and decide on the color palette. Your teacher also takes you through some tricks of the trade and his painting process.
According to Jordi, delineation is what adds that professional touch to the overall aesthetic of a gouache painting, taking it from just good to great. To wrap up the course, he guides you through how to delineate and sharpen your characters' clothes and faces, add shadow and volume using felt-tips, as well as to digitize your project for publication on social media.
What is this course's project?
Compose a narrative illustration whose protagonists connect with the audience through their expressive emotions.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Anyone wanting to enhance the psychological and narrative elements of their illustrated characters, whether working digitally or manually. The course is also aimed at anyone who's always admired Jordi Labanda's work and would like to know more about what goes on behind the scenes.
Requirements and materials
You don't need any previous knowledge to follow the course, but confident drawers might find it a little easier.
In terms of materials, you need:
- Blank sheets for sketching
- Black fineliners, a graphite pencil, and an eraser
- Different sized gouache brushes and gouache paints in a range of colors
- White card stock
- A light table for tracing your sketch
- Masking tape and a glass receptacle for water
Reviews
- 25 days ago
Amo tu trabajo, mil
- 4 months ago
Lo compre porque me gusto su estetica, y me estan encantando sus explicaciones en cuanto al proceso creativo y sus consejos para tener un resultado tan limpio.
- 11 months ago
Easy to follow step by step with unique style , vibrant colors, your class inspired me to start painting more… thank you so much.
- 11 months ago
¡Me está encantando este curso! Lo compré porque estaba interesada en aprender un poco sobre la pintura al gouache, pero las explicaciones de Jordi respecto a su proceso creativo son tan claras y apasionantes que creo que ha plantado en mí la semilla de la ilustración (ya me he puesto en marcha para tratar de aprender a dibujar figura humana). ¡Por supuesto que también obtuve los conocimientos que esperaba sobre el uso del gouache! Ojalá que pronto haya otro curso de Jordi disponible.
- 1 year ago
Muy buen curso para entender como funciona un poco el gouache y distintos materiales. Me gusto mucho como primero realiza sus bocetos antes de llegar al boceto final paara entregar al cliente
As an editorial illustrator and trend writer, he periodically collaborates with iconic publications from both the fashion and lifestyle spheres like Vogue Japan, The Daily Telegraph, Candy, Harper's Bazaar, and La Vanguardia magazine. His illustrations have also appeared in publications such as Wallpaper, Vogue USA, Visionaire, and The New York Times Sunday Magazine, among others.
As a corporate illustrator, Labanda illustrated the poster for Woody Allen's latest movie, Rifkin’s Festival, and has collaborated with brands including Louis Vuitton, Moncler, Zara, Vodafone, adidas, Pepsi Light, Dior, Danone, Nissan España, and American Express. His work has also been exhibited in galleries and museums across the world and was compiled into the bestseller Heyday, published with Editorial RM.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- About Me
- Influences
- U2
Expressiveness: the necessary tools
- The materials
- Drawing, fashion and color to tell stories
- Intention and composition: planes and visual weight
- Drawing and expressiveness of characters: in search of a voice
- Basic gouache: outline and hair 1
- Basic gouache: outline and hair 2
- U3
Create a professional illustration
- The brief and search for influences
- The sketches
- Second phase of the sketch and tracing 1
- Second phase of the sketch and tracing 2
- Painting process 1
- Painting process 2
- Painting process 3
- U4
The importance of details
- Outlining of clothes and faces 1
- Outlining of clothes and faces 2
- Final touches with pen and digitization
- FP
Final project
- Lifestyle Illustration for Vibrant and Expressive Characters
What to expect from a Domestika course
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.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
Yes, this course is designed for those with basic illustration or painting skills who want to refine techniques and dive deeper into visual storytelling, character work, and composition using gouache.
You’ll need gouache paints, natural hair brushes, tracing paper, a lightbox, Copic markers, white correction fluid, a glass jar for mixing colors, and basic drawing tools like pencils and erasers.
You’ll learn visual storytelling techniques, character building, color use and composition, how to create mood boards, digitize your illustrations, and strategies to develop your voice as a commercial illustrator.
The course teaches how to blend visual storytelling and fashion trends to give characters expressiveness, coherence, and authenticity, using clothing, gestures, and color as key narrative tools.
It’s recommended to have basic drawing skills since this is an intermediate course focused on refining techniques, storytelling, and composition rather than beginner fundamentals.
Yes, the course includes methods for digitizing hand-drawn illustrations, ensuring color accuracy and a professional finish for portfolios or publications.
Absolutely, one of the main goals is to create illustrated characters that feel real, empathetic, and emotionally genuine by applying observation, gesture, and visual storytelling.