Gouache Sketchbook: Painting Your Surroundings
A course by Don Kilpatrick IIIArtist and Illustrator
A course by Don Kilpatrick III, Artist and Illustrator
Use a sketchbook as a tool to develop your artistic style by exploring color theory and other painting principles to document the world around you
A sketchbook is one of the most effective tools in developing your artistic style, and is a unique way to document the world around you. For American illustrator and multidisciplinary artist Don Kilpatrick III, sketchbooking plays a key role in his overall image-making process. He designed the Olympic medal for the 2002 Winter Games, part of the set of Micheal Mann’s movie Collateral, and the murals for the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, USA.
In this online course, Don takes you through the process of using a reference photo to make an acrylic-gouache composition capturing an everyday scene. Explore the limitless possibilities of gouache for unexpected visual results!
To explore more artistic techniques with Don, check out his first Domestika course, Contemporary Printmaking with Linoleum.
What will you learn in this online course?
13 lessons & 16 downloads
Materials and Workspace
4 minutes, 19 seconds
The Basic Color Wheel 1
17 minutes, 2 seconds
The Basic Color Wheel 2
13 minutes, 0 seconds
Color Relativity
6 minutes, 18 seconds
Photo Selection and Thumbnails
12 minutes, 13 seconds
Color Studies
14 minutes, 12 seconds
What's included in this course?
Start the course by getting to know your teacher, Don Kilpatrick. He takes you through his journey as an artist and illustrator, then explains some of his biggest influences.
Dive straight in by looking at the materials needed for the course and how to set up your workspace. Then, learn all about the color wheel basics, value grouping, and color relativity.
Discover how to choose the best photo reference. Print your favorite one, before discussing limited palettes and chromatic schemes, creating a selection of value drawings.
Time to paint! Work on the main colors and shapes before progressing on to the finer details. Adjust the values of your painting, then digitize it and prepare it for social media.
What is this course's project?
Use a reference photo to make an acrylic-gouache piece that captures common everyday moments.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Anyone who is interested in or loves sketchbooking.
Requirements and materials
It is necessary to have some familiarity with drawing and painting.
In terms of materials, you need a sketchbook, pencils, paint, brushes, and a smartphone or camera.
Reviews
- 5 months ago
It's a nice ,easy and short course, great for beginners or people interested in the style. The colour theory and colour mixing is taught very well, the technique of colour blocking is made very easy!
- 6 months ago
Está bien
- aoshinfamilyPLUS9 months ago
とても解りやすかったです。 もう一度しっかりと見直して、色作りから始めたいと思います。 参考写真をこちらでも見れたら、もっと納得できたかも。 でも、とても良いコースでした。 ありがとうございました
- 9 months ago
Simples e direto. O curso oferece o que eu esperava, estou satisfeito. Achei o andamento de algumas partes um pouco acelerado, não dá pra ver algumas partes do processo de pintura, mas as pequenas dicas ao longo do curso são preciosas.
- johanne_kirouacPLUS10 months ago
Cours intéressant entre autre sur les notions de couleur. Par contre, je me rends compte que j'aime davantage l'aquarelle à la gouache ....
Don is also a freelance artist and part of the collaborative project the Detroit Wood Type Co. His work has been exhibited throughout the United States, and has been featured in publications like Fortune, the L.A. Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Other notable projects include designing the Olympic medal for the Winter Games in 2002, as well as designing murals for the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- About Me
- Influences
- U2
Preparation and First Steps
- Materials and Workspace
- The Basic Color Wheel 1
- The Basic Color Wheel 2
- Color Relativity
- U3
Capturing a Reference Photo
- Inspiration, Reference on Location, and Composition
- Photo Selection and Thumbnails
- Value Grouping and Limited Color Palettes
- Color Studies
- U4
Painting and Digitizing the Piece
- Painting the Project 1
- Painting the Project 2
- Scanning, Digitizing, and Sharing on Social Media
- FP
Final project
- Gouache Sketchbook: Painting Your Surroundings
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 intermediate-level artists who want to deepen their sketchbook practice and master color theory for both traditional and digital painting.
You'll need a mixed media sketchbook, acrylic gouache paints, brushes, markers, a portable color wheel, Stay Wet palette, and a smartphone or tablet for digital painting and reference photography.
You'll learn mixing paint for sketchbooks, color theory, value studies, composition techniques, urban sketching, digital landscapes, and how to prepare artwork for sharing on Instagram.
Yes, the course covers painting with acrylic gouache in sketchbooks as well as expressive digital sketching and iPad painting workflows.
Yes, you'll learn techniques for capturing inspiration on location, photographing street scenes with your smartphone, and editing references for painting.
The course covers primary, secondary, and complementary color mixing, using limited palettes, creating neutral tones, and designing harmonious color schemes like triads and split complementary palettes.
Yes, you’ll learn how to photograph, scan, edit, and format your artwork for optimal display and engagement on social media platforms like Instagram.