Intro to Children's Book Illustrations in Gouache
A course by Kelsey Garrity-Riley , Children’s Illustrator
Joined August 2022
Learn to illustrate with gouache, ink, and colored pencils to create a 2-page spread of a children’s book
Joined August 2022
Dive into the world of children's illustration and discover the magic of turning nostalgic memories into beautiful artwork. Join Kelsey Garrity-Riley, a renowned book illustrator who has collaborated with publishing houses like Random House, Roaring Book Press, and Abrams, as she shares her passion for transforming personal experiences into captivating stories for young readers.
In this online course, learn how to create a charming two-page spread for a children's book using gouache, ink, colored pencils and the power of your own imagination. Ready to inspire the little ones to read?
What will you learn in this online course?
15 lessons & 32 downloads
- 27 students
- 15 lessons ()
- 32 additional resources (13 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
- English · Portuguese · Italian · Spanish · German
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
Recommended software & tools for this course
Adobe Photoshop
ProcreateWhat is this course's project?
Create a 2-page spread for a children’s book. Kelsey’s is based on a woodland adventure, but you are free to illustrate what you want!
Who is this online course for?
This course is for beginners or experienced illustrators who want to explore the publishing world.
Requirements and materials
No previous experience need, but working knowledge of Procreate or Photoshop to edit your work is helpful.
In terms of materials, you need pencils, gouache paint, brushes, paper, colored pencils, erases, a dip pen, and ink. You also need access to the above programs to retouch your work.
Kelsey Garrity-Riley
A course by Kelsey Garrity-Riley
Kelsey Garrity-Riley is an American illustrator specializing in children’s books, surface pattern design, and illustrated stationery. She currently lives and works in Pennsylvania, though her childhood spent in Belgium and Germany, along with her studies at the Savannah College of Art and Design and time living in New York, have deeply influenced her artistic voice.
Her work combines gouache, collage, colored pencil, and ink to create warm, nostalgic illustrations inspired by childhood memories, nature, and everyday storytelling. She has illustrated numerous children’s books, including My Little Brave Girl with Hilary Duff, You Are A Beautiful Beginning, Other Wordly, and Florence Nightingale from the Little People, Big Dreams series. She also writes and illustrates her own stories, such as Frankie’s Favorite Foods and Fritz: A Mushroom Story.
Throughout her career, she has collaborated with publishers, magazines, and international brands including Anthropologie, The Boston Globe, and Harvard Magazine, as well as creating greeting cards and wrapping paper collections for Red Cap Cards. Her illustrations are known for their emotional warmth, playful details, and strong connection to the world of childhood.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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About Me
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Influences
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U2
Preparing Everything to Start Creating
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Introduction to Children’s Book Illustration
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Tools and Materials
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Use of Materials and Techniques 1
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Use of Materials and Techniques 2
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Creating a Mood Board
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U3
Developing the Character and Painting
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Loose Sketching
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Character Development
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Coming up With a Setting for Final Sketch
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Painting Using Gouache Techniques 1
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Painting Using Gouache Techniques 2
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Adding Details and Mixed Techniques
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U4
Final Details
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Digital Retouching
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From the Initial Spread to a Full Storybook
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FP
Final project
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Introduction to Gouache for Children's Illustration
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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
Domestika courses are online classes that allow you to learn new skills and create incredible projects. All our courses include the opportunity to share your work with other students and/or teachers, creating an active learning community. We offer different formats:
Original Courses: Complete classes that combine videos, texts, and educational materials to complete a specific project from start to finish.
Basics Courses: Specialized training where you master specific software tools step by step.
Specialization Courses: Learning paths with various expert teachers on the same topic, perfect for becoming a specialist by learning from different approaches.
Guided Courses: Practical experiences ideal for directly acquiring specific skills.
Intensive Courses (Deep Dives): New creative processes based on artificial intelligence tools in an accessible format for in-depth and dynamic understanding.
All courses are 100% online, so once they're published, courses start and finish whenever you want. You set the pace of the class. You can go back to review what interests you most and skip what you already know, ask questions, answer questions, share your projects, and more.
The courses are divided into different units. Each one includes lessons, informational text, tasks, and practice exercises to help you carry out your project step by step, with additional complementary resources and downloads. You'll also have access to an exclusive forum where you can interact with the teacher and with other students, as well as share your work and your course project, creating a community around the course.
You can redeem the course you received by accessing the redeeming page and entering your gift code.
Adobe Photoshop
Procreate