Arts Digital Art
Intermediate
60 mins
Teacher/Student led
+88 XP
What you need:
Chromebook/Laptop/PC

Experimenting with Different Styles and Techniques

In this lesson, you will learn how to experiment with different styles and techniques in digital illustration.

Teacher Class Feed

Load previous activity

    1 - Create a new project

    Let's take a look and try out some digital software called Photopea. Open the website photopea.com and create a new project.

    To create a new project in Photopea, open the website photopea.com and:

    1. Click the New Project button
    2. You can give your project a name and choose what size the image will be.
    3. Click the "Create" button.

    2 - Choose an object or subject to illustrate, such as a person, an animal, or a plant

    When it comes to digital illustration, choosing a subject to draw is often the first step. Consider selecting an object or subject that inspires you or that you have a personal connection to. This can help you stay motivated throughout the process. Some popular subjects for digital illustration include people, animals, plants, landscapes, and fictional characters.

    Once you have a subject in mind, take some time to gather reference images. Reference images can help you better understand the subject's shape, proportions, and details. You can use a search engine or image library to find relevant photos or illustrations.


    3 - Choose a style to emulate, such as cartoon, watercolor, or realistic

    The next step is to choose a style for your illustration. This can help guide your creative decisions throughout the process. Some popular digital illustration styles include cartoon, watercolor, realistic, line art, and pastel.

    Consider the mood or emotion you want to convey with your illustration. For example, a realistic style might be best for a serious or dramatic subject, while a cartoon style might work well for a lighthearted or humorous subject.

    You can also take inspiration from other artists or illustrators by studying their work and observing their use of color, line, and texture.

    4 - Use the shape tool to create the basic elements of your illustration

    Once you have a subject and style in mind, it's time to start creating your illustration. One way to begin is by using the shape tool to create the basic elements of your illustration. The shape tool allows you to quickly create basic shapes like circles, squares, and triangles.

    Start by selecting the shape tool from the toolbar and choosing the shape you want to create. Then, click and drag your mouse to draw the shape on your canvas. You can adjust the size and position of the shape using the transform tool.

    Repeat this process to create all the basic elements of your illustration. You can use different shapes and sizes to create variation and interest. Once you have all the basic elements, you can begin refining them and adding details.

    123learn · Online learning platform

    Unlock the full learning experience

    You're previewing this lesson. Get full access to this lesson and hundreds more — each one ready to teach, with interactive activities, printable resources and pupil progress tracking built in.

    Hundreds of curriculum-aligned lessons
    Interactive activities in every lesson
    Printable resources & progress tracking
    Copyright Notice
    This lesson is copyright of Coding Ireland 2017 - 2026. Unauthorised use, copying or distribution is not allowed.
    🍪 Our website uses cookies to make your browsing experience better. By using our website you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more