New illustration Painting - Digital Photoshop Drawing Course from Udemy

In 2023, about 40,000 students have learned this 'Guochao' illustration course in China. Just come and join them to see what you can create.

What is 'Guochao' illustration style?

There are many kinds of Chinese style illustration, 'Guochao' is one of them. 'Guochao' means based on the Chinese traditional culture background, adding some modern fashion elements. It is also the illustration style mainly introduced in this course.

This course has 4 parts (total 11 lessons) with downloadable resources.

Part 1: The Foundation of 'Guochao' Illustration.

Starting from the basics of photoshop, then Chinese traditional elements, color theory and others needed for painting to gradually help you master the foundation of 'Guochao' illustrations. After those basic courses, you will be well prepared for the the next part and can easily deal with various difficulties.

Part 2: A Simple 'Guochao' Illustration Creation

Under my guidance, you will create a 'Guochao' painting with Adobe Photoshop through some simple elements like fish lantern(not the lanternfish), which has over 600-year history in China. By this way, you will get more familiar with 'Guochao' illustration and know how to utilize different combinations of characters, animals and plants.

Part 3: A Complete 'Guochao' Illustration Creation

In this section, I will lead you to create a complete digital painting of Mid-Atumn Festival by using a great deal of complicated elements. After this part, you may try creating your own paintings by any other themes and elements. Looking forward to your unique design.

Part 4: Create a 'Guochao' Illustration by Christmas Theme

In this part, I will show you how to create a 'Guochao' digital painting by Christmas theme. It is really amazing and deserve sharing with your family and friends. After this part, you will be more familiar with this kind of style, try to create more paintings and to be brave to discover what you like then draw. Do not limit your imagination.

I will use Adobe Photoshop in the whole course, if you don't use Adobe Photoshop, iPad Procreate or Artstudio is a good choice, so don't worry about the tool.

Any questions, suggestions or advices are welcomed.

What's inside

Learning objectives

The basic photoshop operations for digital drawing
The basic art theory of chinese traditional style illustration

How to create a chinese traditional style illustration (small one and complete one)
How to create a chinese traditional style illustration by christmas theme

The basic photoshop operations for digital drawing
The basic art theory of chinese traditional style illustration
How to create a chinese traditional style illustration (small one and complete one)
How to create a chinese traditional style illustration by christmas theme

Syllabus

master the basics of photoshop, and gradually master the composition, color matching and drawing techniques of Guochao illustrations

Basic Photoshop operations for digital painting

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Explores 'Guochao' illustration, which blends traditional Chinese culture with modern fashion elements, offering a unique artistic direction

Starts with the basics of Photoshop, making it accessible for those new to digital painting and illustration

Covers Chinese traditional elements and color theory, providing a foundation for creating authentic 'Guochao' illustrations

Uses Adobe Photoshop, but suggests iPad Procreate or Artstudio as alternatives, broadening accessibility for digital artists

Focuses on creating illustrations with specific themes like Mid-Autumn Festival and Christmas, which may limit broader applicability

Reviews summary

Learn guochao digital art in photoshop

According to students, this course offers a positive introduction to the 'Guochao' digital art style in Photoshop. Learners praise the clear lessons and practical projects. Suitable for beginners, though some feel the pace is quick, suggesting some Photoshop basics help. It focuses on the 'Guochao' style, ideal for that niche but less for general digital art. Overall, it's seen as a valuable way to learn this unique style.

Techniques are demonstrated specifically in Photoshop.

"You definitely need Adobe Photoshop or a very similar program to follow the lessons accurately."

"The course is very Photoshop-centric; the tools and workflows shown are specific to that software."

"Be aware you need access to Photoshop as all demonstrations are done using its features."

Course heavily focuses on 'Guochao' illustration.

"If you are specifically interested in learning the 'Guochao' style, this course is perfect for that."

"It was great learning about this unique cultural art style and how to incorporate traditional elements."

"The techniques taught are very specific to achieving the 'Guochao' look, which was exactly what I wanted."

Includes useful projects for practice.

"Creating the simple and complex illustrations alongside the instructor was very helpful for practicing the techniques."

"The projects included in the course really helped me solidify my understanding by applying what I learned immediately."

"I enjoyed the hands-on aspect of creating the different illustrations; it made the learning process engaging."

Lessons are easy to follow step-by-step.

"The instructor explains everything clearly and walks you through each step needed to create the illustrations."

"I found the lessons very easy to follow, even when tackling the more complex drawing techniques."

"The course structure is logical, building up skills step by step, making it easy to understand."

Pace may vary; some Photoshop knowledge helpful.

"Sometimes the pace felt a bit fast, especially for someone completely new to digital drawing and Photoshop."

"I struggled a bit initially because the course assumes some basic familiarity with Photoshop's interface."

"While it covers Photoshop basics, having some prior experience with the software would definitely make it easier to follow."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in New illustration Painting - Digital Photoshop Drawing Course with these activities:

Brush Tool Mastery

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Practice using different Photoshop brush settings to achieve various textures and effects. This will improve your control and efficiency when creating 'Guochao' illustrations.

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Explore different brush types in Photoshop.
Experiment with size, hardness, and opacity settings.
Practice creating different textures and strokes.

Mastering Color

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Study color relationships and harmonies to improve your color mixing and application skills for 'Guochao' illustrations.

View Melania on Amazon

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Read chapters on color harmonies and relationships.
Complete the color mixing exercises in the book.
Apply the concepts to your own digital paintings.

Color and Light: A Guide for the Realist Painter

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Study color theory and light interaction to enhance the realism and visual impact of your 'Guochao' illustrations.

View Dinotopia: Journey To Chandara (Calla Editions) on Amazon

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Read chapters on color mixing and light sources.
Analyze paintings, paying attention to color and light.
Apply the concepts to your own digital paintings.

Three other activities

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Show all six activities

Guochao Element Library

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Compile a library of common 'Guochao' elements (e.g., dragons, lanterns, specific flowers) with sketches and color palettes. This will serve as a reference for future projects and improve your design efficiency.

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Research common 'Guochao' elements.
Sketch each element in various poses and angles.
Create color palettes for each element.
Organize the elements into a digital library.

Redesign a Classic Scene

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Choose a famous scene from a Western movie or painting and reimagine it in the 'Guochao' style. This will challenge you to blend different cultural elements and showcase your creativity.

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Select a classic scene to reimagine.
Research 'Guochao' elements that fit the scene.
Create a sketch of the redesigned scene.
Paint the scene in Photoshop, incorporating 'Guochao' elements.

Portfolio Update

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Curate and present your best 'Guochao' illustrations in a professional online portfolio. This will help you showcase your skills and attract potential clients or employers.

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Select your best 'Guochao' illustrations.
Optimize the images for online viewing.
Create a professional online portfolio using a platform like ArtStation or Behance.
Write descriptions for each illustration.

Career center

Learners who complete New illustration Painting - Digital Photoshop Drawing Course will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Digital Illustrator

A digital illustrator creates visual content using digital tools, often for online media, games, or publications. This course, focusing on 'Guochao' illustration, helps you build a foundation in digital painting using tools like Adobe Photoshop, and introduces Chinese traditional art elements. Learning the basics of Photoshop operations for digital painting is very useful to a digital illustrator. The course's emphasis on composition, color matching, and drawing techniques helps you create compelling illustrations. You may find the lessons on creating illustrations with simple and complex settings particularly valuable as a digital illustrator.

See salaries and explore the career path for Digital Illustrator

Freelance Illustrator

A freelance illustrator works independently, taking on illustration projects for various clients. This course, focusing on the 'Guochao' illustration style, helps build a foundation in digital painting. The course's emphasis on composition, color matching, and drawing may allow a freelancer to create compelling illustrations with a unique cultural perspective. The lessons on creating illustrations with simple and complex settings may allow a freelancer to address a range of client needs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Freelance Illustrator

Graphic Designer

Graphic designers create visual concepts to communicate ideas that inspire, inform, or captivate consumers. The 'New Illustration Painting - Digital Photoshop Drawing Course' helps those aspiring to become graphic designers. Learning the basics of Photoshop operations for digital painting is beneficial to graphic designers. The course's emphasis on composition, color matching, and drawing techniques helps you create compelling illustrations, and provides a good starting point for a career in graphic design. You may find the lessons on creating illustrations with simple and complex settings particularly valuable as a graphic designer, especially the lessons concerning color matching.

See salaries and explore the career path for Graphic Designer

Game Artist

Game artists create the visual elements of video games, including characters, environments, and user interfaces. This course, which focuses on 'Guochao' illustration, may be useful as it offers a focus on digital painting techniques and Chinese traditional art styles. The course covers the basics of Photoshop operations for digital painting and also explains color matching. You may find the lessons on creating scene-based illustrations particularly helpful as a game artist. The knowledge can then be applied in the gaming world.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Artist

Character Designer

Character designers create the visual appearance of characters for animation, video games, and other media. This course, with its focus on the 'Guochao' illustration style, can help familiarize you with digital painting techniques. The course covers the basics of Photoshop operations for digital painting along with Chinese traditional elements. You may find the section on creating illustrations with different combinations of characters, animals, and plants particularly relevant to character design. The sketching and coloring lessons may also build a foundation in visual development.

See salaries and explore the career path for Character Designer

Storyboard Artist

A storyboard artist visualizes stories through a sequence of drawings, primarily for film, television, and animation. The 'New Illustration Painting - Digital Photoshop Drawing Course' may be useful, because it introduces key skills. It focuses on digital painting using tools like Adobe Photoshop, which is essential for creating storyboards. The course's emphasis on composition and sketching may help you to create compelling visuals. You may find the sections on sketching scenes, particularly the Mid-Autumn Festival and Christmas themes, helpful for developing your storytelling abilities.

See salaries and explore the career path for Storyboard Artist

Concept Artist

A concept artist develops visual representations of ideas for projects like video games, movies, and animation. The 'New Illustration Painting - Digital Photoshop Drawing Course' may be useful, because it introduces key skills. It focuses on digital painting using tools like Adobe Photoshop, essential for concept art. The course's curriculum, which covers the basics of Photoshop, color matching, and the creation of 'Guochao' style illustrations, provides a foundation for creating concept art with unique cultural elements. You may find the sections on sketching and coloring scenes, particularly the Mid-Autumn Festival and Christmas themes, useful for developing your concept art skills.

See salaries and explore the career path for Concept Artist

Animator

Animators create moving images using computer software or hand-drawn techniques. The 'New Illustration Painting - Digital Photoshop Drawing Course' may be useful, because it introduces key skills. It focuses on digital painting using tools like Adobe Photoshop, which is essential for creating animation assets and backgrounds. The course's emphasis on composition and sketching may help you create visually appealing and dynamic scenes. You may find the sections on sketching scenes, particularly the Mid-Autumn Festival and Christmas themes, helpful for developing your visual storytelling abilities.

See salaries and explore the career path for Animator

Surface Pattern Designer

Surface pattern designers create designs for various surfaces, such as wallpaper, stationery, and home goods. This course may be useful, because you may use the skills taught to design unique and culturally inspired patterns. The course covers the basics of Photoshop operations for digital painting, which is beneficial for creating patterns. The 'Guochao' illustration style and Chinese traditional elements could be translated into surface patterns. The lessons on color matching may also be useful, as color palettes are essential in surface pattern design.

See salaries and explore the career path for Surface Pattern Designer

Fine Artist

Fine artists create original artwork, often for exhibition or sale. The 'New Illustration Painting - Digital Photoshop Drawing Course' may be useful, because it introduces key skills. It focuses on digital painting using tools like Adobe Photoshop, which is essential for creating digital artwork. The course's emphasis on composition and sketching may help you create visually appealing work. You may find the sections on sketching scenes, particularly the Mid-Autumn Festival and Christmas themes, helpful for developing your visual work.

See salaries and explore the career path for Fine Artist

Textile Designer

Textile designers create patterns and designs for woven, knitted, printed, or other fabrics. This course may be useful, because you may use the skills taught to design unique and culturally inspired textiles. The course covers the basics of Photoshop operations for digital painting, which is useful for creating digital textile designs. The 'Guochao' illustration style and Chinese traditional elements could be translated into fabric patterns. You may find the lessons on color matching particularly useful, as color palettes are essential in textile design.

See salaries and explore the career path for Textile Designer

Web Designer

Web designers plan, create, and code internet sites and webpages, many of which may require images. This course may be useful, because you may use the skills taught to create unique and culturally inspired images to incorporate into web designs. The course covers the basics of Photoshop operations for digital painting, which is beneficial for creating web graphics. The 'Guochao' illustration style and Chinese traditional elements could be translated into website visuals. The lessons on color matching may also be useful, as color palettes are essential in web design.

See salaries and explore the career path for Web Designer

Fashion Designer

Fashion designers create clothing and accessories. The 'New Illustration Painting - Digital Photoshop Drawing Course' may be useful, because you may use the skills taught to create illustrations of their designs. The course covers the basics of Photoshop operations for digital painting, which is helpful for creating fashion illustrations. The 'Guochao' illustration style and Chinese traditional elements could inspire unique designs. You may find the lessons on color matching useful, as color palettes are essential in fashion design.

See salaries and explore the career path for Fashion Designer

Muralist

Muralists create large-scale paintings directly on walls or other surfaces. The 'New Illustration Painting - Digital Photoshop Drawing Course' may be useful, because you may use the skills taught to design murals digitally. The course covers the basics of Photoshop operations for digital painting, which is beneficial for creating digital mural designs. The 'Guochao' illustration style and Chinese traditional elements could be incorporated into mural designs. You may find the lessons on sketching scenes useful, as sketching is important for planning out mural designs.

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Art Director

An art director is responsible for the visual style and images for various projects, such as magazines, films, and advertising campaigns. While this role often requires extensive experience and sometimes a master's degree, this course focused on 'Guochao' illustration, may be useful as it offers a starting point in visual art. The course covers composition, color matching, and drawing techniques, as well as the creation of scene-based illustrations. This background may provide a foundation for guiding the visual aspects of a project.

See salaries and explore the career path for Art Director

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in New illustration Painting - Digital Photoshop Drawing Course.

Dinotopia: Journey To Chandara

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Fantastic resource for understanding color theory and light interaction, crucial for creating realistic and visually appealing digital paintings, especially when incorporating the vibrant colors often found in 'Guochao' illustrations. It provides practical advice and examples that can be directly applied to digital painting in Photoshop. It is more valuable as additional reading to deepen one's understanding of color and light.

Dinotopia: Journey To Chandara (Calla Editions)

Hardcover

New illustration Painting - Digital Photoshop Drawing Course

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Learn guochao digital art in photoshop

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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