Drawing 101: Introduction to Digital Illustration is an online course by illustrator Jean Fraisse that introduces the fundamentals of drawing and digital illustration. The course explores how to draw from observation and imagination, using lines, angles, shapes and proportions to build illustrations.

The course approaches drawing as a skill that can be developed through practice. Students work through fundamental drawing techniques before exploring perspective, light and shadow, design principles and methods for developing original illustrations.

About Drawing 101

The course begins with the fundamentals of drawing and Jean Fraisse's approach to breaking down complex subjects into simpler shapes. Students learn how to consider angles and proportions when constructing drawings and then apply these principles to digital illustration.

The curriculum then moves into perspective, including horizons, vanishing points and converging lines. Students apply these ideas to drawing architecture and the human body from observation before exploring light and shadow.

The final part of the course focuses on developing original illustrations. Students learn design principles and explore techniques such as layering, duplication, reshaping, exaggeration and deformation.

What You'll Learn

The course covers:

Drawing with simple shapes
Angles and proportions
Drawing from observation
One-point and two-point perspective
Horizons and vanishing points
Drawing architecture
Drawing the human body
Light and shadow
Developing sketches
Basic design principles
Drawing from imagination
Layering
Duplicating and reshaping elements
Exaggeration and deformation

Course Structure

The course contains 21 lessons organized into four instructional units followed by a final project.

Introduction
The opening unit introduces Jean Fraisse and his influences.

How to Get Better at Drawing
This unit covers the fundamentals of drawing, including what drawing involves, simplifying subjects into basic shapes, angles and proportions.

Understanding Basic 3D
Students explore how to create a sense of three-dimensionality through perspective. Lessons cover cubes, horizons, one-point and two-point perspective, architecture, the human body, and light and shadow.

How to Create
The final instructional unit introduces design principles and the elements of a good sketch. Students then explore creating from a theme or concept, followed by techniques for duplicating, reshaping, exaggerating and deforming elements.

The course concludes with a final project that brings these techniques together.

What You'll Create

The final project consists of two digital illustrations:

One illustration created from observation
One original illustration based on the student's own design

The project gives students an opportunity to apply the course's drawing fundamentals to both observation-based and imaginative work.

Who Is This Course For?

The course is designed for anyone interested in learning digital illustration or improving their drawing abilities.

Domestika states that no previous experience is necessary, making the course suitable for beginners who want to establish a foundation in drawing and digital illustration.

What You Need

Students need a computer with Adobe Photoshop or similar software.

Adobe Photoshop is the software specifically recommended for the course.

Course Format

The course is delivered online and can be completed at your own pace, without a fixed schedule.

It is available through Domestika's platform and app. The course has audio available in English, Spanish (Latin America), French, Italian, Portuguese and Turkish, with subtitles available in additional languages including German, Polish, Dutch, Romanian and Indonesian.

Instructor

Jean Fraisse
Jean Fraisse is an artist, illustrator and entrepreneur who developed his drawing and painting skills through self-directed study and professional experience. He has worked as a concept artist for an animation studio in Mexico and has taught multiple courses on Domestika.

His approach in Drawing 101 focuses on breaking down drawing into understandable principles and demonstrating how those principles can be applied to illustration.

Things to Consider

Best for: Beginners who want to build drawing fundamentals while learning the foundations of digital illustration.

Although the course is categorized as digital illustration, a substantial part of the curriculum focuses on fundamental drawing skills. Perspective, proportions, observation, shapes, light and shadow and basic design principles form an important part of the learning process.

The course may therefore be particularly useful for someone who wants to strengthen their underlying drawing abilities rather than focus exclusively on digital software techniques.

Students looking for highly specialized instruction in areas such as editorial illustration, children's illustration or character design may want to look for courses specifically focused on those subjects.

Enroll in the Course

Interested in developing your drawing and digital illustration skills?

Take Drawing 101: Introduction to Digital Illustration

For the current course content, enrollment information and access details, visit the official course page on Domestika.

Looking for more? Browse all courses for creatives on Good Stuff Weekly.

Last verified: September 27, 2026