Caveat Academy course · Grades 7 to 12

Digital illustration: drawing, layers, color and light

A semester of illustrating on a screen: pick raster or vector and size a canvas that will print sharp, build drawings from gesture, perspective and head-unit proportion, keep a painting editable with layers, masks and multiply shadows, light a form and plan a palette for a mood, design a character that reads in silhouette, and take a job from brief to portfolio. Six modules at your own pace, with a check in every lesson and a certificate at the end.

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$19one-time · every device you sign in on
Buy · $19

Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Or get it in the Arts & Creativity collection, $69 for 23 items.

6 modules · 18 lessonsabout 12 hours$19

Six modules, eighteen lessons

Each module ends with a practice set that tracks mastery, an explain-it-back prompt, a short written response and a module exam. The final opens when every module is proficient; passing it earns a certificate with a verification code.

  1. Module 1: The digital canvas

    Choose raster or vector for a job, set canvas size and color mode for print and screen, and manage files with a safe workflow.

    • Raster and vector
    • Resolution, canvas size and color modes
    • Software, hardware and a healthy workflow
    about 2.1 h

  2. Module 2: Drawing foundations on screen

    Use line weight, gesture, one-, two- and three-point perspective and head-unit proportions to build convincing drawings.

    • Line, shape and gesture
    • Perspective
    • Proportion and the figure
    about 2.1 h

  3. Module 3: Layers and non-destructive work

    Organize an illustration in layers and use masks, clipping and blend modes to work without destroying earlier work.

    • Layers and how to organize them
    • Selections, masks and clipping
    • Blend modes
    about 2.1 h

  4. Module 4: Color, value and light

    Analyze hue, saturation and value, shade forms with a consistent light, and plan palettes for mood and accessibility.

    • Hue, saturation and value
    • Light and form
    • Palettes and mood
    about 2.1 h

  5. Module 5: Kinds of illustration

    Design characters with silhouette and shape language, compose environments with thirds and leading lines, and develop editorial concepts.

    • Character design
    • Environments and composition
    • Editorial and narrative illustration
    about 2.1 h

  6. Module 6: Working as an illustrator

    Plan a job from a brief, evaluate whether a reference or license allows a use, and select and export a focused portfolio.

    • Working from a brief
    • Copyright and using references
    • Portfolio and presenting your work
    about 2.1 h

Try it before you start

This is how every lesson works: step through a worked example at your own pace, then answer a check and get the reason right away. Nothing here is saved; the course keeps your progress.

Module 4 · Light and form

Worked example: shading a sphere step by step

  1. Pick the light direction: upper left. Fill the circle with a middle value.

A lesson check from each module

The checks need JavaScript turned on. The course itself works the same way.

What you get

Enrichment · Arts & Creativity$19 · included with the Academy pass and Whole-school licenses

What you finish with
A finished semester of digital illustration: you can choose raster or vector for a job and size a canvas for print or screen, draw with gesture, line weight, perspective and proportion, organize a file in layers and use masks, clipping and blend modes, shade a form with one consistent light and plan a palette for mood and for viewers with color vision deficiency, design a character that reads in silhouette, compose with thirds and leading lines, develop an editorial concept, read a brief and a Creative Commons license, and export a focused portfolio. Passing the final earns a Caveat certificate of completion.
Who it is for
Students in grades 7 to 12 who draw for fun and want to work digitally, students preparing for an art, animation or design class or portfolio, and homeschool families who want a complete art semester. Any free drawing app on a computer or tablet works; a mouse is enough to start.
Format
An online self-paced course: 6 modules and 18 lessons with worked examples you reveal step by step, 150 practice and exam items (multiple choice, numeric, fill-in and ordering), an explain-it-back prompt and a rubric-checked short response in every module, module exams with one retake, a 24-question final and a certificate with a verification code. About 12 hours in all; works on a phone or a computer.
Access
$19 one-time, yours on every device you sign in on; the course opens once you are signed in with it. Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Also in the Arts & Creativity collection ($69) and the Enrichment Suite pass ($119), and 1 more bundle. Progress is saved in this browser on this device, and the certificate page lets you download your record.
Where it lives
The Arts & Creativity space in Caveat Enrichment.
Support
Access, a receipt, a refund or a correction to the course: team@caveatacademic.com.

How it works

  1. Open the course and start Module 1. Each lesson takes about 25 to 35 minutes; two or three a week finishes the course in about a semester.
  2. Answer the checks as you read. Every answer shows the reason, and a miss links you back to the lesson that covers it.
  3. Finish each module with its practice set and exam. Proficient on every module opens the final; 70 percent passes it.
  4. Print or download your certificate and record from the certificate page.

Start the course

Sources and accuracy

The lessons are original writing by Caveat Academic Services. Facts were checked against these free, open references, which are also good places to read further.

  1. U.S. Copyright Office, Copyright Basics (Circular 1) and the duration of copyright: copyright.gov
  2. Creative Commons, About the licenses: creativecommons.org
  3. National Eye Institute, color blindness facts: nei.nih.gov
  4. American Academy of Ophthalmology, on the 20-20-20 rule and digital eye strain: aao.org
  5. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, open-access public domain collection for studying color and composition: metmuseum.org

Digital Illustration is a self-paced course from Caveat Academic Services. It follows the sequence of a typical one-semester digital illustration elective but does not replace a school course or an art teacher's feedback and awards no credit. Example sizes and numbers are labeled as examples. Copyright notes describe general United States law for learning purposes and are not legal advice. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.