Susan Bourdet Combo Set

Bold & Beautiful: Backyard Wildlife in Watercolor

 

Wildlife painter and print artist Susan Bourdet develops her painting from concept to signature.

Susan demonstrates tips on photographing wildlife, how to create luminous wet-into-wet backgrounds, dry brush weathered wood knot holes and nails, use of gouache to add sunlit sparkle, spattering, how to achieve depth while maintaining the illusion of soft feathering, and a cascade of delicate vibrant flowers. This video compresses an extended process into 75 information-packed minutes with short cuts, product tips and safe guards.

Bring backyard scenes to life in your studio with Susan Bourdet. In this watercolor workshop you'll combine the best elements from your favorite photos as you paint realistic, organic textures around a delicate goldfinch. Your wildlife scene will burst with light as you work from a luminous wet-into-wet background to sunlight sparkles made with white gouache.

Susan starts with tips on attracting and photographing wildlife. She pulls intriguing images from her reference library and combines her favorite aspects from each in a single, structured composition.

You'll use extensive masking to control colorful background washes. You'll master Susan's secrets for painting realistic wood, complete with rusty nails and knotholes, and you'll create striking contrast between textured petals and smooth leaves in the nasturtiums. Susan maintains an organic look with soft edges and spattering, and she finishes the workshop with a realistic illustration of the bird.

You'll learn to paint striking scenes of the view from your porch in Bold & Beautiful: Backyard Wildlife in Watercolor with Susan Bourdet.

BONUS CLIP: The Wash

In this clip from her video workshop, Bold & Beautiful: Backyard Wildlife, watercolorist Susan Bourdet shows you how to paint a colorful wet-into-wet background wash. Susan uses four pigments and two brushes to add deep, variegated tones to her wildlife scene. You learn how to tilt your paper to make colors move and blend.

Inspiration From the Garden in Watercolor

Learn from nature painter and print artist Susan Bourdet to create a painting from resources you have at home.

You'll see how to select and combine photographs, use masking fluid successfully, render luminous wet-into-wet backgrounds, layer brush work to create convincing fur texture, and use dry brush and salt texturing to portray the corroding metal of an old watering can. You will learn to systematically tackle complicated natural settings for charming results.

Author, teacher, and Audubon print artist Susan Bourdet finds plenty of inspiration in her own backyard. In this workshop, Bourdet helps you find inspiration by guiding you through her watercolor process, from the first wash to the final adjustment. After sharing her palette, brushes, and material, Susan gives you a hands-on experience with the techniques you'll need to complete a backyard masterpiece.

She leads you through preliminary exercises on salting, highlighting with gouache, and creating realistic fur then makes sure you apply your new skills later in the workshop. Susan boosts your skill and confidence in everything from basic brush strokes to pulling out delicate flower petals.

As she paints, Susan uses extensive masking to create layers of color while keeping crisp edges. She reveals techniques for mixing a colorful background wash that will create a strong complement to your subject. With this in place, she demonstrates the brush strokes that give her leaves and flowers rich detail and her methods for adding gorgeous layers of weather-worn texture to the watering can.

Susan then brings her tabby cat to life. She explains how to create textured fur, expressive eyes, and a blend of colors in her subject's coat that create volume yet retain softness. Finally, Susan teaches you how to highlight a watercolor composition using designer's gouache. Your practice exercises will provide vital support as Susan adds guard hairs, textured plants, and leaf veins with a blend of gouache and traditional pigments.

By the time she signs her name to the canvas, you'll have a complete set of watercolor and nature painting skills. Join Susan Bourdet in her backyard and studio for Inspiration from the Garden in Watercolor.

BONUS CLIP: Painting Fur

In this clip from her video workshop, Inspiration from the Garden in Watercolor, wildlife artist Susan Bourdet shows you how to paint realistic fur. You learn to use negative painting to create a base texture then add delicate guard hairs with gouache. Susan paints a cat later in the workshop, but you can adapt this technique to paint fur on any animal.