Painting Wildlife: Birds and Waterfowl
Discover Dustin Van Wechel’s Proven 3-Stage Painting Process That Makes Your Wildlife Paintings Come Alive!
Everything you need to know about capturing light, color, and life is here. Dustin Van Wechel’s clear 3-stage process makes it easy for anyone to transform their art from dull to dynamic and bursting with life.
Close your eyes for a moment.
Imagine yourself standing at the edge of a serene, sun-kissed lake. The air is crisp, carrying with it the unmistakable scent of autumn leaves. A gentle breeze whispers through the rustling foliage.
Before you, a picturesque scene unfolds — a magnificent trumpeter swan, its pure white feathers glistening in the warm golden light, comes to rest gracefully on the tranquil waters. Its reflection dances on the surface, creating a mirage of elegance and tranquility.
As you immerse yourself in this breathtaking wilderness, you can almost hear the soft ripples of the water, the distant call of migrating birds, and the subtle rustling of leaves.
In this moment, you feel a profound connection to the natural world — a deep sense of peace that can only be found in the heart of the wilderness.
Now, imagine being able to not only witness this idyllic moment but also recreate it on canvas with your own brushstrokes.
Unfortunately for many artists who dream of painting such a timeless scene, this vision quickly becomes a frustrating reality as they attempt to bring the beauty of the wild onto the canvas.
If you love to paint wildlife…
But you’re tired of your nature scenes looking flat and lifeless…
…and you find yourself frustrated and confused, exclaiming, “Why can’t I get the light right in my paintings?” or “My brushwork is terrible!”...
…you’re not alone.
But one day, you’re going to look at your paintings and realize a transformation many artists fail to make:
Your artwork no longer looks flat or lifeless.
What you’re about to discover is a methodical step-by-step process to make your art come alive, from dull to dynamic.
Why is this proven process so brilliant?
Because award-winning artist Dustin Van Wechel has spent years perfecting it.
He too wanted to create art that not only had clean colors and bold value contrasts, but also offered viewers more to discover through surface textures.
In doing so, he developed a groundbreaking 3-stage painting process where every brushstroke, every color mix, and every texture is carefully considered.
This isn’t just a course, it’s a roadmap to mastering the skills to make your paintings come alive — no matter what you’re painting!
You’ll gain the skills to create a strong sense of light and add depth and interest to your paintings through unique color usage, textures, and bold value contrasts.
With this skill in hand, you’re going to transform all of your work from mundane to mesmerizing.
You’ll know how to expertly capture the essence of your subjects that connects emotionally with your viewers.
That means no more feeling frustrated with muddy colors. No more paintings with bad value contrasts.
Instead, you’re going to paint works of art that not only look alive, but feel alive!
Here’s the best part:
He’s going to share his very own secrets to painting wildlife — specifically, a gorgeous white trumpeter swan — for this demo.
(Fun fact: Trumpeter swans were an endangered species, and at one time thought to be on the very brink of extinction — but conservation efforts have been successful and these majestic birds are no longer endangered. It’s extremely fun and rewarding to paint one, as you’ll soon see.)
You’re going to get VIP-class seating (in the comfort of your own studio) to learn from this amazing award-winning artist.
Get ready to get your fill of mind-blowing painting techniques that will make your brush hand tremble with colorful excitement.
Bonus Tip: 3 Ways to Use Soft Edges
Here’s a small taste of what’s inside Painting Wildlife: Birds and Waterfowl:
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Discover Dustin Van Wechel’s 3-stage painting process to make your wildlife painting (or any painting) come alive!
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How to “cheat” when selecting reference images so it’s easier to paint a winning painting…
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How to choose light that evokes a mood…
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How to translate color to improve its dramatic effects when working from photographs…
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How to combine photographic reference using traditional methods as well as using modern methods withphoto editing software
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Amazing tips on how to manipulate your brushwork to enhance effects and create a “sparkle” that delights viewers…
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Keys to build a strong sense of light (never forget these)...
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Tip for newbies: Why a subject with dramatic contrasts is easier to paint than the subtleties of indirect light…
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Why Dustin loves using flats and doesn’t need any other style of brush…
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Secrets to using color to inject more life into the painting…
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Painting Formulas! How to get instant depth in your paintings (just watch and apply!)...
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How to achieve clean color every single time…
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Tips to SEE like an artist! Do this, and all your paintings will have life and authenticity…
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How to avoid chalky mixes and get rich color…
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Texture building with palette knife, which gives a sense of depth and detail with little effort…
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How to get automatic interest and variation by using different tools within the same area of the painting…
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How to paint leaves and grasses without painting every leaf or blade…
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How to paint realistic logs / fallen trees…
- The two decisions that put yourself on the path to successful wildlife paintings…
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How to open up shadows so they don't become black holes…
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How to paint water and reflections…
- How to paint the color white in light and shadow…
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…and so many more incredible insights straight from an award-winning artist!
Painting Dynamic Wildlife
Unlock the “Design Triad” Formula for Wildlife Paintings That Command Attention
Are you caught up in the endless struggle to capture every last detail — hoping your wildlife paintings will finally come alive with bold and dynamic energy?
What if you could create dynamic, eye-catching animal art without obsessing over every tiny feature?
Internationally acclaimed wildlife artist Dustin Van Wechel has cracked the code — and it has nothing to do with tedious detail work.
Instead, Dustin’s secret lies in the bold foundations of design and composition — the very elements that make his art leap off the canvas and earn a place in top museums like the National Museum of Wildlife Art and the Autry Museum of the American West.
The best part?
You don’t need to spend years figuring it out through trial and error.
In Dustin’s new course, Painting Dynamic Wildlife, he reveals his systematic process that makes creating compelling wildlife paintings feel less intimidating and more intuitive, revealing how to:
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Build captivating paintings from the very first stroke
- Use composition, brushwork, and texture to create the illusion of lifelike detail
- Avoid the number one mistake that keeps most wildlife art looking flat and lifeless
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If you want to create animal paintings that grab the eye and stir emotion — without getting lost in the weeds of unnecessary detail— this course is your shortcut to the next level.
What You’ll Discover Inside:
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The “Design Triad Approach” that creates compelling compositions every time — select dominant, subordinate, and accent principles for maximum visual impact…
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The 10 design principles and how to use them to communicate your subject’s story effectively (size, shape, color, texture, gravity, attitude, interval, position, direction, and movement)...
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Dustin’s key insight that makes every little part of your painting interesting (so interesting that cutting a piece would result in an abstract painting in itself!)…
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The two critical decisions you must make immediately to set yourself on the path to successful wildlife paintings — and why making these decisions early prevents major errors later…
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How to create more interesting brushwork by using a brush that feels “slightly uncomfortable” — this counterintuitive approach is one of the KEYS to producing expressive brushwork…
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The “Painting Is King” philosophy — learn when to prioritize what works for your painting over the technical accuracy of your animal subject…
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How to avoid the common trap of over-rendering that makes animals look stiff and less lifelike…
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Why “nature can be very gray, even when it’s vibrant” — and how to mix beautiful grays that create depth in your wildlife scenes…
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The secret to creating form through brushwork — how to make your brushstrokes follow the form of your subject for more three-dimensional results…
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Dustin’s guide to WHERE edges are KEY in your wildlife painting — discover the four specific opportunities that create visual interest…
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How to create the illusion of detail through texture — why you don’t have to paint every hair on your animal subjects…
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The patchwork/tile application technique that creates more depth when painting animal fur…
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Color temperature secrets that bring wildlife subjects to life — learn how to avoid chalky mixes and create rich color…
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How to inject color into areas where your reference photo shows none — the key to livening up your paintings naturally…
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A simpler approach to painting landscape elements without tedious detail work…
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How to create automatic interest and variation by using different tools within the same area…
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Dustin’s techniques for texture building with the palette knife, giving a sense of depth and detail without much effort…
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How to “open up shadows” so they don’t become black holes in your painting — adding life to the darkest areas…
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The key to making light look luminous on your wildlife subjects — using different temperatures of colors in the same value range…
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How working back to front, dark to light, and simple to complex creates a logical progression for your painting’s development…
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What to do when you get BORED while painting — Dustin’s strategies for staying engaged that actually improve your color and value relationships…
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PLUS: How to keep your process and materials simple while utilizing several painting techniques (scumbling, impasto, glazing, and more!) for maximum visual impact…
