Illustrated Nature Journaling (DVD + Streaming)

Learn sketching and watercolor techniques for illustrated nature journaling alongside artist and instructor Gay Kraeger. Start class by loosening up with gesture sketches, blind contour drawing and watercolor washes. Next, use common household items to transform watercolors into lifelike textures for trees, clouds, waves, rocks and more. Break down landscapes further with tips for layering watercolors to develop a sense of distance. Then, discover how ink can bring eye-catching dimension and drama to your work. Move on to methods for depicting waterscapes with greater confidence and realism. Ready for your illustrations to soar? Learn to draw birds on the wing with accessible skills. Plus, you’ll learn lettering techniques for more meaningful finished sketches.

NOTE: If you’d like to purchase only the DVD for this class, you may do so through this link. (Please note, any class PDF materials are not on the DVD itself. You must have streaming access to download those materials associated with the class.)

Keep It Simple to Start (21:42)
Meet artist Gay Kraeger and begin your journaling adventure. Gay shows how to banish those first-page jitters by creating your own loose-leaf pages. Then you’ll head into the field to practice some simple sketching techniques and adding watercolor washes.

Create Landscape Elements Quickly (29:15)
Get all of your critical landscape elements down on paper with Gay’s speedy techniques. Common household items become handy “machines” for turning watercolors into trees, grasses, clouds, waves, rocks, rust and dirt. You’ll love these realistic and lovely textures!

Capturing a Landscape (19:49)
Return to the great outdoors with Gay and learn to identify background, middle ground and foreground in a landscape, then layer watercolors to recreate the feeling of distance. See how to layer transparent colors, working from the lightest values to the darkest to preserve details.

Adding Depth & Drama With Ink (13:34)
A few select strokes with black or white ink can add depth and drama to your watercolor landscapes and sketches. Gay shows how to use fine-point permanent markers to create outlines and smaller details, and how to play with wet-erase markers to add shadows to your work.

Capture Beauty & Drama of Water (27:43)
The purest white in your work is often the white of your paper. Learn a variety of ways to preserve that white as you recreate waterscapes. You can also lift out pigment later or add white with paint. Then explore surface textures, from smooth and serene to dynamic swells and waves.

Capturing Action: Drawing Birds (11:58)
Capture the fleeting movement of birds in the landscape with Gay’s guidance. You’ll learn some simple strategies for sketching birds on the fly, depicting their essence rather than striving for absolute accuracy. Then see how to turn your sketches into finished works.

Tie It Together With Typography (15:47)
Pull together your sketches with titles and text to mark the date and remember details of the day. Gay shares lettering techniques and design principles to give your work a balanced and unified look. Finally, add covers and binder rings so you can enjoy your nature journal for years to come!

Gay Kraeger
A childhood love of drawing led Gay Kraeger to major in art and earn a degree in graphic design from San Jose State University. After graduation, she worked as a production artist for a number of years. Gay began keeping an illustrated journal 20 years ago and started teaching illustrating journaling in 1996. In 2004, she started an interpretive design firm with her neighbor, and they’ve now created more than 400 wayside panels for trails and visitor centers in state and local parks and beaches.

How will I receive my DVD class?
Your DVD will be shipped in the mail using the address you provide at checkout. Your purchase also includes access to a streaming version of the class and downloadable PDF class materials. After your purchase, you can find your streaming class and your PDF class materials by logging into your Craftsy account using the user name and password you established.

How do I access the companion materials for my DVD class?
Come to Craftsy.com and log into your account using the username and password you set up when establishing your Craftsy account or purchasing your DVD. In your “My Account” area, select the “Classes” content. On this page, you’ll see all classes you’ve purchased from Craftsy. Simply select the desired class from your content list, and you’ll be presented with your selected class page. From the class page you can easily view, download or print the companion class materials, which are in the “Bonus Materials” tab on the class page. You can log in any time, and download or print the companion materials as many times as you like. Companion class materials are not shipped in the mail with your DVD, and must be accessed on Craftsy.com.

How do I stream my class on Craftsy.com?
Come to Craftsy.com and log into your account using the username and password you set up when establishing your Craftsy account or purchasing your DVD. In your “My Account” content, select the desired class. Stream the video on-demand from the class page any time you like; your viewing access is unlimited. You can stream your class from any computer, tablet or mobile device with Internet access.

Do I have to purchase a Craftsy Membership to get my class?
No, you do not. Every DVD purchased on Craftsy.com includes both the physical DVD in the mail and unlimited on-demand streaming access at Craftsy.com. These benefits are yours with or without a Craftsy membership.

Are DVDs included in a Craftsy Membership?
No, they are not. DVDs can only be purchased on an individual basis and are not included in Craftsy memberships. For non-members, DVDs are a flexible way to purchase only the classes you love best. For members, DVDs are a great choice to build an at-home library you can keep forever and enjoy any time, with or without Internet access.

Do you ship internationally?
Yes, we do ship most physical products, including DVDs, to several International destinations. In addition to the USA and Canada, we ship to Australia, Brazil, India, Israel, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, and most Western European countries. If you live outside these countries, you can still purchase digital items including memberships, individual streaming classes, and pattern downloads.

Do your DVDs work on international players?
Yes, our DVDs should be compatible with any DVD player in use today. All our videos have been created with all current Region Codes (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8). If you have trouble viewing a DVD purchased from Craftsy.com, please contact Customer Service.

What is your return policy?
We want to be sure you’re satisfied. If you have trouble playing your DVD, if the content is not correctly presented on the DVD, or you are dissatisfied with the content of your class, we will work with you. Contact Craftsy customer service via email or phone. Upon your request, and upon your return of the DVD to us, we will refund your purchase price or send you another DVD to replace a damaged or incorrect DVD, whichever is your preference. If you do receive a full refund, your streaming video class will also be removed from your Craftsy account, so on-demand video access will no longer be available to you.