Animal Paintings

Numerous artists worldwide have chosen to do animal paintings, some from life, some from photographs, and some animal paintings have been totally imaginary. One of the imaginary animals shown in many animal paintings is the Unicorn, a subject of legend and fairy tales.

Proof that man has a desire to create animal paintings are the prehistoric animal drawings and paintings on the walls of caves in France and Spain, now treasured as historic evidence of early man's desire to do animal painting as a means of expression or communication. The animals in these early animal paintings were those which were important to prehistoric man, either as food or symbols of primitive mystic powers.

The continuing importance of animals in paintings is shown in the religious paintings which depict the manger scene. Here the animals are gathered around the baby Jesus.In the middle European period, many animal paintings depicted rustic scenes. Some of these were animal paintings which showed animals grazing, or others combined animals and people in a country setting.

Many animal paintings have been especially for children. Some animal painting art is done as illustrations for children's books, with other animal paintings done as decorative pictures for children's rooms. Children relate to animal paintings, just as they do to animals if introduced to them in a comfortable atmospherre.

Some people have animal paintings done of their pets. This is particularly true of those who raise show dogs and wish to have animal paintings done of their prize animals. Sometimes these animal paintings are done from life and sometimes from pictures, the latter being an easier way to create animal paintings.

Animal paintings have been created in every style of painting and with every painting medium. Early artists used tempera to create paintings, until oil paints were introduced around the Renaissance period. In more recent times, artists have made animal paintings with oil paints, with acrylics and sometimes with watercolor paints. Although animal paintings are not among the majority of subjects in famous paintings in art galleries around the world, animal paintings are often represented in local galleries and exhibits. There is a preference, however, for landscape, still life paintings and portraits over animal paintings among most artists.

Creating animal paintings, particularly from photographs and drawings, can be good practice for beginning artists, offering opportunity to study the form and structure of the animal and to attempt to give an animal painting a feeling of a living thing. .Through time man has had a relationship with the animals, and animal painting is an attempt to rexpress that.

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