Painting Wildlife

Painting wildlife is not among the most common of choices as a genre by artists, as painting wildlife poses some very specific difficulties. Of course, painting wildlife can range from painting local birds to painting tigers and elephants in the natural environment in which case painting wild life poses on site dangers as well as the necessity to travel widely.

One way of painting wildlife is, of course, to paint from photographs. It is possible to create very realistic wildlife paintings in this way. If the artist chooses to limit wildlife paintings to small birds and animals existing in his or her local environment, then painting wildlife becomes somewhat simpler. One way of approaching painting local wildlife, in addition to taking photographs to use in painting wildlife, is to make quick sketches at the scene, and then finish the wildlife painting in detail later, perhaps again from a photograph.

If one is painting wildlife in an impressionistic style, fine detail in a wildlife painting is somewhat less important. Nevertheless if one is painting wild life it is important to know and understand the basic structure of the animal or bird which is the subject of the wildlife painting, otherwise the wildlife painting will be unrealistic. The bodies, forms and movements of wild animals can be studied from books extant in most libraries, just as one might study the human form to learn its structure. Painting wildlife requires the same attention to detail as painting the human form.

Some artists have approached painting wildlife in a mythological setting. In this case, the wildlife depicted may be imaginary, as in the case of the unicorn. When one approaches painting wildlife in this manner, the creature need have only a general resemblance to a real creature.

Another approach to painting wildlife is that where the artist can observe specific animals in a semi-wild setting in a major zoo. If the animal is somewhat contained, the artist painting wildlife in such a setting has more time to carefully observe the animal and note small details of features and structure. Such animals are more likely to stand for closer observation by those painting wildlife, as they are accustomed to having humans near them.

When painting wildlife, it is more effective to show the animal in an environment similar to that in which it would normally be found. Even if the animal must be painted at a zoo or from photographs, it is possible also to find photographs as background when painting wild life so that the animal or bird will appear to be found in its natural habitat.

< Back To Painting Next Previous