Original Horse Art

Learn How Artists Paint Animal Paintings With True Character

So what exactly is animal art with soul?

From prehistoric images of cave drawings
portraying the raw energy and spirit of survival of a deer hunt, to the biblical legend of Noah’s Ark, to modern cartoons such as the Lion King, images of wildlife art are everywhere and have been since time immemorial.  Animal imagery seems to stir a instinctive link humans have with the Earth and the creatures with which we share it.

Wildlife art with soul more often than not evokes a deep emotional response and projects the raw essence of the animal.  It is so much more than an exercise in photo-realism – it goes deeper than a photograph, to encapsulate the very soul of the wildlife it portrays, it can go beyond any artistic style and even artistic ability.  A novice artist can produce animal art with soul as effectively as a seasoned professional, particularly when observing the following five things common in the most successful wildlife paintings.

Living eyes.

Referred to as the “windows to the soul”. They have to have a glimpse of life and reveal a characteristic, particular mood or an identifiable reaction to a particular moment in the life of the animal subject.  Take a look at the cat artwork by acclaimed artist Kat Davies to see illuminating examples of big cat eyes in her range of tiger, lion and leopard art.

Colour and texture.

Recreate the texture of the pelt as exactly as possible to reproduce the feeling of short, soft, long, coarse, spiky, curly, or straight hairs.  Skin can be pink, green, blue, black, smooth or wrinkled, semi transparent where the light shows through, scaly and dry or damp such as the nose or the rims around the eyes. Add the little vital signs of life!

An interesting background

The background can evoke nostalgia, atmosphere and drama.  For examples, study the superb works of Robert Bateman to see how evocative natural backgrounds will enhance your wildlife art and bring your animal subject to life.

The lighting

Dramatic lighting gives atmosphere to work. Imagine sunlight filtering through the mane of a lion, or the cold reflected light on the flanks of a polar bear.  The cool hints of shadow and the warm tones of sunlight put your animal in the ongoing cycle of nature from day to night, season to season and give a sense of changing climate,weather and time.

A story

A bold background often helps a picture to ‘tell a story’.  Quite often the viewer of the artwork will dream up an ending for themselves and actively connect with the painting. See the wildlife paintings of John Seerey-Lester, especially those of his historic hunts, to see story-telling in art.

Whether painting ‘cute and furry’ animals such as kittens, puppies and cubs, the vicious or romantic wild including the Big Five, animals in the field of hunting or sport, birds in the garden or maybe the cherished family pet portrait, remember that memorable animal art is animal art with soul.

If you would like to see stunning examples of bobcat paintings  then have a look at http://www.katdavies.com. There is an extensive collection of these and other works, and is especially interesting if you are looking for a painting of your pet.

Michael Horse, Ledger Art part 1

Champagne glasses horse – heart The perfect wedding gift for a horse lovers. Pewter accent of two horse heads forming a heart on champagne glassware. Made with lead free pewter that is hand casted in Canada. Set of 2 Glasses Matching Vases are available….

Horse – Set of 4 Magnets – Lead Free Set of 4 Pewter Magnets ranging from 0.75 to 1.25 inches will hold your feed chart, notes, or shopping list (don’t forget carrots!) Makes a great gift for barn or home. Made in Canada…

Horse Head Pewter Wine Stopper This three-dimensional horse head in fine pewter is both beautiful and functional. The piece is a Robert Hall Original. As with all Robert Hall pieces, the pewter is of the highest quality; you will be impressed with the weight and feel. The pewter wine stopper with cork base includes a fine chain loop to keep the stopper with the bottle. This quality made wine stopper is one of our best sellers. …

They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? [VHS] $4.38 In the dark years of the 1930s, dance marathons became popular as a way for desperate people to compete for prize money. Sometimes the events would drag on for weeks as contestants pushed themselves far beyond the point of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion, the dancers shambling around the floor in a half-dead stupor. People would then pay to sit in the bleachers, watch the event, and che…

1927 Print Country Life Fox Hunt Hand Printed Wallpaper Home Decor Horses Hounds – Original Color Print $51.95 This is an original 1927 color print of a hand printed wallpaper design titled “Country Life and the Hunt. Please note that there is printing on the reverse….