Why I Chose UK Wild Animals as My Art Theme
Those of you who know me will be aware that I usually paint abstract faces. I love painting these, but I really felt that I needed to experiment with different subjects. Not only was I itching to challenge myself again, but I also felt that incorporating UK wild animals into my art could open up my work to a wider audience of nature and animal lovers.
Inspiration from Nature: How My Dog Walks Sparked My UK Wildlife Art Collection
One of my favourite places to be is out on a countryside walk with my partner and my dog, Bear. Experiencing the natural beauty of the British countryside inspired me to start a new series of wild animal paintings, starting with a some of the creatures I’ve come across on my walks.
One spring morning, during one of my walks, I spotted a beautiful orange face in the distance. No, it wasn’t a reality star with too much fake tan! It was a fox staring back at me. Fortunately, Bear didn’t spot it, and by the time we got closer, it had disappeared. I was also lucky enough to see a couple of hares on separate occasions, and my dog spotted them too and gave chase. Don’t worry—he gave up pretty quickly!
I had been dabbling with painting a few animals previously, but it just wasn’t working as I wanted. The style I had developed for my abstract human faces didn’t fit what I envisioned for this UK wild animal art collection.
The Artistic Process and Techniques Behind My British Wild Animal Paintings
I decided to experiment with a fox’s face. To develop my new animal art style, I used a technique I had tried previously with my abstract faces, where I painted the same reference image multiple times. The idea behind this is that limiting myself to one specific reference forces me to push my art in different directions to come up with something new. I also have to allow myself to make mistakes and create art I dislike in order for something new and interesting to happen.
Balancing Realism and Abstraction for my Animal Paintings
I knew I didn’t want to create animals that were totally realistic. My goal was to develop a unique abstract wildlife painting style that captures the essence of British wild animals. For inspiration, I looked at both my own art and other artworks I liked and tried to pick out elements that appealed to me. I then took those ideas and melded them together.
Here are the foxes I created while developing my finished style.
Blending My Two Favourite Fox Paintings: The Evolution of My Animal Art Style
I knew I was getting closer to something I liked but wasn’t quite there yet. So I took my two favourite foxes and experimented with blending them digitally on my iPad. I loved the result. The only problem was, I didn’t actually know if I could recreate it “for real” with paint. I was hesitant to try because I loved the digital version and didn’t want to disappoint myself with the real painting.
Fortunately, I pulled it off and loved the finished piece. I hope you do too!
Now that I had my style, it was time to decide which animal to paint next. After seeing the hares this year, I knew they had to be my next subject.
So, What Is My Painting Technique?
First, I sketch out the animal in pencil onto an artboard. I used A2-sized (42cm x 59.4cm) artboards for these pieces.
Next, I begin laying down some of the lighter colours of acrylic paint using children’s sponge brushes. I like them because I can’t be too accurate. That might sound odd, but it means that happy accidents can happen. I put the colour down in a blocky fashion.
Collaging in Words: Adding Personality and Texture
Next, I like to incorporate collaged words into the pieces. Every animal has a personality that goes beyond its appearance, which is why I collage related words into each piece—expressions like ‘nimble’ for the hare. Sometimes you can fully see them at the end, sometimes only partially, or they may get totally covered up. Either way, I think it adds interest and texture to my work.
Then, I add more colours and layers. I want the face to have more detail, whereas the neck and body can be looser.
I add detail to the animal faces with a black pencil that writes on just about any surface and my wax pastels (Neocolors). I like these because they add a real looseness, which I think is a good contrast against the blocky colours.
Buy the original fox painting
Buy a fox print
Future Goals and Aspirations for My Wild Animal Art
I would like to try some larger animal paintings, possibly on canvas with different animals. I’ve been having some problems with my shoulder, so I may have to wait a while before I go really big.
I’m thrilled to share this collection with you. If you’d like to see more, you can explore the full wall art series here and let me know which animal appeals to you the most!
