Since the dawn of time animals have been a big inspiration for artists. Most famously, the Lascaux caves in southwestern France show detailed cave paintings from 20,000 years ago of large animals like bulls.
Today, painters are finding new and delightful ways to display animals through their art. To pay homage to earth’s amazing creatures, we’ll go over a few reasons why people love animal-inspired art.
Help Endangered Species
Sometimes we create art in an effort to save the environment for the future of humans and the planet. Art is a great way to raise awareness of endangered species and encourage people to contribute to their conservation.
ELEPHANT #22 by Stefanie Rogge
For example, this acrylic painting by Stefanie Rogge was done for the elephants who fall victim to poachers.
Every year 20,000 African elephants are killed illegally for their tusks. This is done to fill the elephant ivory demand, leading to a significant decline in the species.
Through art, we can alert others of these issues and create a better future.
Allure Us With Their Presence
Animals have the ability to enchant us with their presence. This is especially true with majestic creatures like tigers, stallions, peacocks and stags. Why not encapsulate their grace or ferocity in a painting forever?
This is one of the reasons animals make great subjects in a painting. They can show great emotions like pride, joy, toughness or rage like this tiger by Esteban Vera.
Eye of the tiger by Esteban Vera
Accentuate Natural Beauty
Painting animals gives artists the creative freedom to exaggerate an animal’s beauty in a new, abstract way that no one has seen before.
It offers a new perspective and builds on what is already there in nature. Like antlers turning into branches, stripes morphing into words, or spots turning into stars. This gives rise to beautiful art that captivates all who see it
Teis Albers captures such motion and beauty in this mixed media art of a heron.
Feathered Flowers by Teis Albers
Keep Nature Close
We often lose ourselves in the busyness of our lives as we live day by day in the urban jungle. Animal-inspired art can keep us close to nature and remind us to slow down.
Yue Zeng beautifully captures that in this oil painting of a deer in the woods.
It’s also a great way for artists to practice textures, light and perspective while leaving us questioning our place in it. Or for some, whisking them away to a different time and place every time they look at it.
Honour Pets
Many art pieces of animals honour beloved pets. At times it is because they have passed on and left a mark in someone’s heart.
It’s a way of immortalizing animals that have become a deeply valued family member and ensure they are never forgotten. Often, a commissioned painting of your pet is a great way to commemorate them.
Commemorating pets in a painting also gives people a point of interest in their house and holds a story behind it that can be told over and over.
They can even be done in a fun way by adding accessories like hats, sunglasses, polka dots or jewellery like Igor Shulman has done in this oil painting of a pug.
If you want to see more animal-inspired art, browse our growing gallery of original art here. With artists submitting new pieces every day from over 40 different countries, you’re bound to find the perfect piece for your space.
Comments (0)