Subscribe to our newsletter. There are several key elements as demonstrated in A Lion King by British painter Julie Cousins. It's easy to get caught up in the surface details and forget the skeletal and muscular structure of the animal you're painting. Understanding the species' distinct features and depicting what you see will elevate your work beyond a caricature of the animal. Unlike humans, there a wide variety of noses and beaks, the eyes may be set to the side as in predator birds and there may be vast differences between an animal family or similarities.
Texture is one of the most important features of any animal or wildlife painting.
Notice the shorter hairs along the lion's nose as compared to the longer and layered texture of the mane. The texture and layering of fur, feathers, skin or scales in your painting will contribute to a realistic, three-dimensional look. This painting uses a dark, indistinct background which enhances the regal profile. If, however, you're including the animal's habitat in your painting, pay as much attention to those details as to the animal's uniqueness. Most wildlife art juried competitions are judged equally on the accurateness of the subject and its habitat.