Drawing and Painting Wild Animals

Vic Bearcroft is a self-taught professional wildlife and pet portrait artist, who specialises in pastel on velour, but also works in pencil, watercolour, coloured pencil, charcoal and acrylic media. Having spent part of his childhood in Kenya, Vic has been drawing animals since he could hold a pencil. Being passionate about wildlife in general, and particularly in wolves, Vic works with a large number of animal welfare and conservation organisations worldwide, donating prints, merchandise and funds. He says: “While I consider myself to be a wildlife artist, I prefer to paint close-up intimate portraits of animals as individuals, rather than in landscape settings. My aim is to capture not only the likeness of the subject in my painting, but also the life and soul in its eyes.”

The author is extremely well-informed on animals; and imparts subtle but vital information on portraying them effectively

• Multiple media makes it accessible to all artists

• Drawing titles are popular

• Animals are a perennial favourite