Film | Adding the Final Touches🖌️ To A New Collection Of Paintings | Wildlife Art

Adding the final touches to a new collection of wildlife paintings: an otter moments before it dives, a short-eared owl shaking raindrops from its feathers and a Bataleur eagle pair. Read on for their stories.

Short eared owl painting

These owls migrate to our shores in winter, although we also have resident populations. I watched this one on the east coast. It had been raining and I loved the way it ruffled its feathers to shake off the raindrops.

Otter painting

For this composition, I chose to paint the otter with one paw poised, looking the viewer in the eye before it slips into the water. 

Bateleur eagles 

These eagles are found in Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Arabia. They prefer open areas with few trees and have such a swaying flight style they were named 'bataleur,' which means tightrope walker, by a French ornithologist. I spotted this pair on a trip to South Africa. I had wanted to see them in the wild ever since getting to know a pair when I worked at Chester Zoo as a young man.

Painting wildlife
As you can see I like to paint every detail. Using tiny brushstrokes to capture a reflection in an eye, a single strand of fur, or a feather on the tip of a wing.