1. Discover more

Find out more about the animal you wish to paint.

Unless you are going to paint a domestic animal at home, by exploring your local zoo or wildlife park, reading wildlife books and watching educational programs you will be able to focus on, and study in detail the animal and its habits.

Greater understanding and increased confidence in your knowledge of the subject will enable greater freedom when painting.

2. Start sketching

Make sketches of your subject, from life if possible, and take photographs of the animal too. These reference materials will prove invaluable towards your finished painting.

3. Be prepared

Have a preconceived image in mind, of just how you wish to position the subject onto the illustration board.

Will you paint just the face? The full body? And if you so, do you wish to include the surroundings? Then start to commit the image in your mind to sketches.

I recommend creating many sketches, so have plenty of sharp pencils and paper on hand!

4. Make the transfer

Once satisfied with an overall sketch, transfer that image, using a soft lead pencil, onto the prepped 'gesso' illustration board.

5. Have fun

Painting with acrylics is fun, easy and they are also clean to use.

Gather your colours and brushes and use a white plastic or porcelein dish as a palette for easy mixing and cleaning.

6. Blocking in

Paint the face with a dark colour (eg. brown/black) and then with a small fine brush and using a light colour paint, paint in the outline followed by the details of the face - eyes, nose, mouth, ears etc.

7. Start with a face

Using a small fine or 'fan' brush, paint in the fur of the face, ensuring your brushstrokes flow in the same directions as those you see in your reference material.

8. Bring in the body

When face is complete begin working on the rest of the body in the same manner.

9. True colours

Once the whole body is painted, repaint the fur with the 'true' colours you wish to use.

10. Finishing touches

Shade in the various areas with a washes of darker and lighter paint.

Work on the eyes and then proceed to the background.

Complete the animals' surrounding as you wish it to be portrayed.