The Art of Painting Animals

Maury Aaseng has always been excited about drawing and art. After graduating with a BFA in graphic design from the University of Minnesota--Duluth, he moved to San Diego to begin an illustration career. His freelance work over the last eight years has spanned a variety of subject matter and styles. The range of his work has included anatomical illustration and cartoons for medical textbooks, informative illustrations for young adult nonfiction, custom watercolor work for independent authors, and logo design and creation. The variety has continued to fuel the creative spark that makes illustration work rewarding for him. In 2010, his artwork was featured in the Upstream People Gallery 7th Annual Color: Bold/Subtle Juried Online International Art Exhibition. An avid nature enthusiast, Maury moved back to Duluth in 2009, where he supplements his illustration work with wildlife photography and painting, hiking, skiing, and canoeing in the northern forests that border Canada. Maury lives with his wife, who works as a graphic designer at the university.Lorraine Gray is a pet portrait artist, working in pastels, oil, and acrylic, in Berkshire, England. Lorraine's love for art and animals started as a young girl, when she spent many hours painting her beloved pet dog and cat. Her pet portraits hang in the USA, Japan, Canada, Switzerland, Malta, France, Holland, and Dubai, as well as the UK. Visit www.pastelpetportraits.co.ukJason Morgan is a professional wildlife artist who specializes in big cats and African animals. Jason is heavily involved in conservation through the Cheetah Conservation Fund, the Snow Leopard Conservancy, and the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund and has been featured in Artists & Illustrators. A signature member of Artists for Conservation, Jason strives to paint wildlife as accurately as he can by studying animals in their natural environment. Visit www.onlineartdemos.co.uk to learn more about Jason.As a child, Deb Watson displayed talent for art, but was encouraged by her parents to pursue something more productive. She spent a good portion of her adult life as an operating room nurse. Working long hours and raising a family didn't leave much spare time, but she continued to paint whenever she could. Deb quit nursing in 1999 to become a full-time watercolorist. She finds inspiration for her art in unlikely places, such as dirty gutters, messy restaurant tables, and other subjects that often go unseen. Deb maintains a busy teaching schedule and loves helping her students rediscover their own passion for art, as she did. Her classes are all about loosening up and having fun. An award-winning artist, the most rewarding part of Deb's journey has been the heartfelt responses those whose hearts have been touched by one of her paintings.Toni Watts is a former doctor who gave up medicine to follow her dream of being an artist. Her award-winning work is now held in private collections worldwide, and she splits her time between painting, teaching, and watching the wildlife she loves. Visit www.toniwatts.com to learn more.Kate Tugwell is a professional portrait artist and art tutor based in Sussex, UK. She is a qualified graphic designer, but in 2002 she began to develop her love of painting full-time. She now divides her time between private commission work and teaching drawing and painting courses and workshops for adults and children. For her commission work, Kate's aim is to capture the personality or essence of the person or animal. She paints with acrylics, pastels, and other mediums and works from life and from photographs. Her artwork is found in private collections worldwide.