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Don’t Interfere With Nature: Painting Wildlife in Watercolor

Pause and think about the astounding reality of nature. Various animals, insects, birds and sea creatures live harmoniously without intervention. And we get the opportunity to watch wildlife in its simple splendor. 

When capturing the wonder of wildlife, it’s best to not interfere. You won’t get the rabbit in your backyard to hold still while you capture its beauty. But it is beauty worth capturing, which is why photographers and artists work to capture these incredible creatures.

Painting Wildlife in Watercolor

Artists enjoy painting wildlife in watercolor because much like nature, watercolors are somewhat unpredictable. You often have to go with the flow when using these art materials and embrace the beauty of watercolor “mistakes” as part of the character of the piece.

In a way, wildlife in watercolor is fitting because it’s an eco-friendly paint option. There are two main reasons why watercolor paint is more eco-friendly.

1. It Doesn’t Contain Any Harsh Chemicals

Watercolors are odor-free, making them safe and healthy for the artist. Your home won’t fill with toxic solvents or chemicals as you capture the beauty of nature. While of course these paints still contain pigments that could pose some health risks if you don’t pay close attention, most are non-toxic. 

Because they have no fumes, you don’t have to worry about ventilation. And so long as they are non-toxic, disposing of unused paint is not a big issue either. For the artist, they don’t have to worry about getting watercolor paint on their skin or eyes because these paints are so natural that they often have few side effects.

2. Watercolor Paint is Nearly Without Waste

With most paints, artists have to be very careful about how much they squeeze onto their palette because anything they don’t use will go to waste. But with watercolor, you can leave the unused paint on your palette, allow it to dry out and then add some water to it when you’re ready to use it again.

Less waste is always better for the environment and means that you aren’t putting harmful chemicals into water supplies or landfills where animals can accidentally ingest these dangerous materials.

Nature’s Beauty on a Canvas

Getting the perfect photo to share on social media has become a major trend. As such, wildlife experiences where animals are treated poorly have become far too common. People will pay for the perfect selfie next to dangerous animals without thinking about the chains or ropes that hold the animals down.

Looking for a Wildlife Paintings in Watercolor?

World Animal Protection released a report in 2017 and found that many wildlife tourism experiences inflict suffering on animals and can even endanger them. Tourists view the local wildlife as nothing more than a photo prop instead of seeing the incredible creatures that they are.

We must get to a point where we interfere with animals less and realize that they are not there for our social media posts. Wildlife experiences that allow us to witness animals in their natural habitat without direct human contact and no animal restraints are the best ways to love these incredible creatures from afar. 

And if you want images of wildlife that you can keep as a memory of your experience, you need to find better ways to capture the wonder of these incredible creatures without interfering with them. Wildlife art prints pose no dangers or risks to the animals that they portray. And capturing these images does not require putting animals in a cage or small habitat. 

Skilled artists can capture the beauty of nature without disrupting it. The mind of an artist to visually catalog important details in seconds is incredible. Then over the course of many hours, they can bring those images to life.

Wildlife prints and photography are the best way to bring home memories from tourism experiences and to invite stunning depictions of nature within your home.

Benefits of Nature Art in Your Home or Business

Art is a great way to capture the beauty of nature without interfering with animals and in an eco-friendly way that supports the continued beauty of our planet. But nature art also offers many benefits to those who bring it into their home or business. These benefits include the following.

1. Home Becomes an Extension of Nature

Those who really love nature enjoy the idea of spending more time in nature. But daily life calls for time inside, cleaning, prepping meals, doing laundry and working. Since you can’t spend every waking minute outdoors, you can make the indoors an extension of nature.

Plants and indoor trees can help create the feeling of nature. But so can wildlife in watercolors. Art prints can remind you of the wonder of some of nature’s most beautiful aspects. 

2. Heal Your Body Faster

It sounds silly to say that looking at images of nature can heal your body, but a study found that it actually works. A small Pennsylvania hospital tested the theory with its patient rooms. Some faced a courtyard with greenery and nature while others faced a plain brick wall. 

Hospital personnel noticed that patients in the rooms facing the courtyard healed faster than the ones that stared at the brick wall all day. Even small reminders of nature, such as a house plant or wall art can help the body heal. 

3. Nature Images Boost the Immune System

Time in nature has great effects, one of which is the incredible benefits of vitamin D from the sun’s rays, which boosts the immune system. But you can get immune system boosts from looking at images of nature as well.  

One study found that “the range of specific health outcomes tied to nature is startling, including depression and anxiety disorder, diabetes mellitus, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), various infectious diseases, cancer, healing from surgery, obesity, birth outcomes, cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal complaints, migraines, respiratory disease.”

4. Nature Helps the Mind Focus

Focusing on a task or the work we must complete is a skill some people take for granted. But it’s crucial to just about every aspect of our lives. From producing good outcomes at work to better productivity at home, focus is so important. 

One study found that nature’s ability to improve our moods and recover from stress helps the brain refocus on new things thanks to the rejuvenation that nature provides.

A Simple Way to Add Wildlife Prints to Your Home

Heidi Joy offers nature prints that are affordable and will integrate into your home with ease. Giving the gift of healthy living with these prints is easy and your loved ones will appreciate the beauty and life these images bring to their homes.

Or if you want to offer a friend or loved one a little pick-me-up, you can send a nature note card in line with the season. These images all feature watercolor pencils that allow Heidi Joy to be precise in the nature images she captures and share these with others. Shop the full nature art store now to bring the benefits of wildlife and nature into your home.

Discover Season Themed Note Cards

Further Reading:

How to Draw a Deer: Watercolor Deer Tutorial

Nature Journaling A Large Mouth Bass Painting

4 Seasons Inspired by Nature - 2022 Calendar