Capturing the Energy of Animals in a Loose Style

Painting animals in a loose style allows you to capture their movement, energy, and personality without getting bogged down in tiny details. This style celebrates the essence of the animal, using bold brushstrokes and dynamic colours to convey their spirit. If you want your pet portraits to feel alive and full of energy, a loose approach is the way to go!

Here’s how to capture the energy of animals in a loose, expressive style.

1. Focus on the Gesture First

Before diving into details, focus on the overall gesture of the animal. This is the action or movement that defines the subject. Whether it’s the arch of a cat’s back or the playful leap of a dog, capturing this gesture will give your painting a sense of life and motion.

Penny’s Tip:
Use broad, sweeping strokes to block in the main shapes and movement of the animal. Don’t worry about accuracy yet—this stage is all about capturing the energy.

2. Use Bold, Dynamic Brushstrokes

Loose painting is all about using expressive, confident brushstrokes. Avoid overworking the paint—lay down your strokes and let them be! This helps create a sense of movement and vitality in the painting.

My Process:
I like to use a mix of brush sizes to create variety in my strokes. Larger brushes for broad strokes, and smaller ones for just a few select details. This creates contrast and adds interest to the painting.

3. Focus on Key Areas of Detail

In a loose style, you don’t need to detail every inch of the animal. Instead, focus on just a few key areas, like the eyes or the edges of the fur, to give the viewer enough information to fill in the rest with their imagination.

How I Do It:
I typically focus my detail on the eyes, as this is where a lot of expression is. The rest of the fur and body can be suggested with loose, gestural strokes to keep the energy alive.

4. Embrace the Movement of Fur and Hair

When painting fur or feathers, don’t feel the need to paint every strand. Instead, use the direction and flow of your brushstrokes to suggest the movement of the fur. This keeps the painting loose while still conveying texture and form.

Pro Tip:
Use a fan brush or dry brushing technique to create soft, flowing strokes that mimic the natural movement of fur without getting too detailed.

5. Use Colour to Enhance Energy

Bold, dynamic colours can help amplify the energy of your painting. Don’t be afraid to use brighter or unexpected colours to suggest light, shadow, or movement in a more abstract way. This will make your painting feel more expressive and lively.

Penny’s Palette:
I love using warm colours like oranges and reds in the fur, balanced with cooler blues and purples in the shadows. This contrast not only adds depth but also enhances the overall energy of the piece.

Final Thoughts

Capturing the energy of animals in a loose style is all about focusing on gesture, movement, and expression. By using bold brushstrokes, selective detail, and dynamic colours, you can create pet portraits that feel alive and full of personality.

Until next time, Keep splashing colours!
Penny 😊🎨✨