From fur to feather and scales to shell, there's no shortage of variety in the animal kingdom. It's a blessing and a curse for the artist - with an almost limitless supply of inspiration, the checklist of techniques and skills you need to master in order to do justice to your subject seems endless. Over the following pages, take a crash course in painting animals, from understanding the technicalities of texture, to breathing life into your final works. Whether you want to capture a snapshot of true wilderness or you're looking for inspiration a little closer to home, our in-depth guides reveal the best ways to depict all walks of life...