BRING YOUR WALLS TO LIFE WITH ANIMAL WALL ART
The very earliest artwork known to be created by humans contains images of animals. It seems we have always been fascinated by the furry, finned and feathered creatures around us. Including animals in art for your home connects you to generations of animal lovers and showcases your love for all living things. Art with animals has an inherently organic feel, but animal wall art can convey a wide variety of moods, tones and themes.
If you only think of your kid’s room or the nursery when you think of animal wall art, you’re missing some great home décor opportunities. We’ve got tips and ideas for incorporating framed animal wall art into your family’s living room, kitchen, guest room and more. We’ll break down how color and composition help create a sense of calm, playfulness, moodiness, inspiration, freedom or joy with examples of animal wall art from our collection.
Get ready to go a little wild with animals in art at Minted!
TONES AND MOODS OF ART WITH ANIMALS
To understand your preferences better and make it easier to find the animal wall art that suits your home, let’s look at some basic terminology of the art world.
- Theme - the overall meaning of the piece, which may be greater than merely the sum of its subject matter. Examples:
- “Rise” features a Ferris wheel and soaring seagull in a theme of freedom.
- “Dapper Giraffe” dresses a giraffe in a bowtie for a theme of whimsy.
- “Leader of the Pack” pictures a grinning camel standing out from the crowd in a theme of leadership or success.
- Mood - Deeper and more universal than the theme; the atmosphere of the piece. Examples:
- A person walking a dog on a stretch of beach feels tranquil.
- A chicken running at full speed evokes energy.
- A goat making pointed eye contact unsettles the viewer.
- Tone - The contrast of light and dark in the piece, which lends a sense of depth and distance or flatness. Examples:
- A white, wooly ram against a snowy backdrop creates a bright, flat moment of stillness.
- Two wriggling coy fish suspended in a field of inky darkness feels endlessly deep.
- An extreme close-up of a zebra’s stripes transforms the beast into an optical illusion of contemporary art.
HOW TO COMPLEMENT ANIMAL WALL ART
Once you start thinking about the theme of animals in art, you might be tempted to carry that theme through on everything from curtains to pillows to framed animal wall art. But perhaps you don’t want an entire zoo on your home’s walls. We get it! Art with animals can work with lots of other artwork, especially if you’re creating a gallery wall for big visual impact. Here are some tips for thinking outside the box when pairing art with animals and other pieces:
- Make the theme something other than animals in art. Sticking with black and white photography, pencil drawings or landscapes opens your options to including art with animals and art without animals.
- Add elements beyond framed artwork. Including three-dimensional pieces, like carved masks or handcrafted items, breaks up the visual grid of frames and enhances any display of animal wall art.
- Unify everything with consistent framing. No matter how varied your collection of colorful animal wall art and other pieces, encasing everything in the same frame color creates a cohesive look.
OPTIONS FOR FRAMED ANIMAL WALL ART
Speaking of framing options, Minted helps you make the most of your animal wall art with plenty of options for framing and mounting. Once you choose the size you like, you can decide whether you prefer glass to protect your art with animals from dust and UV exposure or the authentic museum look of unframed animal canvas wall art.
Our paper printed wall art can be mounted three ways:
- Float Mounted - Your animal wall art seems to “float” above 100% museum-grade cotton mat board, leaving a visual space between the artwork and the frame.
- Matted - This traditional method of displaying artwork creates a crisp, tailored effect with a clean border that draws the eye into the imagery of the art with animals.
- Full Bleed (Standard) - The viewer’s eye is drawn outward, as the artwork extends all the way to the edge of the field.
Our selections of animals in art on canvas have multiple framing options from metal to wood to match with your room theme and the ambiance you are looking for.
SYMBOLISM AND MEANING OF ANIMALS IN ART
Many people enjoy art with animals because of the spiritual or symbolic meanings we attach to certain creatures. Thinking about the ideas represented by animals in art can help you choose what’s right for the different spaces in your home. We break down some of the common symbolism and meanings these critters are imbued with:
- Deer - Gentleness, grace, innocence, intuition, sensitivity to life’s mysteries
- Elephant - Maternal instincts, memory, strength, power, longevity, the playfulness and innocence of baby elephants
- Fox - Physical or mental responsiveness, cunning, agility in tricky situations, affinity for nocturnal activity
- Horse - Speed, personal drive, a balance between instinct and control, sexual energy, passionate desire
- Owl - Wisdom, intuition, ability to see through deception, an announcement of impending change or transition
Minted’s Free Art Styling
Minted is delighted to help you display your colorful animal wall art to best advantage. Try our augmented reality tool on your cell phone to see how your favorite pieces will look in your home. You can preview your arrangements, adjust positions and angles, and save images to share with family and friends.
