Larger-Than-Life Paintings Capture the Majestic Beauty of Wildlife We Need to Protect

Animal Paintings by Nick Sider

Ever since he was a child, Canadian artist Nick Sider has had a fascination with tigers. He pays homage to the majestic big cat and other wild animals with his incredible, hyperrealistic paintings that are so detailed, the fierce subjects look as though they could come to life and leap from their canvases at any moment. In fact, this is exactly what the talented artist aims to achieve. He reveals, “My favorite moment while painting is when a subject on my canvas begins to come alive.”

It’s been Sider’s dream to become an artist ever since a young age, but it wasn’t until he was 25 that he quit his job to pursue painting full-time. Now based in New York City, the self-taught artist has gained international recognition for his hyperrealistic paintings that are meticulously rendered in acrylic paint. Sider paints a range of subjects—including portraits of people—but his animal paintings are particularly eye-catching. From tigers and lions to horses and bears, each piece captures both the stunning beauty and the wild ferociousness of these incredible creatures in full detail.

Check out Sider's extraordinary animal paintings below and find more from his portfolio on his website and Instagram. Scrolling through his work feels almost like a safari trip!

Artist Nick Sider creates incredible hyperrealistic portraits of wild animals, immortalizing them through art and reminding us of their beauty.

Animal Paintings by Nick Sider

He's particularly fascinated with tigers…

Animal Paintings by Nick Sider

Animal Paintings by Nick Sider

Animal Paintings by Nick Sider

Animal Paintings by Nick Sider

Animal Paintings by Nick Sider

Animal Paintings by Nick Sider

..but he paints a whole range of fierce subjects.

Animal Paintings by Nick Sider

Animal Paintings by Nick Sider

Animal Paintings by Nick Sider

Animal Paintings by Nick Sider

He uses a tiny paintbrush to render each strand of fur.

Animal Paintings by Nick Sider

Animal Paintings by Nick Sider

Animal Paintings by Nick Sider

The finished pieces look like they could come to life at any second!

Animal Paintings by Nick Sider

Animal Paintings by Nick Sider

Animal Paintings by Nick Sider

Animal Paintings by Nick Sider

Animal Paintings by Nick Sider

Animal Paintings by Nick Sider

Animal Paintings by Nick Sider

Nick Sider: Website | Facebook | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Nick Sider.

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Vibrant Animal Paintings Bursting with Colorful Spirit Are Lifted Off the Page

Emma Taggart

Emma Taggart is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met. Originally from Northern Ireland, she is an artist now based in Berlin. After graduating with a BA in Fashion and Textile Design in 2013, Emma decided to combine her love of art with her passion for writing. Emma has contributed to various art and culture publications, with an aim to promote and share the work of inspiring modern creatives. While she writes every day, she’s also devoted to her own creative outlet—Emma hand-draws illustrations and is currently learning 2D animation.
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