Limited Edition Prints by David Shepherd

Posted on July 1, 2013 by david

David Shepherd Limited Edition Prints

 

David Shepherd is a successful British wildlife artist who also enjoys painting steam engines, airplanes, battleships and landscapes.  His artwork gained popularity in the 1960’s and continues to impress and gain value as time goes on.

When an artist produces a painting, he or she has the option of producing “limited edition signed prints,” which are numbered and autographed (usually in pencil) copies of the original masterpiece that are printed with the understanding that no additional prints will be produced after reaching the predetermined number, or “limit.”  Factors like style, availability and client demand are considered when determining how many prints will be produced and professional artists will usually authorize the printing of between 25 and 100 prints of any particular piece of artwork.  However, some artists have been known to allow the printing of up to 1,000 copies but, for valuation purposes, artwork is worth more when there are fewer prints in circulation.

Artists also have the option of not limiting the number of prints and can produce as many copies as they think collectors will buy.  Conversely, artists can also choose to not allow the printing of any copies of their work, which greatly increases the value of the original masterpiece for popular artists like David Shepherd, who can improve the marketability of their artwork by limiting its availability, thereby making the piece more “rare,” which creates more value in the painting and generates demand for the piece by collectors.

It is very important than any and all issues be resolved before undertaking the actual printing of the limited edition paintings and professional artists usually ask the printer to provide “proof prints” so that they can inspect them for problems before any mass printing of a painting takes place.  Most artists maintain records of their limited edition print sales so that any pieces that get damaged can be re-printed.  Other than replacing those numbered, damaged pieces, it is highly unethical for additional copies to be printed after completion of the authorized number of limited edition prints.  Very often, the print plates are actually destroyed, damaged or defaced to prevent further duplication of the artwork.

Before the digital age, printing equipment would wear out, which resulted in good print quality on the first-run prints and lesser quality with subsequent prints.  Today, technology allows artists to produce as many prints as they desire and each one shares the same quality.  Signed, limited edition prints are valuable to art collectors and this translates to more money for the artist, which encourages them to allow the production of varying numbers of limited edition prints of their original masterpieces.

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Prints

Posted on June 25, 2013 by david

David Shepherd Prints

 

British artist, David Shepherd, is one of the most successful wildlife artists in the world and his most famous and popular prints is undoubtedly “Wise Old Elephant,” the success of which changed his life and resulted in many people requesting additional paintings of elephants simply because they were popular.  David thought he should resist the urge to paint more elephants for fear he would “over popularize” himself, but more than 250,000 copies of “Wise Old Elephant” have sold to collectors throughout the world.

It’s hard to imagine, but some criticize the artwork of David Shepherd because he paints his masterpieces using photographs and videos since animals in the wild won’t “pose” for him!  Taking numerous photographs or films enables him to view the subject of his work from many different angles and includes the natural surroundings of that animal’s habitat.

According to David Shepherd, when preparing to paint a picture, “ninety percent is seeing it, getting it in your head” and photographic images and videos help the artist capture the scene, as well as the animal, which is the subject of the painting.  Shepherd photographed a piece of deadwood on a path and said that, if he had instead sketched it, it would have taken at least half an hour and he would have ended up with one sketch, whereas spending thirty minutes photographing the images he wants to paint results in numerous perspectives of the subject taken from varying angles and in different light.  Photographs and videos give the artist more insight into the animals he paints and their environments and also make it possible for him to reuse those images again and again in his paintings.  Shepherd said he has used the image of that piece of driftwood in at least eight of his beautiful paintings of wildlife.

Using photographs and videos, David Shepherd creates his masterpieces by starting with a detailed pencil sketch on the canvas, and he usually starts with the animals left eye, gradually building the painting from that point.  He prefers to use oil paints and creates realistic wildlife paintings that always become more valuable as time passes.

Photographs and videos have become an essential element of David Shepherd’s artwork since his work is predominantly commissioned and he works exclusively inside an art studio that is connected to his home and doesn’t get the opportunity to paint outside anymore.

David Shepherd also has a passion for steam engines, battleships and airplanes but, since painting prints of those subjects requires more exquisite lines and details, he would have to charge more for them because they take much longer to create and he fears pricing himself out of the art world if he were to focus on those subjects.

David Shepherd continues to create beautiful masterpieces of wildlife art and works tirelessly at the wildlife foundation that he created to protect animal species that are on the brink of extinction.  His contribution to the world of wildlife and wildlife art is priceless. Read More

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Internationally Recognized Artist David Shepherd

Posted on June 14, 2013 by david

DAVID SHEPHERD 

David Shepherd is an internationally recognized artist who is most famous for his paintings of wildlife, which depict his love and respect for various animals, especially those whose very existence is threatened because of the encroachment of human beings into their habitats and human activities that affect the environment!

David Shepherd became aware of this atrocity very early on in his life, when he traveled to Africa with the aspiration of becoming a game warden after finishing school.  While he was visiting Africa, he ventured upon a body of toxic water and numerous dead zebra whose demise was the result of drinking that water.

David was unable to secure employment as a game warden and took a job at a local hotel in Kenya, which netted him very little money.  Since he couldn’t be a game warden, he wanted to return home to England, but his job did not provide enough income for that so he started creating paintings of birds and managed to sell seven of them, which gave him the money to return home.

Upon his return to England, David felt that his employment options were limited to being an artist or a bus driver and, since artists were known to earn very little money for their artwork, he decided to become a bus driver.  While working in that field, he received encouragement from his father to pursue training as an artist and David was lucky enough to meet and enjoy the tutelage of an artist named Robin Goodwin, who was instrumental in changing David’s life and assisted him in creating a career as a wildlife artist.

David Shepherd is one of many people whose contribution to the world helps others understand the need for change in order to preserve planet earth’s flora and fauna and his wiseoldelephantfirst painting called “African Wildlife” was the impetus for his burgeoning career as a wildlife artist.  Thereafter, David created a painting of an African elephant, which he called “Wise Old Elephant,” and it was so popular that it made David Shepherd an overnight success in the art world.  The artist thereafter released more than 800 prints that sold in a matter of hours and this success resulted in the creation of a waiting list for his future artwork.  People who collect art for investment purposes realize that these early works of Mr. Shepherd are very valuable and this fact makes them highly sought after by collectors. (View More)

The celebrity status that his wildlife artwork has given David Shepherd has enabled him to devote much of his life to the problems created by mankind’s quest for global power and the resultant greed that has contributed to the destruction of our planet and many of its animals.

The urgency of this tragedy resulted in a recent conference in Copenhagen that included representatives from over 150 countries, where global concerns were discussed, including the destruction of rainforests in South Africa, over fishing of sea life, the overuse of fertilizers and pesticides in food production and global warming, all of which jeopardize the existence of many species of animals on our planet, including human beings.

David’s success as a wildlife artist has enabled him to make many appearances on television and deliver speeches at fundraisers and charity events about the issues facing the world’s population of endangered species.  He also created the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, which is responsible for raising a lot of money designed to educate people about the necessity for mankind to change the focus of its endeavors and protect many animals that are on the brink of extinction.

Today David is living up to the Hebrew meaning of his first name, David, because he is “beloved” by many in the art world, as well as the endangered animals that have been the unbeknownst beneficiaries of his quest to save many of them from extinction.

The most famous pieces of David Shepherd’s artwork are “Tiger Fire” and “Tiger in the Sun,” as well as “Elephant Heaven,” all of which have brought him great success and enabled him to enjoy a profitable career that few wildlife artists have matched.

Several pieces of David Shepherd’s artwork are featured at The National Museum of Wildlife in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, but most are displayed in the United Kingdom at The Hiram Blauvelt Art Museum and The Mall Gallery of London.

The wildlife artwork of David Shepherd is among the most valued and sought after in the world and he produces many paintings and signed lithographs that continue to gain value as time passes.

David Shepherd has created many beautiful paintings and is known as one of the world’s best wildlife artists and his popularity will continue to grow, as he is one of the most recognized wildlife artists of all time and his contributions to the conservation of endangered species is priceless.

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David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation

Posted on May 28, 2013 by david

David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation

David Shepherd is an artist who was born in Great Britain in 1931 and is best known for his wildlife art and interest in and paintings of steam locomotives and aircraft, but he has also painted portraits of the Queen of England, all of which have made him one of England’s most financially rewarded artists.

Richard David Shepherd began his art career at the age of 8 by entering and winning a painting competition in a children’s magazine called Nursery World.  Thereafter, he attended art school and eventually studied under the tutelage of an artist named Robin Goodwin.

After leaving school and while touring Africa, he witnessed multiple dead zebra killed by a poisoned watering home and his empathy toward this scene was instrumental in his burgeoning interest in wildlife conservation.  After realizing success as an artist, David Shepherd decided to devote much of his time and effort to wildlife and he started the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) in 1984.

Since that time, the DSWF has been instrumental in projects that are designed to protect a variety of wildlife, including tigers, rhinoceroses, elephants and more.  The conservation efforts of this organization depend on the support of trusted and respected individuals and organizations that encounter various wildlife and their needs as part of their everyday lives in their fields of expertise.

With the invasion of humans and frequency of poaching, elephants on the continents of Asia and Africa have become more agitated, nervous and aggressive against humans.  Because of this crisis, the DSWF opened Zambia’s first elephant orphanage and contributes money that provides anti-poaching patrols and the equipment necessary (vehicles, tents, radios, etc.) to access areas that were previously inaccessible on both continents where elephants are indigenous.

The David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation is also working to conserve the world’s rhinos by monitoring populations, creating habitats and providing resources to stop illegal poaching and trading of rhino horns.  In this regard, the DSWF has started using a Belgian Malinois dog, which is a breed specifically trained for sniffing out explosives, drugs and wildlife products like leopard and tiger pelts, bones, rhino horns and elephant ivory.  They are also proficient at outrunning and attacking suspected poachers and the DSWF anticipates using more of these dogs in future wildlife conservation efforts!

The DSWF also supports a trust that was created to enable research about the Snow Leopard, which is on the brink of extinction, as well as undercover efforts to identify and prosecute illegal poachers.  This elusive cat lives in the mountains in remote regions of Asia and the number of them remaining in the wild is estimated to be only between 3,500 and 7,000.  These beautiful animals are not valued in the area and are killed regularly by locals who want to protect their own herds of animals and who then sell the Snow Leopard’s fur and body parts to Chinese traders of fur and medicine.  The Snow Leopard Trust is responsible for bringing together 65 experts who study this beautiful animal and they met in 2002 and created the Snow Leopard Survival Strategy, which was the impetus for a global initiative to preserve and save the magnificent Snow Leopard of Asia.

Tigers also benefit from the conservation efforts of the DSWF and David Shepherd launched “TigerTime” to mark this 80th birthday in 2011.  This may be his most ambitious conservation effort to date because Mr. Shepherd believes that time is running out for the tiger since it is very close to extinction and he said “TigerTime is more than a campaign – it is a worldwide movement.”  Many fear the tiger will become extinct within the next 20 years since there are only 3,200 left in the wild and their numbers are falling rapidly.  TigerTime‘s conservation focus will be on efforts to save this beautiful beast from extinction, including undercover work and anti-poaching patrols.

Richard David Shepherd has made a huge impact on our world and has given us many things to appreciate, including the timeless beauty of his artwork.  Mr. Shepherd’s appreciation for and efforts to protect and preserve the many wild creatures that live among us will be instrumental in saving many species from extinction.  For that, the creatures of the world thank you, David Shepherd!  Read More

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David Shepherd

Posted on May 15, 2013 by david

David Shepherd

Born in London, England in an area known as Hendon, Richard David Shepherd, more commonly known as David Shepherd, is an accomplished artist who is most famous for his popular paintings of nature’s wildlife, but is also known for his interest in and paintings of steam locomotives, landscapes, military subjects and aviation.  David Shepherd also paints portraits and has even produced portraits of Queen Elizabeth, or the “Queen Mother.”  He is also an accomplished writer and has written five books about his artwork, as well as a dedicated wildlife conservationist!

While he was growing up, David Shepherd lived in North London in Totteridge and at the age of 8 years, he entered a painting contest sponsored by  “Nursery World” magazine and he won the competition.  Thereafter, he was a student at Stowe School in Buckinghamshire, England and his early aspiration was to be a game warden.

Following that dream took him to Kenya, where his travels in the African bush exposed him to the plight of a large number of zebra that died of poisoning because they were exposed to a toxic watering hole.  After witnessing that sight and being rejected as a prospective African game warden, David became empathetic to wild animals in the world and developed an interest in conservation and now devotes a lot of his time to that endeavor because of his early life experiences while traveling Africa!

Upon returning to London from Africa, David Shepherd applied for admission as a student at the Slade School of Fine Arts, but he was not granted admission and thereafter enjoyed the tutelage of Robin Goodwin, another British wildlife artist who trained Shepherd for a period of about three years.

David Shepherd’s paintings include those of some of the most magnificent creatures in the world and include “Tiger in The Sun,” one of his most famous, which he painted in 1977.  Mr. Shepherd also enjoys painting elephants and has become quite famous for doing so!  He is also the founder of the “David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation,” which is a small, but very effective charity that focuses on funding projects designed to save critically endangered species, particularly mammals, in Africa and Asia.

The David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation is responsible for providing equipment and training to every game officer in the Gir National Park in India!  His foundation also rescues elephants that have been victims of ivory poaching and he has established an elephant orphanage in Zambia for that purpose.  His efforts also focus on raising awareness on the Asian continent of crimes against indigenous wildlife, which criminal behavior is common in that area of the world.

On December 31, 1979, David Shepherd was awarded an “OBE” (Order of the British Empire), which is a distinguished British honor awarded twice per year to folks in the United Kingdom for acknowledging their work and distinguished accomplishment of services in any field that benefit a certain community or the country as a whole.  This honorable award automatically entitles British recipients to use the title “Sir” (or “Knight”) or “Dame” for females!  In 2008, Sir David Shepherd was named “Commander of the Order of the British Empire”  (“CBE”) because of his outstanding devotion to the areas of wildlife conservation and charity.

As mentioned before, David Shepherd is also an enthusiast of steam locomotives and enjoys painting pictures of them.  He famously said in a letter to the United Kingdom Railway Magazine “You can always build another steam loco but you can’t build another tiger.”

His interest in steam locomotives drove him to eventually purchase several British-built locomotives from the British Railways, where he developed contacts due to his painting of locomotives owned by that company.  He purchased the “Black Prince” (which he still owns) and the “Green Knight,” which he sold to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway in order to get funds to overhaul the “Black Prince.”  David Shepherd has also owned other locomotives in England and Africa and is the President of the “Railway Ramblers,” which is a club whose members enjoy exploring abandoned railroad lines!  Mr. Shepherd was also instrumental in developing the East Somerset Railway, which now houses and displays his artwork in the signal box at Cranmore Station.

David Shepherd is a talented British artist whose work has greatly rewarded him financially and he remains one of the United Kingdom’s most popular artists!

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David Shepherds Wildlife Art

Posted on May 6, 2013 by david

WILDLIFE ART 

 

One of the earliest forms of artwork is wildlife art, which depicts humanity’s appreciation of the creatures that live among us.  This type of art dates back to prehistoric times when people created drawings, etchings and paintings inside caves and on the surface of rock walls, which depicted the natural world as early artists saw it and included a variety of wildlife living among them.  Wildlife art was common throughout the world, in all cultures and on every continent.

Early artists were limited in the tools they could use to create art and often used berries, leaves, blood and other natural elements to depict color in their artwork.  Today’s wildlife artists have much more leeway and many more tools for creating depictions of the animals living amongst us in the world and they include drawings, paintings, sculptures, photographs and even taxidermy!

Whatever tools they choose to utilize, wildlife artists have created a visual history of the world’s wildlife that will endure for generations to come and includes animals or other living creatures that will or have already become extinct.  This includes the dinosaurs as well as their only surviving relatives, birds, and a plethora of sea life (that includes mammals) and a huge variety of insects that share the planet with us.  Without early wildlife art, we would be unaware of many of the creatures that have come and gone before us from planet Earth, other than those we discovered in the form of fossils.

Through the years, there have been hundreds of artists who focus their work on wildlife by creating drawings, paintings and sculptures of various living creatures, depicting their place in the world and their relationship to humanity.  Some artists choose to create art that not only shows animals or other creatures, but scenes that stir the emotions of people that are sad or disturbing, such as Robert Bateman’s “Driftnet,” which shows a small dolphin and a bird that drowned because they were entangled in fishing nets.  Another example is an exhibition in 2008 by a Belgian artist known as “Zephyr,” who created a life-size sculpture of a sperm whale in order to provoke empathy for whales and human responsibility for their welfare.  Other artists produce wildlife art that is meant to showcase the animal itself in its natural environment, such as that of British artist, David Shepherd who has created beautiful depictions of everything from Gecko lizards to Polar Bears.

Many wildlife artists become involved in conservation efforts and hold benefits that are designed to support wildlife conservation throughout the world.  Many of these organizations conduct contests with cash prizes for artists who produce wildlife art.

Whatever their motivation, wildlife artists have created a visual history of the world’s creatures that would have otherwise been undocumented and, for that, we should all be grateful!

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Elephants and Tigers by David Shepherd

Posted on April 17, 2013 by david

Famous British Artist David Shepherd

The most admired and well-known “wildlife” artist is undoubtedly David Shepherd, who produced many paintings based on the theme that was most dear to his heart, animals and wildlife.  Beginning in the 1960s, his visits to Africa were the grounding force for what eventually caused him to become an iconic figure in the world of wildlife art.  Shepherd is probably best known for his paintings of elephants and tigers; for example “Old Charlie,” .  A signed limited edition print called “Wise Old Elephant” was published to commemorate the very first painting that launched David Shepherd’s career as an artist.  It was released in 1962 and distributed by Boots and has sold more copies than any other print worldwide.  However, the painting considered to be the finest and most striking of David Shepherd’s wildlife artwork is “Tiger Fire,” which was published in 1973 to help save the tiger.

elephant1After having traveled the world many times, David Shepherd became a wildlife conservationist and a passionate ecologist.  His paintings and signed limited edition prints are sold for enormous sums of money and his work is increasingly sought after, particularly since people are becoming more aware of the rapid changes to the earth and its environment.

There are many other examples of focused artwork which have not been covered here, but it appears that artists focus their work on their own passions and the scenes they observe daily in the course of their lives and these observances become more valuable as time goes by and history continues to unfold.

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