Given their aesthetic diversity, expressive faces, and graceful movements, birds have become a popular artistic muse. Animal-loving creatives often turn to these winged creatures for inspiration, finding new and innovative ways to capture their unique coloring, fascinating patterns, and distinctive silhouettes. As evident in this striking selection of birds in art, artists approach this iconography in a myriad of ways.
The pieces that compose this collection of avian art range from stunning works on paper to mesmerizing three-dimensional sculptures. While some illustrate traditional techniques (such as watercolor paintings, wooden models, and wildlife photographs), others convey contemporary artists’ more unconventional methods of portraying birds. Novel mediums used include tattoo ink, flower petals, industrial and scrap metal, and even smoke!
Regardless of the materials employed or their stylistic approach, each captivating creation proves that our feathered friends continue to inspire sky-high creativity.
This collection of bird art showcases the unique ways in which artists approach avian iconography. They include:
Feathery Folk Art
Artist: MirDinara. Read more: Beautiful Easter Eggs Hand-Painted with Colorful Folk Art Illustrations
Postage-Inspired Paper Art
Artist: Diana Beltran. Read more: Paper Artist Creates Beautiful Bird Stamps in Large Scale 3D
Calligraphy-Inspired Watercolor
Artist: Karl Martens. Read more: Artist Uses Calligraphy Brushes to Create Breathtaking Watercolor Paintings of Birds
Dip-Dyed Sculptures
Artist: Moises Hernandez. Read more: Dip-Dyed Wooden Sculptures Showcase the Unique Plumage of Tropical Birds
Soaring Shadowboxes
Artist: Chris Maynard. Read more: New Flocks of Birds Emerge From Carefully Hand-Cut Feathers
Sky-High Street Art
Artist: L7m. Read more: Street Art Project Uses Building Facades to Spread the Word About 314 Endangered Bird Species
Elegant Origami
Artist: HTQuyet. Read more: Origami Artist Creates Charming Animals with Unique Wet Folding Technique
Flitting Tattoos
Artist: Aleksandra Katsan. Read more: Tattoo Artist Captures the Carefree Fluidity of Watercolor Paint in Colorful Tattoos
Spray-painted Songbird
Artist: L7m. Read more: Beautiful Bird Drawings by Brazilian Street Artist L7m
Flock-Inspired Installation
Artists: Lonneke Gordijn and Ralph Nauta (Studio DRIFT). Read more: Flock of Birds-Inspired Art
Wings in Motion
Artist: Derek Hugger. Read more: Ornate Kinetic Sculpture Fluidly Mimics a Hummingbird’s Flight
Metal Migration
Artist: Michelle McKinney. Read more: Ethereal Nature-Inspired Art Made with Industrial Strength Metals
Tiny Watercolors
Artist: TinyWorldsLivingShop. Read more: Artist Creates Miniature Paintings of Tiny Animals That Capture Every Cute Detail
Modern Lamps
Artist: Umut Yamac. Read more: Poetic Origami Bird Lamps Illuminate Their Surroundings When Set in Motion
Fluttering Cut-Outs
Artist: Claire Brewster. Read more: Fluttering Paper Birds Intricately Cut From Old Maps and Atlases