Learn how to paint & draw at your own pace
With hundreds of hours of step-by-step tutorials, my passion is to help you to pursue your dreams of creating highly detailed, realistic art.
Learn how to paint & draw at your own pace
With hundreds of hours of step-by-step tutorials, my passion is to help you to pursue your dreams of creating highly detailed, realistic art.
About the artist
My name is Zara Toms, based in Hampshire in the UK. I strive to achieve highly detailed, realistic animal portraits in a variety of mediums. Bringing much loved pets to life on the easel has always been something I’ve felt very honoured to do and now being able to teach other artists and help them achieve their own art goals, is something I feel incredibly lucky to be able to do.
I have worked with dogs my entire life. Qualifying as a canine hydrotherapist soon after leaving college, where I had the pleasure of rehabilitating a wide range of dogs for 8 years and then managing a dog kennels, every part of life has evolved around animals. Little did I know at that time just how grateful I would be to have chosen that as my first career path.
My Maisey
At only 5 years old, my own Dog, Maisey, required specialist spinal surgery after suddenly becoming paralysed and unable to use or feel her back legs. The intensive specialist care she required, daily hydrotherapy, physiotherapy & acupuncture would have been incredibly overwhelming if I hadn’t have had years of experience in this field previously. She got all the treatment possible and defied all the odds. With only a 5% chance of walking due to the horrendous damage to her spinal cord, she did it! Albeit a little unique, but up on her feet, walking and running none the less.
Maisey has been my inspiration for my artwork and I have countless portraits around my home of her. Even featuring in my logo with one less toe after a injury when she was 2. Sadly, at 13.5 year old she passed away but never forgotten.
My art journey
I made the decision in 2016 to take the leap as a full time artist which I absolutely love. From as young as I can remember and any opportunity, I had either pencils or brushes in my hand and living with the flare ups associated with inflammatory arthritis, I have always found time spent at the easel is more than just simply creating art. Not only is it incredibly fulfilling but it’s a way to channel every day anxieties and stresses we encounter into something positive and productive.
In February 2021 I then started offering in depth, online art tutorials and have found an even deeper love for art, which I didn’t think was possible. The buzz I get from seeing others realise the over powering sense of achievement from creating a drawing or painting is something I will never, ever tire of.
