WildArt

Here are the winning entries from the 2009 RSPB Wildlife Explorers WildArt competition. We had a record number of entries this year - the judges had a really tough time picking the three winners. We hope you like them.
 
As well as winning art vouchers, the winners' artwork was framed professionally and exhibited as part of the Society of Wildlife Artists (SWLA) Exhibition in London at the Mall Galleries.

Along with their families, the winners were invited to a special Private View of the Exhibition where their art was shown off alongside works by famous wildlife artists such as Bruce Pearson and Robert Gilmour. Wow!

We'll tell you how to enter the next competition on this page early in 2010...

Under 8s

Winner: Raphael Yates

Splash! You could almost imagine being underwater with this beautiful fish.

Just like the real thing, Raphael's fish is hiding away in some underwater weeds.

Raphael used watercolour paints to give gentle colours and a watery feel to his lovely painting.

Well done!

8-12 years of age

Winner: Tom Gale

Tom's made a wonderful painting of two bullfinches.

As well as the birds, he's shown their habitat - a prickly bramble bush, complete with thorns.

(Bullfinches love eating blackberries, to get at the crunchy seeds hidden away inside)

The shades he's chosen are subtle and the painting has a nice composition.

Nice work, Tom!

13 years and over

Winner: Beth Newton

Beth scooped the top prize in her category with a brilliant pastel drawing of a kingfisher.

From the bright blue feathers on its back to the little fish in the kingfisher's beak, she's got it just right.

She also used her skills to give the bird plenty of 'space' on the page.

Well done to all our competition winners!