Outdoor Artist – Illustrator, Ryan Kirby – Photo Essay

by Ammoland July 30, 2012

The following is a photo essay, featuring the art work of Ryan Kirby, check out his illustrations and support Ryan by buying his art work or hire him for some custom illustration work of your own. (Note we have re-sized Ryan art work to fit our website, visit RyanKirbyArt.com to see his high quality art work)

Remington Outdoor Foundation
These big game anatomy charts show detailed anatomy for beginning hunters. These first-timers can pick their shot on an image of the animal, then peel back layers of anatomy to see how their shot placement holds up in relation to the animal’s skeletal structure and vital location.

Graniteville, SC –-(Ammoland.com)- Ryan’s a midwest farm kid at heart. That’s where he grew to love the outdoors – hunting and fishing with his dad, brother and other friends and family.

A graduate of Bradley University in Peoria, IL with degrees in Graphic Design and Multimedia, Ryan spent several years in the magazine industry before launching out on his own. He lives and works in Huntersville, NC, creating illustrations and graphic design work for clients across the country and cranking up Pandora.

Ryan is an avid outdoorsman.

“I’m a diehard bowhunter and will always cherish the midwest rut, but turkeys are my favorite to hunt. They’re challenging, frustrating and easy – it all depends on the day,” he said.

Ryan is also an award-winning wildlife artist. He was named the 2010 National Wild Turkey Federation Stamp Print Artist of the Year and the 2013 Quality Deer Management Association Artist of the Year.

His days afield are the primary source of inspiration for oil paintings but also fuel the knowledge base it takes to pull off clear and effective illustrations.

Pheasants Forever: One of a series of six illustrations showing how to successfully drive pheasants in a variety of upland habitat. In this image, two hunters take turns as the driver and shooter, working an “L” shaped wetland using a leap frog maneuver.

Delta Waterfowl: Full page lead illustration for “The Stalemate” – a humorous article about two buddies going toe-to-toe over where their morning duck hunt should take place.

National Wild Turkey Federation: Illustration featured in Turkey Country Magazine for Tom Kelly’s “Short Spurs” column entitled “Strange Answers.” Tom talks about some of the stranger animals he’s called to the gun over the years, including some escapee horses in a stand of pines. Check out the sketch in progress at right.

Winchester Ammunition: Winchester often runs Facebook promotions offering great giveaways. This promo featured an iPhone loaded with their award-winning Winchester Ballistics Calculator – a fantastic tool for any serious hunter or range shooter.

Autumn Reflections: This painting was selected as the 2013 QDMA Print of the Year. The scene is from a creekbottom on the family farm in Illinois. Growing up, Ryan has watched many deer cross the spot and has flushed countless wood ducks from it walking to and from a deer stand or chasing gobbling turkeys in the spring.

For more of Ryan fantastic art work, check out www.ryankirbyillustration.com and www.ryankirbyart.com.