He studied at Yale University art school and the Art Students League of New York. Thereafter he devoted himself primarily to illustrative work. He travelled widely, spending much time west of the Mississippi River, and made a specialty of depicting Indians, cowboys, soldiers, horses, and other aspects of life on the Plains. He also published a number of books and articles that served mainly as vehicles for his illustrations. During the Spanish–American War he was a war correspondent and artist. Remington was primarily a reporter, recording the image of the thing seen; his work is notable for its rendering of swift action and its accuracy of detail. The Remington Art Memorial, Ogdensburg, N.Y., contains an important collection of his paintings, illustrations, and bronze statuettes.