HORSES
ANATOMY & PROPORTION
Some knowledge of the horse’s anatomy and proportion is important for correctly blocking in the basic shape of the subject at the beginning of each drawing. Proportion refers to the proper relation of one part to another or to the whole, particularly in terms of size or shape. Proportion is a key factor in achieving a likeness of a subject. For drawing animals and people, artists often use head size as a measuring unit for determining the length of other body parts. For example, the body of the horse is about four times the length of its head. Utilizing this kind of approximation will help you draw the horse in correct proportion.
The horse’s large eye is set high on its elongated head. Notice the width of the skull from the forehead to the lower jaw and the long, tapered nose.
To make realistic drawings, keep in mind that the horse’s structure is determined by its skeleton. You don’t need to learn the names of all the parts of the horse’s anatomy, or even how to draw them; just keep the basic sizes and shapes in mind as you draw. For example, note the triangular shape of the skull, the depth of the rib cage, and the joints in the legs. The vertebrae are slightly higher in the area over the rib cage, forming the base of the horse’s withers.
Familiarity with the horse’s anatomy and musculature will help you make your drawings look realistic. Generally, areas with large, smooth muscles will be shaded lightly, whereas the areas of smaller overlapping muscles will require more complex shading. Study the illustrations to see how the muscles and tendons wrap around the horse’s skeletal structure.
TECHNIQUES
Techniques for graphite and charcoal are very similar to those for watercolor paint (here). There are many more shading techniques than the ones covered here, but I’ll focus on those I use for drawing animals in general. One of the most important rules is to shade in the direction in which the hair grows, as it makes your drawings look more realistic. Note that graphite is easier to blend than charcoal and is also easier to erase or lift from the paper. For each technique shown below, you’ll see an example in graphite at the far left and an example in charcoal at the near left.
Gradation Start with a soft pencil, such as a 6B, and turn the pencil on its side. With a good amount of pressure, lay in the darkest value, gradually lessening the pressure as you move down. You may switch to a harder pencil as you move to the lighter values. You can also blend strokes by layering them on top of one another.
Hair Using a sharp graphite or charcoal pencil and a sweeping stroke, quickly move your hand in an arc, lifting the pencil from the paper at the end of the stroke. I usually lift the pencil at the end of the hair (from the darkest to lightest). Experiment to find out what works for you. With a little practice, you will master the art of drawing hair.
Blended Gradation These examples show gradated (or graduated) values that were then blended and softened with a tortillon. This technique works well for moving tones into a lighter area, and is the technique that I use most often.
Erasing These examples show how tone can be lifted from the page using a kneaded eraser (such as for creating highlights). I find the kneaded eraser to be the most effective for this, as it can be molded to fit small areas or flattened out for larger areas. Remember that charcoal is harder to lift out than graphite.
Pencil Hardness Here are examples of how pencil hardness affects value. The banding indicates where a harder pencil was used to shade. By varying the amount of pressure, you can achieve a wide range of values in your drawings.
Crosshatching These samples illustrate the way that layering in different directions creates texture and adds interest. If you use this technique, it should be used throughout the drawing for consistency. I typically do not use this technique in my final drawings, but it works well in preliminary drawings.
EYES & MUZZLES
Facial features, such as eyes and muzzles, are a good place to start learning to draw horses. If you are a beginner, you might want to practice drawing the parts separately before attempting a complete rendering. Study the drawings on this page, and look at the way the shapes and forms change as the viewing angle changes.
Practice by making many sketches of these features from several different angles. Copy the examples here, or use your own models. Often, details, such as the expression in the eye or the shading around the nostril, are what separate an average drawing from a remarkable one. Start by sketching the general shape with an HB pencil, and then refine the lines until you are satisfied.
When drawing horses—or any subject—it is best to work from live models or photographs. Trying to draw from memory or imagination is much more difficult. Collect photographs of horses and foals from catalogs, magazines, and books, and keep them in a file for reference. Such a file is commonly called an artist’s morgue.
Horse’s faces are not very fleshy, so the planes of the face are quite distinct, revealing the underlying structure of the skull.
The forms of the muscles, veins, and tendons are also easily discernible under the surface of the horse’s skin and sleek coat.
Horses have a few large teeth in the front of their mouth, with a gap on either side between the front incisors and the rear molars.
EARS & HOOVES
The position of the horse’s ears reveals its mood. For example, ears pricked forward usually indicate alert interest, whereas ears laid back are a sign of anger, discomfort, or fear. As you practice drawing the ears in different positions, note how shading is used to define the form.
The hoof is a hard covering that encloses the underlying toe bone. The frog is the softer, more tender area in the bottom of the hoof. Notice that the hoof is longer in front and shorter in back; make sure your drawings reflect the proper angle of the hoof.
To show the curvature of the hoof, use varying values of light and dark. Be sure to leave a highlight where the light strikes the hoof.
Horseshoes are nailed into the outer hoof wall, but the horse feels no pain because the wall has no nerve endings—just as it doesn’t hurt when you trim your fingernails.
EXAMINING PROFILES
The following five profile drawings are a small sampling of the differences in some common breeds. Note the shape of each profile; many times the profile of the head is characteristic of a particular breed.
Arabian This refined, fine-boned horse originated in the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula. Known for its speed and stamina in extreme conditions, the Arabian’s beauty and grace are unparalleled. Arabian bloodlines have long been used to establish new breeds, as their qualities are very desirable.
American Quarter Horse A compact breed originating in North America, the American Quarter Horse is known for its speed and durability at a quarter-mile sprint. Primarily bred as a work horse and often used in ranch work, today’s Quarter Horse is found across the globe.
Pony of the Americas This foal is a miniature version of the larger Appaloosa horse. The pony possesses the same characteristics as its larger cousin, including spots, but the pony measures between 46 and 56 inches, making it the perfect size for children to mount.
Haflinger Native to Austria, the Haflinger evolved in the Tyrolean area of the Alps. The breed takes its name from the village of Hafling, which is now part of Italy. Believed to be a horse with Arabian influence, the Halflinger is small in stature but mighty in heart. Its stocky build has made it a good workhorse as well as a good mount for numerous disciplines. Always chestnut in color, varying in shade from blonde to dark chocolate, its mane and tail are long, thick, and flaxen to white in color.
Shire A large, big-boned draft breed specifically bred for heavy work, this horse originated in the Shires of England and is one of the world’s largest breeds. It can be black, brown, or gray in color. Today’s Shires make beautiful parade horses, pulling large, decorative wagons, and can still be seen in their traditional roles in England.
BASIC PROFILE
In the early stages of your drawing, it’s important to the establish accurate proportions; you don’t want to make major adjustments after you’ve started adding tone and detail. To get the proportions as precise as possible, use plenty of guidelines to block in the basic shapes. Constantly adjust the lines as you compare sizes, shapes, and angles with your reference. Learning this process of creating and working within guidelines will help you work successfully from your own references.
Step One I use an HB pencil and light pressure to block in the basic shape of the horse’s head. Following the angles of the example, I use quick, diagonal strokes to indicate the muzzle, ear, and back of the head. Then I divide the head vertically at the midpoint, as shown. This will provide a reference for adding the jawline.
Step Two I continue using straight lines to block in the shape of the muzzle, paying particular attention to where these guidelines intersect. Now I roughly indicate the curve of the jaw with a series of lines that extend up to the base of the ears. Then I add a few curves to suggest the form of the neck.
Step Three Working within the guidelines, I begin refining the neck, muzzle, and jaw. I carefully place the eye and nostril; then I indicate the line of the mouth. I use the dotted lines to check the accuracy of my proportions and angles.
Step Four I develop the facial features and further refine the outlines, following the subtle curves of flesh around the mouth. Then I block in the mane and forelock with strokes that follow the direction of hair growth. I keep my strokes as light as I can in these initial stages.
Step Five With the basic outline in place, I erase the initial guidelines. I also subtly lighten the outlines so they don’t show through the final drawing. To do this, I softly dab at the lines with my eraser. Alternatively, I can trace my outline onto a clean sheet of paper before moving on to the next steps. (See “Transferring Your Drawing”.)
Step Six I begin applying tone using light pressure, loose hatching, and a 3B pencil. I start with the darkest areas, such as beneath the jawline, in the nostril and eye, and within the mane and forelock. This establishes the general value pattern, which will guide the development of tone and texture of the horse’s coat in the next step.
Step Seven With my basic tonal pattern established, I blend my strokes with a tortillon. To deepen the values, I continue stroking and blending, switching to a 6B pencil for the darkest darks. If I blend over a highlight on the horse’s face, I lift out the graphite with an eraser.
ARABIAN PORTRAIT
When searching for a reference, remember that you aren’t limited to just one photo; using multiple sources is an effective option. You can use artistic license (the artist’s prerogative to change a subject or scene) to combine aspects of different photos. For example, if you find one reference with a pleasing composition but can’t make out the details, you can use other shots that are better suited to provide this information.
Combining References Two photo references were used for this drawing. I prefer the angle of the head and composition in the photo at left, but the horse is out of focus. I used the reference at right to compensate for this, as the details in this photo appear much sharper.
Step One I begin this portrait with ovals for the head and muzzle; then I add several guidelines, as shown, to create reference points for adding the facial features. For example, the uppermost horizontal curve indicates the position of the top of the eyes. Now I add two lines indicating the neck and a curved line for the jaw. Then I carefully place the basic shapes of the ears.
Step Two I add one final guideline to the left side of the horse’s face to create the “dish” of the muzzle (the scoop from the nostrils to the bottom of the eye, which is characteristic of Arabians). Using the existing lines as references, I outline and add a few details to the facial features. Then I use quick, loose strokes to begin blocking in the mane and forelock, drawing the hair in the direction of growth.
Step Three At this point, I erase the lines I no longer need and refresh my outlines. (When you do this, you may find that the guidelines aren’t erasing well enough from the paper’s surface. If this is the case, you can transfer your outline to a fresh sheet of paper. See “Transferring Your Drawing”.) I continue developing the outline, indicating the subtle changes in form over the face and neck.
Step Four Now I switch to a 3B pencil and begin applying tone to the horse. I hatch in the shadows of the ears, face, and neck, stroking along the curves to suggest form. I use loose strokes, as I will blend them later to provide a smooth coat texture. I gradually build up the value of the forelock with long, light strokes, leaving gaps for areas of highlight.
Step Five With the basic tonal pattern in place, I develop the shading to darken the overall value of the horse. I use a tortillon to soften and blend the layers of strokes for a more even, unified tone. I build up the mane with strokes of varying values to give it a realistic hair texture.
Step Six In this final stage, I focus on bringing the values to their full intensity. I switch to a 6B to produce a soft, dark tone that blends easily, focusing on the areas in shadow. Once the darkest values are accurate according to the reference, I use a kneaded eraser to pull out or strengthen any highlights. For highlights in the mane, I form a kneaded eraser into a point and stroke over the mane in the direction of hair growth.
PONY
Ponies are not just small horses—they are a distinct species. Smaller in size than horses, ponies are also more sure-footed and have a stronger sense of self-preservation.
Step One With an HB pencil, sketch the bulk of the pony onto your paper. Use overlapping ovals for the chest, body, and haunches. Then place the gentle curves of the neck, blocking in the head with short, angular strokes. Add ovals to block in the curvature of the jaw and muzzle.
Step Two Building on the lines from step one, outline the entire pony. Block in the legs, carefully sketching the hooves and joints. Quickly suggest the mane and tail with a few long strokes, and place the mouth, nostril, eye, and ears.
Step Three Now erase the initial oval guides and shade the outside legs with long, vertical strokes. Then create the texture of the mane and tail with long, straight strokes to represent strands of hair. To give the body form, add a few marks to suggest the major muscles. You can give the face form with a few areas of light, solid shading. Then outline the halter.
Step Four Ground the pony by adding a few cast shadows and faint lines for the stable in the background. Keep these lines thin and light so that they don’t compete with the pony. Now finish the body of the pony by shading with parallel strokes that follow the muscle structure. This hatching technique creates a slightly stylized effect. Finish by touching up the facial details with additional shading.
FOAL’S BODY
Foals have a great zest for living and a fine sense of fun. They love to run and kick, and they are as fond of showing off as children. Try to capture this playfulness in your drawings.
To sketch the foal above, start by drawing an oval with an HB pencil. Block in the body parts around this shape, making sure all the elements are drawn in correct proportion. Notice how long the foal’s legs are in relation to its body. Then use a 6B pencil to shade the foal, blending out some areas with a paper stump for a soft, rounded effect.
This drawing was made on rough-textured paper and finished using a drybrush technique. After working out the outline of the foal in pencil, apply the light and middle values with washes of india ink or black watercolor paint. Then use a dry brush and undiluted ink to lay in the darkest shadows and details. The drybrush technique produces rough, broken lines with feathered edges and is an easy way to create texture.
Here again, layers of ink washes are used to achieve a more solid rendering. After blocking in the basic shape of the body with an HB pencil, refine the lines until you are satisfied with the proportions and outline. Then use a clean brush to apply plain water over the foal’s body, being careful to stay within the outlines. Next load the brush with diluted ink, and wash it over the body in smooth, even layers. This technique is called wet-on-wet, and it produces soft, loose blends. Note, however, that the washes are more difficult to control with this method than when painting wet-on-dry or with the drybrush technique.
Experiment with either painting wet-on-wet or allowing the paper to dry between washes. As you apply your washes, leave some areas lighter for highlights, and brush on extra layers of ink for the dark areas on the neck and belly. Use the tip of a dry brush to draw the fine outlines and details.
In a trot, this frisky foal’s diagonal legs work in unison at a brisk, two-beat gait.
ARABIAN
The Arabian is a high-spirited horse with a flamboyant tail carriage and distinctive dished profile. Though relatively small in stature, this breed is known for its stamina, graceful build, intelligence, and energy. Try to capture the Arabian’s slender physique and high spirit in your drawing.
Block in the body with an HB pencil, placing the oval for the body at a slight angle to indicate that the body will be foreshortened. When blocking in the head, take care to stress the concave nose, large nostrils, and small muzzle. As you start shading in steps B and C, keep the lines for the tail and mane loose and free, and accent the graceful arch of the neck.
Refine your shading with a soft lead pencil and paper stump, leaving large areas of white for the highlights. These highlights show the shine on the horse’s coat and indicate the direction of the light source.
Arabians were highly prized by the desert Bedouins for their stamina and speed.
SHETLAND PONY
One of the smallest of the pony breeds, the Shetland is a hardy animal originally from the Shetland Islands off of northern Britain. This pony exhibits the characteristic small head, thick neck, and stocky build of the breed.
As you block in the pony’s body, carefully observe its proportions. The length of its body is about two and a half times the length of its head. In step A, start with large circles and ovals to capture the pony’s solid build. Use hatching strokes to start indicating the middle values as shown in step B, using a paper stump for the darkest areas in step C.
Use the side of the lead and a paper stump for light, wispy strokes to finish off this light-colored pony.
A pony is designated as any breed that stands less than 15 hands, or 60 inches tall. The little Shetland is only about 42 inches at the withers.
AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE
The American Quarter Horse is a powerfully built, muscular breed, known for its agility and superior cattle-cutting abilities. The name quarter horse is derived from the breed’s capacity to run at high speed for distances up to a quarter of a mile. Emphasize the strong hindquarters and muscular neck when you draw this horse.
This pose represents another challenge. Here the horse is viewed from the rear and at an angle, so you will need to use foreshortening techniques in your drawing. Foreshortening means to reduce or distort parts of a drawing in order to convey the illusion of depth as perceived by the human eye. In this case, the horse’s side is shortened to show that the front of the horse is farthest from the viewer. As a consequence, the rump and hindquarters appear larger in relation to the horse’s front end, because that area is closest to the viewer.
For this complex pose, you’ll need to take your time and block it in carefully. Look closely at the distances between the parts of the horse and their sizes in relation to one another. Also pay attention to the form of the legs; this is a new viewpoint that allows you to define the back of the pasterns, knees, and hooves. Check your proportions carefully, and then begin suggesting the shadows and muscle areas in step B.
As you lay in the dark and middle values in step C, vary the angle of the hatching to follow the planes of the muscles, face, and leg joints. For your final shading, use a soft 2B pencil and paper stump to smooth out the strokes, leaving strong highlights to bring out the sheen of the horse’s coat. Take care not to overwork the legs in your final shading; the light areas show the horse’s white “socks.”
Keep a strong contrast between the dark values and the highlights to emphasize the well-developed muscles.
STANDARDBRED TROTTER
The trot is a two-beat, diagonal gait with interesting footwork; the front left and rear right legs move forward simultaneously, followed by the front right and rear left legs. There are points where all four feet will be off the ground at the same time, giving the appearance of a floating horse. This project depicts a Standardbred trotter during a warmup—it is working at a moderate speed, and its body is not fully extended.
Defining the Muscles Because this drawing depicts a competitive horse, it’s important to emphasize the fine musculature. I keep the croup flat and the haunches well defined to indicate the propelling power of the hindquarters.
Step One I establish the basic outline of the horse using an HB pencil and loose strokes. In this early stage, I keep my lines light, erasing and adjusting as necessary. I add a few lines to block in the forms of the muscles, indicating where the light and dark values meet.
The Standardbred is known for its skill in harness racing. It is the fastest trotting breed of horse in the world.
Step Two Once I’m satisfied with the basic outline, I refine my lines to carefully depict the subtle curves and angles of my subject, and I use long, tapering strokes to begin rendering the mane and tail. Then I develop the outline to show the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and facial features. As I progress, I note the details in the reference that make this active pose unique. Notice how one ear is tipped back to listen for cues from the driver, whereas the other is facing forward to listen ahead. Also, the visible nostril is slightly flared from the physical activity.
Step Three At this point, I switch to a 3B and begin shading the horse to add form. I build up the tone evenly over the horse, starting with the shadows and gradating to the lighter areas. To suggest movement in the horse, I avoid blending to keep my shading rough and sketchy.
Step Four In this final step, I focus on punching up the values. I stick with the HB and 2B pencils to shade within the lighter areas, but I change to a 6B for darker values. It’s important to use the softest pencils for the darkest areas, as harder pencils can burnish the graphite, causing odd reflections or even damage to the paper’s surface.
HORSE & RIDER IN ACTION
When you depict a horse with a rider, the two should be drawn as if they are one entity. Develop them both at the same time as you draw. The rider’s body, leg, and hand position are important elements that, when drawn correctly, will make your drawings realistic.
In step A, begin with a horizontal oval shape for the horse’s body, and block in the rider and the horse’s head, neck, and legs. Mark the angle of the horse’s shoulder line to help you establish the correct angle of the right foreleg. Notice how the horse’s hind foot turns backward as it is lifted off the ground.
Practice drawing the horse’s various gaits, as in this series of sketches. Take note of the rider’s position. At a walk, the horse’s head is upright, and the rider’s body is perpendicular to the horse’s.
Keep in mind that the size of the rider and the size of the horse must be kept in correct proportion to one another.
The slow, loping gait of a horse is called a canter. At this moderate pace, the horse’s center of gravity is shifted slightly forward, evident in the forward thrust of the head and body. Notice that the rider is leaning forward toward the horse’s head, following the horse’s motion with his own body. Keep your lines fluid and loose to convey the sense of movement.
Don’t forget that the most important thing about drawing is having fun.
The horse in the sketch below is executing the kind of controlled movement required in the precise training style of dressage, the French term for “training.”
Note the more upright posture and closed arm angle of the rider below. The taut reins act as an aid to help the horse keep its body movements precise and collected. Show this in your drawing by emphasizing the vertical and horizontal lines of this prancing action.
In this example, the foreleg is parallel to the ground plane. A horizontal guideline will help ensure that the pose is correct.
THE JUMP
Jumping is an exciting horse sport, whether it’s stadium show jumping, cross-country racing, or steeplechasing. Notice how dramatically the rider shifts body position to follow the horse’s movement. The rider must remain over the horse’s center of gravity to help the horse maintain its balance and to keep from hindering the horse’s effort. Being aware of these details will help keep your drawings accurate.
When drawing a horse in motion, keep the lines clean and simple. Clean, sweeping lines help convey a sense of the action. Make a lot of rough sketches like these to practice capturing the feeling of movement in your drawings.
Remember to work from photographs of horses in various activities. This will help you check the accuracy of the horse’s leg movement and the rider’s position.
Capturing the horse galloping at full speed is easy if you use the basic block-in steps. Follow the same procedure for both sketches on this page. After drawing the basic oval in step A, sketch in the top line of the horse’s body and the opposing diagonal legs. Then add the lower neck line and establish the angles of the horse’s legs. Once you have blocked in the horse correctly, it’s an easy transition to sketching the full pose of horse and rider.
Don’t be alarmed at the direction in which these French horses are racing; although horses race counterclockwise in the United States, they run clockwise in France!
AMERICAN SADDLEBRED & RIDER
The exaggerated and animated gaits of the American Saddlebred are delightful to draw. The feet of this breed are specially shod with heavy shoes and longer horns, which help enhance the action and give this horse a graceful, stately look. To convey the elegance of this breed and rider, use fluid washes of black watercolor to add more depth to your drawing. (See “Watercolor Techniques” for more information on watercolor washes.)
Step One Using an HB pencil, I lightly sketch the basic body shapes of the horse and rider on a sheet of heavy paper. I create each stroke with light pressure, as I want to avoid scoring the paper’s surface with the pencil tip. I’ll also want to avoid erasing too frequently, as this also can damage the paper and affect later applications of watercolor.
Step Two With the basic shapes in place, I refine the outline and add details throughout to indicate curves, bumps, and folds in the horse’s skin and the rider’s clothing. Then I carefully place the horse’s facial features and tack, and I begin building up the mane and tail with gently curving strokes.
Step Three Using a paint palette with several mixing wells, I mix several different values of wash, ranging from black to very pale gray. I start applying tone using a very light wash, working first in the shadows; then I build up to the darks using successively darker washes. (If you happen to apply a value that is too dark, simply load your brush with water and blend the wash directly on the paper.) For the mane and tail, I use the drybrush technique (see “Watercolor Techniques”), moving the brush in the direction of hair growth. To add fine details, I use a dark wash and the tip of the brush.
Step Four I continue building up the forms of the horse and rider with layers of paint, allowing the washes to dry between applications. This technique of layering, called “glazing,” allows for a slow, controlled buildup of value and produces smooth, silky gradations. Once the shadows reach the desired value, I tighten and polish the drawing, carefully defining the folds of fabric and the creases of the limbs.