CHAPTER 4 
WATERCOLOR
Grazing Thoroughbred
The natural, shiny coat of this thoroughbred comes through beautifully in this painting. Here it scratches its fetlock with a partially opened mouth.
alizarin crimson
bright green
burnt sienna
cadmium yellow
lamp black
raw sienna
raw umber
titanium white
ultramarine blue
viridian green
yellow ochre
1 Draw basic guidelines to show where the various muscles, tendons, and hair appear. The curves that form the horse’s neck are almost parallel but narrow at the base of its throat. Add guidelines for the brightest highlights so that you know not to paint over those areas.
2 Begin roughing in light layers of yellow ochre. Once this dries, lightly add burnt sienna on the jowl and face. To define the muscles in the neck and leg, use long strokes of raw sienna. Then add smaller strokes of burnt sienna that radiate outward. Paint in light areas of the mane with lamp black. As a bay-colored horse, the legs gradually change from reddish to black. Carefully place black strokes extending above the knee and surround it with diluted burnt sienna.
3 Begin to darken every element except for the white areas by building layers. In areas of intense shadow on the face, use a mixture of alizarin crimson and ultramarine blue. To vary the bright highlights on the mane and legs, mix lamp black with more water for lighter values. Use less water to darken the color. The shadow on the leg in the background is almost pure black. In the foreground, the bright sun defines the leg muscles, which you can darken with raw umber. Make strokes of burnt sienna that radiate outward to create dark shadows. Then lightly outline the muzzle and mouth in diluted lamp black. Build the grass in layers of bright green, and add a touch of ultramarine blue to the shadow.
4 Darken the shadow on the belly with a mix of lamp black and raw umber. Then add pure lamp black on top. Add definition to the hooves with small vertical strokes in yellow ochre and lamp black. Darken the legs with extra layers of lamp black in small strokes. If areas of the coat get too red, add a wash of cadmium yellow. Layer in more bright green for the grass and viridian green for the shadow.
5 Finish the grass by adding brushstrokes of diluted viridian green. Create strokes in an upward direction, and do not make them all parallel. Create the shadow in the grass with light washes of viridian green using light pressure so you don’t disturb the layers below. Darken the shadow on the background leg with more lamp black, and repeat for the fetlock on the foreground leg. (This intense black comprises 6 to 10 layers altogether.) Use raw umber to define the darkest areas of the horse’s jowl while leaving the muzzle light. Darken the inside of the ears with more layers of lamp black. Leave the light areas untouched at this end stage.
Arabian
This beautiful Arabian gelding was photographed in the fall as it frolicked in its paddock. The arched neck, slightly dished face, high-set tail, and short back are typical of this breed.
burnt sienna
cadmium red
cadmium yellow
Hooker’s green
lamp black
Payne’s gray
raw umber
titanium white
ultramarine blue
viridian green
yellow ochre
PHOTO COMPOSITES This is a photo composite that combines a nice expression with great leg extension.
1 Modify the background from the photo to simplify the fence line and change the wire fencing into wood boards. Adding background features to your sketches helps you understand how the horse is placed within the environment. Suggest the highlights in the coat so you know where to let the paper show through in the painting. Also add the shadows on the horse’s background legs.
2 Begin with a 75-25 ratio of paint to water. Rough in the lightest values of the horse’s coat using cadmium yellow, burnt sienna, and raw umber. Leave highlights of blank paper amid the dark strokes of lamp black for the mane and tail. Continue with raw umber to define the muzzle and halter; use lamp black for the nostril. Outline the tree trunks lightly in Payne’s gray. Develop the foliage with Hooker’s green and a 50-50 mix of cadmium red and cadmium yellow. Lightly add the grass with Hooker’s green, and mix Payne’s gray with ultramarine blue for the horse’s shadow. Outline the fence with Hooker’s green, leaving the white of the paper to shape the boards.
3 Continue darkening the coat with burnt sienna. Use raw umber to develop the muscles, shadows in the coat, and halter. Then darken the lower half of the legs with lamp black, building additional layers in the darkest spots. For the shorter grass, use horizontal strokes of yellow ochre, Hooker’s green, and ultramarine blue. Continue with Hooker’s green to define the blades of grass in the foreground.
4 Continue to define the darkest areas with more layers of burnt sienna. Add the mane and tail in lamp black, while maintaining the highlight areas. Use a 50-50 ratio of titanium white and water to lighten the area over the knees and fetlocks. Continue adding grass in the foreground with single strokes of diluted Hooker’s green.
5 Continue to darken the body with strokes of burnt sienna. Finish the coat in a wash of cadmium yellow and cadmium red. Build more layers of lamp black to darken the legs. Define the shadow with diluted ultramarine blue. With titanium white, add highlights to the tail, mane, and hardware on the halter. Add more grass in the foreground with Hooker’s green and use long horizontal strokes of viridian green to add depth to the background grass. Darken some of the tree trunks with Payne’s gray. Add titanium white over the fence boards with slight shadows in diluted ultramarine blue.
Pasture Pals
These two Thoroughbred foals are socializing at the fence, so you can practice painting wood grains in addition to the contours and shapes of the foals’ heads. It is rewarding to pay special attention to the surroundings and habitat of the horses you paint.
1 Create a pencil drawing to help place the subjects in the scene and map out the shapes of the trees and background.
alizarin crimson
bright green
burnt sienna
burnt umber
cadmium red
cadmium yellow
cerulean blue
Hooker’s green
lamp black
Payne’s gray
raw sienna
raw umber
ultramarine blue
viridian green
yellow ochre
2 Start with washes of yellow ochre and burnt sienna for the foals’ coats. Use raw umber for the halters and leave the nosebands unpainted. Add a heavy stroke of burnt sienna for the eyes with the lashes in Payne’s gray. Use diluted lamp black for the manes, forelocks, outer ears, and nostrils. Color the grass and sky with single washes of bright green and cerulean blue. Rough in the trees with Hooker’s green and lightly paint the background fence in heavily diluted Payne’s gray.
3 Further develop the coats with layers of cadmium yellow, cadmium red, and burnt sienna. Suggest shadows by building more layers of burnt sienna. Darken the areas of lamp black and continue darkening the halters with raw umber while maintaining the highlight on the nosebands. Add small detail to the trees using Hooker’s green topped with a single layer of viridian green to suggest branches. Add one additional wash of bright green for the grass and cerulean blue for the sky. In small, increasing strokes of diluted lamp black, depict the grain of the wood in the foreground fence with darker areas for the shadows.
4 Introduce raw sienna to define the chest, and use raw umber under the fence line to add depth. Use burnt umber to define the deep neck crease of the foal on the left. Add alizarin crimson to both faces. Develop the halters with diluted layers of raw sienna, gradually moving toward the center highlight. Continue darkening the grass with horizontal strokes of Hooker’s green. In the tree line, add viridian green and ultramarine blue separately for depth. Add more detail to the grain of the wood fence with strokes of lamp black.
5 Finish the painting by adding burnt sienna, burnt umber, and raw umber in separate layers to the neck and chest. Darken the manes with heavy strokes of lamp black, and continue to thicken the mane of the foal on the right. Finish the halters with washes of burnt umber, using darker strokes at the edges to suggest stitching. Add several strokes of lamp black to the edges of the foreground fence, and darken the shadows. Add more layers and strokes of viridian green and ultramarine blue to the trees. Wait for the trees to dry completely before adding the background fence with heavy strokes of lamp black. Complete the painting with washes in the sky and grass.
Trakehner Warmblood
This people-loving horse is very affectionate and endearing. Here is a warmblood Trakehner yearling with a strikingly majestic look and beautiful expression.
You are sure to paint a variety of halters when your subjects are horses. Pay attention to the buckles, the fittings, and the material, such as leather or nylon. Some halters also have brass nameplates.
1 Start with a rough sketch and guidelines to place the features.
2 Use burnt sienna and yellow ochre for the face. Then use heavily diluted lamp black to outline the darker details, such as the forelock and mane.
3 Begin laying down separate single washes of yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and Payne’s gray. Use lamp black for the mane and forelock. Leave the white marking down the face, allowing the paper to show through. Suggest muscles in the neck and the bone structure in the face by building darker layers of the same coat colors. Start on the eye and eyelashes with small outline strokes. Gradually fill in the pupil with burnt sienna and black. Leave white where the shoulder and neck meet to suggest a light summer coat.
4 Lay down a preliminary light wash in the background using yellow ochre and burnt sienna. Add more strokes of lamp black to the mane. Darken the muzzle, develop the halter, and suggest the dark shadows on the face, lower jaw, ear, and neck with strokes of raw umber.
5 Now it’s time to develop the details. With heavily diluted washes of burnt sienna, apply short brushstrokes over the neck to solidify and darken the colors. Further darken the mane by building up one hair at a time in lamp black, laying strokes slightly out of place for more realism. For the background, continue to layer in yellow ochre washes, letting each dry completely. Finish by adding even darker washes in diagonal corners for depth.