How to Paint a Horse's Head
Painting a lifelike horse head is not an easy project, especially if you have never painted before. If you are trying to paint a horse's head, find a photograph to serve as a reference for completing the base pencil drawing. Draw a detailed replica of the horse head you want to paint; this outline will serve as the basis for your painting. Keep the photograph nearby so you can match the colors and shadows as you paint. For those who have never painted a horse before, watercolor is a more forgiving medium than oil-based paints. When you make a mistake with watercolor, you can simply dab the paint with a piece of paper towel. When painting your horse head, be sure to use colors that match the color of the horse.
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Instructions
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Use a thin brush dipped in dark grey paint to establish the eyes and nostrils of your horse. Outline the dark areas of the jaw line using the dark paint.
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Apply a diluted yellow and burnt sienna color to the horse's head and ears to serve as the base color for the horse. Use a lot of water to get a muted color. When you reach the muzzle of the horse, use the color you used for the nostril and apply it over the muzzle. Let it bleed into the yellow color.
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Dip your brush in a darker burnt sienna and use this color to develop the shape of the ears, and the shadows around the eyes. Apply the darker sienna to the large jaw area of the horse as well as on the horse's face to develop any shadowed areas you might see in your painting. If your horse is wearing a halter or bridle, leave this blank for the time being. Apply a dark gray to the inside of the horse's ears.
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Mix burnt sienna with a dark brown color and paint in the reins on the horse's face. Apply a light rose color to the horse's nose area and then use dark colors to keep the eye area dark. It is important to develop the tone of the eyes. If the horse's head is pictured in profile, you will have one eye as the focal point.
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Paint in the forelock of the horse's mane using a dark burnt sienna and use broad strokes to create the illusion of hair on the forehead.
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Apply another wash of darker sienna brown to the horse's jaw area and face to bring the color closer to the photograph. Look at your photograph to see any forms or shadows you should bring out with the darker color. Go slowly and develop the areas of the face carefully.
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Apply dark shadows on the muzzle and other shadowy areas using a dark crimson and deep blue to create a purplish shadow. Make sure you apply a cast shadow on the halter of the horse. Apply a light yellow wash to the halter or bridle.
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Apply the purple shadow color using a wide brush to the shadow side of the horse's face. Apply a heavy coat of paint. On the light side of the face, add a shadow to re-establish the light horse's nose.
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Use a small brush to emphasize the important areas of the painting: the horse's eyes, nose and muzzle.
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Define the metallic pieces on the bridle and reins using cobalt blue and then apply a wash of white to bring out any light areas of the horse.
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References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
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Comments
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Where are the step by step examples of a painting from this photograph? They are almost essential to teaching a novice how to draw a horse. Also, this photograph is not a good one to work from since it shows so little detail due to the fuzzy winter coat and bald face. There are better instructions elsewhere on the web.
