Horse Silhouette Art

Horse Silhouette Art:

How are silhouettes created? a subject has been lit up from behind, which leaves any subject black in color as we would see it

There.... that's about as simple I can put it.

As I have already done a page about Silhouette Paintings it's well worth going back and revising it.

If you haven't had a look at this page till now, it's worth swapping between both pages to gain more of an understanding on silhouettes and art.

I have out on this page, some prime examples of horse silhouette art, and want to go through them with you so that I can show you the different ways you can create some of this horse silhouette art for yourself.

Silhouette art has always been dramatic and we have covered ways of painting silhouettes in oil paints, as stated on Silhouette paintings above.

So what about the different mediums and how they interact with horse silhouette art.

Photo Courtesy: Grayce Pedulla Dillon

See how, with the use of simplicity, we have the silhouette of the horse shown up by only the moon behind it.

It's very effective, and the surrounding blackness acts as a frame for the whole painting.

The moon itself has the warm colures of the moon painted in subtlety, it almost feels as though you can feel the warmth from the painting in this prime example of horse silhouette art.

This idea is simple enough...... yet in another way, it's quite complex in it's visionary of how no less than two objects can convey such an interesting painting in horse silhouette art.

You can feel the radiance of warmth coming from this painting, so let's think about conveying another feeling here.

What color would you associate with the moon?

If you thought of blue, you are thinking along the same lines as myself.

"No amount of skillful invention can replace the essential element of imagination." - Edward Hopper

What if you decided to color the moon blue, how different this painting would feel, can you see that with just a color change, you have created a different feeling in your overall senses. And that would be a cooler feeling wouldn't it.

See how one overall color, and I am talking about just one color only.... can change everything about such a piece of silhouette art as this.

Photo Courtesy: Lisa Røstøen
Here we have another piece of horse silhouette art with it's own framing, and this has been created by the trees alone.

The reaching inwards of the trees with their fine leaves bring in a delicate pattern, softening  the edges of the painting, and I like this idea a lot.

There are many different ways you could approach this. What if this painting was a tropical scene, where the trees framing the picture were large and leafed.....  can you see it in your mind.

The horse and rider stands on their own, clear enough, set with the brightness of the sky behind them.

Silhouettes don't have to be at night, many silhouettes can be found during the day, as long at the subject has the light behind it.

This effect can be brought about by the one looking at the painting, which is you right now. This painting makes you feel that you are standing in the shade in a tunnel of trees, that is blocking out the light and it's almost like a vacuum effect

Another idea would be the leaves, see how they are more colored in a dark brown, than black. You could intensify this effect if you coloured them in black. The sky behind could be redone in mauve's from the coming sunset.

Now... going on to something completely different.

We have a horse and dog, which are telling a strong story on their own. One species is interacting with another species on a very personal level.

A good strong subject, and the strong shape of the horse and dog are clear, surrounded by one colour only.

Photo Courtesy: padraicyclop

Using this one color has a purpose here.

It's clean and does not have anything else going on in the background , which, in turn, dramatizes it's two characters.

Our subjects are close up in the photo, and side on, giving good clear images of our two characters.

The horses mane sets of a lace like delicacy to the photo. And you could imaging bringing all this into a painting.....

So here is a perfect subject that can be used for your silhouette painting. It's potential is clear to see, and you can see that this photo will make a good overall subject for this sort of art.

Some find it hard to find the right sort of photos that will make good pieces of art work.

It's an ability that needs to be nurtured, as not all photos are going to be suitable. And some photos are going to look better in say...... acrylics, rather than watercolour.

You will need become the judge of all this, and as you gain more experience, it's going to get easier.

Photo Courtesy: no0815girl
This horse art silhouette here of a rearing horse is not that different than you would see, in themes of the Wild West. And these paintings are popular for a reason.

The use of the sun, the cactus and the rearing horse symbolizes freedom, it has a meaning for all of us in some way or the other.

With the horse being the largest subject in this painting, you can tell that it is the nearest, and the other objects like the cactus are in the background.

We have seen the moon and the light of the midday sky, and also just one plain color portrayed in this sort of art. And now we are seeing the sun as it sets.

All so different, yet all have one theme in mind.... "The SILHOUETTE".

When we as artists, think that we want to do horse art silhouette, we might only think along a few lines, but there are so many different ideas that you can come up with and it does not have to limited as I have shown here by these different examples.

I have given you some different ideas of colures that can be used.

If you sit down and have a think about it, just how many combination's could you come up with, for just these four silhouette subjects alone.

Let your imagination soar on this one, and also on the different subject ideas on what sort of horses you are going to use for yourself in horse silhouette art.

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