How to Draw Horses

How to Draw Horses:

Horses are, and have been of great fascination to artists. Portraying strength and freedom, their closeness to us have made them in art, magnetic to our senses. I have seen how people who don't own a horse, though, when given the choice of buying a piece of art, the equine art seems to always attract them.

I know myself, that it is not just the love of horses that also attract me another artists art work. Especially if the horse is in an action scene. We could debate the horse in painting and sculpture. Which one would give most impact. I think personally it is sculpture, because you view the horse in a thousand dimensions and am also able to touch it.

In this first lesson on how to draw horses, I want to get you into the mind-set of what is it like to create a piece of horse art before we even begin this lesson on how to draw horses. I know it is a different view, when you have gone to look for lessons on this subject, and literately jump straight into the drawing exercises.

"It is only by drawing often, drawing everything, drawing incessantly, that one fine day you discover to your surprise that you have rendered something in its true character." ~ Camille Pissarro.

Now, through this site where I give lessons on all four of our subject pets. I will be cross referencing from how to draw horses to other pet pages. This reason is because the elements of drawing will be much the same for all these pets. And to go over old ground really would be defeating the point, when I can refer you to previous lessons.

I have been sifting through my sketches that I have done over the years, and there are quite a few that I did many years ago.....

This sketch I have featured on this page is of an Arabian horse head that was done many years ago, done in charcoal .

 I maybe an all-round-artist, though I have been concentrating on my sculpture for many years now. And something had to give, so it was up to date sketches and paintings.

It would be good to do all, though putting effort into one medium takes all your time. When you do have time to create art, that is....

Yet I will have an excuse to do more sketches now. This site! of course.

What motivates you about the horse, and how to draw horses...... are you a horse lover, or does the horse draw you to it in art.

 There is no right or wrong. I just what you to have a think about it.

Ok... let me tell you how I feel on this question. I love horses, have done since I was young. Could say it runs in the family. So I was drawn into the world of horses and art naturally. Yet it fascinated me just how magnetic this subject was to people who weren't horse lovers.

I am sure it is the horses strength, the muscle tone and the compelling need to see the union of man riding horse, when the two subjects are together in painting and the like

Horses in action interest me the most. I have also been drawn to seeing a horse quietly standing. Maybe with its saddle on and its reigns resting on the ground. Or a horse tethered up to a hitching post,, with an alert look on its face. This surprises me.... why am I also interested in a lone horse in a non action position.

I thought about this, and realized that the subject had to be telling a story. This is what is going to get your work the interest from your buyers. The art that has sole wins the favor of the public.

Let me show you two examples:

Here you have a quite tranquil scene, yet its bursting with character. It tells a story, evokes a sense of calmness in you.

Two fighting horses evokes tension, excitement and it tells its own story too.

Both of these two pictures are winners, they have the ability to capture an on lookers interest right from the start. They are both opposite to each other. One is tranquil and the other in impact and excitement. Yet they both have the ability to be very popular pieces of art work.

We may not be going straight into drawing on how to draw horses exercises. Because I want to teach you to become artists from within. Many people can grab a pencil and have a go at drawing. How many become the artist that they have wanted to be.

Well... I am going to let you in on a piece of the artists world. Its not easy! An artist is many things, we wear many hats. And the ability to reach deep inside ourselves to bring out the best work that we can do. We need to learn psychology, anatomy, what the public are thinking and what brings out the passion in us as artists, to name a few.......

I'm going to get you thinking, and we are going to get the groundwork done here. And in this process I hope to share with you. How to harness your inner abilities.

Next I will be discussing with you,  how we perceive the horses form and how we interpret it onto paper.

Lets return form How to Draw Horses to Horse Art