[Dancing Arab]

Ok; I got some photos of other artwork:
This is a drawing I did of my horse Galeno. I think the ears are too large (especially the one on the right). I also made him look a lot younger than he is. The photo I worked from made him look like an older horse since it showed the little stiff scratchy grey hairs on his muzzle from eating (not the feelers), so I tried to make him look a little younger but he turned out too young. If that made any sense at all. I think the halter looks like a part of his face instead of on his face as well, and the forelock is messed up

This is one I did freehand about a year and a half ago. There are definitely a lot of issues here too (as in all of my work).

 

[Acadianartist]

Love the title of this thread. In the first head drawing above, yes, the ears are a bit off, as in the second one (too small in the second one). Some exercises in proportions might help you. Use your pencil to measure by just stretching your hand out with it and, using your thumb, measuring the length of say, an ear (in the photo), and compare that with other features like, say the width of the forehead, the length of the head, etc. So the length of the head might be 2-3 times the length of the ear (depending on angle), for example.

Everything needs to be measured against other features. Then sketch it out quickly on paper by just creating basic shapes, filling in the details last.

Check proportions again and again, so is the ear the same length as the distance between the eye and the jaw? Between the eye and the nostril? It's tedious, but it's the only way to get accurate proportions. If you get those right, everything else will fall into place. You have enough skill and technique to draw very well, you just need to make these slight adjustments.

I also like to do a lot of really quick sketches while I watch my horses graze. I'm taking like 1-2 minutes. They keep moving, so you really have no choice. I don't put in any details, I just sketch the big shapes to teach myself proper proportions, and I try to do lots of quick sketches from different angles and capturing different postures. It's shocking how much our eyes and brain try to interpret incorrectly so you have to just learn to "see" more accurately.

 

[Dancing Arab]

Love the title of this thread. In the first head drawing above, yes, the ears are a bit off, as in the second one (too small in the second one). Some exercises in proportions might help you. Use your pencil to measure by just stretching your hand out with it and, using your thumb, measuring the length of say, an ear (in the photo), and compare that with other features like, say the width of the forehead, the length of the head, etc. So the length of the head might be 2-3 times the length of the ear (depending on angle), for example.

View attachment 1127862

View attachment 1127863

Everything needs to be measured against other features. Then sketch it out quickly on paper by just creating basic shapes, filling in the details last.

View attachment 1127864


Check proportions again and again, so is the ear the same length as the distance between the eye and the jaw? Between the eye and the nostril? It's tedious, but it's the only way to get accurate proportions. If you get those right, everything else will fall into place. You have enough skill and technique to draw very well, you just need to make these slight adjustments.

I also like to do a lot of really quick sketches while I watch my horses graze. I'm taking like 1-2 minutes. They keep moving, so you really have no choice. I don't put in any details, I just sketch the big shapes to teach myself proper proportions, and I try to do lots of quick sketches from different angles and capturing different postures. It's shocking how much our eyes and brain try to interpret incorrectly so you have to just learn to "see" more accurately.

Thank you so much @Acadianartist for all of your advice! Proportion isn’t easy for me and these tips I’m sure will help a lot with that.

 

[knightrider]

I like your sketches and think you have a lot of talent. Thanks for putting them up.

 

[Dancing Arab]

I like your sketches and think you have a lot of talent. Thanks for putting them up.

@knightrider thank you so much!

 

[tinyliny]

they are nice sketches. Very pleasant to look at.

I use a pencil just like in that post photo. on my computer screen.
try to MAKE tiime to draw. It has benefits, like exercize, but you have to WANT them

 

[Dancing Arab]

they are nice sketches. Very pleasant to look at.

I use a pencil just like in that post photo. on my computer screen.
try to MAKE tiime to draw. It has benefits, like exercize, but you have to WANT them

Thank you so much! I’m usually very busy and my spare time mainly goes towards riding my horses… seeing other peoples art on here (especially you’re art journal) has definitely made me much more interested in drawing well than I have been.

 

[Acadianartist]

Thank you so much @Acadianartist for all of your advice! Proportion isn’t easy for me and these tips I’m sure will help a lot with that.

I only know because I suck at it But doing lots of quick sketches helps. Still, I have a strong preference for painting trees because no one will ever know if you made that branch too long! 🤣

 

[Dancing Arab]

I only know because I suck at it But doing lots of quick sketches helps. Still, I have a strong preference for painting trees because no one will ever know if you made that branch too long! 🤣

True😂 and trees don’t have to be perfectly straight. Maybe I should take up drawing trees…

 

[Dancing Arab]

I started working on this yesterday. Any conformation/proportion issues before I get too deep into it. I’ll probably rogarte the eye and move it upwards, but anything else? Also any guesses as to who it is? He was a famous Canadian showjumper, but I don’t know how famous he is outside of Canada. Died I 2011.

 

[tinyliny]

the eye needs to go a bit 'northwest', if that helps. Also, larger and really LOOK at the angles of the eyelids that enfold the eye. the horse eye is tricky becuase it is neither truly on the front of the face, like human, cat, dog eyes . . nor truly on the side, like fish or birds. It is at an angle, but not like a cartoon Siamese cat.

try tracing one off your computer screen to be able to see the lines clearly. Some are convex, and some places concave. this is important to really look without preconcieved ideas.

 

[Dancing Arab]

the eye needs to go a bit 'northwest', if that helps. Also, larger and really LOOK at the angles of the eyelids that enfold the eye. the horse eye is tricky becuase it is neither truly on the front of the face, like human, cat, dog eyes . . nor truly on the side, like fish or birds. It is at an angle, but not like a cartoon Siamese cat.

try tracing one off your computer screen to be able to see the lines clearly. Some are convex, and some places concave. this is important to really look without preconcieved ideas.

Thank you so much! This is great advice, I’ll be sure to put it into practice here

 

[Acadianartist]

Another thing I've done is rendered the drawing somewhat transparent using my photo editing software, then superimposing it over the reference photo. This will show you exactly where your drawing is off. I don't ever trace, but compare after an initial sketch to make adjustments if necessary. It's also a good way to teach yourself about issues you tend to get wrong. Not saying you did! The sketch above looks wonderful to me! But I always struggle with eye placement on horses.