This guest blog is a bit different than usual. Instead of one person writing a guest blog, I asked three artists the same set of questions all of which covered everything about painting horses.
I’ve wanted to do a feature on painting horses, a subject that frankly scares me a bit. There’s so much accuracy involved in portraying a horse. I believe you need a deep understanding of how a horse ‘works’.
And so I started paying attention to artists who regularly paint horses and I came up with these three names: Joan Larson, Sharon Matisoff, and Christine Obers. I asked them if they’d share their knowledge here on HowToPastel and, whoo hoo, all three said Yes!
I’m eager for them to share their paintings as well as their thoughts and process about how to portray these magnificent creatures. So let’s dive into the first question!
Gail Sibley: Tell me a couple of things about your life as it relates to you painting horses.
Joan Larson: If most people think themselves fortunate to have one significant passion in their life, then I am doubly blessed. I have known since I was old enough to have a sentient thought that horses and art (yes, in that order) are the guiding forces of my life. I have painted horses professionally for over 30 years and am still excited to go to the easel. Each painting is a new story, a new challenge and a new discovery
Sharon Matisoff: I’m an Equine/Figurative artist, and I paint in an Impressionist style. I was academically trained, and for many years, I focused almost exclusively on portraiture and figurative painting. About four years ago, I met Dr. Marion Simon, a woman who raises and sells quarter horses. I told her that I wanted to learn how to paint horses, and she taught me about the behavior and anatomy of horses. Xochitl Barnes, a founding member of American Association of Equine Artists, helped me learn how to portray them in art. With the help of these two ladies, I’ve devoted myself completely to becoming an equine artist. I am first and foremost an animal lover, so painting horses feels absolutely right to me. And, since I paint equestrian subjects, I include riders in most of my work. It’s a totally win/win situation!
Christine Obers: I create portrait commissions of horses that capture the emotional connection found in the details of my subjects. These details of the face, the eyes, nose, and ears are the ones treasured and fondly remembered. My artwork gives permanence to these feelings, allowing them to be embraced and relived over and over. People have cried when they’ve received a portrait commission and this is so
Gail: Why do you paint horses?
Joan: I paint horses because they fascinate me. My first memory (at the age of 2) is of sitting on a horse and feeling the magic and power of that horse. I have been obsessed with them ever since. Each painting is a discovery of that particular horse.
It has been commented that “I paint them from the inside out” and that is a very accurate description. I have never studied anatomy but I know how a horse feels and moves and it is something inside of me that seeks to discover something inside of each horse that becomes the focus of a painting. As a child I created entire stories around each horse that I drew and they all had very specific personalities. And I still do that. Each painting has a story as each horse has a story.
Sharon: I wanted to try something new after many years of painting portraits. When Marty (my husband) and I moved to Frankfort, Kentucky, I decided that since we live in Bluegrass Country, I needed to learn how to paint horses. After I did my first equine sketch, I fell in love with these beautiful animals, and I was determined to overcome the challenge of drawing and painting them.
Christine: The short answer is, I love them. Horses are full of contradictions and mystery. They can be elegant, aloof, playful and friendly. Bold and timid. Strong and fragile/sensitive. They can be a beast of burden or a status symbol. They touch me on a very deep emotional level. Watching horses at a gallop brings tears to my eyes. Horses stir me to my soul.
The bonding between people and horses appeals to me. It’s a bond that is earned. Horses are naturally timid creatures that prefer their own kind. When we earn this bond with a horse there is an amazing synergy. Riding a horse at a full gallop to the rhythm of the hoofbeats, the horse’s breath and my breath in sync, there’s a magic connection where we become one. The horse’s power becomes an extension of me. My thoughts become the horse’s thoughts. We become something that is greater than the sum of the parts.
The possibilities seem endless for how to portray horses. Breeds, colours or the many, ways we are involved with them through sports or the labours they perform. This provides so much material for artistic inspiration.
Gail: What’s the most difficult thing about painting horses? And what’s the most difficult part of a horse to paint?
Joan: I’ve been drawing horses since I could hang onto a pencil but I would still say that it is in the drawing. The drawing has to not only be accurate but it has to have
Sharon: When I paint a horse, I’m also thinking about creating a background that will look convincing and accurate to the viewer. This means that when I select a horse to paint, I’m also picking something to go in the background that will set him or her off to perfection. I never gave much thought to the backgrounds in my portraiture, so this is relatively new for me. A background can make or break a perfectly good horse painting.
The most difficult part of a horse to paint is their feet and legs. I love to paint them in motion, so the gait and shape of their legs and hooves must be right for it to be a convincing piece of art. Because I often paint horses and riders, it’s also a challenge to get the positions and proportions of the rider to synch perfectly with the horse. I don’t ride, so I have to “eyeball” my work constantly to make sure that everything is correct.
Christine: The most difficult thing about painting horses is accurately portraying them. It requires a thorough understanding of the horse’s anatomy, how the various body parts work and function, the physics behind the forms. It requires studying horses and memorizing details. Also important is to know how horses think in order to capture their unique body language.
When painting portraits of horses, the most challenging part for me are the lips. The horse’s mouth is quite small compared to how large the jaws are. The lips are prehensile to grasp grass. When relaxed the lips have lots of little wrinkles. There are soft little hairs and longer bristly hairs for feeling in the dark. Depending on the horse, there may be wart-like bumps around the mouth. I walk a very fine line on whether or not to include these details in my portrait. If they are too prominent, it’s distracting. Leaving them out may look incomplete.
Gail: What’s your favourite part about painting horses?
Joan: Eyes, noses, muzzles, and ears as each of these features convey so much expression and emotion. Their ears tell you where their attention is while the nose, lips, and muzzle tell you what they think about it. The eyes are the window.
Sharon: My
Christine: I love painting horses’ eyes and creating the illusion of the eyes being wet. The texture is so important. The velvety softness in the area around the mouth and nostrils, the coarse texture of the mane. These tactile elements immediately cause a connection that is recognized by the viewer. “I can feel it,” they will say, just by looking at the artwork. I love going in and letting my pastels sculpt the mountains and valleys of the face to give the portrait depth.
Gail: What aspect of horses do you like painting best? For example working horses, racing horses, horses in the pasture, kids riding horses etc.
Joan: All of the above! I’ve painted everything from ponies to draft horses and wild horses to highly bred horses. All disciplines appeal to me as do most aspects of the equine world, whether it is behind the scenes at the race track or the excitement of the performance horses.
Sharon: That’s a tough question for me to answer because I’m still exploring all the different ways that I can paint horses. Right now, I’m developing my portfolio of dressage and jumping pictures because Horse & Style magazine will be doing a feature on me in the Fall 2019 issue. Last year, I focused on racing horses for a show at the Brown Hotel. For my own pleasure, I love to paint children on horses and western subject matter including reining, cutting,
Christine: Currently I’m painting mostly portraits of horses. There’s a lot of enjoyment in capturing their very unique facial characteristics as well as their personalities. In the near
Gail: What is your process for painting horses?
Joan: At the very beginning I spent a lot of time with thumbnails and composition. I am a composition freak and it must be resolved to my satisfaction before I “go to finish” (meaning the drafting process of taking the smaller drawings and enlarging them to the full size on the selected substrate). The drawing of the horse must be accurate and the composition resolved before anything else happens.
Once the drawing is on the paper and I’m ready to start I spend quite a bit of time massaging the drawing. This is my time to become intimate with the drawing and to really feel my way around it. The original idea and inspiration have been somewhat clinically worked out, now it’s time to put the soul back into it. The more time I spend here, the better. Sometimes it feels like a delay tactic because I know it’s going to all get covered by layers of pastel, but every minute spent here helps build the story.
When I’m finally ready to go to colour I lay in the eye (if you miss the eye, you miss the painting). I don’t always finish the eye but I get it to a place where it takes on its own life. I will finish it when I need to give myself a “treat.” Whenever I finish a trying or difficult area in a painting, I give myself a treat . . . and the treats are usually (but not always) the eyes, the nose, the muzzle, and the ears. (All of these areas on a horses face convey emotion.)
After the eyes are resolved, I will then move on to laying in large blocks of value and colour.
Sharon: I start with a reference photo that I’ve taken myself. I begin by drawing directly on the paper with a charcoal pencil and kneaded eraser. I work freehand – gridding slows me down – and since I’m right-handed, I work from left to right and top to bottom.
If there’s a rider in the picture, I’ll start with her face and make that as accurate as possible. I’ll use the size of her face to help me develop the upper part of her body to the point where it meets the top of the horse. Then, I’ll very carefully measure the distance from her hand on the reins to the top of the horse’s face. Using those same measurements, I’ll carefully draw the horse’s face until I’m satisfied that it’s correct and proportional to the rider’s face. From there, I’ll draw the rest of the horse and rider, measuring and angling constantly to keep it true.
After I’ve finished the drawing, I’ll paint the rider’s face with pastel almost to completion. Using those
Here’s where the fun really begins! I start blocking in huge chunks of
I block-in the background, without any detail, in large swaths of
I make changes and corrections throughout this entire process. I may even add water to the surface of the painting and then start again if a large area needs to be fixed. I’ll block in the features of the background and foreground, and I continue working on the horse and rider until I feel that I’ve done everything I need to do without overworking them.
At this stage, it’s just a matter of finishing everything around the horse until I bring it to the same level of completion as the horse and rider. At the end of the process, I’ll add the brightest lights and the boldest
Christine: I take a digital reference image and exaggerate it using Photoshop. The image is converted to a grayscale image to see the values. I’ll exaggerate the contrast or lighten the image to find details. I go directly to the paper using the grayscale digital image as
I start with shading in all the dark areas with black. I work diagonally from the upper left corner down to the lower right corner, (I’m right-handed).
When the rough value drawing is completed, I begin to add details to the eyes, nose, mouth and ears. The eyes are my focal point. This is where I want to direct the viewer’s attention.
Once the details are put in, I begin to work with
Gail: What paper do you use for painting horses? And what pastels do you find best?
Joan: Sennelier La Carte (Pastelcard) and UART 400 grade. (Alas, Wallis is no longer with us.) The pastels I use are: Unison Colour, Sennelier, Terry Ludwig, and Rembrandt.
Sharon: I use Colourfix sanded paper from Australia exclusively for my equine paintings in pastel. I generally work on ‘aubergine’ paper, which is a warm, dark, purple
I create the under-drawing with General “Peel & Sketch” hard-grade charcoal. I start the color stage with NuPastels to define and enrich the drawing. It’s easy to continue the sketching stage with this brand because it’s the hardest of the soft pastels and is an excellent drawing tool. After that, I continue with Great American Artworks pastels, which are considerably softer and have a large palette of colors to cover the surface of the paper. I finish up with Diane Townsends, which are my personal favorites, because they cling so well to the surface and add a luminous brilliance that I can’t get with any other brand. As I’m finishing up, I may glaze certain areas with NuPastels again to enrich the warmth or coolness of the painting.
Christine: Art Spectrum’s Colourfix paper from Australia is what I’ve used for years. Recently I’ve tried Pastelmat and I really like it.
I use a variety of pastel brands. Unison Colour, Terry Ludwig, and NuPastel. Recently I’ve been using Richeson Handrolled pastels. They have some really gorgeous browns and greys. Finding good browns and greys are my biggest challenge. For details, I use several brands of pastel pencils. I like Derwent and Carbothello but I’ve used other brands and was equally happy with them. Generally, I’m going for a specific colour, not a brand.
Gail: Do you work for yourself or by commission? Is there a lot of call for painting horses? How are the sales for equine paintings?
Joan: I do both. Most of my work is for myself although I still do some commissions. For over 25 years I specialized in commissions so I know there is a good market for it. However, I no longer do the shows that attract that clientele. So I’m quite happy now to paint mostly for myself and also still happy to do the commission work that finds me.
Sales of paintings
Sharon: I mostly work for myself and enter shows when possible. Being relatively new to the field of equine painting, I don’t have a lot of calls for commissions. At this point, I’m selling more portrait and figurative work than horse paintings. Also, since I live in a small town, many people don’t know about me. I’m hoping that will change as I continue to promote myself in articles like this one and my upcoming feature in Horse & Style magazine.
Sales are slow for my equine paintings. I hope that will change as I continue to promote my work whenever possible.
Christine: I do a lot of commissions. My business comes entirely through word of mouth. It’s been very good. To date, I haven’t had a need to promote my commissioned portraits. I have as much work as I can handle.
It appears to me there is a huge demand for equine paintings. I have done very well with my commissions. I also sell prints and cards of the pieces I’ve completed. Horses capture people’s imagination. They represent something wild and free. Something aspirational. I have found even non-horse people will purchase my art. They find something in it that resonates.
Gail: What do you believe are the most significant things that distinguish your work from that of other equine artists?
Joan: I’ve never really thought about it. I think the only way I can answer that is to say that I paint horses the way I see them and how anyone else paints them has nothing to do with me or my interpretation. I know artists draw inspiration from other artists (and there are lots of artists whose work I find inspiring) but when I paint a horse, it’s all about the horse and me . . . there is no room for anyone or anything else. This is me and this is how I paint. In distinguishing my work from other equine artists I can only name the obvious . . . I paint fairly realistic horses in pastel.
One other factor that may distinguish my work is that I have probably done more shows, both across Canada and internationally, than most other equine artists. My husband took our business to the wholesale level and represented our print line at wholesale trade shows across North America. We no longer do that but I believe I am probably better known because of our combined efforts and putting the work out there over the last two decades.
Sharon: One of my strengths is that I’ve been drawing and painting in pastel since I was a child, so I understand the nuances of this
Christine: I create portrait commissions of horses that capture the emotional connection found in the details of my subjects. These details of the face, the eyes, nose and ears are the ones treasured and fondly remembered. My artwork gives permanence to these feelings, allowing them to be embraced and relived over and over.
Gail: What’s the one thing that bugs you when you see paintings of horses by other people?
Joan: If an equine painting bothers me it is usually directly due to inaccuracy in the initial drawing. If the drawing isn’t correct, nothing else will be either. However, if the drawing is correct and it still bugs me then it would have to do with composition and design and/or execution of the painting. Like everything else, there is a learning curve and everything can be learned through guidance and practice.
Sharon: My worst pet peeve is when I see paintings of horses by people who can’t draw well. It’s obvious when the artist is making it up as they go along. This could be because they’re new to the field of equine painting, and they need more instruction and experience drawing horses. It could also be that they’re not comfortable with drawing realistic subject matter. This can always be remedied by taking drawing classes or drawing a lot on their own. When I first started drawing and painting horses, my pictures were amateurish. You could tell I’d never been on a horse, and I hadn’t been around them much. It’s only after three years of constant hard work and exposure to all kinds of horses in various situations that I can finally say, “Yeah, I’m really proud of that piece.”
Christine: It bothers me if the horse’s anatomy is exaggerated without a clear intention. As with any portrait, it’s important to know what details to draw attention to and those that need to be subtly suggested. Sometimes an artist will include too much detail. For example, showing the veins in the face and neck. Too much of these details will make a horse look ‘scary’. That’s ok if that is the intention.
Gail: What would you advise those who want to get into painting horses? What’s the best place to start?
Joan: Drawing, drawing and drawing!! Get a Bryer model and draw it from every angle (these models are large and generally accurate). Study live horses and then touch them and feel them. Learn what direction their hair falls, where the ears really start (it’s not on top of their head), study them intently, don’t just look at them. As helpful as photos are, avoid them as much as possible until you really understand how a horse works. Nothing can replace direct observation and drawing.
Sharon: First, I’d suggest that they learn to draw well because painting horses is hard to do and demands strong draftsmanship skills. After they start to understand horse anatomy, they should draw lots and lots of horses in every imaginable pose. They should also seek out opportunities to be around all kinds of horses in different environments. After they’ve done all that, they should start painting in color and working on those skills until they’ve mastered them. I also recommend that they seek out a mentor whom they can trust and who will give them an honest appraisal of their work at every stage. This is critical.
I want to thank two people who have been invaluable mentors to me. Dr. Marion Simon is an experienced horsewoman and horse owner who taught me how to relate to horses in a meaningful way and how to see them clearly so that I could interpret them in paint. Xochitl Barnes has also been extremely important in my growth as an equine painter. She’s a fine artist who specializes in painting horses in oil and was a founding member of the American Association of Equine Artists. She was brutally honest with me when I started out because I was such a total novice. As I continued to grow, she pointed out the areas that needed improvement and never flagged in her support. I owe them both more than I can possibly say. Without the guidance of these two woman, I would still be a portrait artist who only wished she could paint horses.
Christine: The best way to get started on equine art is to get to know horses really, really well. Brush them, give them baths, clean out their hooves, work with them as much as you can. Memorize every detail. You not only need to know how their bodies fit together but how their minds work. Only then you can truly begin to create works that capture the spirit of the horse.
*****
Wow. I mean like WOW!! I’m thrilled to have these three artists tell us so much about their ideas and process around painting horses.
Now it’s your turn! Tell us what was the most interesting thing you learnt about painting horses. Do you have any questions for Joan, Sharon, or Christine about painting horses in pastels? Are you inspired to try painting horses? Leave a comment to let us know what you think!
To see more of their work and to learn more about each artist, check out their websites: Joan Larson, Sharon Matisoff. Christine Obers.
And that’s it for now!
Until next time,
~ Gail
60 thoughts on “Painting Horses – Three Artists – Joan Larson, Sharon Matisoff, Christine Obers”
Wonderful article thanks for sharing. Beautiful work
So glad you enjoyed it Sharon!
Stunning work, so inspirational. Thank you for sharing,
So glad to hear you enjoyed the post Susan!!
Another great blog! Very interesting questions and answers. Thanks Gail and of course to each of the artists.
Thanks Gisela! And glad you liked the questions. If you have a question of your own for the three artists (or even for one in particular), do feel free to ask.
Thanks Gail, this was just right up my alley and I loved it. I have loved and worked with horses most of my younger life and although I have been using pastels for some time, have only just knuckled down to doing a series of equine studies and loving every minute of it. THEY ARE HARD WORK, but gosh am I learning some new skills. Great blog and I have looked up all websites.
Oh Glenys that’s WONDERFUL to hear! I do think knowing horses is a requirement for being successful in portraying them and sounds like you have that from your younger days! And even so, for you too, they are hard work! Thanks for sharing that. Do you have any questions for these artists?
OH MY GOODNESS….! What a magnificent Blog !!! Thank you so much for sharing….inspirational…
Thank you all 💜
Adrianne THANK YOU!! So good to hear 😀
What an amazing article! A lot of its success is due to you, Gail, for asking such interesting questions that brought out so many interesting responses. And thank you to Sharon, Joan and Christine, who answered so honestly and frankly and shared their beautiful work. This was an engrossing blog.
Yay Wendy!! And yes, I LOVED seeing the answers to my questions come in – the differences and similarities, the process and thoughts behind each artist’s work. So happy to hear that you were ‘engrossed’ by the blog!
Although I’ve lived in South Carolina for the last 38 years, I grew up in NYC. I’ve always been pretty indifferent to horses having never been around them in any appreciable way. The three artists included in your blog are obviously in love with horses and it shows in their paintings. Through their eyes, I can get a glimpse into these fascinating animals. Gorgeous paintings, all of them!
Hi Ruth, thanks for your honesty regarding horses. I sort of feel the same way. My sister, on the other hand, adores all aspects of horses – working with them, riding them, training them, etc, so happily, I have been some understanding about this deep connection with this magnificent creatures. And you are so right, the love these artists have for horses is very clear in their artwork. I think you have to have that kind of passion to paint horses regularly!
Wonderful blog! I grew up riding horses, drew nothing but horses, read horse books and galloped around the playground neighing and prancing. OK – I was freaky. When I picked up serious art study at retirement, I found that I was still drawn (excuse the pun) to horses, but was way behind on anatomy and detail. This blog has inspired me to try again. We are going to see the wild horses at the Salt River in May. I hope to get some decent pictures so that I can use my own reference materials. As for hands on, perhaps I need to go volunteer to muck out stalls at a local barn. Riding at 70 is pretty iffy. So, many, many thanks to the artists. This was a lot of work for them.
Hah hah, yup, definitely class you as a horse freak Andrea! But maybe we can call you a horse adorer instead. I love that this blog as reawakened your draw (hah!) to painting horses. Seems you have a perfect opportunity coming up with your trip. I think that if you have the kind of knowledge of horses that you do, that working from photos will be a bit easier since, as we know, photos can distort a subject in curious ways.
And I like your idea of volunteering at a local barn. If you have that kind of love for horses in your blood, I am sure that you will LOVE being physically close to them again!
Dear Gail, Joan, Sharon and Christine, thanks for this fascinating blog post. Everything I learn, I learn from great artists like you who are willing to share their knowledge. Beautiful paintings!
Only two weeks ago I did my very first horse sketch, after studying this wonderful book Pastel Innovations by Dawn Emerson. She even has a horse gallery on her website. Just thought this could be interesting… Gabriela
Glad you enjoyed the post Gabriela! I had thought about approaching Dawn with this project but now hoping (shhhhh) she will do a guest blog for us….
Gabriela, This is Sharon speaking. Thank you for your compliments for our work. It’s much appreciated. I was pleased to see that you bought Dawn Emerson’s book. I just “discovered” her about a month ago and was totally stunned by the freedom and joy of her pastel work. In fact, I almost suggested to Gail that she should include her in the blog! I believe that part of the fun of painting horses is that you can interpret them in so many ways. I’d love to see your first horse sketch, if you wouldn’t mind posting it. 🙂
What an amazing article!! I really enjoyed the insight and amazing talent of these three artists. The paintings and descriptions of the horses’ personalities brought me to tears. Thank you all for beautifying our world with your talent!!
Nancy, thank you so much for sharing your deep emotional response to the work and descriptions by these three artists. I know they will all appreciate hearing that!
Triple wow! Another amazing blog. Each horse portrait almost takes your breath away. I immediately forwarded this blog to two non- painting friends who are horse lovers, both owning and riding them. I think the emphasis by each artist on getting to know their subject so deeply—anatomy, behavior, its surrounding environment…. especially made an impression on me. Yet, each artist captures the elegance, strength and beauty of this animal in their own way. Bravo to each of them and to you Gail for putting this wonderful blog together.
Love that it was a triple WOW Salli! Thank you for forwarding the blog on to horse lovers as I’m sure they will be stunned by the work.
And thank you for sharing what impacted you most about the blog, your takeaways. Soo appreciated by me and I am sure by my guests.
Hi Sally. Thanks for your beautiful comments on our work. I’m so glad you forwarded this blog to your friends!
I’ve been following Sharon for a while now, particularly on HTP’s Facebook group. Her paintings are fabulous and now, with the narrative, I’ll be eyeing these paintings much more critically. Loved reading about and seeing Joan and Christine’s paintings, as well. I’ll be looking for them! Thanks for the blog twist, Gail! Very interesting.
Hah hah, love that your eyes have been opened even more widely Elaine! It is helpful to hear the thoughts behind a piece, isn’t it? It can add much to a viewer’s experience and learning. Glad you liked the twist 😀
Hey there, Elaine! Thanks so much for your wonderful comments about my work. I do agree that this was a great blog and I’m so fortunate that Gail included me among these other two artists. Knowing that you’ll be looking at my work more critically makes me a little nervous, but I guess that goes along with the territory!
Thanks for rounding up three great equine artists. So fun to have different viewpoints. And, I love horses! Keep up the great posts.
You are so welcome Amie!! I too loved having the different perspectives that revealed many similarities in how to go about creating successful horse paintings. As a lover of horses, do you or will you paint horses?
These artist’s comments were SO helpful. I was able to identify why I’m having trouble drawing horses (even when I want to so very badly), and concrete steps to take towards improvement.
Thank you!
Gina I am soooo glad that you found so much help from this blog! That’s a huge reward. Let us know how it goes in drawing horses land 😀
I loved this blog! Great information and to see the paintings was amazing. Always been a fan of Chris’ work but now I’ve been introduced to others.
Yay!! Love that you are a fan of Christine’s work and also that you’ve been introduced to two other equine painters 🙂
Very interesting article, thanks! Questions were spot on, and answers were enlightening. All responses really showed that in order to reach the level of expertise that each of these pastelists has, one must draw, draw draw and get to know horses really well — one way or the other.
I liked this type of format and would love to have you interview artists who specialize in wild animal art — how do they get their reference photos? Does one then also need to be an accomplished photographer (and sink $$$ into photo equipment) in order to pursue this line of art??
Hi Paula, YES, I think you summarized the main message for sure!!
I’d love to know some of the wild animal pastellists you’d like to see featured. Thanks for the start of a list of questions!
Some wild animal pastelists that come to mind are Emma Colbert, Steve Morvell, and Jason Morgan. Thanks for considering that, Gail!
Thanks for the names Paula. Emma has actually written a guest post for HowToPastel already. Click here to read it.
This was a great job on your part, Gail, and beautiful work by the 3 artists. I am a lifelong horse painter myself and really appreciate these works.
Thanks so much Janis, really appreciate your words. And as a horse painter yourself, the appreciation is that much sweeter.
Oh my goodness, another wonderful and informative blog. That ‘Musical Series’ painting is just stunning. All three of these artists clearly understand the horse. I love horses, owned two for a while as a kid, so I appreciate their majesty.
Thanks Marsha!! Yes, the paintings in Joan’s Musical Ride series are quite extraordinary! Did you see the 22 of them on Joan’s website (where prints are available)?
You owned two when you were a kid – lucky you 😀
One of the best blogs. Love horses and want to paint them more. This is encouraging. Also going to forward it to a friend who loves .. and needs to draw her own horse. Now I may attempt painting my daughter’s horse! You opened a few doors here! Great questions and thoughtful informative responses! Thanks to all!
That’s ALL great to hear Yvonne! I hope you will take a stab at painting your daughter’s horse. Love that doors have been opened. Now go on and step through with intention and determination!
Thanks for the musical ride link. I am curious as to why it’s musical. Did I miss something or can Joan please explain?
Ah yes! Good question Wendy. I think I know why but I’ll let Joan explain!
Thank you for a great article! I enjoyed it all. Highlights for me were Sharon’s explanation of how she laid down color first and then toned it down. Also Joan’s passion and Christine’s explanation on muzzles.
Thanks so much for sharing your highlights and takeaways Cherin!!
Hi, Cherin, I was pleased that you read my comments about applying color freely and muting it later if necessary. I find that this approach allows me to really enjoy the process of painting (in pastel and oil) because I don’t have to censor my work every step of the way. I believe, too, that my enjoyment shows in the final painting.
Thanks for this piece, so inspiring! I love painting horses in pastel, but as I’m housebound, I can’t get out to get familiar with the animals, I’m too sick. I’d love to though! I wonder what the next best thing is for learning?
I’m glad you enjoyed it Keren. And yes, there’s a lot of emphasis by all three artists about getting to know your subject, the real animal. I’m not sure what the next best thing is but let’s see if any of our three equine artists have any ideas!
Hi Keren and Gail, I understand your dilemma all too well because I don’t ride, I don’t own a horse, and I have limited exposure to horses in general. I guess I’m lucky that I live in Frankfort where I can drive to Horse Park (45 mins. away) and Lakeside Arena (half an hour away). But at my age (67 years old), I’m too old to learn how to ride. But I can still watch movies about horses, I can read about them and study them in magazines and instruction books, and I can read biographies about master horse painters to learn from their paintings and their experiences. I’d start with Alfred Munnings. His work is stunningly beautiful and I believe his process shows in his work. Another thing I would suggest is find a “horsey” group that you can join, and be open to their suggestions. Good luck!
Thank you Sharon I’d not heard of Munnings so I’ll be looking him up 🙂
Thank you Keren. Until I was in my late 20’s I didn’t own a horse. I lived in various cities and my only horse contact was an occasional trip to a riding stable. But I have always been fascinated by horses. As a child I drew horses from photos in books and magazines. I memorized the details in the photos, then I would draw the horses from memory. I did this a lot!!!! On envelops, scraps of paper on anything I could get my hands on. This could be the next best thing for you. I can feel your enthusiasm. Have fun with it and keep on drawing!
Thank you Christine, I will keep practising. Thanks for taking the time to give us advice 🙂
Fantastic article. Can you tell me why there is a different finished look to Joan and Christine work compared to Sharons work. My paintings finish like Sharons (painterly) but I do not know how to achieve the finished look (photographic) of both Joan and Christine work. Do they blend? Can you find out what their process is?
Thank you
Thanks for your great question Barbara. Let’s put it directly to the artists!
Thank you for your question Barbara. Sharon’s painterly style is beautiful. It just comes down to personal preference. I like papers that have a very fine grit so there isn’t as much inherent texture. I don’t blend with a stump or with my fingers. I’d rather fill the area with solid pastel. Depending on the situation I may use a hard pastel such as NuPastels. If it’s a larger area, like the white blaze on Liam’s portrait, I added the softest, whitest pastel I owned. (Not sure of the brand – could’ve been a Terry Ludwig) I will go in and define the edges with a pastel pencil like a Carbothello. I really like having a painterly look in the background though. For me it adds a certain energy and keeps the attention on the subject. I like giving the feeling of the image coming to life on paper. If you have more questions please feel free to contact me through my website. Thank you!
What a terrific post/interview with amazing artists! I so admire the dedication these gifted women have toward the subject of the horse. I can’t imagine learning about the anatomy and inner spirit of these huge animals unless there is a deep love between horse and artist. Wow! Totally enjoyed reading this!
Wow What a Creative blog very useful, Thank you For sharing. I Enjoyed your blog.
Thank you! It’s always good to hear. I can see you do horse photography and so can understand your entry to my blog.