Paint a Horse Portrait in Acrylics
Nearly everyone loves horses and admires their sleek bodies and beautiful manes. This one is a Missouri Fox Trotter, so named for its grace & rhythm as a show horse. It is also considered a very comfortable horse to ride.
As far as painting horses is concerned, as least as a beginner, it is important to get the animal’s shape right first. Then you can adjust coloring and mane styles according to your desired breed. Also, painting a horse’s head only, is less involved than trying to paint the entire body with all the underlying bone & muscle structure. We’ll leave that for another lesson.
Colors & Canvas Prep
Colors: White, Black, Burnt Umber, Raw Sienna, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Chrome Oxide green, Most of the time I use Liquitex Basics Acrylic Paints. I find them to be a good value for the money and this set is a good starter set. https://amzn.to/3lN9IY8 As part of the Amazon Associate program, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) from qualifying purchases.
Paint Background: Use various shades of green (chrome Ox.n + BU+YO+Tch White. Use non- directional strokes. Blot with crumpled paper towel to create texture.
Transfer Design: Use graphite paper to transfer (dark side down).
Start with the Neck
Base with a mixture of Burnt Umber+ Burnt Sienna + tch of White. The shadow areas (look at finished picture), are Base + tch Black. Work these two colors together with stiff brush.
Face & Head
This horse has these particular facial markings but others may have less light areas with a “star” type marking on the forehead . This light base is White + tch Raw Sienna. Shade with this base + the dark value from above. Then go back with the corner of a stiff bristle fan brush + a tiny amount of White and highlight for accent (follow picture).
Nostril
Outline with Dark Mix, Highlight with Base Mix.
Mouth
Paint in with Base mix, Shade with Dark Mix
Eye
Outline with Black, highlight lower lid with light mix. Paint eyeball with Dark Mix, eyelashes with Light mix.
Ears
Base in with Base Mix from above (BU+BS+tch White). Shadow inside of Left ear (front one) with Dark Mix (Base + Black). Note: the Right ear (back one) is facing away so you do not see the inside,
Mane
Paint alternating strokes of Raw Sienna, Burnt Sienna + Burnt Umber, Raw Sienna + Yellow Ochre,. Highlight with any of these colors + white. Use a round brush with a good point.
Note: These are individual strokes and except where indicated, are NOT mixed together. Do the darker strokes first and then pull the lighter ones over the top.
Finishing
Finish your background, making sure there is a good contrast between the background and the horse.
Have fun with this one!
Rita