Painting A Horse Head: Easy Step-By-Step Guide

Painting a horse's head can seem like a daunting task, but with the right tools and guidance, it can be a fun and rewarding experience. In this step-by-step guide, we will walk you through the process of creating a stunning horse head painting, covering everything from the materials you'll need to the techniques for capturing the horse's unique features. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned artist, follow these simple instructions to bring your equine artwork to life. So, get your brushes ready, and let's dive into the world of horse portraiture!

Sketch the horse's head

Sketching the horse's head is a crucial step in achieving a realistic and accurate painting. Here is a detailed guide to help you through this process:

Start by drawing the horse's head on your canvas using a pencil. You can create a reference cross to help guide your sketch, with dimensions of 7.5" x 3.5". Alternatively, you can print out a traceable outline and transfer it directly onto your canvas. This ensures that you have a basic structure to work with and that your horse's head is proportionally accurate.

Simplify the horse's head into basic shapes. You can break down the complex structure of the head into simpler forms, such as circles, ovals, and rectangles. This will help you capture the overall shape and proportions accurately.

Focus on the positioning of the eyes. Horses, as prey animals, have oval-shaped pupils. Outline the basic shape of the eye using a dark colour like carbon black. You can then add in the iris using burnt umber, leaving the "white area" as it is or painting it in brown. Paint the pupil black and add a small dot in the upper right of the pupil to add detail. Outline the eye with black to make it stand out.

Map out the basic tones and colours. Start by blocking in the basic areas of colour, especially if you're working on a larger scale where individual hair details might not be visible. Use thin paint to map out the general colours of the forehead, neck, and cheekbones. Adjust the ratio of black and white paint to achieve the desired tone for the muzzle area.

Add details to the sketch. Use an angle brush and a detail brush to define the top of the horse's head. You can also use these brushes to add finer details to the neck and cheek areas, trying to match the colours more closely. Remember to include the nostrils and the inside of the ears, which can be painted with a solid coat of mars black.

Remember, you can always refer to reference images or traceables to ensure accuracy in your sketch. Once you're happy with your sketch, you can move on to the painting stage, where you will bring your horse's head to life with colour and shading.

Paint the background

Painting the background of your horse head artwork is a fun and creative process that can be approached in several ways. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you get started:

Prepare Your Materials

Firstly, gather your paints and tools. For an abstract watercolour-like background, you will need acrylic paints in 4-6 colours of your choice. You will also require a paintbrush, water, and a palette for mixing.

Water Down Your Paints

Take a small amount of each acrylic paint colour and add water to it individually, mixing until a liquid consistency is achieved. This step is crucial for creating a watercolour effect and ensuring the paint is transparent enough to see your pencil sketch underneath.

Apply Paint to the Canvas

Now, it's time to start painting the background. Using your paintbrush, apply the watered-down paint in blobs or areas around your canvas, being mindful to leave some white space on the edges. Don't worry if you get paint inside the horse's face, as you will be painting over it in subsequent steps.

Create a Splatter Effect

Load one brush with the darkest watered-down paint on your palette. Take another brush and start tapping the loaded brush with it, creating a splatter effect across your canvas. This technique adds interest and texture to your abstract background.

Experiment with Colours and Techniques

Feel free to experiment with different colours, blending them together on the canvas for a unique effect. You can also try different brushstrokes and techniques, such as horizontal strokes, to create a sunset background.

Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to painting the background. Let your creativity guide you, and don't be afraid to explore different colours, techniques, and effects to make your horse head painting truly unique and expressive.

Outline the eye

To outline the eye of a horse in a painting, you can follow these steps:

Firstly, it is important to note that the shape of a horse's pupil is different from that of many other animals. Horses, as prey animals, have oval-shaped pupils, while many other animals have round pupils. The shape of the pupil is an important detail to capture when painting a horse's eye.

Next, you will want to decide on the colours you will use for the eye. For a more realistic painting, you may choose to use colours such as burnt umber, mars black, titanium white, and raw sienna. Alternatively, you can add a creative twist by using shades of blue and purple to boost the contrast and play off the red tones of the horse's coat, as seen in the example of a painting of a horse named Buster.

Now, you can begin painting the iris and pupil. Start by painting the iris, building up the colour around the pupil. You can leave the "white area" of the eye white, or paint it the same colour as the iris. Then, paint the pupil black.

Finally, outline the eye with black paint. This step requires a steady hand to achieve a nice, thin line. You may find it helpful to use a black paint pen or a sharpie for this step.

If you find that your outline is too thick, don't worry! Simply wait for it to dry, and then go back in with the colours you used for the horse's head (such as brown and white) and paint close to the outline. This will give you a thinner, closer outline and help correct any mistakes.

Additionally, you can add a small dot in the upper right of the pupil to add further detail and bring the eye to life.

Paint the hair

Painting the hair of a horse is a crucial step in bringing your artwork to life. Here is a detailed guide to help you paint the hair with precision and creativity:

Choose the Right Brushes:

Select a variety of brushes, including a #12 bright brush or a round brush, a small detailing brush, and more pointed detail brushes for longer hairs in the mane and tail. Older, softer, and slightly frayed brushes can help create subtle marks that aren't too uniform, giving the hair a natural look.

Prepare the Paint:

Prepare your palette with colours like raw umber, titanium white, burnt umber, and mars black. Mix raw sienna with titanium white for highlights and burnt umber with black for shadows. You can also add a tiny bit of mars black to the horse's main colour to create grey tones.

Paint the Strands:

Using your chosen brush, double-load it with titanium white and raw sienna. Follow the direction of the hair, starting from the head and stroking down or up accordingly. Paint each strand, following the lines from your sketch. The colours will blend to create a nice light brown shade.

Add Highlights and Details:

Use titanium white to add wavy strands and highlights throughout the hair. With a small detailing brush, pick out individual lighter hairs around the ears and other areas with finer hair. You can also add darker tones following the folds of the skin, especially around the muzzle, to create depth and a seamless blend between different shades of the horse's hair.

Final Touches:

Take some black paint and use the chiseled edge of a 1/4" flat brush to trace along all the strands of hair. This will help define the hair and add a "pop-art" effect. Ensure the paint is dry before moving on to this step.

Remember to observe your subject carefully and match the colours and textures in your painting to create a realistic and stunning artwork.

Add finishing touches

Now for the finishing touches! Using black paint and the chiseled edge of a 1/4" flat brush, trace along all the strands of hair. Wait for the black paint to dry before moving on. Next, use a small detailing brush to fill in the strands of hair with titanium white. Add three white dots to the horse's eyes to brighten them up. Finally, use some black paint and the chiseled edge of your brush to trace along the outline of the horse's head, giving it a "pop-art" effect.

If you're painting a sunset background, start from the top and work your way down to the horse's muzzle. Paint the green field and add two coats of burnt umber and titanium white on the horse's head, using contouring strokes with a 3/4" flat brush. Paint the outline of the under neck, inside of the ear, and the left line of the head. Paint the eye, the white marking on the nose and muzzle, and the rest of the ears.

If you're painting a colourful abstract background, water each colour down one-by-one so that they're liquid in consistency. Take your paintbrush, add some water to the paint, and mix.

Your horse's head painting is now complete!

Frequently asked questions