Draw Horses and Ponies
...and mules!
Study the science of art and the art of science. — Leonardo da Vinci
LESSON 1: THE HORSE’S HEAD
A horse’s head is the least mobile and most expressive part of his body. We’ll begin by drawing two views of the head, and exploring some of its features. For this lesson, focus on a deeper understanding of the mechanics of the head - keep your drawings simple and clean. Don’t worry about shading or adding fine detail. The aim here is clearness and getting acquainted with equine anatomy. We will produce a higher degree of “finish” in upcoming lessons. Enjoy!
Watch the videos all the way through and print the illustrated pdf files before you begin to draw.
CLICK TO WATCH LESSON 1 VIDEO 1
CLICK TO WATCH LESSON 1 VIDEO 2
A “Lagniappe” mini-lesson on drawing the 3/4 view will appear between Lesson 1 and Lesson 2 this week. (In the Gulf Coast region where I live, lagniappe (pronounced “lan-yap”) means a little something extra.
LAGNIAPPE: THE 3/4 VIEW
We’ve drawn the head’s front view, and the side view... but what about the 3/4 view? You will discover that this view is still consistent with the principles we explored in Lesson 1. The familiar rectangular guide (though tilted on its side) still works.
I have sketched some notes about drawing the 3/4 view on the printable below. Here are some handy reference images, too. Try sketching some of the heads now, and try the bodies after Lesson 2.
