Well...I decided to try something today, and if ever there was a day I didn't want to post my painting, this is it! I'm going to be brave though, and brace myself, haha. In keeping with the theme, today we started breaking the yearling. Not yesterday's colt, as you can see. I had some reference photos I considered using, but there was something in particular I wanted to depict, so I had to see if I could paint it from my head. Ouch!
So....this is 8 x 10 oil on panel. The horse I can live with. I had to laugh because this filly looks remarkably like Gracie, except that Gracie is chestnut. The humans, well...I can't paint humans all that well, in my opinion, *with* a reference, so from my head well, that there's any resemblance at all is an accomplishment. Needless to say, proportions are off, limbs are wonky, etc. etc.! I had a helmet on the rider originally, but then I took it off. There's a reason for that, which I'm not going to get into...and not just because it was easier...because I'm not sure it was!
Anyway, there you go, warts and all...an imaginary horse, and imaginary people. I found this incredibly taxing, and frustrating, and embarrassing! I love starting yearlings, but I don't have any photos of this part - the day when, for the first time, the rider goes from just leaning over the saddle, to swinging up. Most of the time it's a very uneventful step, if all the ground work is in place.
All right...I need to grit my teeth and his the "publish post" button. I'll run away and clean my brushes as it launches in to cyberspace, and try and put this one out of my mind!
4 comments:
I think it's a great effort without referance photos and you did a great job getting it out on a day so don't be beating yourself up....me, I'd have kept the hat on plus googles..smile. I think it also tells the story well..you have a handler on the ground obviously talking and calming the colt/filly, the rider is also calm and relaxed and the colt is listening and I'm sure it was a learning curve for you as well :)
Congrats for being brave!! LOL I think it looks great. It's fun to try things and your work is always wonderful.
Thanks for the support, you two! Funny thing is I have this strange desire to do something like this again...like I want to conquer it, haha...
Hey, Linda - this inspires me to take a painting out that I love half of and hate half of... I painted the horse from a photo reference and the child from my (empty at the time) mind! Maybe there is hope for my little pig nosed urchin?!
I like that you stretched yourself! and I think that the result is really good. It does tell the happy story of that momment in training and your composition is good and there is good color contrast that keeps the painting flowing and interesting to the viewer. Nicely done in such a short time!
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