rawing

brses Sr^Foa
H^^y
Drawing Horses and Foals
Drawing
Horses and
Foals hy Don Bolognese

A HOW-TO-DRAW BOOK
FRANKLIN WATTS
NEW YORK LONDON 1977
I
I

KYRENE DF' #^^^{inBRARY

33 7 5JjjJm^jS^STO N
CH;^J8^?AZ 85226
to Siefano Cusumano
a great artist

and generous teacher

Lihraiu ol Coii^iri'^'. Cnliiliif;ni<( iii Puhlicniinn Data

BoKifiiu'sc, Don
Drawing hcirscs and foals.

(How to draw)
SUMMARY: Instructions for beginnin); sketihcs
and following through to the finished drawing.
1. Horses in art — Juvenile literature. 2 Drawing

— instruction — juvenile literature (l . Horses in art.

2 Drawing — Instruction) Title. I II. Series.
NC780.B58 743'tiO'725 77-3688
ISBN 0-531-00379-5
ISBN 0-531-03590-5 (pbk)
Copyright ''^
1977 by Don Bolognese
All rights reserved
Printed in the United Slates of America
20 19 18 17 16
 3

Contents

9 INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER I

n THE BEGINNING
11 The Method
12 Sketching
1 Drawing
14 Drawing Aids
14 photographs
14 sculpture
14 toys 1

74 Art Supplies
16 Parts of the Horse

CHAPTER II
19 DRAWING STEP-BY-STEP
20 The Sketch
23 The Tracing
24 Forms and Structure
26 Roundness
28 The Final Stage: tones and textures
Drawing Horses and Foals
Introduction

A horse is galloping, its mane and tail flow-

ing gracefully.
A horse is rearing on its hind legs, its neck
arched.
A horse is grazing quietly. Suddenly alerted,

its head comes up and its eyes and ears turn

toward you.
Have you ever wanted to draw such scenes?
If so, you have had the same feelings as many

artists before you. For thousands of years artists

have been fascinated and inspired by the horse.
Some have shown its speed, power, and strength.
Many others have pictured the horse as being
graceful, the animal of perfect proportions. What-
ever their reasons, artists have constantly tried
to capture in art the spirit and beauty of the
horse. This book will help you to express your
feelings about the horse through drawings.

(9)
^
I
Chapter I
The Beginning

THE METHOD
This method of drawing is very simple. There
are no tricks and there is nothing to memorize.
But you must look very carefully at everything.

Then, practice until your hand and pencil do

what you tell them.

To do this, you work in two basic ways:

1. Quickly, which we call sketching.

2. Slowly, which we call drawing.

Of ways are considered drawing,

course, both
but keeping them separate will make this
method clearer.

'"'
KYRENE DEk%MB^'SR^RY
337.
ESTON
'.AZ 85226
SKETCHING

A sketch is always done in a short time. It may

take from a few seconds to ten or fifteen minutes
to do. You sketch when you want to capture

quick movements, or a particular action or mood.

Sketching will train your eyes to be alert, and
your hand to be quick.
Sketching is also useful in working out pic-

ture ideas. In a short time you can experiment

with many different ways of designing a picture.
Sketches, then, are notes and preparations
for future pictures. Pictures that will be either
larger or more detailed than the sketches. This

brings us to the second part of the method,

the drawing.

(12)
DRAWING
A drawing takes longer than a sketch — no
matter how small it is or how simple. A drawing
requires a careful study of your subject. The
better you know your subject, the more you can
tell about it in your art. For example, the sketch
of the hoof tells us its general shape, action, and
The drawing, however, tells us much
position.

more. You can see the bone structure, the muscles,

the texture of the hair, even the type of horse.
Naturally, the drawing took more time, both in

the observation and the doing. Sometimes a

large, detailed drawing can take days to complete.
But don't be discouraged. Drawing is not racing;
speed does not matter. The more observation and
practice you put into your drawing the better
you will become. Date your sketches and draw-
ings, and you will have clear proof of your
progress.

(13)
 DRAWING AIDS
Photographs To help you in sketching horses in action, you can
use photographs. Photograph and sketch a specific
horse from many angles. Collect photos of horses
trotting, cantering, jumping, or performing other
actions.

Sculpture Sculptures of horses are also helpful. Many of our

parks and museums have equestrian sculpture.
These are particularly good models when you plan
to spend a long time on a drawing. This was done by
many famous painters of the past. They would do
careful drawings of the great horse sculptures of
their time. These ''working drawings'' or studies, as

they were sometimes called, were then used as

references for their paintings. These studies were

so valuable that they were sometimes passed on to
the next generation of artists.
The drawings and paintings of other artists can
also be a source of help.

Toys Toy horses can also be used as models for drawing.

They are especially helpful if you are planning a
picture with many horses. Just set them on a table,
and you have a miniature scene.

ART SUPPLIES
Small pocket pencil sharpener.
Sandpaper block — this gives an extra-fine point,
especially with harder pencils.

(14)
Pencil — an ordinary no. 2 pencil is fine. If you
wish a greater range of tones, use drawing
pencils with leads of varying darkness. A
good range would be from an H pencil (on
the light side) through the Bs (HB, B, 2B,
and 3B) up to a 4B pencil (soft and dark).
Eraser — Kneaded eraser — very good for erasing
small areas or for lightening strokes. Just
press the eraser on the line, don't rub, and
the eraser lifts off some of the lead. Gum and
plastic erasers — good for cleaning large areas.
The plastic eraser does not scratch the paper.
Felt pens — the water-soluble ones with fine
points. Brushing over the lines with a wet
brush produces a tone.
Paper — any good bond paper, as long as it is

neither too rough nor too thin.

Lightbox for tracing — the simplest lightbox is a

window with light coming through. Tape a

drawing to a window pane. Tape a fresh

piece of paper over it and trace. A simple
desk-top lightbox can be made by putting a
piece of glass (frosted glass is better than
clear glass) in a frame built up enough so
that a light bulb can be placed underneath it.
PARTS OF THE HORSE
Here are the words used to describe different
parts of the horse. They will be used in the
instructions to help you locate a particular place
on the horse or to compare the same parts on
different breeds. Refer back when necessary, and
croup
you will find they quickly become familiar.

hock

cannon

pnstern
coronet
(16)
hoof
 shoulder

point of shoulder

elbow

forearm

cannon
Chapter II
Drawing Step-by-Step

In this chapter you will see a drawing as it

develops. From the very first step to the last step

(the drawing facing this page) you will see what
is being done and why.
You may ask questions: why the shadows
are in one place and not another; or why certain
lines areemphasized rather than others. The
notes with each stage of the drawing are the
answers and instructions.
The first step is the sketch. For an artist,

sketching should be a daily activity. Carry a

sketchpad and think of your eyes and hand as a
camera. Your sketchbook will fill up quickly and
will always be a source of ideas for your work.

(19)
THE SKETCH
In doing the sketches for this drawing, concen-
trate on situations with only one horse.
Sketch the horse in many different places

and positions. Outside, in the barn, in motion,

at rest. In all of these quick sketches, try to

select the lines that best express the action.

The line from the tail along

the back to the neck and head.

The position of the legs. Which legs are

supporting the weight of the horse?

The direction of the head.
The flow of the mane and the tail.
In these preliminary sketches also try to indicate
light and dark. Shading or strokes that suggest
shadows are helpful in several ways.
They help to convey a mood or feeling.

They give an indication of a particular place

or setting.

They add form and substance.

(21)
After doing many sketches, look back through
your sketchbook and select one.

This one was picked because it catches the

excitement and eagerness of a horse ready to go
out. They show in the tension of the neck as
the horse turns in expectation. '^^^"\^

(22)
THE TRACING
The next step is the tracing. A lightbox (see
chapter 1) makes this very easy.
In tracing the original sketch, try to make
the horse's action and position clearer.
Begin to define the beams of the barn.
FORMS AND STRUCTURE
The next step is to strengthen the forms of the
horse. The structure of the horse is more clearly
drawn from the hoof up to the cheekbone.
The barn setting is also drawn
with more detail.
You have to show the weight on the horse's right
leg. In the detail below see how firmly the hoof
is hitting the ground. The stiffness of the leg
shows the pressure. This creates a strong contrast

to the uplifted leg. In both legs, however, the

joints and bones are brought out and defined to
show their hardness.

(25)
ROUNDNESS
The next stage of the drawing deals with the
roundness of the forms. Work on the shoulders,
hindquarters, and barrel. Use the shading to
bring out the bulk and weight of
the body. The strokes follow
the direction of the curve
This close-up detail of the saddle illustrates how
you can further emphasize roundness of form.
All of the strokes on the barrel follow the saddle
girth around the body. The saddle also helps to
establish the perspective of the horse's body as
it goes back in space. Notice the pencil strokes.
They are wider apart at the front and closer as
they go back on the body.

(17)
 THE FINAL STAGE: TONES AND TEXTURE
The drawing below is the same as on page 18.

In this final stage tone and texture are added.

Add accents of tone to the
neck and head to give
a sense of drama.

\'
 The tones added to the tail and mane show
movement. At this point more detail could be
added to the horse and the barn; however, if you
have achieved what you wanted, there is no
need to add more.

The close-up of the head shows how the addition

of tone to the eyes and neck helps to get the
desired effect.
The darker tone brings out the tension in
the neck. The darkness around the eyes contrasts
with the splash of bright light on the front of
the head. Together they help give a feeling of
alertness and spirit.

(29)
Chapter III
A Horse: Piece hy Piece

Now that you have produced a drawing in stages,

you should do the same with the horse.

Focus on drawing different parts of the
horse. Without studying a skeleton or memorizing
the names of muscles or bones, you can see
how a horse is put together.

THE HOOF:
a firm foundation

The hoof is graceful in its shape. However, it

must be round and solid. Never draw one^i

that is too small or too weak-looking
for your horse.

(31)
THE LEGS:
support, action, speed
In drawing the legs you must emphasize the
joints — especially the hocks in the hind legs and
the knees in the forelegs. This will help you
avoid drawing rubbery legs. A tight bend in the

leg gives a horse a spirited look and conveys a

sense of energy and speed.
Notice how the muscles bunch up as the
hind leg is brought up.
The horse is a large, heavy
creature and needs strong
support. So remember to draw
the leg joints clearly even
when the horse is standing.
 THE BODY:
power, strength, weight
The shoulders, barrel, and hindquarters are
the source of the horse's strength and power. Most
of the horse's weight is located in these sections.
The drawings stress this bulk and form.
In the barrel, whether in side view or from an
angle, the accent is on roundness. The strokes
suggest the curve of the rib cage.

/
 \
THE NECK:
grace, animaiion,
tension
The neck is a very
expressive part of the
horse. The muscles
stand out when the
horse is straining in
any one direction.

Crowning the neck

is the mane. The

flow of the mane

is an aid in giving
a sense of movement
to your drawing.
THE BODY:
power, strength, weight
The shoulders, barrel, and hindquarters are
the source of the horse's strength and power
of the horse's weight is located in these secti
The drawings stress this bulk and form.
In the barrel, whether in side view or fr

angle, the accent is on roundness. The stroke

suggest the curve of the rib cage
THE NE
grace, an
tension

The necl
expressiv
horse. T
stand ou
horse is

any one
Crownin
is the m
flow of 1

is an aid
a sense (

to your
 THE HEAD: expression
These three different
/ views show the impor-
tant points in drawing
the head. Note the set
of the eyes at an angle;
how the bulge of the
cheekbone is achieved
with curved lines; and
the narrowing of the
muzzle.
In the other views
note how the short
pencil strokes help to
bring out the different
planes and levels on
the head.
Chapter IV
TheYoung Horse

In drawing the young horse you must keep in

mind the proportions. In general, a colt or filly

is much ''leggier'' than a grown horse. The legs

and joints in a young horse are much larger in
comparison to the body than in a mature horse.
The legs are knock-kneed, especially when very
young. The ears and eyes are larger in relation

to the rest of the head. The muzzle and hooves

are smaller, and the tail and mane are shorter.
The foal in the drawing to the left is only a
few days old. Note the size in relation to its

mother.

(41)
note large knees
The leggy quality of the colt or filly is even easier
to see when it is lying down or trying to get up.
In action drawings there is a sense of awk-
wardness. The young horse is not in full control
of its body.

action sketch for larger drawing

(43)

r.
Chapter V
A Horse for Every Occasion

All horses are not alike. These various types of

horses are called breeds. Each breed of horse has
a specific purpose and therefore a specific build
and features.
There are horses bred for speed, such as
racehorses. There are horses bred for strength
called draft horses. There are even breeds that
walk in a special way, or are particularly good at

one gait rather than another. Some breeds are

noted for their intelligence or for their gentle dis-

positions. Naturally not all of these characteristics

are visible. Some of the more obvious physical
differences between breeds are illustrated in this

chapter. By understanding and emphasizing these

distinctive features and differences, you will give

your horse drawings individual character.

(45)
ARABIAN
The Arabian is considered to be the purest of all

breeds. Many other breeds, the thoroughbred,

for example, have Arabian blood in them.
The Arabian has several definite features that
distinguish it from other horses.
Note the short back, and the very high arch
I . of the tail and head. In action it has a high step.
 The head is small in relation to its
body. The eyes are set wide apart
and slightly lower on the head than
other breeds. They are also larger
and more oval than in most horses.
The skin around the eyes is dark.
The muzzle is delicate with large,
curved nostrils. The ears are small
in proportion to the head.

Note the curve of the tail, back, and

neck— leading to the head with its

concave or dish-shaped profile.

\
THOROUGHBRED
The thoroughbred or racehorse is bred for speed.
It is usually tall with long legs for long strides.

The body is deep in the chest and narrow at the

loins. The shoulders and hindquarters are well-

developed, but not chunky as in draft horses.

The profile of the head is more rounded
often
and sloping than the Arabian. The nostrils
are large as in the Arabian.
X
 A racehorse is difficult to

capture in an action sketch.

If you use photographs as
a guide, try to keep your
\ drawings loose. Concentrate
on the line of the back and
neck and the positions of
the legs. Note the position
of the rider over the withers
of the horse. This position
gives the drawing a forward
movement that suggests
speed.
QUARTER HORSE
Compact, muscular, chunky — these are the words
that describe a quarter horse. The short, muscular
legs are suited for quick turns and short sprints.

In an action drawing, stress the round,

chunky, muscles of the quarter horse in contrast

to the longer muscles of the racehorse.

\
MORGAN
The Morgan is an all-around horse. It is as

compact and strong as the quarter horse, but

more refined and graceful. The head, which is

small, sometimes shows traits of the Arabian,

with wide-set eyes and a slender, small muzzle.
The neck is well-arched. The legs are sturdy but

trim with well-shaped, small hooves.

The Morgan is a good
show horse both
with a rider and in
harness. Note the
high knee action and
the angle of the
hoof to the fetlock.
 DRAFT HORSE
The barrel chest and bulging muscles show the
power and strength of the draft horse. This
particular breed of draft horse is a Clydesdale.

Note its characteristic feathered hooves and

its well-arched, wide, and muscular neck.
The boy standing between the team
size

horse.
The horse's pulling power is stressed by the
angle of the shoulders and forelegs to the body.
The neck and head line below the level .^

of the withers also emphasizes

the effort.

-Jm
THE PONY
All ponies are smaller than full-size horses. The
Shetland pony is the smallest. They are usually
no taller than thirty-eight or forty inches at
the withers.
Notice the extremely short legs in proportion
to the length of the body.
Other ponies such as the Hackney pony are
usually better proportioned. High knee action is

very characteristic of the breed. Note the size of

the man in relation to the pony.

LS:^^-
(56)
 The burro or donkey
is a cousin to the

horse. Note the large

ears and domelike
forehead. The muzzle
is short, the eyes long

and slanted.

(5 7)
 Chapter VI
Horse, Rider, and Cart

When you have more confidence about drawing

the horse, you may want to try something a bit

more difficult. Putting a rider on a horse or putting

a horse before a cart has its own challenge. There
are two points to remember.
The first is proportion. Whether you are
including a human figure or a cart or wagon with
your horse, you must be sure the sizes look

natural. There is no need to measure. Your eye

will tell you if one part of your drawing is out of
proportion with another.
-^•^fKK

The second point is the rhythm or

motion of horse and rider.
PROPORTIONS AND RHYTHM
To get some idea of proportions, look at the draw-
ing below. Of course the relationship of the humans
to the horse will change with the size of each.

The pictures on the right illustrate two

contrasting points about the rhythm and motion
of horse and rider.
The rider will either blend with the horse's
action or be in opposition to it. The curves in

the jockey's body blend with the curves of the

horse. On the contrary the angle of the bronco-
rider to the horse shows the lack of unity.
 HORSE AND RIDER
These four pages illustrate in part the action of

mounting the horse and riding at three gaits:

trot, canter, and gallop. In all the drawings note

the rider's weight or pressure in relation

to the horse.

Note how the weight of the rider

is supported by the right hand

while the right leg swings over

the horse's back.

/
The most important point is to seat the rider in
the right relation to the horse. In the small
sketches note two common errors.

(63)
 V
CANTER AND
GALLOP

>^ ,
%
'>\ The first beat of
the canter. The
M ^>
rein forces the

horse's head to
the left. The left

hind hoof is the

only leg firmly
on the ground.

^
In the second beat the
left front and right hind
feet hit the ground.

y^

>/

?^
Y.
y
/v:

r ,<
/
 This is the
suspension stage
of the canter.
All four feet are

off the ground.

The suspension stage

of the gallop — note the
position of the rider.
HORSE AND CART

Proportion and correct

placement are the most
important points in drawing
a horse and cart.

In the two small

sketches note that what is

nearest is largest. The guide

lines left in the drawings
show how the relationship
between horse and driver
is maintained in three
views.
Note that the sketchy
quality of the pencil strokes
reinforces the sense of
movement.

(66)
(67)
A End Word

This book will be a valuable reference for you.

Carry it with you when you go out sketching
from life. Refer to it often as you attempt to
understand the basic form and movement of the
horse. As you progress in your ability to draw
the horse, you will want to do more ambitious
pictures. Try drawing in pen and ink, wash water-

color painting, or in oils and acrylics. When you

reach this stage, remember that there are many
fine and instructive examples of horse paintings.
The list of artists (below) is only a short one, but
it containssome of the best horse painters.
Rosa Bonheur
Edgar Degas
Frederick Remington
George Stubbs
Lucy Kemp Welch

(68)
About the Author

Don Bolognese is both the author and artist of a

dozen books for young readers and has illustrated

over 150 books for children and adults. He is a well-
known painter, graphic designer, and calligrapher.
A graduate of the Cooper Union Art School,
Mr. Bolognese developed and taught a comprehensive
course on the art of the book at Cooper Union,
Pratt Institute, and New York University. He has
won awards from the American Institute of Graphic
Arts, the Bologna Bookfair, the Society of Illustrators

and many others.

He and his wife, author/artist Elaine Raphael,
make their home in Landgrove, Vermont.
Vb
ir^iitoiiB
\ FRANKLIN WATTS LIBRARY EDITION