# Ok then - second ever watercolour!



## horseygeorgie

Following on from the first, here is the second. My horse, Max. Be gentle! :biggrin:


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## TerryCurley

I love the richness of his color. You did a wonderful job. Max is a beautiful horse.


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## FanKi

Max has an adorable face :3
Is he meek?


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## leighann

That is phenomenal!!! He is so majestic...I think u have a true talent with watercolor.


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## horseygeorgie

Thank you all so much! He is a true gentleman and I adore him!


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## Linzibx

Well in art you can only get better the more works you do x and you look very good already xxxx


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## chanda95

To be honest I think that for a second ever watercolor it is quite nice. I would pay attention to proportions a bit more..for me the ears seem disconnected..as if the ears are facing us straight on while the head is looking off in a different direction. Working a bit on value shifts (ie - lights and darks) will dramatically improve your work as well. I suggest just really looking at your subject matter and as you draw take breaks..back off..look at it through a mirror if you have to (I do that sometimes)..and then look at the image you are working from. That helps you see the areas on your piece needing improvement.

Overall I think you have a good foundation and the fact that you are able to draw a horse head and make it look as good as this for your second time speaks volumes.


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## horseygeorgie

Thank you Chanda, That's really helpful advice! Yes the ears irritated me too, I think they actually are a bit small. This is the photo I worked from. I obviously haven't done him anywhere as dark as he is and I think I'm shying away from colour! I'm being a coward I think!


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## chanda95

No no! I think your ears are actually a decent size. Now that I see the original picture..I think maybe some of it is that in your painting it appears as if the forelock is coming out straight but if you look at your image you will see that in between the ears the forelock comes out curving..does that make sense? 

Now see how Max has shading on his cheek and neck? How much lighter it is on the top portion of his head? Those are things that you will want to be paying attention to as an artist..if you are looking at an end goal of realism. Shadows and how light hits an object or animal or person are all really important things to learn how to convey. Yes the color is off..however in art not everybody is going to know that your horse is not this color. They are going to see a chestnut horse..I think in time you will gain a mastery of your colors. Until then focus on those value shifts and I bet your work will really start to pop.


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## chanda95

Max is lovely btw.


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## horseygeorgie

Thank you, he is as lovely as he looks!

That's really helpful. I understand what you mean. I think when I was doing it I was focussing on the tiny portion I was doing, instead of looking at it as a whole and seeing how the shades/colour/light etc worked in relation to the entire head. I didn't even notice the slight curvature to the forelock between his ears really, I wasn't noticing enough. Will bear that in mind next time.


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## Bushcraftonfire

Fine job Horsie.. I think the camera did you a disservice on this.. and it's not quite like the original painting.. 

I took my editing program and corrected the colors.. and it's VERY nice looking. Only thing I might have done differently.. is (although not true to the picture) I would have probably put the mane on the viewers side. It would add interest and break up the neck somewhat. But overall.. it's a wonderful picture


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## Liz

Nice work. You do have a knack for painting and drawing, that's for sure.


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## just

Bushcraftonfire said:


> Fine job Horsie.. I think the camera did you a disservice on this.. and it's not quite like the original painting..
> 
> I took my editing program and corrected the colors.. and it's VERY nice looking. Only thing I might have done differently.. is (although not true to the picture) I would have probably put the mane on the viewers side. It would add interest and break up the neck somewhat. But overall.. it's a wonderful picture



Sarge has his mane to his left too. I could not draw it on his right. It would not be Sarge to me.


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## horseygeorgie

I know what you mean. I'm forever trying to train Maxs mane over to the right but I just can't win that one! But it makes me laugh everytime I see him and I think it is an important part of painting the horse because characteristics like that almost defines the relationship with him. 
I think it boils down to the fact that to anyone else, it is just a amateur watercolour, but to me it is Max, the best friend I have. And he has his mane on the left!

Probably waffling there as usual!:biggrin:


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## just

Do you ride western or English?


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## horseygeorgie

English. I live in England and I don't know many people who ride western. I've always wanted to try it though.


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## just

Yes, I thought it was going to be English. Almost everyone here rides western. I definitely prefer the western saddle.


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## horseygeorgie

It definitely looks more comfortable! At the minute we are bringing the horses up from grass at work. 3 hours walk work around the lanes a day means a very numb behind and saddle sores!


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## soperfect paint

Excellent work you have done.


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## chanda95

horseygeorgie said:


> It definitely looks more comfortable! At the minute we are bringing the horses up from grass at work. 3 hours walk work around the lanes a day means a very numb behind and saddle sores!


I do both. Was raised western but spent a good portion of my youth riding hunters and focusing on dressage. I feel equally at home in each. Teaching my child to do the same. Riding english provides such a strong foundation.


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## Sorin

Yup, W/Cs are chaos control. Not easy.
Your first color would probably be very close to that of the doors.


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