White Mare with Fillie

[jnbrownlee]

Hi all. I think this is done. What do you think?

[CarlOwen]

Nice sedate painting. Everything pretty much appears to be proportionate. Personally, I would like to see more punch to it in regards to color and intensify the contrast. Push the blues bluer, the greens greener, etc. Push the shadows deeper dark. It is to timid making me believe you are not sure of yourself. You have some skills that need to be developed towards brave presentations. So, I push you to go where you have never gone before. Be bolder. Timid heart never won fair maid. You know what I mean.

[Pooch]

JN, I can see that you work with horses, from your avatar, so my advice would be to study them a bit. Go out to where they are corraled and take your drawing pad and pencil. Don't start drawing too quickly. Study the animal for a while. Hell, for an hour if you have to.
I say this because I believe that you are working on your pictures at home, from memory and the anatomy seems off. Well...not seems...it is.
The hock on the small ones rear leg is too high. It bends lower than that. And the front one that is stepping appears to be placed incorrectly. It almost looks as though it's broken.
Either the neck is too short or you have painted the chest too high. Notice that she almost appears to have no neck at all from the front. The adult horse has no knee on it's front leg. Those boney knees give a horses leg a very distinctive look and you've missed that.
I do wildlife paintings. I study the animal for a long time before starting. I agonize over getting everything just right. I'll keep doing it until the animal looks correct. I just painted some Dolphins and it took a while before the Dolphins smile looked just right. And I wasn't going to be satisfied until it did. I finally got it.
You have the advantage of getting up close and personal with your subject. Use that advantage.
"Paint with your eyes and not with your mind" someone said. Good advice, I think. If you can't paint or draw at the corral, take a camera with you. Take some good shots and go home and work from those. Use your eyes, not your memory. You'll get better.

[jnbrownlee]

Thanks Carl. You are right. When I get to a place where I like it, I am nervous about going any father because I don't want to mess it up or over paint, but I've been looking at the paintings I really like and they have bold strokes. Thanks for you encouragement. I will keep working at it.

[jnbrownlee]

Hi Pooch, we used to have a farm, but we don't now, so drawing at the coral is out. I really get what you mean about drawing from memory; I've noticed that when I draw from a photo I like it a lot better. I have been working on anatomy. That is where I started on this journey. I think I don't understand how the horse moves well enough to portray it correctly yet. I will keep at it. I actually drew this from a photo and it is better that other attempts. I just need to measure better and be more accurate. Thank you for your comments. I have seen your dolphins. They are really nice. I agree with Carl; you should enter them in the contest.

[Pinstearn]

Carl's post really got me thinking concerning my own works. Be bolder and go where I've never gone before. I also tend to be a a little 'quiter' when it comes to painting but I'll keep your comment in mind!

[CarlOwen]

Good morning. Thank you Laurie. You just proved the value of these posts. I have learned much from the other artists on this site either from direct challenge, questions or most often observation and contemplation. Working on Hemera today.