Fudge has this beautiful, rich copper coat. Rendering that was a really fun challenge that required layers of watercolor underneath about seven different colors of NuPastel and pastel pencils. Various reds, browns, a gold tone, and even a couple blues. No, really.
First stage, above, I've got the basics all drawn in, using a terra-cotta colored pastel pencil. These erase easily and are a good color that blends right into the coat color of just about any horse.
A bit later, I've added watercolor and some shadow areas, which are a combo of watercolor and dark pastel and carbon pencils. The watercolor layers help me establish light/shadow and add a nice depth to the pencil and pastel work.
Above is just before I put the blue/gray/pink shadow line down the middle of Fudge's blaze, to indicate the shape of the nose bone. Generally I put shadows in first and then work over them with the lighter colors, saving the brightest highlights for last. That's how you get a strong sense of solid three-dimensional form in pastel or in oil paints.
Tracie, I'm in awe! You have completely captured the essence of my boy!!! It's absolutely stunning!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Amber! He was really fun. The longer I worked on him, the more I thought, this is a really sweet horse. With a bit of gentle mischief about him, it seemed. Some horses "give me a hard time" even as portrait subjects (see: Daman the Rock Star, LOL) but others are just ... easier. Fudge genuinely likes pretty much everyone he meets, doesn't he? Unless they give him a good reason not to.
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