How to draw a colored horsehead.

When I deleted my photos from my computer I thought these were gone too! But they were still in my camera! Yay! I have added lots of photos so that you can see each step and the resulting look before the next let me know if there are too many or not enough since this is my first shot at instruction. It is much easier then it seems. This piece is 11x14 inches and takes me less then 2 hours. Hope everyone enjoys and would love to see photos if anyone takes a try.

First the items you will need:

Oil pastels or craypas : I use expressions brand oil pastels  myself. Very soft and vibrant colors they don't cost a lot. And last a long time.

Dark brown, white, black, yellow ochre, orange

Wax based colored pencils: I use prismacolor pencils myself. They have a soft lead and blend well with the oil pastels:

Black, white, dark umber, light umber, pink, crimson red.

A couple of 2hb pencils with clean erasers.

Paper a medium or high textured surface such as drawing, charcoal or sketch. They have bite and will grab and hold color you will have more control. Smooth surface paper such as copy or newsprint wont give you good results as the colors will slide as you use them. But are good for practicing blending if you want to try before using a more expensive paper 

A clean rag I recommend terry cloth an old t shirt or cotton. Thick or thin cloths will give you a bit of frustration and you will have less control.

 pencil sharpener.

rubber eraser.

General info. Wash hands when changing colors. Or use rubbing alcohol to clean colors off hands and fingers. Don't throw soiled rags in with your laundry they will stain your clothes it is best to throw them out when finished.I usually cut them into 8 inch squares.  To help avoid smudges place a clean piece of scrap paper over colored areas and place hand on top to color. Discard once it becomes too dirty to use.

1: Using 2hb pencil draw a light outline. I am not sure if this one will show up if it is printed but feel free to print and trace this one.

2: shade in details on facre with black colored pencil or black oil pastel. Both will give similar results. Lightly add color don't press hard into paper. If you are new at this type of art use colored pencils for easier control. I used colored pencil for lower jaw.

 3:For under the neck I first used dark brown oil pastel, color the area shown with the dark brown. Then lightly add black oil pastel lightly over the brown a little heavier under the jaw and gradualy lighter as you go down and just a slight light bit along the lower neck muscle

4: a close up of no. 3 so you can see how it will look.

5: After shading color the rest of the head and neck except for the white marking, inner part of ear, eye and nostril. Add a light line of black pastel to the top edge of the neck. Your piece should now look similar to this.

 6: Time to start working it together. Take your finger and gently rub color together using short motions. Long strikes will slide too much shading where you don't want it. Do not press too hard or fast. You can burn or blister your finger tips after a while.

7: This is how it should look when you are finished with no. 6

8:When rubbing the color around curves and areas where there is adefinate color change. Go along the curve.

9:Pull the neck shadow colors going downwards away from the cheek. You can see the blending of the black and brown.Do this for the rest of the head, neck and lower shoulder muscle.

10: Your piece should now look similar to this.

11: Take your rag and gently rub off the excess color. Turning rag often for a clean piece. Rubbing hard will remove too much color from paper.

12: After removal of excess color Your piece should be looking nice smooth and similar to this.

13: Now for the butterfly. You will color this part very heavy. Color the outline with crimson red. The inside with pink. Make sure to color the butterfly very well with a good coat of color. When you color in the backround it will repel the pastel so that your butterfly does not come out with unintentional or odd coloring. Use the soft bristled paintbrush to brush away particles. They can imbed in the paper or pastels if you brush them away with your  hand and cause colored streaks.

14: Use the black pencil to shade and shape the inside of the ear and nostril. A little heavy then lightly graduate out. It should look similar to this. In this picture you can see that it is a little fuzzy along some of the edges. Don't worry about it for now. This will be corrected with the final details

15:The nostril should look similar to this

 16:Use dark brown pastel to color the rest of the ear and nostril. Blend in small circular motion first. Then pull shading outward. If you have trouble with the small areas apply oil pastel a bit thicker then take one of your pencils and using the eraser rub gently in small circular motions. try and get a small gob of color on eraser it will slide color easier. Gently rub off excess color with your rag.

17: Using the yellow ochre oil pastel apply a coat of color for the backround. This can be a little thicker if you would like. Your piece should now look similar to this

18:To break up the solid backround color some circular shapes with the orange oil pastels over the yellow ochre. They don't have to be perfect. Your piece should now look similar to this

19: To blend orange and yellow ochre start at edge where they meet and use a circular motion. Go around each circle first. Then you can do the rest. But when you spread the color around your butterfly push towards it to avoid streaks. Or use a clean pencil eraser to spread the color around it.

20:If you happen to get a streak of color or a finger print. Take your rag and use a clean spot to gently rub it off.

21: Your piece should now look similar to this.

24: Now gently rub off excess Taking care to use very short and gentle strokes around the areas where different colors meet to avoid smudging and streaking.

25: Your piece should now look similar to this.

26: Use a heavy layer of black pastel for the mane.

27: Use long heavy strokes that lighten at the end of the bangs and bottom of the mane. Use one or two long heavy strokes going along the top curve of the neck for the base of the mane. Remove excess color. Your piece should now look similar to this.

27: Now For the details and detailed shading. Use dark umber to add shade around the eye and fo the iris. Leave some small circles white for light reflection. Take your finger and gently rub to soften around the eye and to blend shape and soften shades. If you find you have rubbed too much pencil can be added as often as desired until you reach desired look.

28: Use black colored pencil for darker shading and to help distiguish features. Use it very lightly so as not to overide the dark umber.And use finger to gently blend.

29: Use black pencil to color pupil leaving white circles for reflection. Then using long slow strokes draw hair in mane bangs and man base. Leave small amount of space to distinguish separate hairs. Draw in the butterfly body. Go over the butterfly with the crimson red and pink. Draw line for mouth.

30: Sorry forgot to rotate this one! Use white colored pencil to color in eye whites, light reflection and marking. Use a sharp point on the pencil layering it until you get nice edges. You will see a slight blending along the edge of the white mark. This is okay as you would see some on a real horse. This will also sharpen the details around the nose area. Add a little pink to the end and by the upper lip. Not too much gently rub to blend. Take light umber and gently highlight around outer edge of nostril around the lips on the eyelid and around the edges of the ears. Do not blend the light umber as it does match the dark brown pastel very close and will dissappear. Rather lightly layer it in to blend. Use it to help sharpen and correct rough edges.

31: Add a bit of white oil pastel for highlight to face. Start at top of hightlight line and pull down lifting finger as you go down. Do this at top of neck also.

32: Add white oil pastel on top of bangs and front of mane.Use finger to gently pull color down. Easy does it on the top of the base of the mane. Gently roll your finger here and lift after each roll so as not to disturb the colored pencil. and for muscles on lower shoulder

33: Finished now you get to sign your piece.