# After years of not drawing...



## DuffyDuck (Sep 27, 2011)

o.0
I'll come babysit and muck out if you draw one for me.

Its lovely, I really, really like how you've captured the eyes, and the mouth.. I see a few horse drawings where the mouth isn't quite there... and the shadowing.

I can draw stick horses  I will put one on tomorrow!


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## Caitlinpalomino (Nov 16, 2010)

That is really quite a lovely drawing! I wish I had your talent, It is so soft and the eye is so realistic.


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## iloverains (Apr 1, 2011)

Can't wait to see the end result!


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## Catdog88 (Oct 3, 2011)

It is a beautiful piece of work! What talent you have!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr (Oct 29, 2011)

OK. I have finished it. I think. I thought I had finished it at midday and I still found bits unfinished and added to it. I am a HUGE perfectionist with my work and try hard to find bits that are not right, so please feel free to say if something doesn't look quite right.
I also found it hard to get a good photo of it indoors when the natural daylight had gone.


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## penny3 (Dec 28, 2011)

thats amazing! i'd LOVE to be able to draw like that :-o


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## ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr (Oct 29, 2011)

Thank you.


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## iloverains (Apr 1, 2011)

It looks amazing!! IMHO, I think it would look more complete if you did more of the rump. But it is honestly such a well don drawing! Love it!!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

This is a superb rendering. The porportion is practically perfect and I especially like both the way you captured the glassiness of the eyeball and the skeletal structure of the eye socket., and the eyelid, somehting I struggle with.

Ok, two minor critisisms; one, in order for the nose to pop out more, as being in front of the chest, I would not have the edge of the darkened portion of the body come to meet so cleanly with the front edge of the muzzle. Let the muzzles stand by itself with some white around the front edge of it. This will enhance the fine detail and help it read as in front of the body.

The ears are a tiny bit small and they lack the sense of having a concave interior due to it being too solid dark. Sometimes the lighting is such that the dark interior IS pretty much a solid mass, but if there is some light, then you will see some of the interior curve of the ear, just as you see the interior curve of the nostril.

How big is this drawing?


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Very nice!


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## ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr (Oct 29, 2011)

tinyliny said:


> This is a superb rendering. The porportion is practically perfect and I especially like both the way you captured the glassiness of the eyeball and the skeletal structure of the eye socket., and the eyelid, somehting I struggle with.
> 
> Ok, two minor critisisms; one, in order for the nose to pop out more, as being in front of the chest, I would not have the edge of the darkened portion of the body come to meet so cleanly with the front edge of the muzzle. Let the muzzles stand by itself with some white around the front edge of it. This will enhance the fine detail and help it read as in front of the body.
> 
> ...


Thanks everyone. Thanks Tiny. I think I know what you mean. The photo I copied from had total black in the ears and this did make me feel like it was going to lack the detail because I like the detail of fluff in ears etc. Come to think of it, it was a magazine cover with text in front, so maybe they had altered the light on the actual photo for the text to show more? I have only just realised this. I should have uploaded the photo. Oh well! I agree, there are bits as you say that aren't 'quite right'. It's rare that I'm ever 100% happy with a pic, lol.

The picture is on A4.

I'm giving up on this one now and I'll start another.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr said:


> I'm giving up on this one now and I'll start another.


I don't think you should think of it as "giving up." I could never EVER draw that amazingly and in such a short time! It's nothing short of spectacular... crickey!

I can, however, write to kill  that is my forte--besides horses that is haha

Show me more!!


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## LadyNeigh (Jul 16, 2011)

that is absolutely wonderfully beautifully goregously amazing!! WOW!!! i absolutely ADORE that picture- you're SO amazing!!


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## ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr (Oct 29, 2011)

Thank you 

I have another one in the making. I've got my photo chosen. Thanks for all the nice words and constructive advice so far.


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

It's great! No critique from me, my artistic ability is limited to stick figures and drawing out horsemanship/showmanship patterns :wink:

I really like the eye, a lot of horse art that I see doesn't capture the kindness in their eyes. Very good, it evokes feeling. Can't wait to see the next one!


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## ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr (Oct 29, 2011)

OK - next one in the making. Lighting is bad, sorry. I'll post again when it's finished..


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Wooo looks awesome so far!


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## Caitlinpalomino (Nov 16, 2010)

Stunning so far!


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## DuffyDuck (Sep 27, 2011)

Can I kidnap you for a week...? Then you can do Duffy -headshot, Duffy- working, Duffy- bucking for glee, Duffy- being a mare. PLEASEEE


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

DuffyDuck said:


> Can I kidnap you for a week...? Then you can do Duffy -headshot, Duffy- working, Duffy- bucking for glee, Duffy- being a mare. PLEASEEE


LOL ruuuuunnnn OP!!!!


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## DuffyDuck (Sep 27, 2011)

You can come toooo :d


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr said:


> Thanks everyone. Thanks Tiny. I think I know what you mean. The photo I copied from had total black in the ears and this did make me feel like it was going to lack the detail because I like the detail of fluff in ears etc. Come to think of it, it was a magazine cover with text in front, so maybe they had altered the light on the actual photo for the text to show more? I have only just realised this. I should have uploaded the photo. Oh well! I agree, there are bits as you say that aren't 'quite right'. It's rare that I'm ever 100% happy with a pic, lol.
> 
> The picture is on A4.
> 
> I'm giving up on this one now and I'll start another.


 
My critisisms are minute. Please don't "give up"! YOu are majorly talented . I , too, sometimes get stuck on follwoing the photo too exactly.

Tell me again, what is A4? in inches or centimeter, please., In US we dont' use that paper measuring system, as far as I know.


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## attackships (Jan 12, 2012)

Your drawings are great. I used to draw horses all the time when i was younger, haven't in forever. Have a bad habit of only drawing the horse when it's looking slightly to my left lol. No idea why. I want to draw more in general too.


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## ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr (Oct 29, 2011)

lol tiny - I meant I'm giving up on that picture. Not all together! 

Right, ok, I've finished the second sketch. I _think_ I'm happy with it - not sure. Give me some pointers. My daughter says the right ear has issues - I can't see it myself. I traced the outline from a magazine so I don't know how I've got it wrong with sizes etc. Duffy - I would drive you mad if you hired me for a day lol. I also did this one on art cartridge paper - so the texture was a bit more grainy and I found it much more difficult than the other. 

btw A4 is 30cm by 21 cm - or standard print size paper. This picture is also A4.

So yeah, give me what you got guys, thanks.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

I kind of agree with your daughter.. the angle of the right ear is off.. it should be a little more angled to the right and I think maybe could move down as well. 

But my goodness, you are so talented.. ask me to draw you a horse and it's eye wouldn't be nearly as good as yours xP


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## ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr (Oct 29, 2011)

Eeerrrgghhh why can't I see that?!! It's doing my head in! It must be there if you say so, but I keep comparing it with the original horse picture and I can't see it. So frustrating!! *head wall*


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Maybe you should have her cut out a horse-ear shape and put it where she thinks it should go?


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

Try leaving it away from sight for a couple of days, and then coming back to it. Often if I've been looking at a drawing for 5 hours straight, the errors don't seem obvious. I'll leave it for the day, look at it the next day and realise how shocking off in proportions I was!


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## ILOVEHORSE (Jan 15, 2012)

That is so good


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## chaseranya (Jan 6, 2012)

That is absolutly beautiful. I would pay someone to draw my horse like that! You have a talent that's for sure. Keep those pencils out. I want to see more!!!


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## ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr (Oct 29, 2011)

chaseranya said:


> That is absolutly beautiful. I would pay someone to draw my horse like that! You have a talent that's for sure. Keep those pencils out. I want to see more!!!


Thank you  and thank you everyone else for the compliments. I am still failing to see the ear thing - it's *really* bugging me. Oh well, moving on, it's all good practise anyway. I've been approached by someone wanting to promote my work for possible commissions - so exciting - but I don't feel confident enough in myself to be able to do that yet!! :hide:

Tiny and kayty - have you got any advise in starting something like this? I guess I could start with a certain amount of free ones and then charge? Pencil drawings are my thing *at the moment* - but I'm guessing people prefer colour? I think I would. In which case, I'd need to experimenting more with the mediums before I appear able to do 'public commissions'? Do you think?


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I see nothing wrong with the angle of the ear. Maybe, if you really want to get nitpicky , it might be a bit narrower at the base, as the ear narrows down somemwhat just before it joins the body. Without the reference picture, it's hard to say.

this is a very nice sketch with really sensitive control of line and shading. The eye clearly dominates, as it should, and is supported by a couple of other places with equally dark accents, such as the nostril and under the chin. This is often my trouble; I work everything too much and lose my "accent".

Good work.


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## ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr (Oct 29, 2011)

Thank you tiny. I really appreciate what you have to say - your work is so inspiring. My girls have two weeks off school next week, so I'm hoping to get more done (believe it or not, it's easier when they aren't at school).
I have another one in the making at the moment, but I messed up the eye so I'm re-doing it. I'll post it when it's done.


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## ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr (Oct 29, 2011)

Ok, here's my next one. I don't know if I have nailed the eye 100% but, oh well, practise.
There's some other members who have also recently starting drawing again so I thought it would be good to put some stages up on how I progress with a drawing. Give me what you got. Constructive advice welcome


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

Absolutely LOVE this one. Brilliant job


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## ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr (Oct 29, 2011)

Thanks alot Kayty. Means alot coming from you. I watercoloured the same picture in black, so I'll post that later.


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## LadyNeigh (Jul 16, 2011)

I might have to kidnap you too!! You're AMAZING!!


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## aleeco (Jan 21, 2012)

*Me please?!!*

I would love one! they are amazing!


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## midwestgirl89 (Jul 7, 2009)

I love your work. The pencil is working very very well for you! I've gotten so comfortable with charcoal that I forgot about pencil. I think you might have just motivated me to get back into it again.


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## ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr (Oct 29, 2011)

Thanks.
Ok another in the making.. will post when finished.


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## iloverains (Apr 1, 2011)

oh man - why are you so god **** amazing?! 

They're all STUNNING!! and soooo well done!! You've inspired me to pull out my pencils!!  keep up the great work, and you should really think about selling these, I'd buy one!! Especially of my horse!!


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## ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr (Oct 29, 2011)

iloverains said:


> oh man - why are you so god **** amazing?!
> 
> They're all STUNNING!! and soooo well done!! You've inspired me to pull out my pencils!!  keep up the great work, and you should really think about selling these, I'd buy one!! Especially of my horse!!


LOL thank you. I feel my head getting bigger by the second. lololol
I think I will be doing commissions very soon. I'm getting alot of responses from the few I've done already, and on facebook aswell. Exciting! Watch this space.


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## iloverains (Apr 1, 2011)

Good on you!!!  and good luck! not that you will probably need it


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Like I said, gonna need a seperate bank account for all of these commissions I want done! Yours, Kayty's, Tinyliny's.. I'm scared to venture into anyone else's thread because I'll get hooked


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## ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr (Oct 29, 2011)

lol Sky :lol:

Ok, I've finished it. The lighting is really bad - it was taken indoors at night and it doesn't do the picture justice. I'll upload what I've got now but retake the picture tomorrow in daylight.


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

This is gorgeous, it is exactly the style of work that I love, so tight, so perfect, so detailed. 
Exactly what I get in trouble for trying to do, but I love it all the same!!


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## ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr (Oct 29, 2011)

Thanks Kayty.


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## midwestgirl89 (Jul 7, 2009)

I may have said this before but i love your style. It doesn't look like you blend and shade that much. That's the detail you and kayty do so well with, and i lose patience with


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Love it, it's like I could reach out there and rub its ear!


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## ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr (Oct 29, 2011)

Thanks 
and now retaken in daylight. More detail can be seen with this one. I'm BIG BIG BIG on detail!


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

Fantastic! I wish I could draw like that. *le sigh* Guess I'll stick to horsemanship & showmanship patterns


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## hannah_xx (Oct 7, 2008)

wow they are amazing!!


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

Wow!! You are very very skilled....love your attention to detail, and the realistic look to all of your work!! Outstanding!!!


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## ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr (Oct 29, 2011)

Thank you.

btw - I am currently offering a free drawing in the 'Art request' forum to all members. Please see the link below:

http://www.horseforum.com/art-requests/free-drawing-i-will-choose-best-110971/


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## Caitlinpalomino (Nov 16, 2010)

I LOVE your latest one it is so detailed!


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## Zephyrgirl636 (Jan 25, 2012)

Beautifully realistic


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## lilkitty90 (Nov 11, 2009)

confucious.. what kind of pencils do you use? just regular graphite? and do you use shading pencils? i am just getting back into drawing and i can get the outline down, but im to shy of ruining my drawings to shade them... i have no idea how. i cant ever get cross hatching to work, and drawing with a regular graphite pencil with no shading pencils just makes shading and blending horrible.


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## Flintlock (Sep 8, 2008)

Very nice!

Wess


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## ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr (Oct 29, 2011)

lilkitty90 said:


> confucious.. what kind of pencils do you use? just regular graphite? and do you use shading pencils? i am just getting back into drawing and i can get the outline down, but im to shy of ruining my drawings to shade them... i have no idea how. i cant ever get cross hatching to work, and drawing with a regular graphite pencil with no shading pencils just makes shading and blending horrible.


Thanks. 

Yes, I am drawing these using regular graphite pencils. I use mostly a B pencil for outlining and carry on using a B until I get to areas that require darker shading and use the other B's. But then I do go back and use a B again for detailed bits. It just depends on what you are drawing.

I kinda work in stages, so I do my faint outline and find the darkest shades and add them lightly, then find the next darkest and go over the darker ones Ive already done. I find if you always work light, you can go over what you have done already to get the tones right. If I add it too dark to begin with, I feel I've missed 'stages' if you know what I mean.
I also like to get the eye done and out of the way before my shading. If I get the eye 'right', then I'm happy that the rest of it will be fine. I think aswell, that Kayty gave a good tip on one of her threads saying that if you generally work from left to right, it is good because it stops you smudging your work.

I don't tend to cross hatch - however I do with rope halters - because it gives it a rope effect and then you can shade over it.

If you are worried about shading, do some practising with tones on cheaper paper. Practise hand control and be aware of the amount of pressure you are applying to the paper with the pencil. You just have to keep practising to get better. It's the only way.


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## ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr (Oct 29, 2011)

Winning photo in progress. Sorry I've been slow, this week has been busy and I had another drawing aswell.


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## iloverains (Apr 1, 2011)

Looks great so far, love his muzzle and eye !


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## Snizard93 (Oct 12, 2011)

That picture looks great already, you have so much talent it's unreal! How you get them so realistic baffles me :shock:


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Confu,

that is just exquisite! I love it unfinished. Don't over do it! IT's lovely, lovely lovely.


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## Snizard93 (Oct 12, 2011)

Sorry for double posting, but how do you blend/smodge your different tones/lines together so well?


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## ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr (Oct 29, 2011)

Thanks for all the nice comments  This one is taking me a while. It's oh so slightly larger than my other drawings and the shading on the face is proving challenging. Also there is WHITE hair! Argh! And capturing that with pencils is hard. Hopefully though it will appear as white as possible because the coat colour is darker than the hair.
Snizard - I don't smudge the pencils at all - I just take great care in getting the tones right with the pencils. Every mm of the drawed area has pencil applied to it. I don't smudge, rub etc. I do, however, sometimes use an eraser for highlights in places. I try not to but sometimes I'll do an area and it's too dark, and my eraser saves me! My biggest fault is that I am too slow.


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## Snizard93 (Oct 12, 2011)

ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr said:


> Thanks for all the nice comments  This one is taking me a while. It's oh so slightly larger than my other drawings and the shading on the face is proving challenging. Also there is WHITE hair! Argh! And capturing that with pencils is hard. Hopefully though it will appear as white as possible because the coat colour is darker than the hair.
> Snizard - I don't smudge the pencils at all - I just take great care in getting the tones right with the pencils. Every mm of the drawed area has pencil applied to it. I don't smudge, rub etc. I do, however, sometimes use an eraser for highlights in places. I try not to but sometimes I'll do an area and it's too dark, and my eraser saves me! My biggest fault is that I am too slow.


Oh I see, thank you. I don't think being too slow is necessarily a fault, at least great time is taken! I tend to rush my drawings... I have my first requested drawing to do so I am going to try and take as much time as possible! Your work inspires me. It's truly great.


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## ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr (Oct 29, 2011)

Aw thank you!  I'll be looking forward to seeing your finished work.


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## Snizard93 (Oct 12, 2011)

ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr said:


> Aw thank you!  I'll be looking forward to seeing your finished work.


Yours makes mine look like poop!


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## iloverains (Apr 1, 2011)

All I can say is... lucky Bubba!!


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## ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr (Oct 29, 2011)

Snizard93 said:


> Yours makes mine look like poop!


No way!


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## ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr (Oct 29, 2011)

OK, almost done. Ahhh I so wanna finish this!!!!... but I've gotta get to bed... alas.. more tomorrow! There's still more shading to do and.... zzzzzz *sorry fell asleep*........... lol


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## iloverains (Apr 1, 2011)

:O wow!! I wish I could take that long to do a drawing, my longest is 2 hours... hahaha! ahhh... well done!


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## Snizard93 (Oct 12, 2011)

Just beautiful  can't wait to see it finished!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Absolutely exquisite!


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## Caitlinpalomino (Nov 16, 2010)

Amazing! The amount of detail you can get in your drawings is just WOW!


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## ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr (Oct 29, 2011)

It's FINALLY done! Phew! Taken in artificial light as it's late here. I'll take another tomorrow in daylight and add it to my album.


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## ElaineLighten (Jan 1, 2012)

lovely lovely!!


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## Snizard93 (Oct 12, 2011)

That is just amazing! I hope you are very proud :lol:


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

This is a lovely portrait of a horse. The artist did not exactly duplicate the lighting and shadowing of the photograph, but this is not a bad thing. It shows she is doing a portrait of the HORSE< , not a replication of a photograph.
If I were to be very nitpicky, I misht say that the eye socket lacks a bit of shading that would help it come across more as 3 dimensional . Horses' eye sockets do tend to have a fairly portruding bone structure, that does creat a shadow. However, that's minor nitpicking. Bit, people expect me to nitpick, so I have a reputation to keep!


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## ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr (Oct 29, 2011)

Thank you tiny. I always think in anything, do try and find fault to make it even better than what it is, and I find it is SO hard with my own artwork to do that. 

I was aware of the shadowing on the right side of the horse not being as dark as the photo, but I didn't want to darken it that much. Does anyone think I should??
I will make some slight adjustments to the eye aswell, and the two lines beneath it, as in the photo they are also more blended together than my drawing.
Thank you tiny!


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## Snizard93 (Oct 12, 2011)

ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr said:


> Thank you tiny. I always think in anything, do try and find fault to make it even better than what it is, and I find it is SO hard with my own artwork to do that.
> 
> I was aware of the shadowing on the right side of the horse not being as dark as the photo, but I didn't want to darken it that much. Does anyone think I should??
> I will make some slight adjustments to the eye aswell, and the two lines beneath it, as in the photo they are also more blended together than my drawing.
> Thank you tiny!


I don't think you should lighten it, like tiny said, it's the horse, not the photograph


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I think you need do nothing and it will read just fine. There is always a risk when you try to do "more", that you'll end up going too far and ruining something that's darn good. You might be able to gently darken it, but it isn't necessary.

One thing you can do, if you have a scanner, or can take a good photo, and then print it out at home, then make the adjustment in pencil, lightly on the copy , and see if you think it's an improvement or not.


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## midwestgirl89 (Jul 7, 2009)

tinyliny said:


> I think you need do nothing and it will read just fine. There is always a risk when you try to do "more", that you'll end up going too far and ruining something that's darn good. You might be able to gently darken it, but it isn't necessary.
> 
> One thing you can do, if you have a scanner, or can take a good photo, and then print it out at home, then make the adjustment in pencil, lightly on the copy , and see if you think it's an improvement or not.


:shock: I have never thought of doing that before! That's an awesome suggestion tiny!


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