# Not your usual conformation critique...



## roxxy (May 4, 2011)

Id say the back looks too long, the front knee joint looks a bit high up, and the chest looks a tad weird. apart from that looks ok (head, mane, tail). Also the start of tail might need to come down a bit?


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

Take a look at this. Before you put something this permanent on yourself if you want perfection also take a look at some of Edweard Muybrridge's photos. At the turn of the century when photography was new he did series of photos showing how a horse moves (freeze frames). This showed, among other things, that a horse has a moment of suspension at the trot (had been a long argument). The horse you have drawn looks like he is doing two gaits at once.. or as if he was running along and then dodged or something. 

Here is an overlay I did on your drawing. It is not great.. but I think you get the idea. Drawing horses is a specialty (been doing it for 50 years).


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

Here is some Muybridge stuff. You will see what I mean... I think. Horses move quite precisely.


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## SnowCowgirl (Jun 3, 2010)

I love that set of photos... I'd love to have a reel of Muybridge photos framed on my wall.

If you're looking for perfection and precision you'd be better off to go from a photo. You just take it to the tattoo artist. That way you don't have to worry about flaws in a drawing... nothing can be as realistic as a photo.


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## Roperchick (Feb 1, 2010)

I would take this in to a tattoo artist to see how your body is going to twist the image as well.

I have a tattoo of a tribal horse I drew myself on my ribs. and the way it was drawn on it did change the image and it also changes as I twist and flex to be careful of that.

your best bet is to go in once you decide on it, and they will do a wipeable ink trace of it so that you can see the play of it on your skin and then tweak it to make it better there

heres how mine turned out so let it be a warning lol
ref pic








actual tattoo (I was twisting left to get this pic...hence why the neck and legs are out of proportion)


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

I own the complete, original Muybridge books. All three of them. They are quite valuable.


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## SnowCowgirl (Jun 3, 2010)

that's awesome Elana!


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## WSArabians (Apr 14, 2008)

Personally... I'd add a little more dish to the face, refinement throughout the throat latch, and a smaller muzzle.


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

WSArabians said:


> Personally... I'd add a little more dish to the face, refinement throughout the throat latch, and a smaller muzzle.


(I think she means to make him an Arabian....) (Shhh.. don't let anyone know...) LOL


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## WSArabians (Apr 14, 2008)

Elana said:


> (I think she means to make him an Arabian....) (Shhh.. don't let anyone know...) LOL


Who, me?? 








LOL


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## Roperchick (Feb 1, 2010)

subtle, WSArabians. subtle. lol


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## WSArabians (Apr 14, 2008)

Roperchick said:


> subtle, WSArabians. subtle. lol


That's my middle name! :lol:


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## existentialpony (Dec 4, 2012)

In all honesty, I think that you should take a picture of a moving horse that you like along with the picture you've drawn, and find a tattoo artist who as done animal-type work before. Ask them to turn what you have into a more realistically proportioned line drawing. A good artist will give you one or two options (maybe more!) and transfer a mock-up of the tattoo on to your arm so that you can critique it and make it "just so" before they start inking!


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## Tryst (Feb 8, 2012)

What you have sketched reminds me of the ford mustang logo a bit. Not sure if you intended for that or not. I know it is different, but the flowing mane and line drawing has a similar feel to me.


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## CaptainLiecy (Sep 29, 2009)

Tryst said:


> What you have sketched reminds me of the ford mustang logo a bit. Not sure if you intended for that or not. I know it is different, but the flowing mane and line drawing has a similar feel to me.


Hahahaha oh my goodness it does!  definitely a crazy horsey car girl  
Thank you everyone for your advice! I really appreciate it 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SunnyMeadeFarm (Sep 3, 2012)

Okay here it goes..... stay with me if you can!

My first bit of advice is to not draw it yourself unless you are a experienced artist. I would suggest commissioning an artist to draw one for you. But if you really want to draw your own, here is my advice:

First I took your drawing and made a very rough sketch here: 









I would suggest studying the musculature of the equine form, I suggest some simple bone and body anatomy reference studies: (De)Constructing the Arabian Head by *Ehetere on deviantART / Horse Skeleton by ~Tikall on deviantART / Equine Proportions by =ElaineSeleneStock on deviantART / Horse Muscles Anatomy by *DarkKenjie on deviantART 
Deviantart.com is great tool.
Then combining your reference pages find a photography of a horse running, and carefully reconstruct the shapes within the image while following the general horse shape. Your can see how I have done this in my sketch some notable examples looking at my sketch, (which could be refined to a much higher degree but I kept is simple)are the neck and shoulder shapes, as well as the head attachment which is slightly lacking in your drawing. Also notice the rear legs, yours go straight, while a horses have a triangular hock. 

But I put yours next to mine so you can see the differences yourself, Hope I helped a bit. I'd be glad to answer and questions.

For further reference of what I mean by refining the sketch which I think is what you need to do, here is fully refined (or fully fixed & edited lining) of my own:









this started as what I have exampled as a sketch for yours and I kept using smaller and more exact lines until it became acceptable to my own artistic vision.


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## SnowCowgirl (Jun 3, 2010)

great links Sunny Meade!!


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## SunnyMeadeFarm (Sep 3, 2012)

SnowCowgirl said:


> great links Sunny Meade!!


Thanks, I love to wealth of information on Deviantart.com, these are just a few of the better ones I have found, but there are much much more.


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