another Horse

Dawn2 wrote

on 15 Jul 2009 12:18 PM

lil.jpg

Here is the painting I have been working on. I am going to but it aside and see if I like it in a few days. The eye looks off but that’s because of the angle I took the reference photo, not sure if I like it.

Sorry about the poor quality image just cant seem to get a good photo or scan, I think when I moved everything went out of sink . I am working on another maybe I will post a work in progress, just that sometimes the steps look so ugly, LOL This time a black horse.

nrynes wrote

on 16 Jul 2009 12:40 PM

Dawn -

It's always a good idea to do what you're doing - put it aside if you're not liking it. The technical aspects of the painting itself are good - meaning you've rendered the horse well.

I think the challenge here (and you've noted it) is the angle of the reference photo. It's a really, really tough one to pull off and make it look "right" to the viewer of the painting. Some photos I don't use for this reason - they may make a great photo, but may not easily translate into a painting because of strange perspective issues. In this case, it almost looks like you're dealing with "fisheye distortion" in the photo...there probably isn't an easy way to overcome this in the painting...at least I don't know of one other than trying to fix it by using another reference photo that doesn't have the distortion.

Good luck and let us know what you do :)

Nancy

Dawn2 wrote

on 17 Jul 2009 6:43 AM

I have hung it in the studio so I can look at it and decide what to do. One problem I have is if I don’t finish the painting soon I will never go back to it, have lots of canvases with half finished paintings that will never get done.

So do you think if I "open" the eye it will work? I guess I have nothing to lose by trying that. I often paint unusual view points with the animals well not unusual but different, I just love doing that. Most of the time I can fix things so it looks right to the viewer, this time I just did not see the problem until I was so far into it. The good part is I almost always work from my own reference so I have lots of images of this horse. The funny thing is I have a painting of just her eye, go figure. Thanks for the advise I think I will continue with this and see what happens

Dawn2 wrote

on 17 Jul 2009 6:46 AM

#18-lils-eye-painting.jpg

Here is an eye study, its actually the same horse if I can find that image I may try and use it

that_crazy_lady wrote

on 19 Jul 2011 9:14 AM

I'm not sure if  you are still working on this, but what you mite try is to find more photos from that same angle, then you mite nodis {spl??} other detales that will tell your mind that the eye is right. Or maybe just a bit more detal within the eye to give it that real look...horse eyes seem to catch light like nothing else.

And I tip my hat to you for taking on this angle, most people over think horses in art and freak them selves out befor they ever start.

jameswood037 wrote

on 18 Oct 2011 11:39 PM

Wow, you did a great job. Nice. But seems horse didn't have anything yet. LOL.. looking head is big and neck lean and long. Oh may be its the style of painting.