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My Process

...because sometimes I get asked how I create my drawings. So, I tried my absolute best to describe my process so you can better understand how a piece is created.

How I Create My Equine Drawings
By Helen Scanlon

My equine drawings are driven by memory and imagination. I sit at my table and conjure an image, a feeling, and sketch what comes to my mind. I try to utilize all five senses when I create a piece of art. For me, this process requires much more than simply looking at a horse and putting him or her on paper. Instead, I go deep into my memory banks and pull out scenes from my life with horses, and incorporate the 35+ years I have been studying and drawing them.

I think of a horse, immerse myself in the awe that the horse inspires, and I let the lines form my feelings. I focus on staying loose and expressive with quick lines and lots of texture from the paper.

When I draw a horse, I can actually feel my hands going over each part of the horse. As I draw a leg, I can feel my thumb fitting neatly inside the groove of the cannon bone. I can feel my hand grasp the fetlock and lift the hoof and cup it in my hand. I can hear, smell, touch and see the horse in my mind’s eye.

I usually carry a sketchbook with me at all times so I can draw when the feeling strikes; I love sketching the live action at horse shows and events. There is always something new to learn or practice.

I do not copy photos to create my drawings, and I will sometimes use an anatomically correct horse “manikin” to assist me with certain full-body poses.

Occasionally, a drawing will be the result of a live study, and I will mark those drawings accordingly with a notation, “live study,” near my signature.

If a piece of tack is complex, I will refer to tack diagrams or photos, or occasionally the actual item to assist me in accurately capturing the tack or harness.

The final result usually reflects the mood I was in when I created the piece

Random thoughts:

1. It is a lot of fun drawing this way. There are no limits to the imagination!

2. However, gearing up the imagination takes some energy and time. It's not something that can be pushed or rushed. (But it's still fun)

3. When I am done with a piece, I usually hang it up in my house for a few days. I display it in a place where I will see it every day. It is then that flaws will jump out at me. Then, back up to the studio and fix, fix, fix!

4. The key to a quick, loose line: don't overwork it or it will lose the expression. I use a lively, quick line. When the memory and imagination kick in, my pencil goes pretty fast.

5. And I love it!

Awaiting the snow in Connecticut,
Helen