When Art Meets Science: Thoughts on Learning to Draw the Horse

Equine Art History Tidbit: Art Meets Science

Did you know that Leonardo DaVinci and George Stubbs studied horse anatomy by dissection?

They drew what they observed in great detail, and their horse anatomy sketches are still studied today.

Both artists were fascinated by the beauty and science of the equine form. Their intense study shines through in the amazing works of art they created.

When the science of equine anatomy met their artistic talents, masterpieces were created.

Do you want to draw horses? YES!

They are a favorite subject of artists going all the way back to the pre-historic cave paintings of Lascaux. Humans have long been fascinated by the beauty, nobility and grace of the equine.

When learning to draw a horse, you must study equine anatomy. There are many good books on the subject, including the sketches of George Stubbs (book pictured above), and real, live horses can be observed at riding facilities, stables, shows and other equine events.

But, do not get discouraged. Horses are very hard to draw for many reasons: they are complex. They have a complicated anatomy and possess an incredible range of movement. There are many different breeds and types of horses. Age is also a factor: a yearling looks vastly different than a five year old horse, and a fifteen year old horse looks vastly different from a thirty year old horse.

Learning to draw horses takes many, many hours of study and sketching. If you love horses and drawing, this will be fun for you. Keep all of your sketches and see how you improve over weeks, months and years of study. You will be amazed.

Here are some things to remember when learning to draw horses:

It is absolutely essential to know how the muscles move when the horse is in motion. You must know how the muscles all relate and move together and how the muscles expand and contract when the horse is trotting, cantering, galloping, walking, standing, rearing, jumping, etc. And, each of these movements has varying stages and footfalls. And what about drawing the horse from all different angles, in varying stages of movement? Yup. Gotta know that too.

Study a live horse in action and then, run your hands over a horse. Feel the horse's muscles, feel the bone under the muscle. Feel the hair and skin over the muscles. Note how the hair cowlicks on the flank and swirls in the middle of the forehead.

Sketch not only what you see, but what you feel.

Observe, and sketch.

The horse is one of the most difficult subjects to draw. They are complex, intricate, expressive and beautiful. Watch a real horse and see what he has to teach you.

Bring a sketchbook! And keep creating, creating, creating...and above all, have fun!



(pictured: the front cover of George Stubbs' "Anatomy of the Horse")