Horses are the perfect subject for a full body drawing, with their massive limbs and beautiful mane and tail. However, they also have proportions that are different from human bodies, which can make them challenging to draw.
To simplify the drawing, start by sketching a rough outline of your horse. This doesn’t have to be perfect or even look like a horse, but it will give you an idea of how much space you need and help you keep the shape accurate. Draw this very lightly with a pencil.
When you have the basic outline, consult your reference photo to see if you’ve got the proportions correct. If not, don’t worry – you can always go back and adjust your sketch.
Now it’s time to add some detail! You can use curved lines to create the impression of muscle texture, or you can use straight lines to create shadow. Either way, be sure to add some cross-hatching – a combination of overlapping curved and straight lines. This technique creates the illusion of depth and helps to define muscles.
Next, add details to the ears. The front ear should be long and thin, and come to a point at the top. Behind it, draw a fatter oval that is shaped more like a petal. Then, connect the two ears with a line.
Once you’ve finished adding the head, move on to the legs. For the front leg, draw a circle for the knee and fetlock joint, and another circle for the hoof. Using the guide lines you created in step 2, draw around the leg guides and add bumps for joints and where the hoof will be.
After completing the leg, move on to the back leg. Again, drawing the leg is easy if you use the guidelines that you’ve already drawn for the first leg. Just be careful not to erase your guide lines before you finish the final leg – you will need them later when you redraw the legs to ensure that you’ve kept the proportions correct!
Before you draw the hoof, remember that horses have hooves, not feet. This means that their feet are located where ours would be if we were standing on the back of a horse. For this reason, it’s important to draw the rounded shape of the hoof correctly.
Finally, add the mane and tail. A horse’s mane isn’t as long and voluminous as the hair on the rest of its body, so you can draw it as a broom of short, tangled hair. The tail can be either flowing out or tucked in against the horse’s body.
With these simple steps, you should have a completed drawing of a beautiful horse. If you follow these instructions closely, the end result will be a stunning piece of art that you can be proud of! Be sure to practice often, and use a good quality pencil so that you can make the most of this amazing opportunity to learn how to draw a horse.