The head of a horse is the most recognizable feature. It is very important to capture the proper proportions of this part of the animal in order to draw a realistic horse. It is a good idea to start by studying a few reference photos of horses. Then you can compare different elements to one another, such as the size of the head versus the size of the neck. Afterward, you can draw the basic shapes and details on your paper.
Using a pencil, lightly sketch a rough outline of the head and neck on your paper. This doesn’t need to be perfect, but should give you a starting point and allow you to see how your drawing is going to fit on the page.
Next, sketch a large circle for the head and a smaller oval-like shape for the neck. Keep in mind that the proportions of these two shapes will vary depending on the breed of the horse. The forehead and muzzle of a foal will be closer together than that of a heavy draft horse, for instance.
When drawing a horse’s face, you will need to use simple shapes, such as circles and ovals. For the ears, you will need to create curved lines. You will also need to sketch the inside of each ear, indicating the shape of its structure. Finally, you will need to draw a few strands of its mane hair.
Now that you have the basic shape of the head, you will need to add details such as eyes and the mouth. You will need to carefully follow the shapes of the features as they appear in the reference photo. You will also need to add shading to create the correct shadows and highlights.
A good way to draw a realistic nose is to trace the lines of the nostrils and then connect them to the mouth. This will give you the proper proportions of the horse’s nose and mouth. It is a good idea to sketch these lines on the surface of your paper, so you can erase them later if necessary.
If you have a good understanding of the anatomy of the horse, it will be easier to replicate these structures in your drawings. For example, the eyes of a horse are shaped differently than those of a human, but you can still make them look realistic if you know how to draw the right details.
Once you have finished adding the details of the eyes and nose, you can begin to trace over your outlines with a more precise tool. You should ideally be using an eraser that allows you to see the exact shape of your sketch marks, such as a kneaded eraser, several blending stumps or an electric eraser. This will allow you to make the smallest adjustments and make your horse head drawing more lifelike. It is important to make constant adjustments, much like a sculptor does when working with clay.