Raise your hand if you've ever read Misty of Chincoteague!
Anybody?
Okay, well, if you haven't read it, it's a neat book, based on a true story, about a foal named Misty...but I digress...
Anyway, so, I found this neat photo on Pixabay...Chincoteague ponies on Pony Penning Day. Thought I'd have a go at painting it, and this time I remembered to take pictures in case it worked out.
I think it worked out, but, I mean...you can be the judge.
So, here's a step-by-step:
First, I do a detailed preliminary sketch to map out where my paints are going, then start laying on the color.
Floating heads...
I use a lot of dark brown hues, trying to depict an afternoon sun that casts stark shadows. I put a little blue on some of the ponies, where water-laden hair would reflect the blue sky.
Time to paint the water! I'm new to this, so it's kind of fun and kind of scary for me. But I base my coloring on reflections. As for the mini wave crests, I notice they follow a sort of "H" pattern.
The "H's" are in brown hues (reflected from wet and tired ponies) and the rest of the water reflects the blue sky.
More water!
I add some marsh grass, then add some extra ponies to that lonely left corner.
Is that one pony driving anybody else crazy? You know...that one swimming behind the third one up? It just looks wrong, somehow...
Oh well. Back to the painting: I make water bubbles by just dabbing white paint around the horses. Yeah, it's pretty easy...is that allowed?
Okay, yes, I eliminated that pony swimming behind the third one up because it was messing with the feng sui of the composition (we'll just say that pony swam ahead of the rest of the herd).
And...we're done here!
Thanks for viewing!
Yours,
Callie
