Horse and Rider Portrait 'work in progress'

I began this over the weekend. This is Bucky and Brenda! Bucky is a cute little buckskin mini and Brenda is not actually a rider but a driver. She has a cart that Bucky pulls. This is in oils and is not completed yet... and as always I have to preface posting these photos with the disclaimer that the oil paint does not photograph well when wet (how else can you do WIP with oil though???). I like to work 'wet into wet' for the most part so the paint is not drying in between my painting sessions. Toward the end I may let it dry completely but in this series so far its been wet into wet. My other disclaimer is it is not done yet so check back when you can see how I've finished it. Or subscribe to the blog to see more work in progress pics.

I do like to show WIP pics because I think its interesting to watch the painting take shape... and it helps with educating people who I do commissions for. They are included in on the process and hopefully appreciate the time involved in creating something from a blank slate and also the evolution and changes the paitnign goes thru. And yes, sometimes it goes thru an ugly stage. The key is not to panic because it is still a work in progress. LOL!

You can see in this painting I started off by just using a rag and my finger to mark off the big shapes. I did my drawing with the paint. Sometimes the way in which I start is a little more methodical with detailed sketches but I do enjoy this kind of start in certain cases because it feels more original, authentic and tactile for me. I am not trying to recreate a photo but am allowing my vision and artistic license to have a little fun. :) I begin this way for my more painterly work. When the end goal is to be more lifelike, highly detailed and realistic I take a slower approach. Brenda is okay with artistic license and painterly! :) I like seeing the brushstrokes and using efficient strokes to say what I need to say. At least thats the goal in a more 'painterly' painting.

In this WIP I am further along on Bucky than I am on Brenda. I have decided from this point I want the paint on her face to dry before I continue on her. The actually face is not that big-- the whole painting is 9 x 12 so I am working in a small area. I feel like I've got the basic structures in and the next step is to refine. I need to keep the shading and very fine definition so that determined the need for the paint to set up before I move on.

With Bucky I need to get more texture in his coat-- he has his woolly winter coat but I also needed the definition in his face so he doesn't look like a big ball of fur! :)

Thanks for following along. To see more equine and animal art and finished portrait commissions go to http://www.suesteiner.com/

Thank you!

Sue Steiner