Joie de vivre

I had my Happy Year of the Horse painting pinned on my wall;  indulging myself in narcissistic glaring sessions.

After the initial euphoria had subsided, I stepped back and began my self critique phase.

I need better looking lower limbs on that horse.

I started with the same basic outline of the animal, but with a broader stroke.  I was going for sort of a boneless brush stroke, creating more of a silhouette than outlines.  I was hoping this would make my brush more expressive.

I was treating the lower shanks more like a calligraphy stroke;  with discrete stops and lifts and pressure variation.  I also pre-wet my brush with alum solution.  As you recall from all my toying with alum solution, I was going for that discrete white margin around the brush strokes.  As I overlay and correct my lines, these white margins would give an illusion of muscle groups and tendons.  If I was a master in brush painting, I would have left the "white spaces" to my brush but I am not at that level yet.  Thus I cheated with my faithful alum solution!

Another thing I need to mention is that I had tried to paint the mane and tail with side tip strokes and they just don't look right.  After I looked at Xu Beihong's horses, I realized that they should be done with center tip brush strokes.  Since the lines go every which way, it is important to rotate the shaft of the brush such that the tip is always lined up with the changes in direction, thus maintaining the center tip attitude.


Side tip strokes

 

 

Center tip strokes

This is the revised version of my horse.  I am certain we can still find fault with my techniques and craftsmanship, but I am happy with the expression and the feeling the painting conveys.  I especially appreciate the neck and head movement.

I sense that the horse is speaking to me.  This is a Happy-Go-Lucky horse.  This is a horse with that Joie de vivre swagger.

Wishing you all the same!

Horsing Around (with horses this time)

The last time that I was horsing around, I was trying to paint a herd of zebras back in 2009.  I was more intrigued with the black and white contrast and the shape of the herd.

My motivation for horsing around this time is because of the Year of the Horse in our lunar calendar.  You can say that I am trying a little  harder, and with a little more heart.

I started out by sketching a horse on my sketch book with a brush fountain pen,  just to get a feel of how the animal might look with brushed lines.

 

 

Then I started in earnest with a Chinese brush to doodle on Xuan paper.

 

 

 

I found a reference book with paintings of horses by Xu Beihong( 1895 -1953).  Mr.Xu is acknowledged as an authority of  horse painting in modern Chinese painting.  I tried to study and emulate his brushstrokes and style.  He actually spent some time studying drawing and oil painting in Paris.  I think his horses display a strong sense of Chinese brush strokes mixed with a western flavor  of anatomy and shading.

 

 

 

 

Emboldened by his examples, I tried the following

 

 

 

Using a combination of brush fountain pen, Chinese brush and charcoal, I rendered this horse on drawing pad as the model for my horse painting.

 

 

 

This time around I line drew the horse on Xuan with brush and ink.

 

 

 

Filled in shading.

 

 

 

 

Touched up my lines.  Using the coffee that I was drinking to add further shading.  I thought that added warmth to the tone.

 

 

 

 

 

Happy New Year, Year of the Horse

Have a Happy, Safe and Prosperous New Year !

馬到功成 !
身體健康 !