This post has been originally deputed for SketchBook Blog in 2016. After the site'south migration, the original is no longer available, just you can still access the content here. Enjoy!

In SketchBook Original: How to Animate Horses I showed you lot how to create a horse silhouette with a few simple lines — plus how to create a moving equus caballus out of them. Today, I'll show you how you can expand your skills to brand that simplified horse wait real. You'll acquire advanced anatomy, the glaze colors, breeds, and a method to describe the hooves and head. I'll besides show you how I drew these horses pace past footstep, along with coloring and shading them in SketchBook.

how-to-draw-horses-step-by-step-13

Horse Beefcake

We learned how to describe the basic anatomy in the last tutorial, now it's fourth dimension to add together more detail to information technology. Short hair of the horse makes its muscles very visible, and drawing a equus caballus without them will make the animal look fat. You lot can use the diagram below to draw realistic muscles, merely in that location's also another way.

how-to-draw-horses-muscles

There's no need to think all these muscles, considering most of them are not visible most of the time. You can use that diagram for a horse in gallop, or for a shiny, muscular equus caballus, merely in most cases yous only need to recall these forms. They may wait complicated, but give them a try and you lot'll see how each of them immediately tells you where to put some other 1.

Don't worry if you can't remember the small parts in joints—you can simply draw the simplified joints you have learned in the previous tutorial
Don't worry if you can't think the small parts in joints—you can merely depict the simplified joints you lot have learned in the previous tutorial.

These lines tin can exist then turned into a subtle pattern of fur all over the body:

how-to-draw-horses-muscles-drawing

To arrive all even more realistic, keep in mind the direction of the pilus over the trunk. Pay special attention to the abrupt modify of direction before the thigh and on the breast.

how-to-draw-horses-fur-direction

How to Draw Horse Hooves

You already know how to draw unproblematic horse hooves, simply let's have a closer look at them this time.

Get-go with a line defining the general position of the "foot." Remember near the joints of your finger!

how-to-draw-horses-hooves-1

End the line with the length of the hoof.

how-to-draw-horses-hooves-2

For a 3D position you need to requite the hooves their bodily shape. The bottom of a hoof looks like a cut office of an oval. Ovals, or ellipses, can be easily drawn in perspective with one rule: They're sharp next to the astute angles…

how-to-draw-horses-hooves-3

… and flat side by side to the obtuse angles.

how-to-draw-horses-hooves-4

Draw a line above to define the top of the hoof. Be very careful about its position in perspective!

how-to-draw-horses-hooves-5

Again, add together a shape of a part of an ellipse to the top of the hoof. It's slightly rotated, so this can't be just a copy of the bottom.

how-to-draw-horses-hooves-6

Draw the intersection of the upper function of the "foot." Yous need to apply perspective here also, but it doesn't need to be perfect.

how-to-draw-horses-hooves-7

Close the grade of the hoof…

how-to-draw-horses-hooves-8

… and of that round role to a higher place.

how-to-draw-horses-hooves-9

Add the "cap" to the hoof. Detect how it creates two tips behind the hoof—information technology'due south because the hoof is actually a nail with two edges folded to the back (it's non a closed shape).

how-to-draw-horses-hooves-10

Finish the outline of each pes. In perspective, remember to accentuate the dissimilarity between thin bones and the round parts.

how-to-draw-horses-hooves-11

Finish the drawing. It doesn't need to exist every bit detailed as this, especially when you're not cartoon a shut-up.

how-to-draw-horses-hooves-12

How to Describe a Equus caballus Head

Start with a shape of a flattened teardrop. No matter what perspective you apply for this drawing, you demand to exist able to visualize this class in your head.

how-to-draw-horses-head-1
This shape includes the cheeks and the tip of the caput.

Draw a line to the mouth, and finish it with a sphere. The space between both forms should exist roughly smaller than the sphere.

how-to-draw-horses-head-2

Connect both forms with another line to create the lower office of the head.

how-to-draw-horses-head-3

Create the sides of the head with two lines. This side line should be placed roughly in 2-thirds of the head'southward top.

how-to-draw-horses-head-4

Describe infinite for the eyes and nose over these lines.

how-to-draw-horses-head-5

The top of the head is flattened and it has a certain shape. Draw information technology, connecting optics and nose with it.

how-to-draw-horses-head-6

Draw a smaller sphere inside the mouth sphere. This will be the space for the bodily muzzle.

how-to-draw-horses-head-7

Cut the sphere in thirds and draw the mouth line, finishing it with round corners.

how-to-draw-horses-head-8

Eyes should exist slightly protruding, then add humps behind them.

how-to-draw-horses-head-9

Draw two spheres on the top of the head to create the space for ears.

how-to-draw-horses-head-10

The ears should be shaped similar narrow ovals stuck to the spheres.

how-to-draw-horses-head-11

The ears have pointed tips directed towards the middle.

how-to-draw-horses-head-12

OK, the general shape of the caput is done! Allow's draw the details now, one by one.

How to Describe Horse Cage

Outline the mouth with meaty lips. In that location should be a prominent chin nether them.

how-to-draw-horses-head-13

The nose can be drawn with one line. This shape can be narrow when the horse is relaxed, and very round when the horse is running or existence aroused.

how-to-draw-horses-head-14

And so you lot can add some fleshy nostrils around.

how-to-draw-horses-head-15

How to Draw Equus caballus Eyes

Commencement with an oval placed quite close to the forehead.

how-to-draw-horses-head-16

Comprehend the oval with an eyelid. This shape is very characteristic for a equus caballus.

how-to-draw-horses-head-17 how-to-draw-horses-head-18

Add the lower eyelid.

how-to-draw-horses-head-19 how-to-draw-horses-head-20

Equally I mentioned before, the eyes are protruding, then add some class above them. Information technology should look like excessive peel folded over the eye.

how-to-draw-horses-head-21

Add the curtains of eyelashes.

how-to-draw-horses-head-22

Finish by defining bone construction over the optics.

how-to-draw-horses-head-23

How to Depict Horse Ears

The ears are made of sparse peel, merely it notwithstanding has some width. Draw the edge of the ears using this width.

how-to-draw-horses-head-24

Draw the back of the ears, wrinkling the skin where necessary.

how-to-draw-horses-head-25

Draw the fur inside the ears.

how-to-draw-horses-head-26

How to Draw Horse Caput Muscles

You can draw a horse head without any muscles, but they make a drawing more realistic. Let'due south learn how to simulate some anatomy in a simple way.

Outline the cheek. There's a bony protrusion on top of it, very important for a realistic look.

how-to-draw-horses-head-27

Draw an oval between the cheek and muzzle. Information technology's a complex of various muscles, only it usually looks like one thick muscle and it's easier to remember this mode.

how-to-draw-horses-head-28

Connect each nostril and the center with two interconnecting muscles.

how-to-draw-horses-head-29

Draw ii stretched muscles nether that oval in the heart.

how-to-draw-horses-head-30

Accentuate the flat forehead. In that location's no muscles here, then its form should be very clear.

how-to-draw-horses-head-31

Close the outline of the caput.

how-to-draw-horses-head-32

If you want, you tin add more details to the muscles this manner:

how-to-draw-horses-head-33 how-to-draw-horses-head-34

You can now finish the drawing! Keep in mind that horses accept a horizontal educatee in their eyes just like goats. In most cases it's not visible because the eyes are brown or black, merely think it if yous want to give your horse blue optics!

how-to-draw-horses-head-35

How to Describe a Horse Mane and Tail

Horses are unique non just because of their proportions, but also because of beautiful mane and hair that'due south different than hair on the residual of the body. They're not hard to depict, but you need to understand how they "work" to create a correct drawing.

The actual tail is quite short and thin, but there's long hair attached to it. It's more like a broom of loose pilus than a furry tail. The mane grows from the middle of the neck, and usually falls on one side of it (or "breaks" to fall to the other side every bit well, creating an outcome seen in the outset image). Some of the mane hair can land on the forehead.

The length of tail and mane in nature is quite set for applied reasons: the mane covers part or all the neck, and the tail doesn't come to the ground. Withal, if the equus caballus is specially cared for, the hair can abound far longer than that.

how-to-draw-horses-mane-tail

Horse Colors

Horses have very diverse coloration, with a circuitous genetic rules behind all the cute coat colors. In theory, there are just two equus caballus colors: black or not black (brown). The other ones are created past additional genes that strengthen, weaken, or mix the actual base colors. Yous don't need to go a specialist of genetics to draw a realistic horse; just use this chart for the most popular combinations (I'm sorry if I didn't include your favorite one—at that place's as well many!). If you desire to know more (or remember information technology better) I'll tell you a few words well-nigh each color:

  • Chestnut: a base color, also called ruby. Anecdote horses have fifty-fifty colour over the body, with the mane and tail either the same color or brighter (chestnut horses with very bright mane ring tail are chosen flaxen). The actual color can vary from vivid red to very dark chocolate-brown (e.grand., liver chestnut).
  • Bay: a very popular color for most breeds. Information technology looks like chestnut with black "points:" lower legs and mane with tail. Bay horses can have various shades of brown, with a special variation chosen seal-brownish bay. Such a equus caballus sports a very dark shade of brown, with red showing under the abdomen, before the thigh, behind the elbow, and on the muzzle.
  • Gray: 1000ray horses are often dislocated with white. They are born with another color, and then they gray out with historic period. Since they go on a dark skin from their previous coat, they're never fully white (they often accept a darker muzzle and fur around the eyes, unless their original glaze had white markings in those places). Gray horses may look quite differently during their transition into a fully "white" stage. Nosotros differentiate, among others, rose gray (a scarlet/brown horse lighted by white hair), flea-bitten gray (well-nigh completely white pilus with single cherry hairs all around the body; it can be the final phase as well), and dapple gray (various shades of gray with spots of white).
  • White: It's a rare color, and it happens just if the skin is pink (without pigment). Truly white horses are built-in white, and they tin can have blue eyes. White horses are non albino!
  • Palomino: It's a lightened version of chestnut. Palomino horses are golden/blond with mane and tail of the same color, brighter, or fifty-fifty white.
  • Buckskin: Just like palomino, but it happens to genetically bay horses. The main coat becomes lighter, while the points stay dark.
  • Cremello: It's a whitened version of palomino (just still non truly white). Cremello horses often have blue optics.
  • Roan: Roan horses take a "normal" colour mixed with white hair on the primary body. We differentiate strawberry roan (anecdote), bay roan (bay), and blue roan (black).
  • Black: Unlike from dark bay, it'due south usually tinted with blue or reddish (if bleached by sun). Blackness horses are often built-in equally mousy-gray.
  • Dun: It's thought to be a color of the original wild horses, as Przewalski's horses are all dun. Dun horses are tan or mousy-greyness (grulla/blue dun), and all of them have a dark stripe coming forth their back. They tin can also show archaic markings: dark stripes on the legs and shoulders. The mane and tail can be frosted with white hair.

how-to-draw-horses-horse-coat-colors-chart

Horses can also accept colors combined in a special pattern. Tobiano horses with black base are called piebald, and the others—skewbald.

how-to-draw-horses-horse-coat-colors-patterns

Of course, regardless of the color combination, horses tin also have white markings on the torso that make them look unique. The skin under them is ordinarily pink.

how-to-draw-horses-horse-coat-colors-markings

How to Draw Horse Breeds

I've shown you lot how to describe a "full general horse," but horses come in many shapes. Let'southward larn how to modify that full general recipe to create a few dissimilar types of a horse. Keep in mind that my diagrams are slightly exaggerated to accentuate the differences between breeds. You need to study the brood using photos, videos, and existent horses if you want to create a perfect image.

Quarter Horse

This is "typical horse" number one. Harmoniously congenital and visibly strong; this is a equus caballus yous would imagine working on a farm or conveying a knight to war. Quarter horses come up in near all bachelor colors.

how-to-draw-horses-breeds-1-quarterhorse-1 how-to-draw-horses-breeds-1-quarterhorse-2

Thoroughbred Horse

This is "typical horse" number two. You can imagine it as a quarter equus caballus modified for racing—its silhouette is slimmer, with longer legs and sharper muzzle. Thoroughbred horses are usually chestnut, bay, black, or grey (roan and palomino can occur too).

how-to-draw-horses-breeds-3-thoroughbred-1 how-to-draw-horses-breeds-3-thoroughbred-2

Arabian Horse

These cute horses look like an even slimmer, more elegant version of a thoroughbred horse. They have a characteristic circular brow and large eyes, and go along their tail loftier, even when relaxed. This makes the rump expect flatter than in other horses. The neck is arched, though it'due south non visible in every pose. Arabian horses can be gray, bay, chestnut, roan, or black.

how-to-draw-horses-breeds-2-arabian-1 how-to-draw-horses-breeds-2-arabian-2

Shire Equus caballus

Shire horses are draft horses, which means they're bred for heavy work on the subcontract. They're very strong, which shows through their silhouette. They're big and heavy, so the hooves are noticeably larger and flatter than in other breeds. The caput is huge, with the eyes looking small in comparing. Shire horses come in many colors, unremarkably bay, chestnut, gray, black, or roan.

how-to-draw-horses-breeds-4-shire-1

how-to-draw-horses-breeds-4-shire-2

Shetland Pony

Ponies are horses as well, just with quite unlike proportions. Most pony breeds have a proportionate body with shorter legs, but Shetland ponies take this feature to extreme: their legs are often shorter than their trunk. If you cover the legs, you lot'll encounter other subtle differences yous need to pay attention to. Shetland horses come in all the colors, simply are usually chestnut, bay, gray, black, dun, or roan.

how-to-draw-horses-breeds-5-shetland-1 how-to-draw-horses-breeds-5-shetland-2

How to Draw a Horse Stride by Footstep

This was and so much information! Permit'south use it now in practice. You tin describe from imagination, only information technology's ameliorate if yous utilize a few references and describe them footstep by step. This fashion you'll understand the process faster. Don't copy me—analyze what I'k doing and why I'thou doing it instead.

Start with the main body. Information technology's fairly similar in all the breeds, so you don't accept to utilize any special measurements here.

how-to-draw-horses-proportions-1

how-to-draw-horses-step-by-step-1
Find how I employ curved lines to define perspective

At present add the neck and head. This is the role where the proportions matter a lot. Roughly, the caput should be as long as the shoulders, and cervix shouldn't be much longer than that. Yet, this proportion is not so clear and it'southward expert to practice information technology from references to grasp it.

how-to-draw-horses-proportions-2 how-to-draw-horses-step-by-step-2

Time to notice the terminal proportion: the distance to the ground. It depends on the breed, but in most cases this distance is equal to the elevation of the principal body plus some more distance for the hooves.

how-to-draw-horses-proportions-3

how-to-draw-horses-step-by-step-3
Again, the lines on the ground define the perspective—they shouldn't exist random!

Let's add the legs now. You should be able to imagine the default position of them, with all the hooves on the ground. So you can find a correct position for the joints in motion using this default position every bit a reference.

how-to-draw-horses-proportions-4 how-to-draw-horses-proportions-5

Offset with uncomplicated lines for the legs…

how-to-draw-horses-step-by-step-4

… then add together the lines for the joints. Find how you tin quickly depict the hooves in perspective without measuring anything.

how-to-draw-horses-step-by-step-5

If your horse looks correct in this simplified course, you can now build on information technology, adding more than elements. Get-go you can add width to the legs by sketching the shape of the joints.

how-to-draw-horses-step-by-step-6
This play tricks lets you lot come across the shape of the trunk without drawing all the lines

Then you can add all the simple forms in the horse's body.

how-to-draw-horses-step-by-step-7

Once the body is properly constructed, you tin add together the details: muscles, facial features, and mane with tail.

how-to-draw-horses-step-by-step-8

The sketch is done! At present you tin can create the actual drawing using it as a base.

how-to-draw-horses-step-by-step-9

Fourth dimension for the most fun role. Colour your equus caballus using the diagram with popular coats, or create your own fantastic color combination.

how-to-draw-horses-step-by-step-10

You can shade the horse to accentuate the 3D class of its torso. Use this image as a reference, but adjust it to your own lighting conditions.

how-to-draw-horses-shading

In SketchBook you can paint the shading on a separate layer…

how-to-draw-horses-step-by-step-11

… and so change its manner to Multiply to impact the colors underneath.

how-to-draw-horses-step-by-step-12

Finally, yous can make the horse hair shiny to brand its class even clearer. Proceed in listen this is stylization—horses are not so shiny in nature, especially when they're covered with warm fur.

how-to-draw-horses-shading-shiny
The pattern of shine depends on the position of the calorie-free source, only in full general it accentuates the hips, chest, and elongated muscles in the shoulders. Fiddling dots on the joints may make them wait more "bony" and detailed.

how-to-draw-horses-step-by-step-13

That's All!

Only your job is not done! To describe horses from imagination you need to empathise the rhythm of their body and go far intuitive for you. In order to do information technology you demand to draw a lot of horses: from photos, videos, and life. Use this tutorial as a set of tools to draw quickly and purposefully, simply acquire from real horses to translate my simplifications to the real life.