Turn Your Horse Photo Into a Sketch

Sketching your horse

Horses have been a favorite subject of artists for centuries, and a sketch of your own horse carries on that tradition. Riders use them for tack rooms, stable signs, show gifts, and memorials for a horse they have retired or lost.

A horse's head and neck carry most of its character, so many of the best sketches are head-and-shoulders portraits rather than full-body shots.

Choosing the photo

• Ears forward

  Have someone rustle a bag or call the horse's name as you shoot. Pricked ears and an alert eye make the whole portrait come alive.

• Shoot in open shade

  Glossy coats reflect harsh sun as bright patches. Shade or a cloudy day shows the muscle and the coat evenly.

• Keep the background simple

  Fences, jumps and other horses compete with yours in a drawing. A plain paddock or sky behind the head works best.

• Full body from the side

  For the whole horse, stand level with its shoulder and photograph it square to the camera, so the legs do not look foreshortened.

Styles that suit it

• Clean Line Art. Elegant, clean outlines with no shading. Great for engraving-style prints and coloring pages, and the style of the first example above.
• Pencil Sketch. Fine graphite that brings out muscle and coat texture.
• Charcoal Sketch. Bold contrast for dark horses and dramatic show photos.

Questions people ask

Is a sketch a good gift for a trainer or groom?

Yes. A framed sketch of a horse they have worked with makes a thoughtful thank-you. A paid pack gives clean, high-resolution files for printing.

My horse is grey. Will it show up?

Grey and white horses sketch well against a darker background such as a stable door or trees. Against a pale sky they can fade into the paper.