Drawing and Painting Horses [Hardcover]

Barbara Oelke (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2000

The first book to offer in-depth instruction in the art of drawing and painting horses, this study examines the development of time-honored equine art in sporting, portrait, and country life painting.

A gifted specialist shows how line, shape, form, light, color, value, space, and design are applied to drawing and painting the horse. Step-by-step lessons detail equine anatomy, skeletal structure, and musculature; differences among breeds; techniques for quick life sketching versus working from photographs; how to include riders on horseback; and basic landscape settings. Fine examples of contemporary equine painting are included.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Barbara Oelke, whose work has been shown in numerous exhibitions, conducts workshops for the American Academy of Equine Art. She lives in Maryland.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Watson-Guptill (November 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823014193
• ISBN-13: 978-0823014194
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 9.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,058,895 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #91 in Books > Arts & Photography > Drawing > Specific Objects

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The worse book I have seen on the subject., December 28, 2000

By 

Judith A. Weller "jw1917" (LaVale, MD United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Drawing and Painting Horses (Hardcover)

This has to be the worst book on the subject I have ever seen. Yes it is filled with beautiful color illustrations, but it does nothing to discuss actually painting the horse. It is more of history and anthology of equine art than it is a book of art instruction. It is vastly overprices and simply not worth the money. I found this book a huge disappointment and could see nothing of merit in it. The title is totally misleading.

If you plan to paint horses, you want to know how to paint a dapple gray, what colors are best for a liver chestnut or a bay. What colors do you need to use to paint a palomino. What colors for the shadows and what colors for the highlights. Nothing like this is discussed in this book. In fact only one demonstration is given and that is a pretty poor one at that - nothing about the colors used etc. The single demonstration is of a dapple gray painted in the standard side view with an insipid background. There is absolutely no discussion of the best colors to have on your palette for various breeds and colors. Also there is no information on the pony or the foal in that section where the author fleetingly mentions drawing and the proportions.

All in all if you want to learn to paint and draw horses this is not the book for you. If you want to look at pretty pictures, and quite a few pages on equine anatomy, then buy this book.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Drawing & Painting Horses by Barbara Oelke, January 25, 2001

By 

Y. Todd (Kentucky) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Drawing and Painting Horses (Hardcover)

This book is a must have for any equine artist. Not your typical step by step book, Ms Oelke covers many things that make the diffenence between a horse painting and sporting art. Beginning with a brief history of the horse in art and the impact of photography she gets down to the nitty gritty of skeletal and musculature formation, comparative measurements, views from different angles, materials and the various elements that make up a well planned piece of art. Posing, preliminary drawing, various methods, developing a horseman's eye and working as a professional artist are also covered, unlike any other how to book. All this is illustrated with exceptional work by some of the finest equine artists which each serve as a lesson in themselves and an inspiration to anyone painting the horse. The lessons learned here apply to any subject matter which place this book at the top of the list.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for all equine artists, February 10, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Drawing and Painting Horses (Hardcover)

This book approaches the art of equine painting from the point of view of an artist not just a copiest. Combining useful information on anatomical featues with directions on how to handel the subjects in a background.Ms. Oelke has produced a complete at-home course in equine painting and anatomy.All aspects of equine drawing and painting are coverd,anatomy,characteristic movement and suggestions on how to capture them in landscape.