Mikey

"Mikey" is one of the horses that are boarded at our farm. I painted Mikey for his owner in a small format, just 6.25 inches by 9.25 inches. When I do these small portraits I usually work in acrylic, as I did here. I did the painting on acid free art board and I worked in several layers of wash, particularly on the coat, then increased the level of opacity as I added detail to the horse's features and bridle. By painting the background in a heavy impasto in a very loose manner, I created an illusion of greater realism in my subject. The black bridle seems to pop out in contrast to the rich red coat of the horse, while the contrasting blues and greens of the background makes the subject dominate the painting. Carefully placing the highlight in the eye makes the whole thing come to life. As always, prints are available or I can be commissioned to paint your horse or pet.