The top photograph is the painting on my easel, with the two reference photos taped up next to the painting. The smaller reference photo on the upper left, is taped off to the same proportions as the painting. I tend to get *lost* in my reference if I don't do this, and I find it incredibly helpful to do this as my eye won't needlessly wander around. This smaller photo is also redder in colour than the larger one on the lower right hand side, and it is this one that I used the most. The larger one allowed me to see some details, that the smaller one didn't.

I painted in the horse's back, leaving the brushwork looser, and not as detailed as the face. This was painted wet into wet. However more detail in the face, including the wrinkles behind the jaw, are worked in over dry paint, allowing for more control. Try as I might, I find it really hard to work a painting start to finish while it is all wet. It gets outta control way too easily. I prefer to leave it when it starts to look good and let it dry. Rarely, I get it right the first time around, and I don't need to go back into it to correct problem areas. I have learned to be patient, stop just before things get out of control and let it dry.

The second photo shows the horse's face more detailed around the muzzle, the *varnish* marking on his face is toned down considerably with some dry brushing technique. The eye has been dealt with more, making it almost complete. The shadowed part of the mane has also been blocked in over top the reddish underpainting.

I just LOVE the ears on this horse! I am so proud of those ears, the way I handled the transistion from sunlit to shadowed areas...YEAH!!