After completing the extremely complex grizzly bear drawing I decided to do something slightly easier. I chose to draw a Friesian because I adore them for a start. I wanted a faster drawing compared to the grizzly bear so I chose this full body Friesian horse drawing. Â
Reference Photo for the Friesian Horse Drawing
The reference photos were all so majestic and gorgeous I struggled to pick one. If you don’t know I get the majority of my reference photos from https://us.fotolia.com/ .The horse in the reference had a very shiny coat which is what I wanted. I really wanted to push my boundaries. Here is a link to the reference photo that I used if you are curious. https://us.fotolia.com/id/85507491
Friesian Horse Drawing Work in Progress
As I worked on the Friesian horse drawing I loved it more and more. Because it was a full body drawing, it didn’t take me long at all. I wanted a kind of freedom look, as if the viewer is watching the Friesian run freely through the meadow. Something I always find difficult is getting the lights and darks at the correct value. I think I have it slightly wrong here too, so I will be working on him a little more I think.
Something that has also changed in my drawings is that I have started adding insects and little creatures to them, just to add a little bit of extra realism.Â
Tell me what you think to my Friesian horse drawing. LEave a comment below!
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Here are some interesting Friesian horse facts.
- Friesians are beautiful, pure black horses with a flowy mane and tail and flashy, showy movement.Â
- They have feathered feet typical of a draft breed, but they are built like a lighter riding horse.
- Â Friesians average between 15-17 hands high.
- Â They are versatile enough to participate in all sports and disciplines, but are most commonly seen in dressage, or as a carriage horse due to their eye catching movement.
- Â Friesians get their name from the land where they originated, in Friesland, The Netherlands.Â
- Â They may have been around since 1000 BC.
-  Despite being very popular in the early ages, Friesians almost became extinct. By 1913, there were only 3 remaining Friesian stallions in their home province of Friesland.
- Â Being one of the oldest breeds, Friesians had an influence on several new breeds that developed as time went on. The Oldenburger, Shire horse, and smaller ponies such as Fell and Dales ponies all inherited some Friesian lines in their early development. Morgan horses are also suggested to have some Friesian blood due to their resemblance to some of the Friesian’s features.
- Â Friesians were brought to North America by the Dutch in the 1600s, when the Dutch had control of New Amsterdam, now known as New York.
- Â While Friesians are most commonly known to be pure black in color, in some rare cases, you may find chestnut Friesians.Chestnut Friesians are often referred to as “Fire Friesians”.
Here is a fire friesian- photo taken off google.
