I did this sketch from a photo I took at Golden Gate Fields in the very early morning when the jockeys are training new horses, running them around the track. I actually intended to do an ink drawing, but after a couple of unsuccessful but fun drawings with a Micron Pigma brush pen, I decided to start with a pencil sketch and THEN do an ink drawing and add watercolor. But I ran out of time, so here’s the pencil sketch.
I feel a little lame doing such a literal take on RUN but I’d been wanting to draw from my horse photos and the other options I thought of didn’t really grab me for drawing them (running out of time, running the show, river running, a Broadway run, running for office). I liked Michael’s suggestion (a nose running) a lot because it made laugh and was really original–but it was his idea, not mine.
I used a .5mm mechanical pencil in my 9×12 Aquabee Super Deluxe sketchbook.
Jana Bouc, Artist 
30 replies on “Illustration Friday: Run”
It’s a beautiful drawing, and a great take on run.
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WOWZA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FANTASTICALLY PHENOMENAL!! Muscles, movement, wind, details, shading, tones — you got it all — GORGEOUS!
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fabulous capture of motion. makes me want to do more pencil sketches!
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Jana,
The shadowing in this is exquisite! Being a jockey was THE THING that I wanted to do when I grew up. I couldn’t deal with the conflict that it would create with my family being in a profession that was based on gambling. Beautiful drawing!
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I was hoping someone would draw a racehorse for this week’s IF theme. This looks really great.
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Jana, this is a great lively drawing. I love your paintings on the blog, too. Your studio looks lovely. No wonder you are happy there.
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VERY nice pencil drawing – lots of speed and movement. Horses aren’t easy critters to draw, either!
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Absolutely awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gorgeous pencil work. Will you show us when you paint it? Please, pretty please?
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WOW! I’m blown away! Very strong and vibrant.
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Magnificent drawing — muscles can be so hard to render! Wow.
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I like it.
Nice lines.
I also like how you left it simply. You can always add to this to make it more dramatic. Of course, it already is. The angle of the runners is great because it leaves a feeling of speed (being left in the dust).
Nice one, Jana.
J
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Not a sketch!! This is a beautiful drawing!! Just gorgeous. It really captures the movement of the horse and the urgency of the race.
MD
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Hi Jana..
thanks for the message..
and love your drawing – such a
beautiful horse…great job..
take care –
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HI Jana…
Thanks for the message and
love your drawing – very nice image.
take care –
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Beautiful – I love the lines of the horse – you really captured the movement of its legs! (I only ever draw horses standing still because their legs are so hard to do). Like everyone else, I’d love to see the painted version.
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beautiful pencil work, i can see his stretching muscles.
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Hi Jana!
You say, that’s only a sketch, and you were running out of time – I say: luckily you were! The pencil-image is showing the horse and the jockey so nice and pretty. If you paint it, this will be quite another image – but not necessarly inferior – may we please see this too?
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Oh my, that is beautiful! You did a fantastic job! This reminds me of the books I devoured as a young girl, “Billy and Blaze” series and the Marguerite Henry books. 🙂
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like the detail and the slightly loose sketchiness in your rendering of it, there’s a joy in drawing that always comes through in your work
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Absolutely amazing! Make sure you post the ink and watercolor version if yo get it done.
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This is not lame at all. This is BEAUTIFUL!!!! I’m currently trying to improve on my pencil sketching skills, which is actually, nothing close to yours. Totally envy you! And very inspiring. 🙂
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Very cool sketch!!
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i like it!
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what a beautiful drawing…full of speed….
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What more can I say that hasn’t already been said! JUST OUTSTANDING! Great sketch of a race horse. They are hard to get right. My father used to have a race horse and I often went on the track with him as a young kid. They are really hyper active after a race, believe me.
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Just brilliant! You really added Character when you shaded it. Much better than I can do…and i am pretty good. I barrel race, but i love to draw race horses and in fact it is my favorite thing to draw…GREAT JOB REALLY!
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HELLO
Ya that is better then i can do i like it alot keep up the great work!…. 😉
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it is simply most beeeeeeeeeeeutiful sketch of a horse i have ever seen.
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You are too kind! But thank you! (and it was beautiful horse so that made it even more fun) Jana
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if you want some tips, keep reading:
1. the head is a little big in comparison to the rest of the body
2. the front hooves are a little small
3. the front legs are a little short.
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