Boston Inspiration: Pastels and Horses

Pastel box belonging to American-born painter and artist Mary Cassatt (1844-1926). The sticks still wrapped in papers weren't used. On display at the Museum of Fine Arts.

A beautiful quote about working in pastel, Museum of Fine Arts

"Henry" of Paint and Henry by Deborah Butterfield at Copley Plaza Mall. Cast in Bronze, but looks like he is built from pieces of recycled metal.

"Paint" looking toward Henry in a circular garden.

“Appeal to the Great Spirit" by American sculptor Cyrus E. Dallin (1861–1944). Cast in bronze in 1909.

I love how the horse is at peace with the world--so unlike the mounts of Generals that you see in this scale.

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New Pan Pastels - An Update

A little while back I posted a photo of my new Pan Pastel colors. I've gotten a chance to use them, and have found them quite handy. First, these colors are all useful—which is not something I say about many of the Pan Pastel colors because they are not all well suited for horses. The orange shade looks a little odd at first, but once it's part of the coat it softens to a nice, bright addition to chestnuts, palominos, buckskins and bays. I think of is as more of a golden tone than orange when the model is finished. Second, they are easy to use—no sandpaper palette needed, no huge-jar-o-dust waiting to spill. The pans work with both paintbrushes and Microbrush applicators for small details like leg bars and dorsal stripes. Third, the colors work well together and blend well. For example, on this model I used the Burnt Sienna Extra Dark to deepen a few areas I had dusted with the Burnt Sienna Shade. So... these new Pan Pastel colors definitely have a plac

A Golden bay in Pan Pastels

I thought I'd share a bit of my process. I'm working in Pan Pastels. The model in question is a simple custom Morgan Stallion from the new standing Stablemate Warmblood mold. He has had some work done on his barrel and hindquarters. His mane and tail have been changed as well. I prepped him with Rustoleum 2X primer in white and taped off some white markings with blue painters tape. Feel free to follow along and paint your own golden bay or liver chestnut. A Pan Pastel Project Art Supplies Shopping list: A model with sanded seams and logo removed 400 Grit Sandpaper Masking or painters tape (optional) Rustolem 2X Primer Pan Pastels: 280.3 Orange Shade, 820.2 Neutral Grey Extra Dark (or other neutral grey), Layer 3: 740.3 Burnt Sienna Shade, 740.1 Burnt Sienna Extra Dark, 800.5 Black. Pan Pastel optional colors for shading mane, tail, and white markings: Optional fleshy pink pastel or paint for a pink nose or shading white markings. Krylon Matte, Testor's Dullcote, or other

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday Percheron and Clydesdale Comparison

I've been thinking about customizing some draft horses... so I went out to the pasture to do a little research. Please pardon the dirt. Pete, on the left, is a Percheron gelding. Titan, his best buddy, is a bay roan Clydesdale gelding. Pete has more width and bulk, while Titan is leggier and more narrow. Here I even noticed the difference in their faces—see the how the distance between their eyes are different, as well as from eye to nostril. Titan's tail is naturally long, whereas Pete's has been docked. Notice the different shaped hindquarters. A custom mini model horse inspired by Pete

Custom Mini Model Horses

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