Taking Horse Head Points One by One 1 - Painting Tips.

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As a rule the first line to be set down in drawing a horse' s head is that running off the forehead (1).   Nearly always this line is slanted at 45' provided the horse is standing normally.   Having drawn line 1,  draw line 2.

The heavier the horse  (draft variety), the more parallel and farther apart lines 1 and 2 will be.   Line  3 may be less than 1/2 of line 4 in a light riding horse or more than 1/2  of line 4 in a heavy draft horse. (sketch lightly)

Next, sketch a little triangle in front of the above line  3.   Line  6 of that triangle  extends to join line 7 to make the chin.   Notice that,  as underdrawing,  short line 7 may be parallel with line  5.   About midway along the remainder of  the  original line 2, draw arc 8.   This is to be the bottom of the prominent cheek bone of the lower jaw.   This curve drops below straight line 2 about as far as does the little chin
triangle.

Fig. 3,  all the distances represented by black lines here are very much the  same.  It is  not  necessary to mathematically measure these  each time.  Just being aware  of them helps the  eye in making a quick judgment.

Fig. 4,  the. front tip of  the  nose  above the lips is approximately  halfway between  a and b.

Fig. 5,  the visible  chin  protrusion of  the horse is without bone,  is flexible,  and comes back as far as the mouth corner.  This overall chin as compared with the rest of the  head is relatively small.                                           

Fig. 6,  the  most pr eminent bone in a prof ile horse head is the lower jaw.  If  its back line were  continued,  it would line up perfectly with the root of  the  ear  (see also fig. 10).  The visible part of this curve  ends at the arrow which is the halfway point at the  neck' s top.

Fig. 7,  here is a subtle curve as the lower  neck line rounds behind the jaw bone.  This change  of  direction should never be a sharp angle.

Fig. 8,  this ' double scallop' line is exceptionally prominent in all horses.  Every good horse head under  normal lighting conditions will show shadow here.  It is the zygomatic arch,  a fixed bone just above and behind the eye.