How I do a Bay in Pastels and Pigments Part 2

So in Part 1 I showed you how I do the base color and shading of a bay horse. In this segment I'll show you how I do the black points, grey points, and details.

Supplies Needed

• black paint (craft or artist quality)
• burnt sienna
• burnt umber
• black pigment or pastels
• titanium white pigments or pastels

First comes the black points on the legs. This first step is optional. First you take black paint (I prefer artist quality because I can get better results. You can use a craft brand too - whichever you prefer.) Thin the paint down to a milky consistency. 

Next paint the pastern and fetlock the darkest thinning the paint until you can barely see it below the knee.

Let the paint dry thoroughly and seal it in. This step helps achieve the look of the darker fetlock and pastern. It also makes the black look more blended. You don't have to do the step, but if you're like me and impatient to get on to detailing when you finish the base coat it speeds it up nicely.

The next step after the sealer cures is to start your first layer of pastel or pigment. I use two shades of black - Vine Black and Black for Fresco. Vine Black goes down less heavy so I use that near the top of the knee and the bottom of the forearm so it will blend easier. Black for Fresco is used on the fetlock, pastern, and canon where it is darker.

First layer of pigments

   

Fourth layer of pigments

 Final layer of pigments

Next I move on to the grey parts. First I put down a layer of of black pigment and seal it in. Then I put down a layer of white, the seal it in. Alternate until you get it solid and to the color you want. I use this technique for the eyes, muzzle, ears, and genitalia. If you get any black sealed in where you don't want it, just wait for the sealer to cure and sand off the black. Seal it and that should take care of any frosting that occurred because of the sanding.

First layer

Final layer

In order to get a soft black for the mane and tail, I mix together burnt umber, burnt sienna, and black acrylics. To shade in the crevices I use a mix of burnt umber and black.

Not the horse I've been using but I've used the mixture
on this horse

I will go over how I do eyes, hooves,and white markings in separate posts.