Surreal Colors on Horse, Painted Rock

Painted Rock: Palomino horse in glowing, surreal colors. 

This is not so much a tutorial as a description of my painting process. Usually, I go for a more finished look. Here, I was a little more spontaneous.

Photo collage: 

Top to bottom, left to right: 

Collage-photo 1:

Had a dark rock that would make a nice horse head. Thought I might do a palomino. Quickly sketched in a horse using a medium-point white paint pen. Not sure if it would look better as a chestnut or a palomino. Left it overnight.

Collage-photos 2-5:

Decided on palomino. Didn't feel like "painting," so grabbed the brown, orange, and yellow paint pens. They were too bright for my purpose (I only have 12 colors), so I tapped in some color and quickly blended it with my finger. The yellow-orange smeared thinly on the black rock set up a greenish tinge. Did a cream-colored mane (white paint pen and a bit of tan/sand paint blended in). Dropped some neutral shadowing under the mane for depth. Softened the orange of the lower neck by smearing over it with a little brown or sienna. Put pumpkin orange into the eye, planning as a base for brown eyes that have a nice inner glow. By now, I'm enjoying the weird, glowy look—accidental, but I liked it. Wasn't sure then if I wanted to go full palomino, or follow the "surreal" path. Added a pale blue background fir contrast. Smeared some yellowish-green into the blue because I like to experiment with color mixes. Left it awhile. Decided to go "surreal," leaving the glowy patina. My brushes are a small, soft-hair bright or filbert and a synthetic small, pointed round; plus I did some finger blending.

Collage-photos 6 and 7:

So, all that's left is to give it some finishing touches. Lined the eyes and put a large pupil using a fine, pointed eyelash brush dipped in chocolate-brown paint. Used a little thin ochre or earth brown to define the iris, then added a pop of neon orange into the bottom of the iris for glowy eyes, using a small round brush. White behind the iris would be too garish, so I mixed a dab of white, light blue, and just a hint of chocolate brown paint to get a light bluish-gray. Brightened the main with white paint pen, blending with some cream paint. At this point, I consider it pretty "finished," but I normally fix little spots—like recontouring the eye and eyelid—because sometimes dropping in the bluish gray might have smudged the shape there. I put a neutral, sandy brown on the eyelid. 

Collage-photo 8:

So—it's finished. I could have gone with the more conventional palomino color, and most people would probably prefer that. But I'm doing it to keep, gift, or hide, so it's my choice. I enjoy the surreal look.

Other Painted-Rock Horses:

Three of my previous horses: a palomino done with DecoArt Patio Outdoor paints, and a black-maned chestnut horse, done mostly with paint pens. The last one was done as a horse "portrait"—it had to look like a specific horse.

   My typical style: palomino in acrylics, painted with brushes.

Chestnut horse with black mane, painted with acrylic paint pens. Eye is done in acrylic paint.

Horse portrait in acrylic paint, various brushes.

 White unicorn on a sandstone rock, acrylic (brushed, with some drybrushing). Eyelash brush for detailing in eyes.