[ljswisc]

It's been awhile since I've visited this thread but I really need someone else's opinioin here. This is the very first drawing I've done in YEARS that wasn't a commission which means it isn't meant to be a replica of my photo reference. (I am a portrait artist in my spare time) My plan for this one is probably to enjoy it on my wall for a little while and then sell it maybe.. I don't know. It's been so long since I've had the option! (Yeah I'm blowing off starting a commission just for the chance to do this one!)

So the reason I chose to draw this picure is because the rider had me so inspired. I took the photo of her at a dressage show I went to.. and while watching an intermediate class I was noticing how due to the hot weather so few people were wearing chadbellys, or hunt coats, and their horses were braided very simply without the white tape.. etc. I was about to leave when this rider came along. I said to my husband, "This woman is a diehard.. in all this heat she's going to do everything top notch." So we turned back to watch her go, and I turned on my camera. She was so amazing. I got a million pics. She rode as if she were in the olympics.

Her salute was just a prelude of her impeccable detail. You'd swear the president was in the judges box. It turned out to be my favorite photo. So I sketched it out.. and the only thing that I can't decide on is the position of the horse's back legs. That seemed to be the only flaw. His back legs were not perfectly square. At first I liked that idea.. after all this was not a grand prix class... it was intermediate... So I would leave the horses legs as is and name the piece.. "Intermediate".

Now I'm wondering if I should square them up. I'm literally losing sleep over this! Should I honor the perfection this rider sought by perfecting the horse in this portrait? Or should I leave his legs as they appeared in the photo? Does anyone have any opinions.. from an art standpoint.. as well as a marketability standpoint? Would this picture be undesireable with the flaw? For once I have the option to do it however I want! Except that I don't know what I want!!!

Here's what I've got so far...

[MissTargets]

That is very nice, I would leave the legs as they were. He looks like he's ready to perform.

[HairOfTheDog]

Heh.... tough call... It's art either way.... But I might also have wanted to square him up.... Show us what you decide to do when it is all done, please!

[Beaker]

I'd square him up. The horse and rider team look so elegant, and impeccible that you probably should, but it's your call. :-) What dressage show did you go to?

[Beaker]

*psst* we're pictureholics on this thread. Would you be so kind as to post some pictures from the show? I for one would love to see a few, especially of this rider.

[mommadooo3]

Hmmmm. I suppose it depends on what you want the picture to 'represent'.

Do you want to 'capture the moment'? Or to have it represent 'the spirit' of the horse/rider.

Does that make any sense?

[Rose of Sharn]

I have been in the commercial business with drawings etc and my opinion is to leave alone, if you try and square up it may not have that natural flow anymore. I am impressed with what you have done so far! : )

[Duchess47]

It's going to be a wonderful picture. I'd square up the legs - horse and rider deserve that and the camera probably would have caught them squared up in another second or two.