Dimensions: 18x22.2 inches at 300 DPI
Tools: Krita, Custom-made RGBa brushes that mimic the feel of oil paint and brushes.
Previsualizing the concept
During the Mount Pleasant Independence Day parade I snapped this photo of these horses mounted by local beauties:
After deliberating on whether to use this as is, for my reference image, I decided I didn't want to include the women as part of this piece. I liked the horse, but I also wanted to include clouds. In order to do this, I engaged in some photo compositing. Using another photo which included some puffy clouds and another photo that included a horizon and some far-off clouds with some mid-ground landscape. At one point I utilized Photoshops AI image generation tools to produce the lower portion of the horses. I fully rendered that generation into the painting. After reviewing other reference photos, I came to the full realization that the AI generation was completely flawed. I felt like a fool for taking as long as I did to come to this realization. Lesson learned, and I plan to never again us AI as a tool, except in the most minor cases. So, I finally did what I should have done in the beginning, and I used other references from horses in the same parade to produce the final rendering. I feel I ended up with a much more realistic and pleasing result. You can see the contrast in either the progression video or animated GIF I produced along with the painting (See at the end of this post).
Never give up, never surrender
Up to this point in my long, lazy and sad art career, this piece has become the most ambitious. The journey to a final rendering has been a bumpy one. I began this last September. I would paint a little then put it down for weeks. There were times when the scope of it would get to me, and I would doubt whether I could do it, or whether there was a point to doing it. A couple things I have learned to a greater degree:
- Take large pieces like this one element at a time. In my case I began with the foreground horse. I blocked in colors, then worked the digital paint to a greater level of detail.
- Its OK to take a break. I found out this last spring that taking a break to do smaller studies actually helped motivate me to finish this piece. I found that completing less ambitious renderings built a momentum of success within myself that propelled my ambitions to finish this one.
Meaning of the piece
On a surface level I simply love horses and clouds. I wanted to create a stunning art piece that would draw the eye of like-minded people.
The deeper meaning of this includes deep symbolism rooted in my faith. The horses represent all of us harnessed to this mortal life. While a wild horse does run free, their purpose in life is simply to live and breed. For a horse yoked to the rules and constraints of man, they have a greater purpose, that of serving beyond their own kind. Similarly, if we yoke ourselves to a higher purpose, a higher standard of virtue and goodness, our lives will have greater meaning. We will know joys and happiness unlike anything a person, living a life of zero accountability, ever would. This does not mean we will avoid hardship, toil and pain. All of us, faithful or not, must bear the burdens life sends our way. Having faith, and giving our hearts to a higher power simply makes the journey more bearable, joyful and our soul is at peace as a result. The clouds represent the far-off place beyond this life; a better place, a gift given to the faithful who yoke their hearts to the great creator in this life.
Additional imagery and a video
Below are a few screen grabs at 100% zoom, so you can really see the detail of the brush work. Also included a progression video and animation as proof that artificial intelligence did not render this out. Human intelligence and heart are what created this peace. Please consider purchasing a print at my art store if you would like a copy of this hanging in your home or establishment.
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