The Masters Helped Me Learn to Draw Horses

Vincent van Gogh wasn’t always the genius we know today. In fact, he had quite a few failed attempts at learning from various professors before deciding to teach himself how to paint. It turns out, when you’re as stubborn as Van Gogh (or me), the traditional route just doesn’t cut it.

These are some of the sketches of a horse I have drawn over the years

I was very young when I read Black Beauty - the autobiography of a horse. Black Beauty, a handsome well-bred horse of the era before automobiles, narrates the story. Black Beauty’s is a story about his life, the good and bad owners he had, and the challenges he faced. Reading it made me fall in love with horses—I was so captivated by the way the book described their grace and strength. Since having a horse of my own wasn’t possible, I decided to draw them instead. I wanted to capture that same beauty and spirit I felt while reading the book. I wanted to learn to draw a horse that would look like Black Beauty.

Vincent van Gogh wasn’t always the genius we know today.

He tried several professions before becoming an artist. He initially worked as an art dealer in his early twenties, but he was eventually dismissed due to his strong opinions and lack of success in sales. He then tried teaching in England, followed by working as a lay preacher and missionary in Belgium. However, none of these careers brought him fulfillment, and he struggled in each role.

It wasn’t until he was 27 years old that Van Gogh seriously pursued painting. He was a late bloomer. He was largely self-taught, studying books on art and copying the works of artists he admired, including Jean-François Millet. This self-directed study, combined with relentless practice, eventually led to the development of his distinctive style. He became my role model in trying to learn how to draw and paint horses. I started copying the style of the artists who drew horses.

MF Husain’s Horses are distinctive

His horses are often depicted in motion, capturing a sense of power, grace, and freedom. Husain used bold, sweeping brushstrokes that give his horses a fluid, almost abstract quality, while still conveying their strength and spirit.

Sunil Das drew horses in this kind of a style

Sunil Das drew horses and bulls, which brought him international recognition. Then he changed his style of drawing horses and I did not like the horses he used to draw later. He started drawing bulls. I liked them too. But that is another story.

Sunil Das changed his style of drawing horses to this kind of style. I was not happy. I liked the old style.

There are several Chinese artists who spend their life drawing just a horse. All of them are roughly in this style. I like drawing horses but I cannot imagine drawing just horses forever!

MAD magazine's drawings were a big reason why started drawing caricatures. They drew caricatures of everything including horses.

When I lived in Malaysia, a friend asked me to draw a t-shirt for a midnight run that was being organized. 

The artist for the Asterix comics was Albert Uderzo. His drawings of horses would perhaps be my all time favorite. I don’t know if I spent more time reading the text or staring at the drawings. Genius!!

Pablo Picasso

Picasso spent years copying the works of masters before evolving his own unique style.

“Good artists copy, great artists steal,” Picasso

This is the most recent sketch of a horse I drew. I drew this yesterday.

Van Gogh, too, spent countless hours studying and imitating the works of those who came before him. It was only after mastering these styles that they found their own voices.

By embracing the styles of these diverse artists, I discovered that learning to draw isn’t about getting it perfect on the first try. It’s about embracing the journey, with all its quirks and imperfections, and finding your own way—just like Van Gogh, Picasso, and the cartoonists who inspired me.