Along with professional rider, this is probably one of the most dreamy horse jobs out there. The nature of the job requires that horse artists have a great deal of flexibility and independence. While a love of horses is a strong element in this type of work, it isn’t all you need to be successful.
What You Need
Obviously to be a great horse artist you need to have some artistic skill (or at least be able to convince people that you do). Such a beautiful and noble animal is incredibly difficult to draw or paint convincingly and as such requires a great deal of practice work. More than anything budding horse artists need time to practice and an endless stream of paints or pencils with which to pursue their passion. While it doesn’t always directly involve a lot of contact with the animal itself, it should.
An affinity for your chosen artistic medium, a firm grasp of equine anatomy and the tenacity to keep trying again are essentials for a successful horse artist.
Job Description
The description for this job can almost be fit into two words…paint horses (sculpt horses, draw horses, etc.). All artists will have their own techniques and practices so beyond simply creating art the job description can be limitless. Horse artists can be commissioned by almost any part of the industry to paint portraits, while others simply paint what they like and sell their art to aficionados.
Responsibilities Include
An understanding of horse anatomy and muscle structure
Taking direction from clients about finished product
Determining size and structure of artwork
Selecting appropriate medium and colors
Requirements
Requirements for horse artists will usually always be past experience. If you area a portrait artist for hire, clients will want to see a portfolio of past work (get yours online if it isn’t already). Some clients will want to see a degree in the arts, however most will simply want to see (and be impressed by) past work.
Resources
A few places to start if you are interested in a career as a horse artist.
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American Academy of Equine Art
The Society of Equine Artists (UK)
International Equine Artists
Interviews with equine artists on The Equinest
The Right Job For You?
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