Please PAUSE the "How to Draw a Horse Running" video after each step to draw at your own pace.

 

Time-Lapse (Speed Drawing) video:

 

Written step-by-step video tutorial:

 

For the first few steps, don't press down too hard with your pencil. Use light, smooth strokes to begin.

 

Step 1: Draw two circles as guides for the horse's body. First draw some marks for the height and width of the circle, then connect the marks using curved lines. The circles don't have to be perfect. They're just guides. If you do want a perfect circle, trace the outer rim of a glass or anything else circular. The two circles should be about the same size. Don't draw them too far apart, otherwise your horse will be too long. Leave enough room on the sides and bottom for the horse's head, tail and legs.

 

Step 2: Draw another circle on the top, left side as a guide for the horse's head. This circle should be about one- fifth the size of the first ones.

Step 3: Draw a U-shaped arc on the lower, left side of the head as a guide for the horse's muzzle. The arc should be wider at the top, next to the circle, and narrower at it's tip.

 

Step 4: Draw two small, triangle-like shapes on the head as guides for the horse's ears. The end result should be similar to a slanted letter M.

Step 5: Draw a series of curved lines that connect the major shapes to form the rest of the horse's body. Draw two curved lines on the left to to create the neck and two more in the middle to complete the torso. Add another long, curved line coming from the top, right side of the body as a guide for the tail.

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Step 6: Draw four lines under the body (two below each circle) as guides for the horse's legs. The front leg on this side will be raised, so the line has to bend. Pay attention to the shape and length of this line. The end result should be similar to the number 2 or letter Z on its side. The line for the horse's front leg on the other side should have a diagonal orientation but still bend near the middle a bit.

The line for the horse's hind leg on this side should start inside the circle and have a vertical orientation with a slight bend near the bottom. The final line should be straighter than the others and should have a diagonal orientation.

 

That's it for the initial sketch! From this point on, press harder with your pencil to get a more defined sketch.

Step 7: Lightly sketch the horse's eye inside the head on the left side. The shape should be similar to a flat football. When you get the shape right, darken the lines. Shade the inside of the eye except for a tiny circle off to the side to represent glare. Add an extra-dark value to the middle of the eye for the pupil. Add a curved line at the top for the eyelid and a line at the bottom for extra detail. Add a couple more lines around the horse's eye for the wrinkly skin.

 

Step 8: Draw the horse's nose near the tip of the initial arc shape. First draw a curved line, then shade to the left of it for the nostril's opening. Draw a few more lines around the nostril to indicate the nose's structure.

 

Step 9: Draw the rest of the horse's muzzle using the initial arc as a guide. Follow the basic path of the arc as you darken the line to create the front part of the muzzle. Curve the line inside the head, under the nose, to create the mouth. Draw a curved line under the mouth, while still using the initial arc as a guide, to create the chin. Add a few lines around the mouth for extra detail.

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Step 10: Darken the sides of the triangle- like shapes on the head to create the ears. Draw a line in the middle of the shape for the ear's opening. Leave a space at the bottom of the ear on the other side for the horse's mane.

 

Step 11: Draw the front part of the horse's mane between the ear using a series of curved lines. The curved lines should form spiky shapes above the eye that point to the right since the horse will be running. Draw the basic shape of the horse's mane as a clump instead of drawing every individual hair strand.

Step 12: Use the initial circle and arc as guides to draw the rest of the horse's head. Follow the path of the guide but make the top dip down a bit more as you darken the line. Darken the bottom part of the head but make the line come up a little more too. Curve the line up toward the ears to create the strong jaw. Add a few more lines within the shape of the head for the veins and extra detail.

 

Step 13: Use the lines under the horse's body as guides to draw the legs that are on this side. Lightly sketch the shape of the folded front leg as you follow the path of the line. The base of the leg, the top part, should be thicker. Make the joints more bulbous and the hoof boxier.

Lightly sketch the shape of the folded front leg as you follow the path of the line. When you get the structure of the leg right, darken the lines. The shape of the leg can be tricky, so pause the video to use the image as reference. Make the leg bulge at the bottom, above the hoof, to indicate the joint. The horse's hoof should be flat at the bottom and have somewhat of a square appearance.

Draw the hind leg that's on this side of the body the same way. Lightly sketch the shape of the leg as you follow the basic path of the guide. Only darken the lines when you get the structure of the leg right. The horse's leg should be thick at the top and bend backward a bit near the middle. The shape of the leg should be thinner right above the hoof to create the round joint.

Step 14: Use the remaining lines under the horse's body as guides to draw the legs on the other side. First sketch the leg lightly as you follow the guide, then darken the lines when you get the shape right. Part of the leg is hidden behind the first leg, so try not to overlap their lines.

Follow the path of the line on the right to draw the last leg. This leg should stretch back as the horse runs forward, so don't bend it as much. Even though the leg is straight, still curve the line to indicate the joints. Don't forget to draw the square-like hoof at the bottom.

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Step 15: Draw the horse's mane along the top part of the neck using a series of wavy lines. Sketch the shape of the whole mane lightly at first. It should consist of a series of wavy, spike-like shapes. Darken the lines when you get the overall shape of the mane right. Be sure to use wavy lines for a flowing wind effect. You can make the mane longer too, if you'd like. Use short, curved lines where the mane attaches to the neck.

 

Step 16: Use the remaining shapes and lines to draw the rest of the running horse's body. Simply follow the outer edges of the initial guides as you darken the lines for the body.

Step 17: Use the line on the rght side as a guide to draw the horse's tail. Follow the path of the guide as you draw it using a series of wavy lines. Just like the mane, draw it as a single shape instead of individual hair strands. You can also make it longer if you'd like.

 

Step 18 (optional): For a cleaner look, erase as much as you can of the initial guide lines. Don't worry about erasing all of the guides. It's okay to leave some behind. Re-draw any final sketch lines that you may have accidentally erased.

Final Step : Add some shading to your running horse drawing to give it more dimension and volume. Pick the direction of the light source when shading so that the shadows are consistent with it. Don't worry too much about the shading if you're going to add more value to your drawing later on. But if you want your horse to be white and stop after this step, then make these shadow smoother.

Add a cast shadow underneath. This helps ground the horse so it doesn't appear to be floating.

You can add even more value throughout your drawing for extra detail. Shade the mane but use a lighter value across the middle to make it shiny. Use a single dark value throughout the entire body for easier shading. Horses' coats can be a single solid color, have patches or even spots! So shade yours however you'd like.

Add the value lightly at first, then gradually build up to the level of darkness that you want. Use a lighter value along certain areas of the body to make the horse's coat shiny. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. Try to add the value evenly across the body for a smooth coat and avoid a rough, gritty texture. Shading can be very time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. You can add the value to different sections of the body at a time to break up the shading process.

Continue adding the value until the entire body is shaded. It's always a good idea to use reference as you draw. If you own a horse, try to duplicate its coat on your drawing! Remember to pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace.

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To learn how to draw popular cartoon characters, visit EasyDrawingTutorials.com.

 

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