Carriage horse watercolor painting

Carriage Horse Watercolor (Horses & Buggy)

Carriage Horse Watercolor

This carriage horse watercolor was created using professional quality water-soluble paint combined with pen and India ink. The color combination is primarily a limited palette made up of shades of green and brown. The scene is set in a tree lined field where two harnessed horses stand in repose while the driver in the open carriage looks off to the side.

The two horses manifest very different expressions as they stand waiting for commands from the driver. The palomino horse has two ears back and all four feet firmly on the ground. While the sorrel has one ear forward and the other back. He appears restless yet is resting one of his back legs. The horses’ bearing contributes to painting’s mood of suspense.

The perspective is exaggerated front to back. Particularly the palomino horse, whose face appears to be in a completely different plane in the foreground. Diagonal lines guide the viewers’ eyes around the painting. The wooden buggy singletree in front of the horses’ chests, the tree line and fence in the background, and bowed tree limbs. All combine together with implied lines to create a container for the focal point which is the carriage horses and driver.

Print makers Currier and Ives produced many popular lithographs of carriage horses. Based out of New York City from the middle of the 1800s until early 1900 they produced prints from paintings by popular artists of the day.

About This Carriage Horse Watercolor Painting:

Title: Carriage Horses

Medium: Watercolor and India ink on Arches watercolor paper

Size: 12-1/8″ x 17-1/8″

More Watercolor Paintings

Carriage Horses, 2 horse hitch watercolor painting

Sparky The Cat, cat in the garden, watercolor painting

Indian Chief – Welcome, Indian chief on a white horse

Chariot – My Father’s Eyes, horse drawn chariot

Flower Crest, flower arrangement on a black background

More Horse Paintings

Western Rider A Long Way From The Range, horse and rider marinescape oil on canvas

Breezing, race horse and jockey, oil painting on panel