I spent part of a day this past spring sketching at Casperia’s Palazzo Forani because its exterior is decorated with so many interesting art works. One intriguing piece on the building was a very large bust of a horse’s head, which was hung over an entrance way, perhaps once signifying a stable entrance. The sculpture was very detailed, showing bulging veins and a wild mane, and a not-so-friendly expression – almost as if it was saying “enter at your own risk, we’re a dangerous bunch in here”. It frankly intimidated me as a drawing subject, since I don’t draw many horses. It’s quite beautiful though, so I grabbed a photo instead.

For #inktober 6th, I decided to tackle the drawing from the photo as I didn’t have any time pressure to deal with the inevitable amount of erasing I’d be doing. I started the drawing in pencil, and then added the inking. I didn’t quite capture the fierce expression the original has – my horse appears much happier!

#inktober 6th – a horse sculpture at Palazzo Forani, Casperia