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Description
Finished Piece

Please open the tutorial in another tab or window so that you can bounce back and forth between it and my commentary.

BEWARE: It's a large file!

This tutorial does not cover the actual sketching of the lineart or the placing of the base layer, so if you need help with that, please refer to this tutorial , which will walk you through my steps start to finish.

This was done in the paint program SAI PaintTool. Any program with layers and the layer lock mechanism will work.

Some people have been asking me how I color black horses, and since my next foal is black-based, I figured why not?

In my opinion, a black horse is one of the easiest creatures to color because you only need three base colors. Four if you're super fancy like me.

Step 1: Base Color
Note the different layers, and note that the body layer (the layer with my base color on it) is LOCKED. Refer to my previous tutorial if you need help doing this.

Pick your base color. For a dark dark brown horse, use a red-based black. For a pure black horse, use a blue-base black.

Trust me, there's a serious difference.

For all my true black horses, I use the blue-base black, which is shown as my base layer color that the white arrows are pointing to. It's a dark grayish-blue.

Step 2: Highlights
You really need to understand the anatomy of the horse for this to work (or a good reference picture). While you don't by any means have to be perfect, the tools and tricks are useless if you don't have the ability to wield them.

For the shading/coloring, I used a hard brush on very low opacity (aka Density in SAI), around 8 or so. Highlight until your heart's content, but remember that this is only step 2 so don't overdo it. You can always go back in and add more if you want later on.

Step 3: Shadows
I use actual black--the blackest of the black--for my shadows. Again, use a low opacity brush around 8 or so and fill in where the shadows are.

NOTE: Don't be afraid to leave some of your original base color! A monochrome piece (which is technically what this is) is always most beautiful when using the Rule of Shades--use three tones of the same color and no more. So leave some of your original color when adding highlights and shadows. You don't have to blend them to death to make the piece look good.

Step 4: Super highlights!
I admit, I'm stretching the Rule of Shades here, but a little extra oomph in the highlighting area never hurt anyone. Scroll between step 3 and 4 and note how different the pictures are! All I added were a few highlights in a slightly lighter color.

NOTE: DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT overdo this step! Less is more when discussing super highlights. If you go overboard, your pony will begin to resemble a glow worm and that is never good.

Places usually super highlighted on a horse: the shoulder, top of the flank, hip bone, and places where there is very little muscle (usually on the face). Legs rarely ever have super highlights.

Step 5: Everything Else
The eyes were not colored in this tutorial (I forgot ), but the hooves were filled in with a gray-based black.

I have a few words to say about this. Technically the color gray does not exist. It is a combo of two neutral colors, black and white, and therefore will always reflect the light around it. That's why I use red- or blue-based blacks rather than just the boring old grayscale colors.

In hooves, however, I make an exception because, when paired with the blue-based black of the body, it takes on a different tinge. Normal hooves are never blue-black unless they have been spiffed up with hoof polish. Thus, a different color than the body is needed.

In the case of the mane and tail, all I can say is don't be afraid to be dramatic! Go wild, go crazy, and DON'T BLEND. It literally took me 13 seconds to color the whole mane and tail, shadows, highlights, and all. Yes, I actually counted so that you realize how fast it can be. DON'T THINK. Just slap the three tones on there and you're done.

However, please make note: When coloring the mane and tail, I use a hard brush with a higher opacity (around 20 or so) so that the colors show up more and looks more like hair. Don't ask me how this works, it just does.

AND YOU'RE DONE. Have fun creating lots of pretty black ponies for your collections.

Tutorial and art (C) me

Description
Finished Piece

Please open the tutorial in another tab or window so that you can bounce back and forth between it and my commentary.

BEWARE: It's a large file!

This tutorial does not cover the actual sketching of the lineart or the placing of the base layer, so if you need help with that, please refer to this tutorial , which will walk you through my steps start to finish.

This was done in the paint program SAI PaintTool. Any program with layers and the layer lock mechanism will work.

Some people have been asking me how I color black horses, and since my next foal is black-based, I figured why not?

In my opinion, a black horse is one of the easiest creatures to color because you only need three base colors. Four if you're super fancy like me.

Step 1: Base Color
Note the different layers, and note that the body layer (the layer with my base color on it) is LOCKED. Refer to my previous tutorial if you need help doing this.

Pick your base color. For a dark dark brown horse, use a red-based black. For a pure black horse, use a blue-base black.

Trust me, there's a serious difference.

For all my true black horses, I use the blue-base black, which is shown as my base layer color that the white arrows are pointing to. It's a dark grayish-blue.

Step 2: Highlights
You really need to understand the anatomy of the horse for this to work (or a good reference picture). While you don't by any means have to be perfect, the tools and tricks are useless if you don't have the ability to wield them.

For the shading/coloring, I used a hard brush on very low opacity (aka Density in SAI), around 8 or so. Highlight until your heart's content, but remember that this is only step 2 so don't overdo it. You can always go back in and add more if you want later on.

Step 3: Shadows
I use actual black--the blackest of the black--for my shadows. Again, use a low opacity brush around 8 or so and fill in where the shadows are.

NOTE: Don't be afraid to leave some of your original base color! A monochrome piece (which is technically what this is) is always most beautiful when using the Rule of Shades--use three tones of the same color and no more. So leave some of your original color when adding highlights and shadows. You don't have to blend them to death to make the piece look good.

Step 4: Super highlights!
I admit, I'm stretching the Rule of Shades here, but a little extra oomph in the highlighting area never hurt anyone. Scroll between step 3 and 4 and note how different the pictures are! All I added were a few highlights in a slightly lighter color.

NOTE: DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT overdo this step! Less is more when discussing super highlights. If you go overboard, your pony will begin to resemble a glow worm and that is never good.

Places usually super highlighted on a horse: the shoulder, top of the flank, hip bone, and places where there is very little muscle (usually on the face). Legs rarely ever have super highlights.

Step 5: Everything Else
The eyes were not colored in this tutorial (I forgot ), but the hooves were filled in with a gray-based black.

I have a few words to say about this. Technically the color gray does not exist. It is a combo of two neutral colors, black and white, and therefore will always reflect the light around it. That's why I use red- or blue-based blacks rather than just the boring old grayscale colors.

In hooves, however, I make an exception because, when paired with the blue-based black of the body, it takes on a different tinge. Normal hooves are never blue-black unless they have been spiffed up with hoof polish. Thus, a different color than the body is needed.

In the case of the mane and tail, all I can say is don't be afraid to be dramatic! Go wild, go crazy, and DON'T BLEND. It literally took me 13 seconds to color the whole mane and tail, shadows, highlights, and all. Yes, I actually counted so that you realize how fast it can be. DON'T THINK. Just slap the three tones on there and you're done.

However, please make note: When coloring the mane and tail, I use a hard brush with a higher opacity (around 20 or so) so that the colors show up more and looks more like hair. Don't ask me how this works, it just does.

AND YOU'RE DONE. Have fun creating lots of pretty black ponies for your collections.

Tutorial and art (C) me