Year of the Horse - Illustration Process

I'm working on a Year of the Horse card design for the upcoming, Chinese New Year. Before you know it, it will be January 30, 2014 and of course I need to have a Year of the Horse design. Thought I'd share my process.

My original thought was to do my version of The Running Horse -however that is an iconic asian horse image - and I thought I needed to come up with something more me. Then I thought of doing the Horse version of my Year of the Ox design. Somehow it seemed too simple and safe a solution.

OX! Happy Birthday card © Diana Ting Delosh
click on the above image to see more details -including what years are OX years. Click HERE to see more of my  Chinese Zodiac Animal Birthday Cards. To date I only have 6 out of the 12 animals: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake.   

Decided to do a horse in a Mandarin style outfit but on all fours as opposed to being upright like the Ox and very anthropomorphic. Here's my final sketch.

Horse in a Mandarin suit - pencil sketch © Diana Ting Delosh

Here's the ink. I"ve inked in a geometric camelia pattern to the jacket with a Ying & Yang pattern on the cuffs. Originally I was going to do the pants too but it made me think of the pattern on a giraffe. FYI - I'm using double and triple zero radiograph pens on watercolor paper.

Horse in a Mandarin Suit -Ink © Diana Ting Delosh

Incidentally I always scan my inks -just in case I mess things up when I paint.  I'll be painting my horse in a bit and I'll share the finished version shortly.