The Foals

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I’m so excited to share the story behind this painting of two precious foals I created for a dear friend. From asking for permission to use her photo to sharing progress photos along the way, it was a joy to bring these little ones to life—and I wanted to walk you through how it all came together.

When my friend and I were talking about the horses she wanted me to paint for Christmas gifts, there was one photo on her Facebook page I couldn’t stop thinking about: two sweet foals lying in the hay. They were already close, but I imagined them even cozier, nestled right up against each other. I asked if I had permission to use her photo to paint them for her as an extra gift.

Once we agreed on the changes I wanted to make to the photo, I drew an outline in Procreate. Then I printed it and transferred the drawing onto watercolor paper, ready to start bringing these babies to life.

I began with the first layers, blocking in the lightest undertones I could see to set the foundation.

Next, I started building up the darker layers, adding depth and shaping their forms.

Layer after layer, the foals slowly started to emerge from the paper.

Eventually, I reached the point where I could add the fine details.

With each new layer, the foals came to life—soft, squishy muzzles, tiny adorable hooves… there were so many sweet details to capture in these two little ones.

I loved every moment of working on this painting, and it was such a joy to share each step of the process with my friend. Thank you for following along—I hope you enjoyed seeing how these two adorable babies took shape, one layer at a time!

Supplies Used in This Piece:  Some links below are affiliate; I may earn a small commission at no extra cost—thank you!

• iPad
• Procreate App
• Translucent Vellum Paper
• LED Light Box A4, Ultra-Thin USB
• Saral Graphite Transfer Paper (wax-free)
• Dr. Ph. Martin's Bleedproof White
• Arches Cold Press Watercolor Paper
• Mijello Mission Gold Watercolor Paints
• Winsor & Newton Masking Fluid
• Water-activated tape
• Washi Grid Tape
• Ruled Washi Tape (I used tape from TheArtistLife.com, they are no longer in business)
• GatorBoard - Purchased locally at Blaines Art, mine is cut in half.