Day 167 ~ Use only pencils as your material or inspiration.

As I was watching my horse run in her paddock it occurred to me that most of the horses I've created for this 365 project have been standing still, so I decided to make this one moving. I wanted to catch the moment in the gallop where she would kick out her front right hoof and fly off the ground. (Not many things in the world more beautiful.)

This project took a better part of a day. I first drew the shape on a piece of matboard. Then I cut up the sixty pencils (I cleaned out the stock at the Dollar Store.)  into random lengths on a band saw. I secured them to the board with wood glue and modeling paste. I was trying for a relief effect, doing the things farther away, like the two right legs, first, with shorter pieces, and making the pieces in the barrel, shoulder and hip the longest to appear closest. This shows up best in the first photo, but I like the image of the second photo (from behind) better. The two left legs are made from shorter pieces and are suspended away from the board. I had to use some Super Glue and prop them up with pieces of foam core while they set to make that happen. The mane and tail are pieces shaved from a pencil with an Exacto knife and secured by drizzling Elmer's over them. The piece measures 8"X12". It took over 60 pencils and cost under $4.