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ReQuay — Desert Sands Liberty Yearling Entry
Published: 2013-11-13 22:34:07 +0000 UTC; Views: 2015; Favourites: 75; Downloads: 0
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Description
Keira in the First Annual Desert Sands Arabian Horse ShowEdit: She won Grand Champion! fav.me/d6whjoh
Show Registration Form
Stable/Farm - Artistik Arabians Stables
Handler - Ciara McKay
Horse's Name - AA* Keira Al Shaqab
Age - 1 year
Gender - filly
Class - Purebred Liberty, 0-4 years
Music - www.youtube.com/watch?v=spHPk-…
Ciara was excited to be travelling to another show. Desert Sands Stables was only about a half a day drive down from her farm, Artistik Arabians - tucked in the luscious evergreens of NW Washington State. The trip to Oregon's scrub desert would be relatively easy, as most of the passes were not burdened with winter's heavy snowfall yet, and Ciara made sure they would travel in style - she spent the afternoon yesterday washing and buffing the truck/trailer for the road trip. She was excited to meet up with some other local(ish) Arabian breeders and add to Keira's work in the show ring. Even Charlie was in a good mood, and had let Ciara control the soundtrack choices for their journey.
Keira fed off Ciara's enthusiasm, and pranced around as she was unloaded from the trailer, in the frigid Fall air, where the ground was still hard from the morning frost. Her eyes were wide with excitement, with nostrils flared as she smelled the unfamiliar surroundings and blew her breath out in little puffs of clouds. Her tail hairs, which had finally begun to grow out and leave her foalish looks behind, fell across her back and she danced around.
"Silly girl," Ciara laughed, "save some of that for the ring. No one is watching you right now." She smiled and patted the frisky filly on her shoulder.
Ciara kept the lead slack, and let the filly stretch her legs as Charlie finished checking them in. In no time at all they would be settled in, Keira would be groomed, with her silken mane and tail brushed out, and then it would be her time to move to the beat of the music in the soft sand arena.
Pencil sketch, Inking/Coloring in PS
AA* Keira Al Shaqab © *ReQuay
Pose ref: pbs.twimg.com/media/BPo5ko2CIA…
This work is © me and may not be used or reproduced in any way.
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Comments: 25
I have so much catching up to do on your art, so I'll start here, even though I'm terribly late for this one
First, I loved this the minute I saw it, and I had it open in a tab for days to comment, but life went mental so it kept getting put aside. The movement in Keira's pose is just beautiful. It looks so natural and I have no idea how you did it, but you can almost see a spark of real joy, just in that alone - the quirk of her head, stretch of her neck and how high she steps behind 
The shading...well, I always love seeing your soft shaded pieces. The shadows and highlights are well chosen in their placement, and it adds a slightly velvet texture to her coat. The only critique with that, I'd say, is the highlights are a sort of yellow-gold colour. While that's fine and looks great to indicate a strong sun, the background colours are a little cooler. I don't really know if I'm making sense when I say the background looks like the sun is just a bit muted, while Keira's highlights indicate its stronger. Its nothing huge, but just a little disparity. As usual, it doesn't take away from the overall image at all, but I thought I'd mention my thoughts. Something I know some people do is put an overlay of some kind (low opacity) in a certain colour over the entire image when they've finished, just to tint it very faintly, which helps tie all the colours together. I've tried it a couple of times, but whether you want to give it a go is up to you
But that leads nicely on to the last point, and that is that I adore the background 
Lovely work, and I'm sorry I couldn't tell you all that sooner ^^
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Marks on pose from you is just... 
I do have to give credit to a fabulous/fun ref. The second I saw it I knew I wanted to use it for her. I'm glad that it translated so well into her slowly growing body.
And... just, Thank You, for the wonderful background compliment! I'm so delighted to hear that you think it works here. (I do really struggle with them still). Thank you oh so very much for that awesome feedback!
And don't apologize for the timeliness of the reply (my deviation inbox is overflowing... including some art of yours that is long overdue for commenting)... I totally get it.
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I'm no expert or governing voice on pose! XD But I'm still glad I could make your day. It was totally deserved
Some reference images just leap out at us and we have to use them, so I know what that's like. This was a really nice find, for sure, on more than one level
You're very welcome for the compliments ^^ Its just a beautiful image (and don't worry at all! As I mentioned in a reply to your comment recently, I know this is a busy time of year and inboxes are rarely empty
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I really love how you can paint,and how you have such a great feel for Equistrian anatomy!Beautiful!8)
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Thank you so very much! I really have no idea about equine anatomy, and have to reference pictures for my drawings. So it brings such a big smile to my face, to hear you say that my artwork has captured the right anatomy "look."
Thank you so much and thanks for the 
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N'AWWWW I love all the art of this little girl. So cute! Makes me want an Arab. @_@
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Thank you so so much!
I have so much fun when I get to work on my art with her. I do love drawing her.
And I totally think you should get an Arab! I would absolutely LOVE to see one in your barn, and drawn in your style! Do it, do it, do it....
Not that either of us need encouragement for anything else - but your pics of Vogue have seriously tempted me to adopt a Friesian one day. Although, now I'm feeling more drawn to the Shedu's - such exotic and beautiful creatures (and good practice to draw something other than an equine). Oh the possibilities. I'll tell ya what, you work on getting an Arab in your stables, and I'll work on picking up a Shedu. Let's do it.
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Pft I do not need more horses lol!!!!!! But you should definitely get a friesian
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Pft, I do not need more horses, either, LOL! I have a few with ref's only, that need some drawing love before I import anything else to my stables. So I feel ya.
But in my dream world (where we both have tons of time for drawing), I'd LOVE to see an Arab in your stables.
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Great pose! She looks so spirited and confident. Lovely anatomy skills you have!
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Thank you so very much! That's definitely my girl - spirited and confident. I'm so glad you got that through the picture!
Thanks for the lovely compliment and the
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Oh my goodness, look at her getting bigger! What a beautiful little lady! Still frisky as ever, obviously! I love this piece of her
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Thank you so much hun! I do really love seeing her growing now. And yep, that's my special little thing - full of frisky energy and a diva attitude - because let's face it, we all know she is.
Thanks so much for the lovely compliment and the
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love love love this!!!! she looks so spunky and energetic
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Thank you so much luv! That's my girl - full of spunk and pizazz.
Thanks so much for the
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Thank you so very much! And thank you for the
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Thank you so much... on both accounts.
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