Class draws on nature

Students at Laguna College of Art find they have much to learn from equine sketch session.Two horses and a rider stood motionless on the lawn as a group of around 40 attempted to capture the scene.

Students at the Laguna College of Art and Design sized up their Arabian and quarter horse subjects, who were accompanied by a rider dressed in 1840s-era mountain-man clothes, as part of an exercise in learning to work with animals.

Instructor Diana Coco-Russell demonstrated the features of the quarter horse, Cody, as she picked up a leg to show students, who in turn articulated the animals’ structure with pencils and brushes.

“Look at the way it stands, you can tell its attitude,” said Coco-Russell, as she lectured on dimensions, proportions and body language.

Students scribbled and painted away, some with quick sketches, others with elaborate designs.

Animation major Francine Prestininzi said it was an opportunity for her to earn the horses’ movements.

“This is completely different than humans,” said David Thornfield, as he began to understand the horse’s anatomy.

“I love animals. Sometimes I go to the zoo to do this,” said Matthew Nishi, who said he applies his experience of drawing horses to his comics.

Caroline Butler, spokeswoman for the Laguna College of Art and Design, said the school brings in different animals each year.