An old barn dream [HQ] (Patreon)

Hello there, anthro futa lovers!

Up until now I have been sketching and drawing anthro characters of a very particular mythical type, like mermaids, cecaeliae or centaurs. They are half human, half beast. It is always “half”, instead of “halfway”, which reminds me of the spectrum aspect of the anthro genre. Some anthro characters are almost humans, while others are very feral. It’s easier said than done, in my experience. For those of you who watched live action versions of classical animations, like the Lion King, or The Jungle Book, some might have felt that some animals lack something distinctly human beneath the realistic, bestial version of their animated counterparts. It’s hard to blame the artists for that. It is a challenge, making it work, and a good one.

I’ve always thought that the answer might lie in the eyes. To me, that’s the one place where we can’t be realistic while painting anthro characters, or else we lose all the range of human emotions that the eyes (and eyebrows, and eyelids) are able to express. I tried to put this idea to the test here in this painting. This is my first attempt at a realistic version of a rather feral horse futa anthro. Her hair may be from the 70’s while her headpiece comes straight from the 1920’s, but I couldn’t find a better way to convey this concept. Also, I tried not to rely on smooth, dry brushes that usually create beautiful fur effects. I wanted oily highlights and honest, expressive brush strokes. Did it work? Maybe. Does it safely avoid the uncanny valley? You’ll be the judge! =^___^=

Thank you all so much for the love and support!

Q.