I had a lot of images of Starjac to work with but none of him running a race. Jenny had sent me a link to the syndicate’s website, managed by Peter, so I had images of him training, my own photos of the visit to the yard, and a few of him standing with syndicate members.
At the beginning of September, Starjac came third in his race at Uttoxeter racecourse. There was a wonderful image of him racing to the finish with another horse. I did a sketch and sent it to Jenny but after much deliberation, we both agreed that although the composition had a lot of movement, it wasn’t a very flattering picture of Starjac. It would work as a painting or a print but not really for a commission.
I soon realised I would have to do a mock up of Starjac jumping at Uttoxeter to get the composition I needed. I had a fairly good photograph of a training jockey riding him over a jump which I was able to superimpose onto a jump at Uttoxeter, adding his racing silks. I did a very detailed sketch in pencil, sent it to Jenny, and we decided to go ahead.
It was until I had transferred the drawing onto a gessoed board, that I realised the jockey was sitting in the saddle and the stirrups were longer than they would have been during a race. I had to then look for a jockey in the correct position, cut him out and stick him onto the drawing in the correct position, elevated above the saddle.
The weeks passed and the painting progressed. Peter’s birthday was nearing and I needed the painting to be dry enough for it to be wrapped and for him to be able to handle it.
I finished the painting about a week before Peter’s birthday, and asked Jenny to come round and see it. This is always a nerve-wracking moment. No matter how well you think you’ve done, no matter how convinced you are that the painting works, nothing really means anything until the person who’s commissioned you, the person who knows the animal so well (be it a cat, a dog or a horse) confirms that it’s exactly right. Jenny was absolutely thrilled, she confessed that she too had been nervous, as from her point of view, she’d thought about what her reaction should be if I hadn’t quite captured him, and we were out of time. We both breathed a huge sigh of relief. She was convinced Peter would love it.
Sketch of Starjac coming third at Uttoxeter Racecourse
Original drawing based on trainer riding Starjac over a jump.
Pencil drawing with jockey mock up riding Starjac to improve position in the saddle.
Final Painting - Oil on board.