Regrettable Headshots

[Carole Hanson]

Yea I won’t lie, I noticed a considerable inconsistency in headshots from this artist once they stopped overlaying pictures.

I’m glad you’re saying something Sara because it’s not really fair to you and Nena who have always hand drawn your headshots and have been very consistent with them.

[Louise Bayou]

Yea I won’t lie, I noticed a considerable inconsistency in headshots from this artist once they stopped overlaying pictures.

I’m glad you’re saying something Sara because it’s not really fair to you and Nena who have always hand drawn your headshots and have been very consistent with them.

I just had a new headshot done for Korie. She is probably the most special runner I have since she is named after my niece. And I just was not happy at all with her other headshot. Nena did an OUTSTANDING job on her new one! She even has that twinkle of mischief in her eye that my niece does.lol P.S this was made possible by the amazing Darcy Mcbride!

[Nena Olson]

Yea I won’t lie, I noticed a considerable inconsistency in headshots from this artist once they stopped overlaying pictures.

I’m glad you’re saying something Sara because it’s not really fair to you and Nena who have always hand drawn your headshots and have been very consistent with them.

Yea, Sara worded it perfectly. It was a pretty frustrating time, especially since I have perfectionism anxiety and it was making me try to reach unobtainable levels which made making headshots more stressful than it should have been. However, that is in the past and my anxiety has gone back down LOL!

I just had a new headshot done for Korie. She is probably the most special runner I have since she is named after my niece. And I just was not happy at all with her other headshot. Nena did an OUTSTANDING job on her new one! She even has that twinkle of mischief in her eye that my niece does.lol P.S this was made possible by the amazing Darcy Mcbride!

Thanks, Louise! It was fun bringing your niece to life in horse form

[Rochelle Bos]

I know I stopped requesting her when I found out about the whole thing, I’m really glad she adjusted her methods as requested

Maybe the inconsistency is she’s trying to find her “style”, or maybe she likes trying new things. Who knows!

I love how all three of you guys have unique art styles, and people will of course have preferences, but I’m sure that’s not meant as a slight against someone else’s style! I know I love Sara’s work, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t thoroughly enjoy all the headshots Nena and Kassidy are making as well!

You guys bring our horses to life!

[Stormy Peak]

I don't mind photo manipulations that have paint overs, or filters, etc... There is still a talent that goes with doing stuff like that, and Kassidy has shown she can also free hand images, so I know she doesn't just rely on working over photos and I think both her styles are wonderful. I also love the work of the other artists here...all are talented and between them we get a lovely variety of artistic styles/renderings.

I have known for years that some headshots were based off of photos of real horses. I kind of believed that along with just looking a a photo and then using it to free hand draw a headshot - that there was also some photo manipulation happening...even to the point where the end result totally obliviated the original photo by digitally over-painting it...etc.
I just didn't care that much about the process to question it, I think the different methods just give us more styles/varieties with the artwork.

The reason I knew about photos of real T-bred being used as a foundation/something for the artist to be inspired by, or actually change it around (and that latter method I was never sure if it was actually done) goes way back to around Year 30, when I got Forgave a headshot.

When I got the headshot...I thought she was ugly...and still think that she's ugly...lol.

As I recall...I told someone PM or in chat that I thought I got an ugly horse head shot. Word got back to the Steward who wrote to me and told me the artist was willing to redo the image. The Steward asked me what I didn't like about the headshot, and I told her. She then said headshots were often based off of photos of real thoroughbreds, and Forgave's headshot was based off of a photo of a real filly.

On my own...(never confirmed it, because, as I said I didn't care that much) I just figured that photos, while just being referenced and then free-hand drawn, that they could also be the underlaying foundation for portraits -- as in literally over painted, filtered, manipulated..etc..

I know there are ugly T-breds out there -- the great Dynaformer for example, his head was compared to that of a moose...lol.
And if I recall, one of Alydar's sons...Easy Goer? had kind of an ugly parrot mouth. I actually kind of like the uniqueness that comes with a bit of ugly.

I never specified anything when I ordered Forgave's headshot, so I wasn't going to tell the artist afterwards to change any feature - to me, that is just part of art...the artist's vision or their 'magic' that has them complete a piece maybe in a way they actually hadn't envisioned at the beginning of the process.

Here is Forgave, with further explanation to my feelings about it.
FORGAVE:


Again..I think she's ugly...but that is not the same as saying I hate the headshot! I happen to Love it : )

With Forgave, I think the bottom of her ears look like tube, her mouth is gaped open but she has not even a hint of teeth showing (and a little bit of a parrot mouth), she doesn't have much for a jaw line, and her neck looks really scrawny and really straight.
She was based off of a photo of a real mare - a real ugly one...lol.
I have no regrets with Forgave's portrait, I really do love her headshot, it's not plain, and it's not beautiful...it makes her a little more unique for it, in my opinion. I like the realism of ugly or plain headshots as not every thoroughbred out there is a stunning beauty.

Also, what makes her beautiful in other ways - she earned over a $1,300,000 on the track and is the dam, great/grand+ dam of many of my best runners, such as Forethought, Forgot, Fortitude, Heartborken, Convince Me, Roughian, Foretold and Mal.

The only time I ever would ask for a touch up - would be if something was wrong, like the horse has a blaze and the artist didn't give it one.


Some years later, I *think* the same artist did Forgave's daughter's headshot --and Forethought turned out absolutely beautiful.
I think I did request her neck be arched a bit and I might have even used Chesapeake Bay's headshot as an example of what I meant by an arched neck. Chesapeake Bay...his headshot is in my top 5 of the best looking in the Sim, even though there are many other headshots that are more realistic. I like realistic, but I also like the less realistic look that Chesapeake Bay has...beautifully done, but not photographic looking at all.

FORETHOUGHT


CHEASAPEAKE BAY


Stormy

[Carole Hanson]

I think the issue is that the requirements of the SIM images is that they are hand drawn. Yes photo references are used, but the artist is meant to draw the horse by only looking at the reference rather than drawing on top of it. Whilst photo manipulation is not something any average person could do, it still doesn't fit the standard of the SIM. And unfortunately, a lot of people (myself included) weren't aware that photo manipulation was happening. I and many others just thought Kassidy did ultra realistic headshots all by hand, so often, I would request Kassidy for my headshots as I'm sure many others did too. This took away work from Sara and Nena who did adhere to the standards requested by the SIM. It also meant that I received headshots like this one:


And then this one:


Same artist, two totally different styles.

I'm sure Kassidy is an incredibly talented artist, but it's not fair that she got so much praise for work that wasn't completely hers.

Also, I'm pretty sure Kassidy actually no longer works on headshots for the SIM, it looks like it's just Sara and Nena based on the recent headshots that have been coming in.

[Nena Olson]

As long as proper credit is given to the photographer on said photo manipulation, then you are right.. nothing is wrong with photo manipulation but I dont see a signature or credit for the photographer. As somebody who used to play old school text sim horse games, I know very well that owners of horse photos are angry beans if you don't ask permission or display credit LOL. I was yelled at many times for asking to use their pretty pony's photos. Some even threatened to take legal action againt me (and I was like 12) if I used their image at all. It was a stressful time as a child LOL

Im sure other sim horse game players can remember these things fondly too LOL

[Andrew Chillin]

Men stroll rage

Someone bought this lovely headshot and then he never won again and is a terrible stud. Coincidence!? I don’t believe in coincidences

[Nena Olson]

Men stroll rage

Someone bought this lovely headshot and then he never won again and is a terrible stud. Coincidence!? I don’t believe in coincidences

The headshot curse is very real sometimes

[Louise Bayou]

Men stroll rage

Someone bought this lovely headshot and then he never won again and is a terrible stud. Coincidence!? I don’t believe in coincidences

The headshot curse is very real sometimes

The curse IS real! And Nena better watch out if Korie doesn't win tonight! heads will roll

[Nena Olson]

Men stroll rage

Someone bought this lovely headshot and then he never won again and is a terrible stud. Coincidence!? I don’t believe in coincidences

The headshot curse is very real sometimes

The curse IS real! And Nena better watch out if Korie doesn't win tonight! heads will roll

No pressure

[Rochelle Bos]

The headshot curse is very real sometimes

This is why one of my horses who will remain unnamed doesn’t have a headshot yet lol

My rule is they either get the headshot before the race because I love them, or after a big win…never in between lol

[Carole Hanson]

The only one so far I’ve had that has been annoying and got a headshot was Heart to the Wind, but she did get it after her Grade 1 win so maybe I cursed her. In my book though, if you win a grade 1, produce multiple grade 1 winners or are born a freak, you deserve a headshot!

[Stormy Peak]

I've never asked for a particular artist. I love being surprised, and I love all the various styles.

Having said that...I'll be kind of a devil's advocate....
I think all styles should be allowed here, even photo manipulation - if that is what the owner wants to spend their money on.
But as mentioned, to be fair to the other artists, it should be made clear when it's photo manipulation - I personally don't care...but others certainly do.

People have their own preferences to what they like and to suggest that what they like doesn't meet 'standards' is kind of off putting to me. it's kind of like ... art shaming, for a lack of a better term.

It's like if someone has a 'Elvis on velvet' displayed on their living room wall, and they enjoy it. But they are told that their taste in art is below some artistic standard set by someone else who sees that kind of art beneath the dignity of being called art. And that glittered and bejeweled Elvis on velvet painting is taken away and the person who liked that look is told any artwork they buy now, will have to be done only in oil paint, on canvas, and set in gilded frames to be looked at while listening to classical music...because those Elvis Presley songs the owner enjoyed had to go out the door too...for not meeting the standards of good music.

----Yeah, I know...play the devil's advocate will probably mean I'll catch some heII for doing so...lol I DO understand the flip side, so no one needs to explain it too me. I get it...other artists were losing out due to people wanting 'realistic'
Anyway, I know I wouldn't want every headshot to be super realistic....but some others might want that and if they know how it's made and they are willing to pay for it..that should be their option.

Addressing the photographer stuff. Photos used as a reference for artwork...hand drawn, or manipulated...if the photos are turned into something so different that it doesn't look like the actual photo, I don't see the need for crediting the photographer.

If the photo is being used more as a reference because the artist sees some pose in the photo that they love, like the turn of an ear, or the way a neck is arched, or a head it turned, or the way shadow and light hits the horse, but they make pretty much everything else look different - I don't see the harm in using a photo like that.

The artist, in changing other major things creates a horse that is not the horse in the photo. Choosing a different color, making the photo of a grey horse into a bay or chestnut, changing the looks of stars, blazes, strips, or making it's eyes a little bigger, ears pointing a little differently, or beefing up the chest muscles along with a lot of other things that can be done ends up with a rendering that is no longer a replication of the photo.

I have seen photos where the artist has free-hand drawn it and it looks almost as realistic as the photo, and even if not super realistic, it's easy to see it's a non-original as it's close enough to the photo to recognize it as such. If that's the case, the photographer should be first be asked for the use of the photo and given credit.

I think realism has it's place, but personally I wouldn't want every piece or even most of my art pieces to be almost photo-like.
There's something wonderful in seeing what results when those with talent put their own stamp on things.

Five artists could all look at the same subject matter, like say...a vase of flowers. All will draw or paint it so it's turned into same recognizable vase of flowers, but each piece is still going to be totally different from what the artists next to them rendered. I can't draw a stick man with the help of a ruler...so when I see like video of a classroom of artists each working while looking at the same subject, I find it absolutely fascinating how each are drawing a recognizable version of their subject...but each artist's efforts look very little like that of those other artists in the class.

Stormy

[Stormy Peak]

And...also...

I mentioned I loved the realistic headshot of Roughian. I thought it was perfect for her. The details, colors, realism all fit with what I imagined her to look like and with the personality I had in mind for her. She seemed almost real presence, with kind of a difficult/hard edge to her personality...strong willed.

And then there is this headshot of my beloved Heartborken, which is totally different in style but I LOVE it!

HEARTBORKEN


Heartborken was named in memory of my mentally handicapped golden retriever, HaHa.
If HaHa could have spelled, I know that is how he would have spelled Heartbroken. : )

The Steward sent me a condolence PM upon hearing about HaHa's passing and she purposely left the subject line typo in place,- saying it seemed to fit with HaHa's personality. I knew I had to use the typo 'Heartborken' on a special horse - and I had the perfect yearling for it.

His headshot was an anonymous gift, given to me after I posted about his first Grade 1 win, and I told the story about
how his name came about, and it being in memory of my beloved HaHa. I hope the person who gifted it to me, never regretted it...hope they read this and know I still deeply appreciate the headshot and the fact that it was a sizable amount to spend on someone else. I also don't know who the artist was....who worked such magic with his image.

When I look at his headshot and the style it's done in, I think it's just perfect.
I know a realistic looking headshot would not fit with the the emotions I have for this horse.

In spite of his name -- I always had Heartborken's personality as being much like that of HaHa's personality which was quite playful, and only able to focusing on one thing at a time. HaHa's limited brain power didn't allow for multitasking, nor distraction. Unlike most dogs, even yelling " Squirrel ! " couldn't break his concentration if he was playing, or eating, or even watching a leaf flutter in the wind

In my minds eye.. When Heartborken was running in a race, that was what he totally focused on, and I imagined that if he was with me...I was the focus of all his attention, if he watched someone working...he followed every minute movement of what that person was doing, like HaHa, he wasn't easily distracted. : )

Being that HaHa was gone...no longer a physical presence - the softer imagery of Heartborken's headshot just seems to be a better fit than a realistic-photo image would have been, for me, memories and dreams don't have the focus/realism of a photo.

I love the smooth details in the headshot.
His neck and his face have rich warm colors that flow and blend, a fluid softness that wouldn't happen with a realistic photo-like rendering. The eye, I love how the artist managed to catch that focus and gentleness I imagined this horse would have...and both his ears are focused too on what the horse is looking at.
And to me, he doesn't look like he's in motion, yet his mane is being whipped around as if being moved by a gust of wind.

I like that the artist thought of doing that, not even knowing that HaHa use to love wind storms...and being a golden, he had a lot of hair that would flutter about with the wind gusts.

There's something about all the various styles that can serve a purpose for the horse owners here.
I've never been disappointed in any of the artists, and I like the idea of not asking for a certain artist - I will sometimes ask for a very general look for some horses...such as a long mane, or an arched neck.
I think too, that in not specifying a lot of detail or insisting upon a certain artist -- that a person can end up with a piece of art they are absolutely drawn to, even though it might not have been their 1st choice of style, or the pose of the horse, etc.

Stormy