Copyright, 1987, Art Outreach, an extension of the Michael Victor II Art Library, Springfield Art Association
of Edwards Place, an Illinois not for profit corporation.
#48 – The American Cowboy
Images
#1
#1a
#2
#2a
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
Artists
Tom Ryan
Tom Ryan
Tom Ryan
Tom Ryan
Tom Ryan
Tom Ryan
Marshall Mitchell
Frederick Remington
Preliminary drawing for "BRANDING COMPOSITION"
"BRANDING COMPOSITION"
Preliminary drawing for "COW COUNTRY"
"COW COUNTRY"
"THE IMPRESSIONABLE YEARS"
"SHARING AN APPLE”
"PARTING COMPANY"
"TURN HIM LOOSE, BILL!"
Pair of Cowboy Spurs
Introduction
The American Cowboy is one of the few things we can call all-American. What is a cowboy? The term
"cowboy" originated in Texas. The first cowboys were Texas youngsters who took over the care of the family
cattle when fathers and older brothers left home to fight in the Civil War. After the War, these young men
helped drive cattle to markets in the North. Some stayed up North and left the name cowboy to their
equivalents on the Northern Plains. It is important to note here the role that the Black Cowboy played in the
settling of the Western frontier and the invaluable contributions he made to American history in this role.
The three top cowboy positions on a trail ride were the Dover (top man on the ride), the Trail Boss (# 2
man, who was handy with a six shooter) and the Cook (in charge of the grub wagon). Skills required to
become a cowboy included the ability to handle a horse and use a lasso. Other names for a cowboy included:
wrangler, bronco-buster and cow puncher.
The American Cowboy has been depicted in art throughout US history. He has been featured in paintings,
sculptures, plays, songs and books for the following reasons:
1)
2)
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4)
Cowboys were an interesting group of men who sacrificed their personal
life for adventure. In exchange for facing constant danger from weather,
man and animal, they received low pay and little security.
Cowboys came from nearly every type of family background (some were
even college graduates), religion and nationality.
A cowboy scene was a great subject for studies in action. It depicted
bravery and independence and was flamboyant.
The Cowboy was a very important part of our country's history and
folklore. It was necessary for people from the city to be able to view
western paintings. Not only were their imaginations stirred by the
romance and excitement of these scenes, but they also came to have a
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better appreciation of the hardships these "cowboys" endured.
This portfolio views works from three artists: Frederick Remington and Springfield natives Tom Ryan and
Marshall Mitchell. A VERY important plus in this portfolio is the preliminary sketches from two of Tom
Ryan's paintings. It is through his own words and the words included in this text that we learn how his ideas
were transformed into a final production.
#1 & 1a
"Branding Competition" by Tom Ryan
Tom Ryan was born in Springfield, Illinois in 1922. Several of his five brothers and three sisters still live in
Springfield. Tom's family loved Western history and enjoyed the out-of-door life. Tom demonstrated an
amazing ability to draw portraits while he was still in grade school. When the laundry wagon brought clean
shirts for his father, Tom would rush to get the cardboard liners so he might use them to draw on. When he
was young, Tom often enjoyed riding horses while he was dressed as either a cowboy or an Indian. The
drawings which Tom did in school included scene after scene of cowboys and Indians, as well as many
unflattering portraits of his teachers. Ryan studied at the American Academy in Chicago and the Art Students
League in New York City. Norman Rockwell was so impressed with Tom Ryan's work that he suggested
Tom's name to Brown and Bigelow printmakers, and in 1963, Ryan began producing paintings for them. He
moved to a ranch named The Four Sixes, in Guthrie, Texas in order to begin work on his first assignment for
Brown and Bigelow. It was at The Four Sixes ranch that Tom received the inspiration for many of his
paintings.
Tom Ryan's sketches and notes provide us with an excellent example of the preparation required to
accomplish a final outcome or masterpiece. In Tom's own words: "The two thumbnail sketches (#1) resulted
in a number of additional followed, basic to the composition in the sketches. Then the comprehensive
drawing was accomplished (#4). From this foundation of work I did the oil painting (#5). The limited pastels
in the comprehensive picture (#4) gave me the color direction for the final painting. After years of experience
I prefer painting from drawings, calling upon a color sense from memory. If a painting problem arises, I refer
to color notes painted in the field." (notice the notes made on #3).
Dust storms are a way of life in Texas and provide a rich and exciting backdrop for a branding scene. By
combining a dust storm with early morning sunlight, Ryan was able to achieve an unusual lighting condition
in this painting. The branding of cattle took place during the spring roundups. The dust in the scene allowed
the artist the ability to cover certain areas that were not essential to the final painting. The shadows cast from
the dust and sunlight created a soft pattern across the bottom of the painting.
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Tom Ryan felt that the soft shadows cast from the cowboys and animals were very
important. Point out these shadows in each of the sketches following up to the final painting.
Compare picture #4 to #5. What are some of the differences? Are there similarities?
The man on the horse looks the same. So do the branders. The sunlight cast upon the
cowboys was very important to Ryan.
Why do we not see any of the cowboys' faces?
#2 & 2a "COW COUNTRY" by Tom Ryan
This portrayal of the cattle industry is an effort that took Tom Ryan 16 years to complete. The first sketch for
this painting was done in 1970. Its purpose was to show a trail drive on an expanse of a Texas landscape.
Years later his idea was submitted to a business that commissioned him to complete a western painting (#1 &
2). Instead, they chose the painting titled "The Impressionable Years."
In 1986 Tom was traveling on a ranch road on the flat top of a mesa. He came upon a scene of "immense
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magnitude, so overwhelming it was breathtaking. A gigantic hill was protruding in the middle of canyons. I
spotted a cow and her calf on the hillside with a cloud cover that cast a shadow on part of the hill." When
Tom returned to his studio he completed a quick sketch (#3). The shadows in his sketch fused with the ideas
he had completed 16 years earlier. What followed were other sketches (#4), which helped to perfect the final
idea. Ryan even "painted" a sketch for the shadow pattern (#6). These sketches helped generate the final
gouache (rhymes with "squash") painting. A gouache painting is an opaque (not transparent) watercolor
painting.
"Cow Country" depicts a fall round up of cattle. The flat land in west Texas is irrigated for farming. The rest
of the land is called the cattle country. When the fall round up begins, the cowboys fan out and comb the
canyons and mesa tops pushing the cattle into a valley ahead of them. Eventually the drive results in the
formation of a large herd of cattle. They trail drive the cattle to a corral where they are inspected and a head
count is recorded. Necessary cattle shipments then take place and the remaining bulls and cows are returned
to the "cow country" until the spring round up.
The cloud shadow pattern is a very important part of this painting. In sketch #5 and #6 we see how Tom
shows these shadows and how they look on the final painting.
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Notice sketches #1 & #2. They are dated 1977 and 1978. Although these were 9 years apart,
how are they the same? How are they different?
What is a mesa?
o A large expanse of flat land on the top of a mountain.
How does this painting make you feel? Do you think these cowboys look tired and dirty or
just getting started for the day?
#3 "The Impressionable Years,," 1973 Tom Ryan
This painting speaks of the learning process of a future cowboy. This depiction of a cowboy's life is neither
clean nor glamorous. Becoming a cowboy entails doing hard dirty work, sleeping on bedrolls, eating from
chuck wagons, washing in cold streams and working from sun up to sun down. But look at the little boy's
eyes. What do you see? You see all of the energy and enthusiasm that a nine year-old can muster in spite of
harsh conditions.
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#4
Can you point out the elements of art in this painting?
o Shape: The wheel is a circle. Line: Spokes of the wheels, the metal frame of the wagon.
Color: Browns show a dirty, dusty trail. Space: Line of horses gets smaller and out of focus
to show depth. Texture: Scrubby roughness of the grass. Pattern: 6666 on the side of the
wagon, the spokes in the wheel.
Why do you think the main figure is in a bright red shirt?
Why is the front cowboy in a white shirt?
This leads our eye away from the man and boy and to the horses on the trail.
What do you think the boy is thinking?
Do you think the ride is rough or smooth?
"Sharing an Apple," 1969 by Tom Ryan
Before telling the students the title, ask them to title this painting.
According to Ryan, Sheep Marlow, a good friend and cowboy, was gentler than most with his horse. This
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gave Tom an idea for a new painting. Tom asked the cowboy to feed his horse a piece of apple. The cowboy
didn't think the horse would like the apple and was quite surprised when he ate it. This inspiration helped set
the mood for the painting. By looking at the subjects in the painting, we can feel many things.
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Notice the grass in the painting. What elements of art apply to the grass?
o Line, texture and pattern can all be seen in the grass.
Is this a morning, day or early evening painting? What makes your decision?
o The pink sunset and cowboys on the right coming in from the field give the viewer a certain
impression of the time of day.
This painting won an award at the Cowboy Artists of America Exhibit in 1969 and now hangs in the National
Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma.
#5
"Parting Company," 1984 by Marshall Mitchell
Marshall Mitchell was born in Springfield, Illinois and was quickly recognized as a child prodigy in art. At the
age of 12, Mitch was self-supporting and financing his own education. At sixteen he began his professional
career as a free-lance illustrator, creating and owning the largest commercial art enterprise in the Midwest;
employing an art staff of 45 persons. After 40 successful years, Mitchell sold his business and began sculpting.
He chose bronze as his medium for expression.
These sculptures are originally sculpted in clay or wax. Then a rubber mold is painted over the model. Once
the rubber mold dries, it is removed and melted wax is poured into the mold: Special hardening sand is
poured over the wax form. Once the sand creates a shell, the piece is placed in an oven and the wax melts
away leaving the image on the inside of the shell. Molten bronze is then poured into the shell, filling the
cavity left by the wax. Once cooled, the shell is cracked away from the bronze and finishing is done. Each
sculpture is produced repeatedly. This is known as a "limited edition." This particular sculpture was produced
20 times.
In this bronze sculpture you can get an idea of the difficulty involved in creating a 3 dimensional object. Each
angle must show equal expressive detail. This is a great example of positive and negative space. Notice the
interesting shape between the horse and the rider. The outer edge of the entire sculpture shows movement.
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#6
Why is this called "Parting Company"?
How do you think the Cowboy feels? The horse?
What is the texture of this sculpture?
"Turn Him Loose Bill!" by Frederic Remington (1861 -1909)
Frederic Remington was born in New York in 1861. At the age of 20, he went to
Montana and worked as a cowboy. In addition, he worked as a cowboy illustrator, specializing in black and
white line drawings. He has over 3,000 pictures of Western life to his credit and is famous for his bronze
sculptures.
This expressive oil painting depicts the life of a cowboy "breaking in" a new horse to a saddle. The most
experienced cowboys on the ranch did this process. Horses were trained to take a saddle and allow a cowboy
to ride them. The horse's natural instinct is to try and buck anything off of its back. This wild instinct is due
to the fact horses are often attacked by mountain lions (and other dangerous animals) from above. The
animals, looking for a kill, will jump from a rock or tree limb above a lame, sickly or young horse, thus
catching them off guard and attacking their necks.
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Does Remington or Ryan use more action in his painting?
Where do you see pattern in this painting?
Is Remington an abstract or realist artist?
Notice the detail in the faces of the three front cowboys and the lack of detail in the faces of
the two cowboys in the distance. Why does Remington do this?
o The detail in the faces of the cowboys in the foreground indicates that they are close to the
viewer, while the blurred features of the cowboys in the distance indicate that they are
further away from the viewer.
#7 Pair of Cowboy Spurs
These are a real pair of cowboy spurs. They are attached to cowboy boots with the buttons on the side. These
buttons go through leather buttonholes located on the side straps of a Cowboy's boot. Cowboy spurs are
works of art in their design and metal use. A pair of spurs is used by the cowboy to control the movements of
a trained horse during roundups. By nudging the horse with a spur, the cowboy is able to turn him sharply
from left to right. Spurs are also used to encourage the horse to run faster. In today's rodeos, spurs of
different styles and teeth size are used depending on the type of event being presented. Some of the spurs
have teeth over an inch long.
Notice the design on the spur. This is called engraving. It is done by hand or by machine. The engraving on
the spurs in the portfolio is machine generated. This is apparent by the regularity of the pattern.
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Which spur is for the left foot? How can you tell? The decoration is on the outside of the
spur.
There are hundreds of cowboy artists in the United States. They have been around as long as cowboys have
existed. Their job is to record the actions and the lives of cowboys. Learn more about cowboys and American
cowboy art at your library. Look at different books containing cowboy or Western art pictures and notice the
action and excitement in the figures. We hope you have enjoyed the American Cowboy Portfolio.
#48 – The American Cowboy, 5
#48, American Cowboy
SUNSET WITH
SILHOUETTE
MATERIALS:
*9X12 white paper
*9X12 black paper
*red and yellow
water colors
*cups for water
*paint brush
*pencil
*scissors
*glue
OBJECTIVES: Art Production: Students will create a glowing sunset by gradually blending red and yellow water colors.
(Students will also discover that the primary colors, red and yellow, will blend to make the secondary color,
orange). To make this spectacular sunset, have students position their paper horizontal and paint with red
along the top section of the paper. Then, starting along the bottom of the paper, paint with yellow. Continue
to paint toward the top of the paper until the yellow and red mix to create a fiery orange in the center of the
paper. While the paint is drying, draw with a pencil on the black paper. Suggest a simple outline of a
mountain, cactus or pine tree, barn, cows, horses or an eagle. Next, cut the shapes out (these are your
silhouettes) and glue the shapes onto the painted sunset paper.
Art History: The American west has vast wide open spaces with sky towering above. The glowing colors of a
sunset can be spectacular. Several artists are famous for their portrayal of the western landscape and the
cowboys who worked and lived there.
Art Criticism: Students will study and compare their designs and analyze the ways the elements and principles
of design are applied to their work.
Aesthetics: The students can judge the aesthetic qualities of the pieces. Polar pair words and vocabulary
words: glowing/dull, vast/confined, horizontal/vertical; silhouette.
EXTENSION ACTIVITIES: Have students work together on a mural with a western theme. Use crayons,
pencils and paint. Add animals, plants and cowboys to the scene.
CLASS TIME: 30 min.
Please leave color copy of lesson plan in the portfolio, you may make photo copies to use.
#48 – The American Cowboy, 6