Successful Sniffers: Tips For Sculpting Equine Nostrils

Some of the trickiest things to sculpt are often what seems the most simple aspects of the body. Nostrils, for example, are simply cartilage and flesh at the end of the head yet duplicating them in sculpture can be quite the pickle indeed! Simple looking doesn't mean simple to sculpt. This is partly because the nostrils move and contort as a function of mood, vocalization, and motion and partly because their curves and structure are really quite nuanced and complicated. It's a good idea then to practice a lot of observation, field study, and the study of plenty of reference photos to develop a solid mental library. Because the equine schnoz is truly a marvelous thing, isn’t it? Warm, soft, velvety, smooshy, pliable, and so expressive, it's a marvel of biology that also offers artists lots of creative play time. As such, sculpting a great set of sniffers is doable with some basic ideas and techniques so let's look at some simple steps that apply to all media to sculpt that basic idea of "nostril" onto your sculpture.

Basic Anatomy

But let’s start this off with a basic understanding of nostril anatomy. The nasal cavity is filled with cartilage called the nasal septum, which projects forward from the end of the nasal bone to attach to the premaxillae, above the incisors, creating the basic framework for the nostrils. So anatomically, the nostrils simply fill in the large cavity on either side of the nasal bone, channeling air directly into the sinuses through the length of the head and into the lungs.

The nostril itself is comprised of two rims encircling the nasal cavity and each is distinctly different. The anterior rim is cartilage (the alar cartilage, sometimes called “comma” cartilage) and is comma-shaped with a thick rounded upper head (lamina) and a thinner, swooping lower portion ending in a tail bulb (cornu). When viewed from the front, the alar cartilage forms an “x” shape comprised of the connected back-to-back portions that attach to the nasal septum and the lateral cartilage of the nasal bone, articulating with both. In contrast, the posterior rim of the nostril is comprised of highly flexible gooshy flesh and is therefore more swooping, elastic and often more uniform in shape. It connects at the top with the lamina of the alar cartilage where they form the upper fold or “V,” and the cornu of the alar cartilage at the tail where they form a noticeable depression at rest. However, during exertion, the nostril may be so flared that this depression flattens out and widens. The alar cartilage is easily palpated while its bulbous tailhead can often be seen as a subtle bulge immediately behind the lower portion of the posterior rim. Why is the alar portion made of cartilage and the posterior portion simply flesh? Well, it’s believed the stiff cartilage of the alar cartilage helps to keep the nostril from collapsing inward during extreme forces of inhalation much like a sturdy tent pole in high winds. In contrast, the fleshiness of the posterior rim allows for a lot of expansion, increasing the amount of air flow into the nasal cavity.

In short then, the equine nostril has no bones or boney connection to the skull, being only cartilage and flesh attached relatively loosely by fibrous fleshy connections. Because of their flexibility and the network of little muscles acting upon them then, the nostrils can be contorted together or independently, depending on the circumstance. For this, field study and references are necessary to discover all the motions the nostrils can make for fun options on your sculpture. Indeed, the nostrils are capable of many shapes, contortions, and sizes being rather mobile and flexible. Also, where the two rims meet at the top “V” is more or less tacked down while the rest of the nostril can be independently moved and shaped by the facial muscles connected to them. But note that nostrils can also be distorted by the motion of the upper lip so pay attention to that, too. 

The nostril (or nare) has two compartments, the true nostril and the false nostril (or nasal diverticulum), a unique fleshy feature. The true nostril leads directly into the nasal cavity of the sinus whereas the false nostril is a pouch above it, running from the lateral dorsal aspect of the posterior rim and forming a dead-end at the junction between the premaxillary and the nasal bone. Several muscles activate the false nostril, such as the dorsal and ventral levator nasi, the dilator naris lateralis, the transverses nasi, and the levator nasolabialis, and can therefore capture air or contort or bulge in interesting ways during certain airflow conditions, communications, or expressions. What’s the purpose of the false nostril? It’s believed to help filter out debris from incoming air with all the little hairs that line its inside. More still, its expansion helps the true nostrils to expand even more, allowing for the intake of even more air. It’s also thought to warm incoming air before it reaches the lungs which helps to protect those delicate tissues. The false nostril also plays a part in communication by helping to provide that adorable snort we all know and love. Coincidentally, it's also thought that the false nostril produces that vibrating sound we sometimes hear with a galloping horse. Lastly, the nostrils contain within them each a nasolacrimal duct which drains tears from the eyes and out the nose which we can often see in real horses. So it's not snot leaking out of a horse's nose, it's tears.

Yet how ever we choose to sculpt our nostrils, we should always remember that nostrils serve an essential function: Getting air into and out of the 15 gallon capacity lungs which is no small feat. Indeed, if we study how air flows in and out of the sinuses through the throat cavity and into the bronchial tube, we see that air is literally injected directly into the lungs in a highly efficient system that can move massive amounts of air in seconds. For instance, at rest, the horse inhales about 1.3 gallons of air with every breath. At about 10-20 breaths per minute, the average rate for a resting horse, that’s a lot of air, isn't it? That’s about 20 gallons for an average of 15 breaths per minute. Whoa. Then at full gallop, the horse breaths twice per second, once for each stride, exhaling during the suspension phase and inhaling during the extension phase. Or put another way, the horse doesn’t just breath when exercising by markedly expanding the chest like we do. Rather, when they start to move, a mechanism kicks in called the respiratory-locomotor coupling in which the stride itself helps to produce inhalation and exhalation by mechanical pressure on the diaphragm. Their air intake also increases to nearly 3-4 gallons per breath and at 120 breaths per minute at a gallop, that’s at least 360 gallons per minute! Wow! And all with relatively little work to actually breathe thanks to the respiratory-locomotor coupling. It also means that the longer the stride, the deeper the breath, increasing the oxygen intake. Put it all together with all those mechanics at play then, at a full gallop, the air flowing through the nostrils can be as fast as 400 mph. For comparison, an F5 tornado has a wind speed averaging 318 mph. Holy smokes! But all this is why horses should have large, cavernous nostrils rather than small, narrow ones when it comes to conformation. It should also be noted that horses typically cannot breath through their mouths but are obligate nasal breathers because of the palantal drape in their throats and the structure of their throats. (Fun fact: Horses tend to hold their breath over jumps to exhale upon landing.)

Nostrils aren't just a function of airflow though, but also of communication (through puffs, snorts, blows, etc.), scenting the air (watch how they delicately quiver and dilate doing so), clearing the nasal passages (with that all-too-familiar schnoz splatter) and emotion (note how they move in sympathy to what the horse is feeling). So it’s important to pay attention to them when sculpting those aspects, too. 

For Sculptors

There’s a lot of variation in nostrils between individuals and between breeds, so some study is a good idea here. But generally speaking, the comma cartilage has a definite shape to it which we need to keep in mind — it’s not like a thin rim or round cord, but something akin to a somewhat flattened tube with knobbier bits. Study the comma cartilage by itself closely because how it’s shaped is pretty much how the anterior rim is shaped. In contrast, the posterior rim ranges from thin and delicate to thick and fleshy, and everything in between, between breeds and individuals so pay attention to its qualities when determining what’s suitable for your sculpture. 

As mentioned, when the nostril is activated in dilation, the comma cartilage is pulled inwards, forwards, and a bit up by the facial muscles while the posterior rim is stretched backwards, widely opening the nostril cavity. But there are many different ways this can happen so there's a lot of variation between dilated nostrils due to individual variation and circumstance so pay attention to that in field study and references. For example, a snorting nostril can be dilated differently than a galloping nostril that a nickering nostril and so on. So try not to apply the same type of dilation to every piece — pay attention to circumstance. Every situation is different and so every nostril situation can be different, too. What's more, the horse tends to dilate their nostrils in the same way on either side. However, that said, they can also dilate their nostrils differently on each side if circumstances warrant such as, for instance, with lip movement that "pulls" the nostrils to distort them. So be sure to study nostrils closely in this regard to tease out which works for your sculpture best. 

As for its basic shape, we can think of the nostril as a reversed “6” on the left side or as a normal "6" on the right side. This is because the posterior rim overlaps the anterior rim at the top with the two meeting at the bottom where they connect to a “corner” of the boxy upper lip or thereabouts. As for placement, the Ear-Eye-Nostril alignment is a useful guide to gauge the placement of your nostril (Figure 1) and a good place to start identifying the differences between individual and breed characteristics. It doesn’t end there, though. 

As for their set, some nostrils are oriented more parallel on the profile while others are more perpendicular, and everything in between, depending on the individual or breed. For instance, Arabians and Tekes tend to have a more parallel set whereas Quarter Horses tend to have a more perpendicular set, giving their muzzle a more blunted, boxy appearance.

Don’t forget little details, too. Things like whisker bumps, tiny wrinkles, creases, slight bumpiness, and other textural touches can add so much life to your nostril. And look for the wrinkles and textures in the space between the comma cartilages as well, which also change with dilation. So carefully study these things in field study and your reference images because they're important touches for your sculpture.

Sculpting Sequence

Nostrils are relatively straight forwards if we have a plan. To that end, think about this method...

Plan Ahead: Think about where precisely the nostrils will be placed and what they’ll be doing. Remember, they not only have to anatomically faithful, but also have to be consistent to the sculpture’s depicted level of exertion, moment, and the mood you wish to convey. You can even draw them onto your clay with either a sculpting tool (oil clays) or a pencil (epoxy clays) to work things out and give you a guide. Also think about the amount of sculpting material you’ll need for each nostril. For instance, it may be easier with epoxies to do one nostril at time, rather than both simultaneously so you aren’t rushed because of the cure time. And usually about a smallish pea-sized ball of clay is sufficient for one nostril and the flute on a “traditional” 1:9 scale size piece. (Note: For customizing, I recommend the removal of the entire original nostril before sculpting a new one. Create a flat "blank" surface, sanded with rough sandpaper to provide tooth and to smooth harsh Dremel ridges, and then wash down the area with rubbing alcohol to make sure all residues are removed.) 

Blocking Out: Place the blob of sculpting material on the area where the nostril will be placed; smoosh it on there pretty good so you have good adherence. This is important as you'll be manipulating it a lot and you don't want anything to detach while you're working. So after you've achieved that, flatten to an oblong bulge, forming the mass of the nostril in front and the flute in back, up towards the eye. Then take a tool (like the end of a small paint brush or a pencil or your favorite go-to) and make a depression to form a donut. Now you have a big hole.

Establishing Structure: Now make an indention at the top to denote where the anterior and posterior rims meet, that upper "v." Be mindful of breed or individual variation when you make this indentation as it will establish the axis of the nostril on the head and, remember, some breeds or individuals have nostrils set more parallel on the head than others.

Begin Defining: Now use your tools to smoosh around the clay to form the nostril, making adjustments and blocking in the planes of the nostril. Be sure to blend the edges into the rest of the face as you go, and remember to inspect the planes from the side, top, bottom and front and make appropriate adjustments. Remember to also pay attention to the planes the nostril is angled on because they have to match your references, too. Now if you have too much material on, remove some and adjust. Likewise, if you don’t have enough, add more and adjust. Be sure to blend blend blend into the surrounding face as you work as you want that nostril married to the surface properly. If you're using epoxy clay...work fast! (Tip: You can use soft brushes with solvent to do some actual sculpting rather than using your tools all the time.)

Detailing: When you’ve blocked in the nostril definition and ensured its correct placement, proportions and planing, you can begin detailing. Such details might entail delicate wrinkles or subtle contortions or motions that would indicate mood or even subtle bulges that would imply airflow or exertion. Think about adding some textural touches too such as little creases or bumpy parts. (Tip: You can leave the front wrinkly space between the nostrils for the very last, after you've completed both nostrils because it's just easier to do that tricky area with both nostrils already done. If you're working in epoxy clay, let both nostrils cure first before attempting this area to avoid distorting your nostrils.)

Refinements: As you progress, you can further refine, define, and detail, referring to photos to provide guidance. If working with epoxy, work with the cure time to refine details and clarify ideas as the material stiffens. Smooth with brushes and solvent as you go so everything is smooth and fleshy. (Tip: Only use enough solvent to smooth rather than soak since using too much solvent can diminish your material's ability to hold those details you're inputting.)

When you’re done with one, do the other side the same way being mindful of bilateral symmetry and then fill in that hollow between them with appropriate detailing and wrinkles. (Tip: It's often best when working in epoxy clay to allow one nostril to cure almost completely before starting on the next to avoid smooshing your first one accidentally.)

Hollowing Out: Then you can take a tool to scoop out the inner cavity of the nostril if you're working in oil or ceramic clay or use a Dremel tool if working in epoxy clay. As for the latter, let the finished nostril cure completely and then hollow it out with a Dremel and appropriate small round bits. Avoid using a Dremel to add further detail or sculptural aspects though since this kind of carving doesn't really duplicate the look of soft, mushy flesh or tiny details well. It's just too harsh. Rather, just use the Dremel to hollow out the inside of the nostril and then simply sand the inside a bit with rolled up fine wet-dry sandpaper and voila! Done! (Tip: The more hollow you can sculpt your nostril the better to make Dremeling out easier and more effective later.)

Alternate Method: Instead of making a blob squished onto the head, you can make a small snake of clay looped back on itself, connecting to itself at the upper "v," to form the rims, automatically creating a hollow inside the nostril. Then attach a small blob behind it to form the nostril flute and blend together and proceed.

Now this method I use may not work for you so well, so take from it what you will and dump the rest. I also tend to alternate between this blob method and the alternate method depending on the circumstances of my particular nostrils. Sometimes the alternate method is just the better choice. Point is, learn a couple of different ways to sculpt nostrils so you can adapt easily to any situation.

Sculpting Tips

• If using epoxy clay, soft artificial brushes dipped in 91% rubbing alcohol can be used to smooth your sculpting as you go. Do this properly and you won’t have to sand at all — big bonus! Now if using most oil clays, Goo Gone or “turpenol” (30% Turpenoid/70% 91% Rubbing Alcohol) works the same way. Just keep in mind that Goo Gone is highly aggressive and will dissolve your oil clay into a gooshy mess if you use too much. Be very conservative with it. But that aggressiveness can be useful! For instance, you can use it in the first smoothing to really knock down your tool marks then use the turpenol, which is far less aggressive, for the final, gentle smoothing. (Caution: Do not mix the GooGone and turpenol together.)
• Nostrils are best sculpted with the proper tools that fit the shapes needed. Many of these tools can be found online (check out The Compleat Sculptor) and on eBay under “sculpting tools” or “dental tools.” Also check out Etsy for custom-made sculpting tools.
• A pair of good calipers will be a big help to keep things in proportion. (Tip: I recommend the Prospek calipers.) They’re also useful to keep the other nostril in paired proportion, too. 
• A ruler, the edge of your Prospek calipers, or the edge of a pencil can be used to gauge the Ear-Eye-Nostril alignment while sculpting to keep you on track. 
• Try to visualize the nostril in a simple shape for preliminary blocking. For example, think of a comma shape or those "6" shapes when creating their initial rims. Also think of the flute as an elongated “v” flowing from the back of the posterior rim and up to the eye, noting its location and how its shape is modified by emotion and airflow. It also has different "lumps and bumps" depending on airflow so pay attention to how the muscles are influencing the shape of the flute, too. 
• Don’t forget to gather good references of your needed nostrils in front and top views, and bottom views (if you can get them). Don’t just use side view references. You really do need as much of a 3D view as you can find. For instance, if you don’t have some front views, you may miss certain necessary planing or angles. Like sometimes the nostrils are more narrow at the “V” and broader along the posterior rim when seen from the front, but you’ll miss that if you only have a side view. Really, the more references from various angles you work from, the more on target your result.
• Practice practice practice! The only way nostrils become easier is to sculpt many of them, learning from your mistakes. Also lots of field study and reference photos will help build your mental library. Think about practice, too. Like here’s an idea: Take a junker model and Dremel off the nostril area on both sides then use something like Super Sculpey (a non-hardening clay) to repeatedly practice over and over again, learning to sculpt all sorts of nostrils. The non-hardening clay doesn’t impose a stressful cure time and you can fiddle with it at will over and over again. Really, it's a highly effective way to learn. Just be sure to do it equally on both sides so you develop your skills evenly. However, most artists have a “good” and “bad” side to work from so be ready to deal with that. Above all, we can’t have a great nostril on one side and a major hiccup on the other side. (Tip: This “good” and “bad” side isn’t really a deficiency in your skills, but a function of your handedness and how you use our tools in opposite angles on either side. In other words, how you hold our tool in relation to the piece will result in different outcomes. So try to hold your tools from the same angles on both sides as you work and hopefully you’re get closer to symmetry in the paired shapes.)

Some Common Misinterpretations

Learning how to sculpt nostrils takes some practice so be ready for a bit of a learning curve. To that end then, some of the common mistakes are:

• Proportion issues: It’s easy to make nostrils too big or too small in proportion to the head, so work from good photos, a good mental library, and good calipers to help you out. In particular, nostrils that are too small are a conformation fault as this can compromise air flow.
• Mis-alignments: Use the Ear-Eye-Nostril alignment as a starter guide to place your nostrils and make your adjustments from there for individual or breed variations. Also be mindful how the nostril’s axis is aligned on the head to make sure you don’t create one “spun” too forwards or backwards. Just remember where that upper “V” is tacked down anatomically and work from there.
• Incorrect planes: Keep the nostril planes consistent to life so do lots of field study and work from good references (like don’t forget to gather references from the top and the front, too).
• Inconsistent nostrils: The dilation of the nostril should be consistent to both the exertion depicted, the emotion conveyed, or the vocalization portrayed. For example, nostrils that aren’t functioning consistent to what the sculpture is "doing" such as a galloping horse with relaxed nostrils or a dozing horse with neighing nostrils. Just remember that nostrils are directly impacted by the intake and expulsion of air and by mood, so keep that in mind when designing your piece.
• “Razor Rims”: Nostril rims that are too thin and razor-sharp. Remember that the anterior rims are formed of thick cartilage and the posterior rims are made of fleshy structures. As such, they aren’t razor sharp. Even the most delicate nostrils on a real horse have a nice rounded edge to them. So be mindful of the rim shape and thickness as you work.
• Meaty nostrils: Keep proportion in mind when sculpting your nostril. Sometimes if you loose sight of this, you can make your nostrils too thick and meaty. A handy trick is to remember the scale of the comma cartilages because that’s a fixed size, being cartilage, then determine your posterior rim’s size from that based on your references.
• “Volcano” nostrils: An easy error, avoid nostril rims that protrude too outward in a cone-like configuration like the slopes of a volcano. Sure nostrils flare, but not really like a cone so use lots of references.
• Detached nostrils: Nostrils are rather flexible and mobile— yes —but notice how they’re somewhat tacked down at the upper “V” where the rims meet? This can be used as a loose “anchor” point to gauge the movement of your nostrils. Point is, nostrils are independently movable — yes — but just use good reference photos when making your decisions.
• Lack of detail: Nostrils have a lot of detail! All those wrinkles, whisker bumps, crevices, creases, protrusions, flares, subtle contortions, and bumpiness are fun options for your clay. Don't miss out on that opportunity to add lots of fleshy life to your piece.
• Timidity: Nostrils are an important component of expression so don’t be bashful when using them on your sculpture to portray emotion. Study how real horses use their nostrils while expressing and seek to communicate that in your work.
• Misplaced nostrils: Sometimes we can loose sight of proper placement and place our nostrils too low (resembling an tapir) or too high (resembling a pig). Use that Ear-Eye-Nostril alignment as a guiding baseline to base your individual or breed specific adjustments on, and you’ll nail it.
• Mismatched nostrils: This can happen when, flared and seen from the front, the rims of the two nostrils don’t match. Unless we have independent nasal contortions going on, the nostrils tend to flare symmetrically and so the two should match.

For Painters

Nostrils present painters with some playtime, too! Like one cool way to wake up the face is to highlight the nostril rims. You can add even more dimension by making the nasal cavity darker, which when paired with the highlighted rim, adds a lot of mass and pop. Then all the little wrinkles around and between the nostrils can be shaded and highlighted, too, to amplify the look of fleshiness. And here’s a fun touch: Sometimes the whisker bumps can appear slightly darker than the surrounding body color, an interesting touch to add if subtle and careful enough.

Now the tone of grey skin for painting schnozes varies a bit between individuals and colors so think about using the color sampling tool in Photoshop with your references to get an idea of the proper color family for your specific paintjob. The same goes for pink skin or for brownish skin (like on champagnes). Getting the tones and intensities right is really important for the final paintwork to look truly convincing. It can also be important to avoid harsh lines or color transitions to really heighten the sense of soft, velvety fleshiness. So diffuse out those highlights and shadows if you can. Precision is also really important here as well since we want that highlight right on top and any shading exactly where it needs to be. Sloppy application of highlight and shading can end up looking rather confusing.

Here are some common missteps:

• Wrong tone: The tone of skin, whether charcoal, brown, or pink, varies quite a bit between individuals and colors, so using good references and the color sampling tool in Photoshop is a great place to start. Even so, sometimes we can wander way off track. For example, making our pinky color too yellow, too orange, or too red or even too brown is a common oopsie. Be mindful of your mixes to stay on track.
• Harsh transitions: Highlight and shading should be slightly diffused or softly applied to avoid harsh lines that look painted on. Drybrushing is often helpful here, for example, or using certain media such as oils or pastel pencils which are more blendable is useful, too.
• Imprecision: When we’re shading and highlighting our nostrils, be absolutely precise where you place your colors or your result may look messy and confusing. For instance, shade color belongs in the creases and highlight color belongs on the protrusions, not the other way around. 
• Too harsh: Try to be subtle with highlighting and shading and build up the colors gradually. If not, we risk a look that’s too harsh and so not as convincing as soft, squishy, velvety flesh as it could be.

Handy Tools To Sculpt Nostrils

Your tools are your own preference, we all have our go-to tools, but here are some potentials you might try:

• Pencils sharpened to various points
• Ball-tip burnishing tools
• Dental tools such as the pointed spoon-shape tool
• The ends of small paintbrushes
• For an epoxy clay smoothing solvent, try 91% Rubbing Alcohol with soft, clean filbert brushes in sizes 2, 4 and 6
• Carbide scrapers on cured epoxy can be useful at times. You can get them from Rio Rondo or Kelly Sealey (in the UK). (Just be careful, they're sharp!)
• A Dremel tool (with a flexshaft attachment) for cured epoxy can come in really handy. Drill bits to look for are the diamond-coated small ball-tip ones, small teardrop shapes, and the small pointed cones. (Wear eye protection and a respirator! Follow manufacturer instructions, too!)
• Fine wet-dry sandpaper to wedge up to sand out the inside of your Dremeled-out nostril. (Use the sandpaper wet to minimize dust.)

Final Thoughts

Nostrils are a big part of the head, forming one of the major features of the face along with the ears and the eyes. Because of this, getting them right is pretty important because they can become a quick distraction if they aren't. Just practice at them and check yourself often with your references and calipers, and you got this! Because, really, sculpting and painting nostrils is a bit like artistic playtime so have fun with them! Sculptors, just keep their anatomy and their individual variations, breed specifics, circumstances, and moments in mind and you’ll nail it. And painters, think about soft fleshiness as you work and you’ll land it every time. So go forth and sniff out your best nostrils yet!

"Don’t wait for inspiration. It comes while working."

— Henri Matisse