Image 2 Progress

I wanted to try a new(ish) style with this one, so I have been looking at images from 'Journey' and piecing a new image together which is simple yet still beautiful.

These are the two images which I focused on for this image, as I wanted to continue with my desert landscapes. I particularly like the use of clouds in these images also, which I would like to experiment with.

Here are some reference images which I put together:

Here is my first mock up of the Environment:

This is a quick half an hour mock-up of the layout of the image. I wanted the character to be up high, as to give scale to the landscape, and also portray isolation.

Silhouettes of the Character:

It was a choice between standing still and rearing as I wanted the character stationary as to give a focal point on the image. 

Horse Colour Tests:

With the colour of the horse, I will experiment with this when the background of the image is complete, as I want the horse to stand out in the image.

Mock Ups with Character:

After looking at these two, I decided to have the horse and rider standing still as to not draw the focus away from the environment too much. It will also reinforce the look of tiredness and weariness in this environment.

This is the initial sketch for the final image:
I also compiled some swatches for the colours in the top corner.

While sketching the image, I decided to make the character quite small as to give scale to the mountain behind, and I also wanted to focus on the environment over the character.