Custom Mini Model Horses

 Oh my! Another challenge! I learn something new every day. There's a challenge for hobby dolls called The Little Rider Doll Making Challenge. It is on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770317006832966 Some participants are pairing their dolls with International Tackmaking Month (April): https://www.facebook.com/groups/internationalmodeltackmonth Here’s my starting point for a hunt seat rider. Planning the customizing I decided not to use the torso and made a paperclip one instead. My unicorn wasn’t ready for the hunter ring, so I made an adjustment to his position, Added epoxy to torso today

NaMoPaiMo (National Model Painting Month) is here again! This challenge brings hobbyists together to paint models. The Facebook group ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/234123470349077 ) is supportive and positive with lots of questions and answers about mediums, colors, and process. My project is going to be a Missouri Fox Trotter Stablemate (my first custom on this mold). I'm going to paint him buckskin tobiano. I was inspired by a horse I saw online. Sarah Brabbin shared her lovely photography on her website: https://sarahbrabbin.smugmug.com/MOVE-ME-FOLDER/Colours-folder/Dun-tabiano/ Good luck with your projects! I'll be rooting for you here in chilly Michigan (where the weather often gets in the way of my NaMoPaiMo process).  February is always challenging when it comes to weather: Primer on our first "warm" day in February A little bit on color on my gelding. Base color done in pastels White markings sketched in with Guesso... a little bit of an experiment. Using

 I’ve finished customizing a Connemara Pony from the jumper mold (with a G1 Morgan Stallion head), but before I paint her, I’ll focus on tack, doll and jump to complete the picture. Bits and pieces of my project. Because I want my pony to appear petite (14.2 ha) I am scaling up the items around her. From the size of the jump to the adult rider, I’m hoping she’ll look like the pony she is, not a big warmblood. My ratio is 1 foot equals .425 inches. My first project to tackle is the plants that will decorate my jump. Today’s hunter fences have lots of “fill.” For this I purchased a bouquet of fake flowers with small-scale components. I’ve trimmed off some pieces to use—and found that some unraveled completely!  Fake flower bouquet with small components. For my flower boxes, I began with 1/4 inch square dowels and cut them to about 4 inches long. I painted them with craft acrylic paint and sprayed with matte finish. For the greenery, I used coarse turf that’s used in model railroads. Coat

  My workspace is clean because I got a new table! The Barnes and Noble where I work is getting new furniture so I got to take this one home. My hubby sanded and refinished the work surface for me.

My latest project is a Darley custom in fleabitten gray with a bloody shoulder. This mold is a pleasure to resculpt and paint—so many delicious details to highlight! My custom has a few changes to the legs, neck, face, mane and tail, but all are small in scope.  Aven Optiview 5D LED desk lamp My latest studio addition is a magnifying lamp because I am not as young as I was when I started customizing and neither are my eyeballs. I’ve used prescription glasses, reading glasses, head lamps, and my natural vision to work on models, but I thought I’d add another tool to my chest. I chose an Aven Optiview 5D LED desk lamp. It has a 4 inch lens which works well with minis. I like the enlarged view of the horses (about 225%) and feel that I have enough room to work underneath the lamp. Breyer Stablemate under my 5D magnifying lamp I’m painting the Darley custom fleabitten gray and the lamp is the perfect tool for the project. Flea bites are small on a real horse, and even more tiny on a mini!

 As usual, I was not on the ball. The International Custom Equine Event is a fall "event is to motivate artists and non-artists if all skill levels to challenge themselves in a supportive community to customize a model in 2 months, October AND November (61 days)." An thank goodness the sign-up was extended to today. For more information, visit https://iceemodels18.wixsite.com/icee My project is going to be a Breyer Stablemate Indian Pony to a mule. I'll probably keep her gait the same and focus on the details that will make her a sweet little molly named Lacie (named after my inspiration). Check out this beautiful girl: https://premiermulesale.com/lacie/ I'm thinking I might try my plastic ears that I did on my Vintage Custom Challenge ASB. More soon! Wow, this little mare is a tricky one to work on... her cannon bones, heels, and neck didn’t match up to my references at all. And then there’s the new ears! I hope this is progress, but I’m not 100% certain. Take a lo