Custom Mini Model Horses

I have been remiss on posting finished models for my personal challenge of finishing one hundred models (instead of starting something new.) As you may have noticed, I’ve started a new model with wire mesh as part of the mane and tail... so many wonderful horsey distractions! Meet Encore! He is a custom from the G3 rearing Andalusian. This is one of two models in a bow that started with this mold. I found the mold a little tricky to work with because of his pose. When tamed into a new pose, however, he’s quite the sweetie! Encore is a red roan taking a bow. CM by Sarah Tregay. Encore has been on my workbench for about five years. My friend, Karen Prescott, began two bowing models at the same time and they were completed a long time ago. I chose bay roan for this guy, a color that can be painted many ways with many mediums. I chose a pastel base coat and pastel pencils. I purchased two brands and ended up using them both because they dulled quickly. I drew on many tiny...

I hope everyone is safe and healthy during these difficult times. I’m saddened that we won’t be gathering for spring live shows and this summer’s Breyerfest. I’m going to miss getting together with amazing friends in Michigan, Ohio and Kentucky. Until things change, thanks to everyone sharing their corner of the hobby world online! I needed a creative jolt to get me out of a quarantine funk, so I opened up my package of sculpting mesh. My victim is a Paralympic Driving horse that will become a Fjord custom. Harald, my previous Fjord, is from the same mold. His mane was a challenge for me because of the upright nature of it... so the contour mesh. Look for fine sculpting mesh at stores or online art-supply vendors. Slot along crest of neck cut with small miter saw. First, I cut a slot along the crest. This will hold the mesh in place. Then I cut a piece of mesh to fit. I left plenty of extra that I will trim and shape later. Scissors cut the mesh just fine, but please be ...

Meet Pizazz! He's my first custom on the mini Brishon mold. Pizazz is a Gypsy Vanner in claybank dun with sabino markings. If you've worked in pastels you know that the color evolves from light to dark, so a bay might look like a palomino for the first layer or two, then maybe a chestnut before it becomes bay. And sometimes plans change. This boy was one of those models. I had a sandy bay sabino reference photo in front of me, but I changed course when his body color hit on claybank dun. I have a soft spot for claybank duns. My first job as a teenager was as "Hack Staff" at Camp Seven Hills, a Girl Scout Summer Camp in Holland, New York. That summer a big quarter horse mare named Dolly was one of the horses in my care. She was blind in one eye and had a mare-y attitude. She was the most beautiful warm dun color with a red mane and tail. I spent the summer doting on her and hoping she felt loved. So, long story short, Pizazz isn't bay. A splash of war...

I hope all of you are safe and healthy, and I hope the model horse hobby is filling your time at home with a little joy. I've been working on finishing models that I've been meaning to get to for months or years. This is one of two models that I purchased to paint. She is a Hagen-Renaker Shetland foal. She is a little smaller than most Stablemate foals so she was a fun challenge to paint... plus she put a little "mini" into "custom minis." Meet Cupcake, a pintaloosa Miniature Horse filly! Cold Painted Hagen-Renaker Filly I couldn't resist this heart-shaped snip on this little girl. She's a baby silver dapple with both an blanket and pinto markings. QHICK TIP: Prepping china models for cold-painting is quite easy. This one came on a paper card. I carefully tore the paper away, then soaked her in rubbing alcohol. The glue on her feet rubbed off. Next, I filled any air-holes with epoxy. When that is cured (about 24-hours), I washed...

Ahh, models whose hooves are supposed to be flat on the table... I talked about how I like my models to stand well in a previous post--using a table-height view and sandpaper. But then I looked closer at a few works in progress and found a model or two where I used different techniques. The first model that came up was the Breyer standing pony. She has four tiny hooves that try to touch the table, but depending on the model, they don't always succeed. Part of this is physics. A three-legged stool will be stable, whereas a four-legged one will wobble. Another issue the pony has is that her toes can be a little rounded over. Breyer Stablemate Highland Pony Hooves I didn't want to use my sandpaper technique on this model because I didn't want to lose too much hoof in the process. (And this model's feet are carved out, which gives them a little space to add epoxy.) So I added a small ball of epoxy to each foot. Then I placed her on a flat surface. I use old ...

This guy's head is resin and sculpted by Maggie Bennet, I finished my NaMoPaiMo 2020 horse with a day to spare. He is an American Cream Draft Horse so I was working with a light golden coat color with mottled skin and amber eyes. The body is a Stablemate... the G4 Drafter/Vaulting horse with his hind legs moved closer together. I hadn't planned on four socks, but sometimes with pastels the color doesn't do what you want. His hind pasterns had gotten darker than I wanted. So four socks it was. This ended up being more like my reference, Joker's Golden Boy.

Ganache is a custom Valegro with a new tail, hooves and tiny changes to the legs (by Sarah Tregay) Do you remember when the Valegro and Andalusian Stablemate models hit the shelves? It was the summer of 2016 and I had just discovered a new location of a small toy store chain in Boise... so I had to go in! I bought three of each model. I started customizing them that week. This one's tail sort of fell off in my hand so it went on to find a new home and this one had a new tail sculpted. Long story short, he sat around for years in plain white primer. Then with this personal challenge of actually finishing the models I started, I got him out of his pony pouch. I knew the real Valegro looks great in bay, I chose to paint him bay as well.

There are two new Stablemate foal molds found in the Mystery Unicorn Surprise A and C sets. One is cantering with her head and tail up. This older filly has a sturdy build. I’m thinking she’ll make nice Warmblood and draft cross customs. 2020 New Breyer Stablemate Foal in Mystery Unicorn Foal Set C The second new foal is in a playful pose. She is younger and smaller. She is a pearly pale blue that turns to pink. She seems to be lacking the detail found in other SM foals. For customizers, she might make a nice light breed or pony foal. New 2020 Breyer Stablemate Foal Mystery Unicorn Foal Set A (note smaller size) New 2020 Breyer Stablemate Foal Molds with standing foal for size comparison.