NaMoPaiMo - 2019 Done!

All done! A portrait of my gelding who had been sitting on my desk for a year, so thank you NaMoPaiMo for pushing me to finally do it. Ace of Spades <3 

NaMoPaiMo - Weeks 2 & 3

I got my guy primed and ready to roll! Airbrushing the layers with some pastels sealed between, to help soften the transition of colour. I also used pearl ex pigments for the first time thanks to the NaMo facebook. 

I did mess him up which set me back a few days, I didn't wait long enough for him to dry.

On to white feet and details! I can totally finish him in time *cough* 

NaMoPaiMo - First Week

It seems that I only blog and paint ponies once a year for NaMoPaiMo now. I guess not entirely true I was able to paint two small Christmas presents at the end of 2018. This year for NaMo I decided to do my first Traditional (yes I'm crazy) a portrait of my gelding Ace. I had plans for this last year after NaMo but never got very far, so I thought this is the year!

He is a Yasmin body, sculpted gelding parts, Huck head and tail. Also a re-sculptured mane. 

This is a piece of the real Ace's tail hair, which I put inside the air hole. A little bit of real Ace!

My supervisor overseeing my work. 

First primer showed so many issues! Why didn't I start sooner or try to go so large! 

One spot had a bad patch of epoxy, I had to remove it right down to the blue painters tape layer. So this next week will be more prep more! ...yay

  

NaMoPaiMo -- Finished Work

Here she is, I finished her just in time!

NaMoPaiMo -- Process

NaMoPaiMo was stressful this year, it had been over a year since I've picked up a paint brush but I knew I wanted to do it. Gotta get back into painting and creating this year. My model was the cantering warmblood stablemate, which I resculpted the mane on. I'm kicking myself of not taking more photos of the process. 

I had "help" in the form of puppies demanding pats. (One of the best parts that I got from NaMoPaiMo's facebook was the toothbrush sander. It saved me so much time and sore fingers!)

I started to airbrush but then I dropped her chipping her down to the primer. I was super bummed that I had to strip her and start again but looking at her I was waaay too yellow in my base coat.  

This was what she was looking like just before I sprayed her with sealer. I was happy with her colour!

Then this, I was heartbroken and time was running out! I thought it was the sealer but kind people of facebook said it's likely the primer. Which it was, as I lightly sanded it down. I didn't have time to restart yet again, lucky for me someone suggested white markings! So she was destined to be a pinto.    

Silence

Busy, super busy! Moving house, sick family and animals. All means no blogging for and incredibly long time, sorry. With this years NaMoPaiMo I was planning to blog my journey but I ran out of hours and only just managed to finish my model. I do hope to do a post in the future of my NaMoPaiMo experience. For now here are some of the cute Breyer's I have received over the past year.

Scotty - Silver Bay Swaps

Swaps is one of my favorite molds, ever. When I saw the poll last year to vote on colors for the collectors club release I knew I would be joining the club. Must have the Swaps!  If money trees where real I would have all three colors but I received the lovely silver bay. Don't tell the others but he might be my favorite model...  

Zahrat

As soon as I saw Breyer's Stablemate Collector Clubs Zahrat I might a squealed... a lot. Bay Arabian with a blaze to boot! So close to my Ace boy, I'm so happy I decided to join the club this year. He arrived safely and in is pretty much in perfect condition. Flawless thick gloss with no bubbles or boogers. He’s on my desk and I can’t stop looking at him…

Busy

I've been very busy, so glad NaMoPaiMo was last month. Going out of state then having people from outer state visiting, I've been running around like a headless chicken. Although I have had a little studio time, still working on my Huck.

And I decided to strip and repaint my Phoenix. I was never happy with the original paint job I did on her and I also wanted to change her face. I have added epoxy to her giving her a less dished profile. Also sanded down her cheeks making them more square. Still more to do so hopefully next week is less crazy.    

NaMoPaiMo - Continues

While my NaMoPaiMo pony was drying and I was sitting in my chair I got inspired. So many cool ponies on my Facebook feed and helpful people all around really gives you creative impulse. He will be a portrait of my gelding, still along way to go but it's a start! 

NaMoPaiMo - I Did It!

She is done! She came out very differently then planned… some girls are so head strong. I still might go back and add some white markings but I’m calling her done.

Thank you so much everyone involved in NaMoPaiMo for inspiration, help and awesomeness. Not only did I get motivated to paint I also sculpted! Sometimes it really does take a village.

NaMoPaiMo - Continues

So after sanding back the old paint, we talked it over and came to the conclusion that liver chestnut would be alright. It’s a color I’ve never painted so fingers crossed it works out.

NaMoPaiMo - Struggles

She fought me on becoming a creamy buttery Buckskin every step of the way.

 The photo looks half alright but she was way more orange and muddy in person, not the color I wanted. So I tried to get her more golden but it was an epic fail... 

Now she is green and rough. I will be stripping her and start again... maybe try something new. I wonder if she would like to be liver chestnut?

NaMoPaiMo - Progress

Airbrushing is how I get my base coat and basic shading. A few years ago I used cheap acrylic paints but have since found that I love using Tamiya acrylic paint. They are super pigmented and will coat the horse in one round. They dry very quickly, you can go back over areas that need it. I use isoprophyl alcohol 90% to thin them. They are super easy to thin and use, I doubt I will go back to using normal acrylics.

Here she is with some of the airbrushing started: 

NaMoPaiMo - Prep

Prepping! Prepping! Prepping everywhere! Man my first weeks of NaMoPaiMo where prepped full. My girl was full of small bits of epoxy, I don't know what happened... it's like she had fleas. I think I primed her like 4 times before I was happy. But a good prep job is a must! Always take your time and prep right.

Now my official entry said dark bay pinto but I do want to try a buckskin pinto. I did this because I'm probably going to mess up and cover it up by going darker lol go me with the confidence!

NaMoPaiMo

Most of you wonderful model horse people know it’s NaNoPaiMo, created by Jennifer of Braymere. If you didn’t know... where have you been, living under a rock! Anyway the goal is to paint one model during the month of February. I really need this, I need deadlines and inspiration. My facebook feed has been filled with amazing talented, helpful people. I’m enjoying the time so far.

Here is my pony, a Breyer Saddlebred gifted to me from my Blab Secret Santa. I have customized her to have smaller ears and a new forelock. Prepping for the win!

Coco

For a Christmas present last year I joined Breyer's Stablemate Club and I have just received the first one Coco. She is beautiful, no major flaws I'm very pleased with her. Here she is in her glossy cuteness:

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Christmas Poines

I did manage to paint a whole of two models all of last year, both in November and December. One was a portrait of my friend in Australia's new Quarter Horse gelding, Rocco. The other was my Blab Secret Santa partner's bay Arabian gelding, Zepher.

First up is Zepher, I chose the Maureen Love Arabian Stallion for him. Then added more mane and extended the tail. First photos are with the flash.

Sadly I'm a silly nut and I totally forgot to take photos of portrait Rocco in my rush to get him shipped out to Australia before Christmas. Sometimes it's a wonder that I don't forget my own name. Well here is Rocco, on the American Quarter Horse mold with new sculpted gelding parts.