Customized Model Horses- hand painted with detailed shading, hooves, eyes, and markings. Currently specializing in basic prep work and painting with pastels and acrylics. I aspire to more extreme customizing and eventually sculpting my own work and to learning to paint with oils. I strive to create realistic models that can be commissioned for pleasure as collectables or show competition at live and photo shows. Commissions for custom paint jobs are currently unavailable.
Prep Work
Because of the way models are cast, they can end up with seams where the two halves of the body are brought together. Factories are generally efficient at removing these seams on the newer models, but older models and artist's resins are more apt to show this union and require a little work to get them smoothed out into a good looking horse. The prep stage is also a good time to add details to the model, such as carving out nostrils and ears to add depth to the cavities. Frogs can even be carved into the hooves. The model can also be added to by sculpting on muscles, whisker bumps, or chestnuts.
Prep Work
Because of the way models are cast, they can end up with seams where the two halves of the body are brought together. Factories are generally efficient at removing these seams on the newer models, but older models and artist's resins are more apt to show this union and require a little work to get them smoothed out into a good looking horse. The prep stage is also a good time to add details to the model, such as carving out nostrils and ears to add depth to the cavities. Frogs can even be carved into the hooves. The model can also be added to by sculpting on muscles, whisker bumps, or chestnuts.
Pasteling
The use of pastels to entirely paint a model horse can be a time consuming process, but it's well worth the effort. Building up the coat color layer by layer adds a luminous glow to the finished design that mimics the glow of a healthy coat. It allows for subtle undertones that also contribute to the naturalistic look of a live animal. Pasteling involves the use of chalk pastels that are shaven into dust and applied color by color onto a white base. After each new color is added, the model must be sealed and set to dry. The layers are applied lightest to darkest, the darkest horses finishing with the most layers. Once the pastel coat is completed, the model is thoroughly sealed and ready for detailing.
Acrylics
Acrylic paint is a fast drying water based paint that is great for detailing. It can be used to paint an entire model but may prove challenging due to its quick drying time. However, it is possible and may be done with an airbrush or by layering thin washes over the model. For detailing, the dry time is ideal. Acrylics are generally used for hooves, eyes and large white areas.
The use of pastels to entirely paint a model horse can be a time consuming process, but it's well worth the effort. Building up the coat color layer by layer adds a luminous glow to the finished design that mimics the glow of a healthy coat. It allows for subtle undertones that also contribute to the naturalistic look of a live animal. Pasteling involves the use of chalk pastels that are shaven into dust and applied color by color onto a white base. After each new color is added, the model must be sealed and set to dry. The layers are applied lightest to darkest, the darkest horses finishing with the most layers. Once the pastel coat is completed, the model is thoroughly sealed and ready for detailing.
Acrylics
Acrylic paint is a fast drying water based paint that is great for detailing. It can be used to paint an entire model but may prove challenging due to its quick drying time. However, it is possible and may be done with an airbrush or by layering thin washes over the model. For detailing, the dry time is ideal. Acrylics are generally used for hooves, eyes and large white areas.
Etching
Etching involves the use of an exacto knife to precisely scrape away the factory paint to reveal the white plastic of the model body underneath. With care, this method can be used to scrape away large blocks of paint to form typical markings, pinto, and leopard patterns, or with a little patience 'draw' individual white hairs to create intricate sabinos, roans, and mapping. With careful attention to the hair growth pattens on real horses, this method can add a level of realism to model horses that will surely catch the eye.