For every action...

There is a lot of inaction.

Still prepping away, although going slower now. Cold weather makes me want to sleep and do nothing, but I did manage to get some more details done on Nightmare. She has some enhanced hoofers! 

In one of her feet I hit a wire, so that has to be ground down before I can resculpt that foot. Then I can throw another layer of primer on and hopefully call her done. 

In the meantime, sitting gives plenty of time to think, and thinking means it's time for the jumper cm to come back out. 

Yes, this looks, emmm, close enough

This guy needs his own song, I don't know how many times his legs have been on and off and on and off and....  Oh well.  Currently I'm debating scale, he's just on the edge of needing to be chopped up and scaled up.  I think once I actually start adding muscles and details I will have too for sure, but until then I'll just keep moving limbs.  And maybe give him some eye balls.  He's kinda creepy at the moment.  

Ok, ok, less thinking, more adding of epoxy.

Tomorrow.

To braid or not to braid

I have quite the backlog of resins to get through, with the bare minimum goal of getting them all prepped and primed this year, since some of them are beginning to turn an unfortunate shade of yellow.  A couple of them are nice and straight forward, sand, fill, prime; no extra work needed.  A number of them I have plans for some small changes, new mane, tail, small profile or ear changes.  And one or two are getting a pretty major overhaul because, well, why not!

One of the biggest guys I've got here also turned out to be one of the easiest to prep, Morgen Kilbourn's Quartermeister.  

He was all set to get a layer of primer today, but I couldn't help but think how nice he would look all braided up like a proper dressage horse.  Now, I have two possible colors picked out for him (ok, more like four, ha).  One a dark dapple grey with light/white mane and tail, sort of like this filly.

so pretty

The second being a lighter dappled grey with flea bites, like Unbridled's Song here.  Not sure on light or dark mane and tail.  

Of course, I can also see him in black with minimal chrome.

yep, perfect.

The current standing up mane would really highlight the white mane on the dark grey.  But, it could look pretty with the braids too.  So, I suppose it comes down to whether or not I want to add another horse to my braid list.  Hmmm.  In the mean time, I'll just keep prepping away.  

Technology age

That's it, I've gone and done it now!  I've created a Facebook page for the studio!  I'm hoping that this will help me be more active by allowing me to post more random or in the moment things rather than feeling like I have to compose a (fairly) cohesive blog post.  I know not everyone use Facebook, and I have no intention of isolating readers, so the blog will certainly not be abandoned!

As far as actual work goes, I'm beginning to prep up a storm and trying to narrow in on color choices for everything I plan on painting.  Eventually.

Today I worked on Kitty Cantrell's Nightmare, mostly finishing the prepping and getting a layer of primer on. Nowadays I only really prime my pieces in gray or red depending on what color they are going to be painted. Nightmare here will end up mostly black.

She is such a cool resin. I love the fantasy horses, even if I never plan on getting them in the show ring. I've got a special idea in mind for this piece, but we'll see if I can pull it off. It is way outside my knowledge as a painter. Should be fun!

Long Time Gone

But with any luck, there may be some things in the near future!

Shifu is pleased with creative cranage

Rise from the ashes

Silence is brutal.  Even worse is having something to share and not being able to!  For the past two months I've been working on one, then two stablemates for Blab's SM custom challenge.  Part of the rules is no sharing of photos allowed!  I got my mojo back and I couldn't do what I like most, post it everywhere!  Haha!  Just over one month more until the deadline, so I'll be able to post them after that.  Whether I finish them in time, ehhh, that's another story.

But in the mean time I've just started using the time waiting for my stablemates to dry to work on other projects.  I purchased a Phoenix around Christmas since I had some cash and she was cheap.  And I loved her so much that I got another one recently.

The first one is getting new ears, straighter profile, braided mane and tail, fixed neck muscles, small eye changes, shoes removed, flatter cheeks and bigger cheek bones, tucked head, longer withers, and a bunch of other small changes.  I really want to get onto the mane and tail, but those are for last.

The second is getting a much smaller makeover.  Straighter profile, fixed neck muscles, eye changes, longer withers,and possibly a banded mane and new ears too.  She is most likely going to be for sale once completed, painted or unpainted I'm not sure.  I have a ton of colors I would love to see her in, but painting will add more time to how long I need to spend on her.

Yikes, I couldn't take a photo to save my life last night.  Now to get back to working on the SMs again, whee!

There and Back Again

Pick up, put down, move on, repeat.


Back in August, I essentially left the hobby to focus on my real horse instead.  Riding, training and teaching is what I want to be my life, my profession.  The hours I spent trying to work on customs was time I could spend bettering my riding and training techniques.

Poor video still frame of us clearing 3'6"

Things were going great for a few months.  Beauty looked amazing, was fit as can be, soft and responsive.


Then October 14th, it all fell apart.  What was supposed to be a simple hack around the property turned into what would be one of the worst days for any horse owner.



Beauty fractured her pelvis.



So now I had a decision to make.  One vet told me to put her down, there was nothing to be done.  Another said she could get better, but of course there were no guarantees.  I was prepared to put her down.  Well, not really, but as prepared as I could be.  I visited her everyday for a week, feeding her her favorite treats.  She was obviously unhappy, hiding in the back of her stall and being non responsive.  The day I was going to call the vet to set up the appointment, I visited her again.  And it was like I had a new horses again.  She was bright, happy.  So I didn't do it.

Now it's just a waiting game.  Three months in and she's doing better than any one expected.  She's walking better than expected, she's been approved for limited turnout, and is still bright and perky.  The vet calls her a miracle horse.  I'm still holding out that one day we'll be able to ride again.

And no it isn't Christmas anymore, but these are the most recent torture pictures I have of her.

So, now that I've got all this extra time that I'm not riding, the model horses have called me back again.  My totting Wixom is getting a complete makeover starting with some eye balls.

And I purchased a Phoenix during Seunta's Christmas sale.  She is really lovely in person!  I intended to braid her up and sell her unpainted, but she is so pretty I'm not sure I want her to leave now.  My only question is whether I braid her tail or not.  I know that Quarter Horses typically leave the tails loose, but I have seen a few braided all around at Congress sooo...

So, like everything in my life, I am and will forever continue to be all over the place.

 

"Not all those who wander are lost."  - J.R.R. Tolkien

Clink!

Auuuughhhhh.

Never say things are going swimmingly.  Fate will prove you wrong.

Really Johann.  If you wanted new ears too you just had to say something!

Progress

Slow, but I think I see it!

I've been prepping my two Kilbourn resins in between working on my Vtoo custom and thankfully they are all just kind of breezing along.  I wish I had more time in a day to work on them!

Vtoo is getting a few minor tweaks along with her (soon to be his) new headset.  I originally planned on making him into a show jumping stallion with the braided mane, loose forelock and loose tail.  Of course after watching the eventing during the Olympics now I see him locked onto a cross country fence!  So that would mean a loose mane and a pulled tail.  I can't decide which one I should do!  Decisions decisions.  I still have a lot of work to do on the neck to match Sarah's sculpting style, so I guess I should really just start there.

Tack Time!

Every time I get a new horse in the mail there is something I do everytime, after unwrapping and drooling over them for a while.  Tack 'em up!

Today I got my Maxixe De Barrios by Morgen Kilbourn in the mail.  I reaaaallly shouldn't have been purchasing any model horse related items but this guy is one of only a handful of releases this year that I'm allowing myself. Hopefully the other piece I really am looking foward to doesn't get released for a while yet!

Being me, Max's first tack up was in my beautiful english set by Jennifer Buxton.  I love this set so much it's ridiculous.

Om nom nom.  Another gorgeous face! (Ignore the fact that the bit is not in his mouth.  I was lazy)

 He really is very tack friendly. Thanks Morgen!




Next, western! 



Mmmmmmmmaxie!

After torturing tacking up Max, I might have gotten a little bored and tacked up some other guys.

Meet the over enthusiastic trail horse!




This would have been even funnier with a rider.  XD

And pig pleasure....?



Yes he's got a bosal. 

And I tried tacking up my spanish fighting bull but he's too fat hefty for my girths and to horny big headed for a bridle.  Darn!



Yes I need a life.




Always Changing

The day that I decide to prep a horse and not feel the need to make any changes on it will be a happy day indeed.  Besides my menagerie of Vtoo's and their various planned changes, Ahzam is going to be getting a chin reconstruction and possibly some bigger legs if I'm feeling super ambitious.

Yes I love showing off his face.  XD

I've also got two resins here that are going to be getting some work done (yes, like I needed more projects).  Firstly a Johann by the uber talented Morgen Kilbourn.  I was luck enough to win him in her treasure hunt she had last year and I've been waiting for him to speak to me ever since. 

Another ridiculously handsome face.  *drool*

I think he's finally whispered that he wants to be a Kentucky Mountain Horse.  Only one little problem, the KMHs have teeniest little feet.  Johann has got these giant gravel stompers!  Time for a foot reduction!

"Mommy says my daddy was a draft horse..." 

Lastly is a Kitty Cantrell Romance resin I got for a ridiculously awesome price a number of months back.  She apparently had won a number of NAN cards in her day but now her paint job is very dated and her prep job leaves a bit to be desired.  She's also got two previously repaired broken legs (one of which rebroke in shipping).  So she is going to get a bit chop shopped.  O:) 



"I'm going to get WHAT?"

New mane, tail, forelock, slightly lowered neck, closed mouth plus other facil modifications, all four legs moved to a bigger trot plus somehow getting her off the ground, probably a little but more tummy put on her to be less racing fit, and possibly a little bit of a reduction on her engine. Whew!  Of course this is all hopefully what will get done.  She needs to get stripped first and then I'll go from there.


Seriously someone needs to betate me everyday if I'm not actually working on something.  I have all of these models I have plans for and some drawing that I should do too but nothing gets done.  Blargh.

A Herd of Galloping Ponies!

I had to get the photo from the last post to not show up in all of the blogs that follow me.  Everytime I would visit one I would start crying from seeing his litte face.

So how about a conga* of unpainted VToo's instead?



The back three are 'seconds' that Sarah sold, front two are from the actual run.


Yes, this just might be my absolute all time favorite model of all time.  And yes I needed two "all time's" just to show how awesome she is.




Yes, the second one in is missing her tail. And braids.


The VToo seconds didn't come with bases so I get to play around with how to stand those up.  That should be fun.  XD  I would reeeeeeeaaaaaalllly like to cut and resculpt one to be traveling straight but that would take a ton of work.  I'll probably end up doing it anyway.

All my lovely ladies!

 So!  I have the one I've already prepared for a new mane and tail.  The other one from the run is going to stay as is, I just need to pick a color.  And possibly a painter so it gets done sometime this millenia.  considering placing a back foot on the ground for one of the other seconds plus a new tail, possibly new mane also.  And a new face.  And the drastic custom.  And then I still have one victim left.....

VToo tower of doom!

Me thinks I'll have plenty to keep me busy.  But first I need to finish my jumper!  AUGH!




*Is it considered a problem when you have a conga of a resin horse?  0:)

Best Idea EVER

I have a confession.  I am a terrible prepper.  It takes me months to do what good preppers do in a week.  I frequently prep, prinme, reprep, strip, prep again, etc.  Why?  Beacause I miss things like this.

Ok maybe not ones that bad, but I the dings, dents, holes, seams, I miss more than is reasonable. 

And then one magical day in the end of February, I stumbled upon Prep School.  Braymere I can't even begin to tell you how much EASIER this has made my life and my only regret is not thinking of it sooner!  So I pulled out one of my most difficult resins and gave him the marker treatment.

Note Shifu the cute creeper in the corner.  XD





This isn't even all of the spots on him that need to be fixed, just the holes and divots and whatnots.  After I fix these my circle attack will be on the bumps and burrs. 

Did I mention best idea ever?  Woot!!!

Swirling Colors or Making Mud

Ever get that feeling you're just pushing paint around?  That's how I feel about Smittyn right now.  She looks like a hot mess.  I'm hoping this is just one of those ugly stages all pieces go though.  I also hope that I'll be able to figure out how to get her out of this ugly stage. 

Wet oils do not photograph well.  Hmph.

It might be getting cold...

But things are warming up here!  I finally decided to pull out my oils and get some real color on Smittyn and the CM Dainty Darcy.  They got their acrylic basecoats a while ago and because of the limited number of acrylic colors I have, they both ended up pretty blah. 

Now they pop!  As fickle as oils can be, I really do looooove the richness of thier colors.  This was something I could never get in pastels.  Maybe if I had tried pure pigments.  Hmmm....  Ack no! Distracted!

Photo time!

Darcy/Simba actually needs to be toned down again.  The real horse is not quite this bright.

Smittyn meanwhile is not quite accurate to my ref, but she is so luscious now.  Next I have to figure out how to make her actually look like a dapple grey and not just a pretty gradient.

Tomorrow maybe VL will get another coat of color.  : )

Huzzah! - 58 days

My taffeta came!  And I was up way too late last night cutting it out!  I must say that the color is simply gorgeous. 


The color is slightly washed out but still oh so pretty.


I'm hoping to start sewing up it today.  Fingers crossed that the buttons come today too.

In other news, my countdown for the show may not be over just yet, in case you couldn't tell from the title.  With a lot of encouragement and a little bit of help from my friends I may get to Intersport Live yet!  I'll have to pick and choose what pieces I'm going to finish now, but I think this may just work.  So to make this post appropriate, how about an update on VL?  He got another layer of oil on all of his body but his hindquarters.

He's getting a little smoother but still needs a lot of work.

I think I need to tone down the red, he's getting a lot brighter than my referance horse.


Oh yeah, way too bright.

And now to sew my day away.  XD

More on my plate - 61 days

Like I need it.  I was expecting my muslin today so I could do a mock up of my Ren Faire dress.  Thus after being a chauffuer (again) I spent most of the day preparing for that.  It never came.  According to the website, now it won't be here until Friday.  Darn it!

So instead of being a sensible person and picking up one of my in progress models for the show, I decided to add another to the queue.  Seeing as I won't be getting the money together for Mindy Berg to paint her anytime soon, Sheba's Jewel has now been added to my list.  She got her final prepping today and is going to get her final primer layer in a few minutes.



Oh! And Dinky got his first layer of primer today too.  This would be more exciting if I hadn't forgot I need to fix his ear still.  Oops!  And now I think I will actually put the second layer on VL like I was planning on last night.



Shades of Bay - 62 days

After a super slow start this morning and afternoon with an appointment, being a chauffeur, readin and re reading the instructions for the Ren Faire dress pattern (it came today, yay!!!!!), and looking for 46 buttons for said dress (which I failed in finding), I finally was able to get some paint on Smittyn and Darcy/Simba.  Both of them were only basecoated in acrylics, too late to pull out the oils.



Somebody needs some shading.

 



I must say that I've been using Carol Williams book for my oil painting and she really does have the formulas spot on.  If it wasn't for her book, Smittyn would just be a dark bay instead of a rose grey.  Make that will be a rose grey, right now she's a mess.  But the colors are pretty.  XD



Most frightening base coat ever. Wait, that was two posts back. Lol

 


I can't decide between a dark tail or a two tone tail, thoughts?

Hmmm... VL is dry enough to put another coat on and I wouldn't have to mix the paints.  Plus one for oils.