Up next

The park morgan needs a bit more prep work, thinking flaxen liver chestnut on him or a really dark bay,oh buckskin would be cool. hmm.

Nevada was going to be a dunalino like the recent cm I did but then I decided (since my other Nevada, shown, is gruella and theyd be in the same color classes) that maybe I should do something else. Didnt really want a paint or appy so I thought roan, then strawberry roan, then found this ref shot, yeah thats the ticket!

a very good start!

Back...briefly

Had a little spare time today and the urge to paint so I finished up 2 pieces that have been sitting patiently waiting for eyes, hooves etc for a while now. Unfortunately the 3rd piece I was working on I slipped and got black paint in a bad spot and will have to go back in with the airbrush next time its out.

Finally done, just needs a name, will debut in Nov at CCR in WI, as I am going to judge OFs. OTW I dont know when I would get to a show in the near or distant future.

Only copy of this medallion I have otherwise I was thinking about selling, showing Diva so much this year has really messed with my budget!

More fun with oils!

Waiting for Apoxy to harden is just like watching paint dry, and its a 3 day weekend for me, soo out comes Doodlebug. He is very much in progress, I havent even done all the basic pattern on him yet. I'm still trying to figure out my painting style with oils. For Ravenhill I did all the pattern then shaded it. On this one Ive been working in sections insead, nearly finishing all the coloration before moving on.  He will end up with a similar pattern to the Ravenhill but in a liver chesnut.

In the meantime I've also worked a bit more on the Andalusian, I'm happier with him now and he should be done before too long.

Ahh 3 day weekends...

and too cold to spend much time at the barn sooooo its STUDIO TIME :)

Jackies Bitty Bosco is DONE

Still working to get the lighting right with my home made light box

Mini Ravenhill is getting close to being done!

and I've made progress on my kludged attempt at a light box without spending any money!

Materials:

Clear plastic square storage box (damaged from being used for real horse stuff)

Blue cloth (existing piece I was using before, needs to be tacked up before I can do bigger models, just propped up right now)

Wax paper covering the outside of the box for diffusion of light

Existing desk lamp

Clip on lamp I bought for real horse shows but only used once

You can see by the sm resins its a big box so I should have no problem with trad models. Now I just need to find someplace thats not in the basement to set it up. Its so cold down there plus I risk dropping something or tripping down the old stairs or both.

Mini Mania at the Bluffs

...the minis are taking over!!!

I've been in a mini mood as of late so I dug out a few oldies that have been sitting around, some awaiting repairs (those darn fragile Chaneys!) and one awaiting stripping and sanding and repainting. One of those broken pieces was an AA Andy mini. I've always loved this mold but I have had bad luck with those 2 legged stance on base AAs, as I did with this guy before even painting him! I think it was in process of glueing him to his base that did in his back leg. I also had 2 AA TWH with issues so out with the Zap a Gap and OFF with their heads bases and pegs. All 3 are now free standing and in various stages of repair.

While I had the Andy out I decided he needed more HAIR! (I love sculpting manes and tails, except for braids!) Which also serves to steady him and cover/support the repaired leg. I added a bit to the forelock as well. He looks pretty suave now, I can picture him in a lovely dappled smutty buckskin...but I havent done dapples in oils and I havent really done a buckskin in oils either!

Progress, somewhat!

Worked on the mini Ravenhill a bit and while I had the oils out decided to practice some more on a sm cm I started in summer.

When life gives you lemons...

use oils!

Since my airbrush is all but out of commission I decided to get out the oils again.

First pass at a frame overo on my mini Ravenhill. I intended a much darker liver chestnut on him but I'm liking the red chestnut as is so will go with it! (see this is why its hard to take comissions!)

I plan on adding more color to the lower chest but my eyes were crossing after doing this much!

Update on Bitty Bosco

Almost done! a few things to tweak here and there, should be done by tomorrow night. Better pix this time but still not picking up the face shading. Working on making a homemade kludged light box.

Still working on my airbrush a bit to see if I can deal with it or I really need to buy a $50-80 replacement part - ouch!

Recent pieces in performance

I brushed off my rusty performance skills at the December No Frills show in IL last weekend. Heres my 3 performance horses that I showed, all painted by me and all now NAN Q'd!

Power steering taking reserve western

CM Make a wish in her only class, darn thing is too small for all my tack except this arab costume

CM Victrix resin got the Overall Reserve!