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!

TWH cm present finished!

and delivered to the barn owners, who were tickled as can be. It was close enough to Dolly for her! and she appreciated the BURGANDY (dont call it marooooon) ribbon.

My dog ate my homework!!!!

Well not quite but he did cause my airbrush to hit the floor GACK! bad goggie :(

It was on the cup side when I got back to it (after letting the dog back in) so I thought I got lucky, until I tried to take the needle out! It was firmly jammed into the nose of the airbrush. So firm it took a good 10 minutes of pulling from the back with a pliers and a little lube...oh wait that sounds like something not appropriate for this particular blog :0 It sort of works, the needle looks ok but I think the opening at the nose of the airbrush is a tad bigger than it used to be? I didnt have much time to deal with it before bed, but I bet I will need a replacement part or 2, just what I needed!

At least I'm working on roans right now he he! Heres the TWH after a short first session, lots to do but coming along nicely. Quick pix from the studio dont do her justice, and shes a bit darker than the pix look.

Now for something quite different

a last minute gift idea for all the boarders at the barn, plus I will be painting a sm for the barn owners as a semi portrait of their 2 blue roan extreme sabino TWHs.

a bad shot of one from last year, in full winter coat (and in the shadow of the barn)