Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Happy New Year!

Hi there!

I closed my Etsy shop 
for two weeks over Christmas,
and had myself a little Sabbatical.

During this sabbatical
I mostly slept and ate chocolate;
 it was very good and I 
highly recommend having
a little sabbatical if you
can possibly squeeze one in.

I also painted a horse.


I try and tell myself it's actually
a prop for doll photographs,
but it's really a toy for me!

I didn't sculpt it!
This is a Battat horse I bought
on eBay. I think they're sold
at Target or Toy'R'Us.


It was a nice horse, but very yellow
with a frizzy mane and tail.

So I took those off.


Underpainting. Or, how not to paint dapples.


Dapples. Not apples.

I sculpted pointed tips to his ears, a tail-bone
and added some depth to his jaw


(This is the third attempt to paint dapples.)
.
I looked at so many references, and so many horses
I decided that dapples can look any way you want.

So mine look like this.


Then I added a mane and tail.



A suri alpaca mane and tail, 
which is pretty luxury stuff 
for a plastic horse.


Here he is, posing.


He doesn't have a name yet, 
so I'm going to have to work on that.

And he insists I make a lady in a riding habit
so I suppose I better get on with that, too!

(Suggestions for name gratefully received.)




27 comments:

  1. Horsey is splendid! You must be absolutely chuffed with the way she turned out! I'm assuming it's a she because I can't see any evidence to the contrary, and stallions... well, they've got that reputation for being rather clearly identifiable, haven't they?! ;)

    I'd suggest a name, but I have a very poor track record for naming horses. I'm having a flashback to visiting my godmother's home in the country when I was a little kid. She had this poor, sweet, broken-down, old nag of a horse in her paddock that she'd rescued and she asked me for name suggestions. My brilliant offering was "Champ"! I couldn't for the life of me understand at the time why she found that so amusing.

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    1. D'oh! I just realized that you've already said he was a "he". Silly me!

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    2. To be fair, he's gelded. So, gender probably doesn't mean much to him, anyway. Also, I think 'Champ' is a brilliant name for a tired old rescue horse! It's a better choice than 'Glue'.

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  2. "Battalion" the studly bay! His rider must wear chaps! or corset and riding skirt! You have made your holiday very fulfilling! Good Girl! ( how often do You hear that?)
    Freezing as usual, back under the blankets! Bee safe! xDebi

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    Replies
    1. Corset and riding shirt is very likely! However, I had a good look underneath his tail while painting him and there doesn't seem to be much there that's studly. I suppose I could sculpt some...

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  3. Holy crap, Rhissanna! He is fabulous! Love the transformation. You'll have to make a side by side before and after pic for your listing :) If I think of a name I'll toss it your way.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Summer! I wish I'd taken more photos before ripping out the mane and tail, but isn't that always the way. I was hoping he'd make a better doll prop as a dapple grey, rather than any other colour, so I don't have to worry about outfits clashing with his coat and (hopefully) he's light enough for black dresses and dark enough to show off white ones

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  4. Replies
    1. Thank you so muc, Sharon! One I got the hangof making each dapple, it was quite therapeutic!

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  5. Oh he is just glorious!!! I am racking my brain tying to think of an outrageous name for this fabulous creature, but all I keep getting in "John" :D XXX

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    Replies
    1. Nothing wrong with the name "John"! And thank you!

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  6. I love, love, love your horse! You did an amazing job girl! I like the name Kildin. Don't know why that just came to me? Hugs ;o)

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    Replies
    1. I like the name Kidlin and I'n going to steal it for a book or something. You need to make it a crow painting, too! And, thank you!

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  7. What a handsome specimen. I can't wait to see his rider. Name? Go ahead and laugh, but Polka Black came to mind the moment I saw him. ;-D

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    Replies
    1. He is a bit of a show pony, isn't he? And if he could dance I would so call him Polka Black!

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  8. I love that horse! He looks so real! I would have cried and cried over him as a child!

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    1. To be honest, I made this horse, because I wanted this horse for me and mine, to pet and stroke. I SO love plastic horses, Hubby buys me one for my Christmas stocking, every year. I used to make wood rocking horses, a long time ago. So, yes, I quite understand.

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  9. Thank you so much, Sherry. I think one of your paint finishes would look wonderful on one of these horses

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  10. I love him! I don't know where this came from ... maybe a crease or crevice of my brain but the name "Bengoodin" crept out!

    AND I actually made the dolls for my granddaughters for Christmas from your tutorial!! The girlies loved them. My son, their dad, painted the faces for me and they look a lot like the girls. I'm gonna be doing a photo shoot of the dolls for a post soon for a post on our blog so you can see them. I'll let you know when that happens. Thank you for helping make such a great Christmas gift for the sweetie girls. And let me just say they are not the easiest thing to make and worth every penny you sell them for. (I couldn't find shoes that would work so I painted shoes on with a black Sharpie and adorned with a sparkly bead and it worked)

    Blessings and so thankful to know you, Edie Marie

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    Replies
    1. Oh my, Edie Marie! You made the dolls! how lovely. Yes please, I'd love to see them!

      They can be fiddly, can't they? The dolls would be easier if I made them bigger, but I think the size is part of their appeal. Black Sharpie shoes with a bead are fine; I've done painted shoes when I couldn't find any that fit.

      Hugs to you and please let me know when the blog post is up. Thank you!

      (Love the name Bengoodin ;) )

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  11. Hi Rhissanna - Just wanted to let you know we will have a post starting tomorrow, 3-20-15, on the dolls I made using your doll pattern and tutorial. We'd love it if you stop by and meet the sister dolls I created for my grands! Hugs & blessings, Edie Marie

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    Replies
    1. Oh, thank you so much, Edie Marie! I'm so excited and I'm looking forward to seeing what you made. Thank you very much for letting me know!

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Thank you all for the wonderful and supportive things you say! I'm thrilled to read them and I reply to each one.