I Do Eet!

NaMoPaiMo 2019 Traditional Resin Fohn in Sooty Dappled Palomino using acrylics, soft pastels, and earth pigments.  My challenges included larger scale, color I haven’t done, & turned Head/neck!

Inspired by various sooty palominos and Welsh Pony cobs!

Process *** Journey *** Learning

Without further adieu, I present

PUNKSATAWNEY PHIL

                                      

Congratulations to ALL NaMoPaiMo participants!

A tiny story

I mentioned my mother made dollhouse Miniatures, and aside from our fantastic little world of scale home and furnishings, I have fond memories of attending craft bazaars with my Mom (and sliding around the polished wooden floors of the mansion’s long halls was great fun!) back in the 80’s.  I still have some remnants of that dollhouse - a bit of food, the HR kitty, tiny dogs and a pony.

My mom taught me to look at things differently and to be resourceful when crafting.  She worked in sculpey clay and other materials - toothpaste caps made lampshades, sawdust from my dad’s renovation project was used, even the end of a rubber fishing worm created a jello mold on a button plate! I *still* look at things this way and use that to create model horse goodies.

(My Froggy Stuff has a tutorial for chocolates, Nichelle of Desktop Stables also created some, and this was my trial above.  The rider dolls deserve a treat, too!)

So, getting back to Miniatures from childhood, I have to share this tiny story.  Flash forward to these past couple years, when one of my passions of weekend thrifting/“Junqueing”/antiquing took me to a resale shop that has all matter of donated items - very often crafting supplies, old books and DVDs, a wide variety of household items and knick-knacks.  I always cruise the shelves and am sometimes rewarded with a Breyer or a little Hagen Renaker mini for a song.  Well, one day, I stop and bend over for a view of the little spice racks that hold such tiny items, and lo and behold, I see this tiny lamb cake:

I couldn’t imagine there are too many tiny handmade lamb cakes just floating around, hours from my hometown, 30 years later.  What are the odds?!?  It was in amazing shape and one of my best treasures ever!  I was just dumbfounded as I purchased the little pastry and explained to the cashiers that I was pretty sure I recognized this from my childhood.  I carefully wrapped the little delicate mini up and was just giddy with excitement  - couldn’t wait to share it with my family and confirm it as my Mother’s work (which she did)!

The world is full of tiny surprises - some we create, some we discover, and all are a delight!

Scale Miniatures

I grew up with a Mom who made dollhouse Miniatures (cool story on that later).  Scale modeling has always been of interest to me.  While painting and layering pastels, I have given serious thought and planning to some simple yet detailed upcoming projects for various scales.  That being said, I want to share a few things from the interwebs here...

Train scales, horse scales.  It doesn’t matter if we are talking animals, vehicles, figures, props, environment...the various scales must be considered in creating a lifelike effect.  

I remember reading about how if you collect all scales, you will then need all scales

of tack, props, and dolls.  This never deterred me.  1:6 is a bigger scale I have not dabbled in, but have seen quite lovely models and figures.  I got to drive and ride garden scale trains.  Alas, when space becomes a premium, I consider more Minis - In model horses this

equates to Little Bit/Paddock Pal scale and smaller, including Curio, Stablemate/Chips, Bantam, and Micro (also teeny tiny)!  Still, 1:9 Traditional is pretty amazing stuff.

Identify Your Breyer,  minizoosite, modelpferdeversande, and Breyer (as well as other hobby sites) demonstrate model brand scales.

  

Of course it applies to all things.  True in all model hobbies!  What’s YOUR favorite scale?

Performance-wise, and when it comes to readily available

Props and accessories, Traditional and Stablemate seem to be most workable.  Then again, some dollhouse scale (1 inch) items seem to be useful for Classics, and hobbyists get creative to provide for micros and any model they choose.  Next time you take a look at props or a model photo, notice how scale can make or break the realism.  Happy modeling!

The Homestretch...

The remaining days of NaMoPaiMo are upon us, and no matter the stage in the journey, each artist is bound to learn something!  The “winning” is in the doing, not even necessarily the completion.  Commitment to any project, goal, or endeavor is an admirable and worthy thing.  The desire to learn and grow is probably my biggest motivator no matter the task.  I have been enjoying all of the documentation, tutorials, WIP work in progress pictures, even the horror stories.  I see no failure, only trials and triumphs.  Thank you, fellow artists.  This is definitely a ride worth taking!

Fjord Medallion is nearly complete.  What a lovely face!  Micro silver dun awaits.

I managed to complete a few stablemates and still have several other projects in the works...

PHIL is getting a halter(!) and I will finish up his leg smudging, hooves, eyes, mane and tail.  The idea to do a sooty Palomino started with a school horse I once rode.  This Fohn pony resin seems such an earnest fellow, the kinda guy most barns love to have around.  I have tried new techniques and a different color and will be proud to complete my first Traditional scale resin!  Almost there!

To all 775 of us in NaMoPaiMo - Enjoy The Journey!  I have faith in your artistic growth!

The Lovely Lily

A pictorial of my “cousin” dog, Lily!  Thank you to folks who have asked - she is doing fine and dandy much to our delight.  She is a special girl and I am thrilled my sister and her family enjoy her so much!  Silly Lily, the Lilith Petunia Swag Swag girl...always a lilyBelle.  Good girl.

                                          

                                                         

Welcome, Weekend!

Well, this week didn’t exactly turn out as planned.  Sometimes we have to regroup and move forward.
I implore myself and other NaMo artists to buckle down come crunch time...

Sometimes making it through a week, a day, even an hour is the task at hand.

We have less than a week left.  Greet this opportunity as you would an old friend and make the best of it!  Take care of yourself and find whatever comfort it takes for you to enjoy some peace.

Being calm in the center of a hurricane is not always easy.  It takes great effort to plug away when things are buzzing, blowing up, even falling apart around you.  To then center and focus and get into a relaxed zone or enjoy a process is a feat in and of itself.  Zen.

Once a tiny potato had faith in us to complete our goals...this somehow morphed into a Fox potato.  We can do this!  KEEP GOING!

Other Model Critters...(no unicorns)

Sure, we have Breyer wildlife and companion animals as well as a few bigger scale non-equines.  I like all animals.  I am not particularly fond of Unicorns or Pegasii, but the odd fantasy creature may be fun.  Okay, I will say it.  I Hate Unicorns.  With emphasis on the strong word of hate.  Probably mostly because they are too often depicted as horses with a horn plopped on their forehead.  Or because they are meant to be a rare, elusive, mystical creature and have just been done to death in our society.

I can appreciate others’ love for them and fun, creative colors, but my long standing rule here is to purge them all or customize them!  NO Unicorn will live in my stable, period.  More for you folks who love them!  Dragons?  Cool.  Other mythical beasts?  Legendary.  So, end of rant.

I sometimes come across other Model animals and simply must adore them.  Here is a sampling...

Wild, domestic, big or small, we love them all!

I know I have livestock and trail animals and stall buddies galore!  Always willing to put them in fun classes.  Plenty to love in nature and the wide animal kingdom!

KEEP GOING, pony painters!  You’ve Got This!

Display...

PHIL is coming along slowly but surely...as is the Medallion!

I have gone from open shelving and spice racks to bookcases to glass cabinets.  Many options when it comes to displaying our beautiful models.  Sure beats having ‘em boxed up!  Some closed cabinets are in the works as well.  I like to move them around from time to time.

These little plexi cases are great for SMs!

Even Micros can have a little display with risers like tiny steps...

I do have a goal of getting congas organized...someday!

What kinda of curios/shelves help display your collection?

I hear Billy shelves by IKEA are awesome.  Flat surfaces all over the house may be occupied.  I recall visiting a collector who had art in the bathroom and stairwells as well.  In-wall shelving is particularly nice.  I even tuck minis amongst photo frames and mirrors.

How about you?  Any odd/unorthodox displays?

Miniature/Model Dogs

So I actually started as a 5 year old with little Dogs and then things like stuffed animals and feathers, rocks, bugs.  My mini HR dogs were plentiful as were tiny plastics and other materials.  Today I enjoy this display, and have re-focused towards realism and various scales.  They have accompanied the horses in performance showing as well as photo setups.

There are some Resins and various scales packed away, but the little dogs are just always part of my world.  I find them (sometimes literally) and have breeds from all groups.  Focus on my Spaniels and other favorite breeds, especially Sporting, Herding. and Working breeds.  Mixes and wolves too!

Getting on kicks...

NaMo update: Phil got some layers over his dapples to start sooty color.  A bit red here.  Fjord Head is getting detailed, slowly.

Like the Micros, I develop congas in other ways as well...

Sometimes it’s a mold thing, or a color, or a breed...

I have the many Phases of Lady.  I also adore my Hallas.

How do I explain this?

Or this?

Penchant for collecting in general, I suppose.  For some it’s a completist addiction for things like glossy charcoal, or Arabians galore.  I go for jumping models, dapple grays obsession, and lately it’s has branched into props and blankets.  It’s always been Dogs.  (Will save “Project Spaniel” for another day...). Tack is high up there.  Have my small band of dilute colors.  Certain breeds and rare breeds.  My modernistic Animals.  Dog collars.  The list goes on.

What are YOUR main collecting addictions?  A mold conga?  A particular artist?  Comment & share!

Insane for Micros!

It’s not a secret.  I ADORE micro minis.



It started with Miniatures in basic of course, and the tinier the better.

I acquired the entire Creata Winners Choice micro line.
I have not kept up with Breyer’s Mini Whinnies quite like that.

Maggie Bennett’s pewters, then Resins, and now pewter again (yay!)
as well as that of other casting artists...Mandi Hickman, Josine Vingerling, Katlyn Cooper, Mandi Hickman, Clare Stokes, Kelly Savage Sealey, and more!

They are simply amazing.  And take up less space!

Dare I say I really enjoy painting them as well? 

I even sculpted a tiny rider and created micro props.  Showed at NAN!

Got the bug for these guys long before they became popular.

Back to covering area on my big scale horse project...

NaMo Buddies...More Hobby Talent!

I have seen some pics and tips via Jennifer Buxton’s Braymere blog posts and via Blab, but know there is more out there.  My online hobby friends are helpful and a lifeline as well.

Sara is more local, and also working on several at once!
She once created this hippocampus for me (a rare fantasy piece I like!) which had me creating a mini aquarium setup.

Sara is taking custom orders online. https://spyrytfyrestudios.weebly.com/

Sondra is missed back in Iowa, and is doing an etchie this year!  Below is my fabulous Lippizanner custom she did for me.  I adore him!

                                 

She goes by “The Random Dragon” and we have fun sharing goofy humor and artistic endeavors.  I blame her for introducing me to NaMoPaiMo.

My various hobbies and hobby friends do overlap.  I wanted to also brag about a different kind of taxkmaker.  My friend Julie creates beautiful and strong custom kangaroo leather dog show leads, and loves her bling!  This is a piece she made with custom colors for yet another hobbyist.  My dogs were piloted to championships at the end of their lovely custom leads.If you would like one in your show colors for conformation, I can put you in touch!
                                    
Back to Painting!  Have a great week!

The Importance of Reference

While working from memory or one’s imagination is wonderful, it is a recreation of what our perception is, what is in our mind’s eye.

Utilizing a photo or working from life offers significant advantage in that you have consistent checkpoints which you can return to and refer against your progress.  Life drawing (from still life, live models, or simulated texture substitutes) offers you a true measure as you work.  Photos are invaluable reference tools that we can use as a guide.  They are fixed in terms of lighting and color as well as position.

Thank you Internet, talented photographers, and owners/artists for providing a wealth of visual reference!  (Photo inspirations of live horses below are from the net).

It may not always be possible to have the perfect reference photo, but often you will find what you need and can glean from a variety.  In looking at Norwegian Fjord dun colors and baby chestnut foals, these findings have me stoked!

How adorable are these minis?!!  Pretty darn good pangare examples for Pepys!

Shades of dun are fascinating, and although I am going for common brown dun on the Medallion, the beautiful silver is tempting.  Luckily, I have a new Fjord that just arrived to appease me!

On a side note, remember that your photo research can pay off as live show documentation as well!