Unplanned and Not Happening Again?

 This halter was supposed to be for a Paddock Pal. But my measurements were extremely off. I know, I should've taken it apart and started over - but I didn't!

 Instead, I pulled out my nearest Stablemate (little miss Dungaree) and tried the halter on her. My irritation increased, but I still kept making this teeny, tiny halter that is several sizes too small for a Paddock Pal!

 My point? Well, on of my list of no-nos was to not make tack that's smaller than a Paddock Pal (meaning Stablemates and Mini Whinnies). It's bad enough that I am already customizing Mini Whinnies, while being extremely nearsighted and wears glasses 24/7. Making tiny tack might throw me over the edge.

I don't know, recently I had an idea to make a unicorn team pulling a fairy carriage in the Stablemates scale. I might make more Stablemate halters, but once I have more experience making ones for the bigger horses.

A Different Tactic

Dremeling a drastic custom is still in the experimenting stage. In the past, I had taken out the entire ribcage like on these two stablemates.

 And, of course, I still need to work on not getting the skeletal structure so thin that the limbs break off without warning.

 So, I tried a different tactic of leaving the ribcage on, while making the spine still movable.

 I got my dad to help me with cutting his mouth with a dremel rotary blade - more like supervising, since I hadn't used one before....and I know that they are very fragile and will break without any notice.

 The foam stage is weird. Look, he has teddy bear ears!

 Ah, much better!

One thing I did do differently was the painter's tape vs. notepad-paper-over-Apoxie-plus-rubber-bands-method.

Apparently, the Apoxie doesn't adhere to the foam because it needs a porous surface - not smooth and spongy. Forming Ocean Mist's (stablemate) ribcage was a challenge due to the lumpiness caused by the rubber bands trying to keep the Apoxie on the foam. That's why I figured that painter's tape would work better, since I could make it tight and the tape has enough texture for the Apoxie to bond to. I hope it works. Haven't tried it yet. Hopefully this week I could start working on him again.

The Evolution of Firestorm

In a way, every custom is an evolution. They start as one thing and turn into something amazing in the end. But the process in-between is always something that non-artists don't realize. The tug 'o' war between sticking to the plan and letting the model form itself. In my case, they [the customs] usually get their way.

 Obviously, I had done some re-sculpting on his head and mane. His eye accidentally got sheared off when I was working on his muzzle with the dremel tool.

 Had some issues with the primer puddling on the model, too. Though, granted, I did run out of my primer and had to use my grandfather's (which is thinner because he uses it for model airplanes and army trucks). It did not adhere to the slick surface of a model horse too well.

Here he is in his "Cheeto" stage. This was almost his name, until...

 I applied the pastels...

 .....And he became this color. Which, in a was is really cool. He almost stayed a solid color as well.

 But, the plan was...

To make him a Framed Overo.

 But, he kept evolving with...

 Every. Single. Layer. Of. White.

 (Oh, yeah, that's an alien monster toy that my uncle wanted me to fashion that green alien to the white tab on the red one. He's been helpful when painting hooves. He's still hasn't gone home yet).

 All finished! He really turned out an awesome color and pattern. He comes in a pony pouch with an ID card that includes his general information, personality, and mold info. Careful, he likes soda pop!

Updates: Ocean Mist

Here are the finishing touches on Ocean Mist. She's a Bay base Grey Sabino1 Shire who loves carrots and sneaking up on her friends.

Such a sweet girl!

Mini Cinch

No really!

Lionheart wants to keep it, but I said no. He'll get his own when I have a better loom for making them. I have the plans, but haven't gotten around to building it yet. It would be adjustable and strong and won't shrink when pulling on the tension... It would make Traditional and Classic scale cinches for drafts, regular, and ponies. Need to get that done. Soon.

T-Rex Horse

 This one's going to be a low to the ground, Western Cutting Champion (it's a western sport where the horse and rider "cuts" a steer from the herd and keeps it from returning to the herd for a certain number of minutes. Think of how a herding dog keeps a single sheep from wandering off: the dog gets low to the ground and turns back and forth, blocking the sheep's access to the greener grass on the other side of the dog). I decided to keep his pointed foreleg as the building block to the end result.

 Though.....I had a little problem. I figured after dremeling the shire mare, I should make his skeleton thinner. Well, that didn't work - his pointed foreleg broke off! I know, this looks pretty bad with his leg in his mouth (being held with a tiny ball of the same type of wax used to "soften" the pokeys on braces). He looks like a dog who just found some stick and is going to carry it around for the rest of the day.

 It gets worse - his other foreleg broke off, too!!!

 Now he thinks he's a T-Rex.

But I don't want to make a T-Rex!
I want to make a horse!

 Oh, yeah! And one of his hooves came off as well. I was able to fix this one, but I still have to actually sculpt another one due to being overheated and flattened when working with the heat gun.

 Here is the foreleg - this one is going to have the sculpted hoof.....

And the hindleg is getting the saved hoof.

Looks like a catastrophe? Yep.
Am I going to give up on him? Nope!
He will be finished
Eventually!!

Ocean Mist

A lot has happened in the studio since I had written last. Ocean Mist certainly has taken shape. She and one other were supposed to be a NaMoPaiMo side project alongside with the Wind Dancer, but.....that didn't quite happen. I did eventually get to paint her, but right now here she is up to painting.

All ready for....

....the dremel to strike...

I hollow out the hooves on the older molds - in which are flat and unrealistic. Sculpting realistic hooves are rather interesting on this scale.

I think this might be my favorite part of customizing.....(actually, it's all of it!) I have always been fascinated with studying anatomy and I think it has helped me become more confident when it comes to re-positioning the "skeleton" the correct way.

 She is definitely looking like a strong, healthy Shire mare.

Mane on, tail fixed, primer, white paint, and now an odd splotching of color? She's actually going to be a Rose Grey (Bay base) Sabino1. Another Grey? Seriously? This makes it 3 so far! To be honest, I do like Grey horses. I like every. single. stage. of Grey!