Keeping busy!

The holidays are keeping me busy this year. I'm working full time at the store and trying to squeeze in holiday shopping as well. I did manage to get one more horse finished for a show 2 weeks ago as well as start a foal.

I bought a north light scratching draft foal for a good price and had the vision of making her a clydesdale and a colt. I could not be more pleased with how HE came out.

He started out something like this. Here I've already added the feathers with Amazing Sculpt (which I love!) and his little boy parts. Have to say that I like prepping NLs. This guy was a piece of cake!

 I found a great reference photo I was using and due to the soft look of the reference I did not want to paint this foal with acrylics or oils. I had not attempted using pastels as the main medium in around 3 years. I started off very aggravated, but ended up discovering that using brushes instead of q-tips and foam shaped objects similar to Q-tips is my new love! Here are the results of my jump back into pastel work.

Meet Feather!

I'm really pleased with how he turned out!

I recently started repainting this Hagen Renaker Rascal re-release and I'm pleased with her progress as well. I've already started painting her pinto markings, but here is a vague idea on how she is coming out. I'm forcing myself to let this gal go. Feather was supposed to be a sales piece and I just fell in love with her!

I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season!

Finished!

I finished both the Zorse and the Morgan yesterday. Both are pieces for my own show string. I had fun working on the Zorse as he proved to be an interesting challenge. I think I really needed a challenge. I've found a picture of what the real foal grew up to look like and in the future hope to paint her on the Duchess mold.

Here are the finished horses. Sorry about the dark photos. There wasn't very much good light yesterday.

I went with my parents up to  the Mohawk trail and it was really nice because not only the foliage, but places with model horses! The place where we got our pumpkins and apples had a whole display of HRs. They had tons of all different animals and a while section of just horses. I ended up getting two models I already had so I could use them for repainting.  Check back soon to see what they are!

Hopefully Back in Business!

It's been quite a while since I have posted any updates to my blog for a very good reason. I have moved! I've lived with my parents my whole life and have always dreamed of having my own farm. An impossible dream where I live in MA where farms go for massive amounts of money. But fate has been exceptionally kind to me and I am currently renting a 1800s farmhouse with a couple of acres for me and my animals for a really good price!

The last few months I have been fixing up the house, building a new barn for my ponies and moving 31 years worth of stuff from one house into another 6 minutes away.

I was working on a few projects before my move that had to wait and I am finally back in the business of workin in my "new" studio!

here is my new work space. half studio and half model horse room.
Deep into the room is the model horse section. Still much to do with repainting the ceiling tiles and putting up a horse border. 

 Here is the studio portion of the room. Still much organizing to do, though I have gotten alot accomplished since I moved in 2 weeks ago!

 My work area. I love these 3 windows that face the west. They offer so much natural light, even on cloudy days.

 You might have captured a glimpse of the two horses on my desk (above photo) Those are the two horses I am currently working on. A classic QH foal to a Zorse foal and a g1 SM morgan repaint.

The foal is being based on a real foal of the same color. The basecoat in oils is done (and dry at this time). The foal has new ears, a new tail and a slightly turned head. Color is slightly washed out in the photos. He will have his stripes painted by hand. Should be an interesting project!

 Color is actually a bit better here. He is shown with a normal QH foal.

And here is the G1 SM Morgan I am repainting. He will have fairly minimal white.

I now have to run off to work, but I hope to have more updates soon!

Corrie~

Busy Bee!

Despite not updating this blog in 2 months, I have actually been working on various projects over the last few months. Working extra hours at both of my jobs has kept me quite busy and very exhausted, but I have found time here and there to get a few projects done.

This is my vast crew of in progress customs (and this isn't even all of them!)

I like working on alot of models at once because I have the bad tendency to get bored working on the same project. So to keep myself working I work on many projects at one time. If I don't feel like prepping, there is something to paint. if I don't feel like painting there is something to prep or customize. While this might drive other artists crazy, it works well for me. 

The weather has been very nice (if chilly lately) here in the Northeast and in time for a Classic and smaller show next weekend I have been prepping and painting away to get a few new models finished. 

I bought a bunch of old mold stablemates and other Maureen Love pieces because her work really inspires me. I've also decided that Classic and smaller scale is easier for me to prep and paint and will be my primary size for work. 

Here are two SMs I finished,. One old mold and one newer mold. 

 

This little mustang was a happy accident that turned into a fun customizing project. I've never sculpted a new neck before and while I know this guy isn't perfect, I am happy with how he came out for a first try.  

 

This Man O War mold has been sitting unloved for quite some time. I bulked him out a little and reworked his mane and tail a little. He was originally going to be a CM of my deceased gelding, Tempa, but i think the classic swaps works better for his body type.

I also painted a classic QH Foal, who I just adore!

These pieces are all for my own collection right now, but I may have others available for sale in the future. And who knows, after I show some of these they may be up for sale. 

Thanks for reading!

Restoration continued

So, I did quite a bit of work earlier in the week. I took out some of the paper that was inside his neck as filler and put in some wire and epoxy to give his neck and head more stability.




I then used my hand drill to make a hole in both his leg and his hoof as well as some zap-a-gap to reattach his broken hoof.


Next I filled the area missing epoxy on his neck. I left the neck thick as the original customizer had done. I'm restoring and not redoing. I glued the broken pieces of epoxy on the other side of his neck and then smoothed some epoxy over a large crack in his raised leg.




I let him dry for a few days, did some very minor sanding and today I painted the epoxy and touched him up. Sorry for the lousy pictures. My light tent is away! Still some retouching left to do, but overall I am pleased with my quick restoration project!






I hope you enjoyed!

Restoration project

I am really excited to have brought this guy home. I needed something to inspire me as I just have not been in the mood to be creative lately.

this is a Linda Leach hardy CM from possibly the mid 80s. Morgen brought a bunch of models needing TLC to a show over the weekend and I brought him and a few others home to play with.

here he is before I have done anything to him.




here he is with a little cleaning up of a slightly damp cloth. Sorry about the blurry picture!



I will be posting pictures later as I work on removing the paper in his neck and putting foil and wire instead to give the head more stability.

More Massive projects!

I have been so busy with both of my jobs that I have been spending my creative time doing something different. I always wondered why there was never a gallery or a website devoted to Breyer boxes, so I created one!

With the help of many fabulous hobbyists I have almost over 200 photos loaded into galleries divided by decade.

Within the same gallery there are also folders for Breyer ads from the 50s-70s and the 80s-today.

Happy Viewing!

http://picasaweb.google.com/breyerhistory