My first experience(s) with repainting models

Hi there custom enthusiasts,
let me share my first repaint. Since I got deeper into model horse hobby I realized that it's not only about collecting, but also about customizing. Naturally, as an artist, I wanted to try it. But I didn't know how to begin and I didn't have enough courage. Last summer I purchased Breyer Stablemates family painting kit, but I wasn't able to start on it. Later I even bought another blank Stablemate, but still didn't managed myself to work on them - Until NaMoPaiMo - National Model Paint Month, (facebook) challenge hosted by Jennifer Buxton of Braymere Custom Saddlery this February. I got informations about the challenge from instagram and I joined it. I finally got reason to start with my first repaint.

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I've chosen the blank Stablemates Shetland and I've decided for piebald/black tobiano cause a friend recommened me to start with pinto-patterns.
Each partcipiant of the challenage had to share photo of model before painting, and fill in level skills and the colour planned to paint on model. And then, till the end of February, we were supposed to share photo of finished model.
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As an artist, who mostly makes drawing, it was natural for me to begin with reference drawing of my idea. It helped me a lot, cause by observing my pony during drawing him, I realized all his curves and wrinkles.
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After the drawing was finished, it was time for painting the model...
Well not really that model, cause I had the funny rubber horse by Bullyland as a practise model (it was very cheap so I bought it just to practise customizing on it). This was also very useful for me, cause I could try various consitences of paint - it was too thick at first, so the brush strokes were visible on my practise pony. But I assured myself that I was able to paint even tiny spots and that maping worked as I've expected.
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We were moving into a new appartament these days, I was very busy and I worried whether I would be able to finish it. But I was!
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Here are two photos of the finished practise pony...
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And my official NaMoPaiMo model, later named "Kerswell Harlequin":
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I was even able to paint tiny pupil. I got step-by-step painting eyes picture from instagram, so I tried it...
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There are actually five layers of paint in his eyes + nail polish as a gloss to add reflections.
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He's not perfect, but I'm happy with the result and with whole challenge - it was amazing, inspiring, there were lot of beautiful pictures shared in the facebook group, and I got positive feedback on my work-in-progress photos what motivated me to continue and to finish it. I only wish February has more days, because of moving, packing and re-packing all the things (and models) it was really hard to find time to paint.
Here is just a comparison with OF skewbald/bay tobiano Shetty (Kerswell Cabaret) and Kerswell Harlequin:
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and a photo of finished pony with reference drawing:
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Last Saturday, he debuted on his first Live Show, where he ended 2nd of 4 ponies in his class. I'm kinda proud of him.
And I've also started with painting first member from SM family painting kit, I hope I will be able to share completed pony soon...

Great work

widukind wrote:

Great work

Thank you!

I've seen your work on NaMoPaiMo and I love it! Beautiful paintwork and very lovely ponies! Congrats!

They are both wonderful

Actually, I love the Bully foal very much , - it was one of the very first animal models that Bullland made back in 1980, - about the same age, style and size as the first "Schleich Classics" horses , and it was very popular at that time
Your repaint of this rohling is awesome    

The Breyer pony is a much more detailed model, and with your paintwork it is just lovely !!!

While the Bullyland model is made for grubby little hands, can be washed in desinfectant, and won' t break or harm anybody, Breyers model is more of a show-piece.

So being me,  I am especially delighted and impressed to see how great your Bullyfoal looks now !!!        

I hope we see more repaints from your hands in the future

Once again, lovely work! I really love the paintjob on this guy

Thank you very much, Anna, Susanne and LeeAnn. I'm really happy you like my repaints.
Those Bully foals on a photo on toyanimalwiki look cute. My was unpainted. There were plenty of them in a shop with really cheap books and toys. The foal was for 20 cents. Now I regret I haven't bought more of them.
I have another repaint in progress - G2 pirhouetting Warmblood to a Knabstrupper, so I also hope you will see more repaints by me

I love this little cutie :)

Looks very good!

Well done!
Wonderful drawing too.

These are beautiful! Kuddos! 

SyLoBe wrote:

I love this little cutie :)

75senta75 wrote:

Looks very good!

Bloodrayne wrote:

Well done!
Wonderful drawing too.

cre8tivesoul wrote:

These are beautiful! Kuddos! 

Thank you all very much

Back in April, I've started new repaint with ambition to show him on Live Show at the end of April. It was a blank G2 Stablemates, pirhouetting WB stallion by Kathleen Moody.[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I have to say I kinda regretted to cover his alabaster beauty, but on the other I really wanted to paint my own Knabstrupper.
Same as with my Shetty, I started with reference pen and ink drawing coloured with watercolour pencils.
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Then I painted spots on him, with idea of peacock spots, created by white layer over black spots and finally smaller black spots on last top layer.
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I added some pink to create mottling:
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And then I added two layers of white, but it wasn't very good, brush strokes were too obvious and in some areas, even the basic plastic was still visible. I wasn't able to fix it before the Live Show and got busy because of school so I stopped working on it for a while.

Meanwhile, I bought this DIY set with wooden horse, it's made by Woodmaid as didactic tool for kids, with some colourful wool as a mane.
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But I bought black wool to paint him in realistic colours.
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Do you recognize what famous horse I've used as a reference?
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If your tip was Valegro, you're right!
This wooden one even knows Spanish walk
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I made braids in his mane, and I admire people, who are able to make accurate braids on real hore who is moving, also the horse has to be very patient too.
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At the same time I continued painting the SM and finally, after 3 layers of white, he started to look quite ok.
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So I finished him with last layer of black spots.
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I hope you can see at least some peacock spots...
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Same as on Shetty, his eyes are made with 5 layers of paint (with pupil as one of them) and nail polish over all of them to add some reflections.
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He should debut on his first show in September, I'm really curious about the result.
Thank you for your attention, the next horse to paint is a bride for the stallion, G3 cantering WB mare from the set.

Results are incredible! You really performed a great work and I am sure it will make a great show! One of your horses is so happy with the new coat color that he just started dancing.

Roger wrote:

Results are incredible! You really performed a great work and I am sure it will make a great show! One of your horses is so happy with the new coat color that he just started dancing.

Thank you very much Roger, for such kind words

Fantastic work! These look amazing!

You are very talented, I love them all

Thank you very much, Fallon and Karolina

I adore that dancing pinto

And I love the wooden horse, - what a charming figure

The wooden one is fantastic, and also the Stablemates!

I love it! Beautiful works! The spotted mini is just adorable! Now I know I need a spotty horse in my collection Thank you for sharing!

Thank you so much, Susanne, SyLoBe and Anna!