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  • Wild Mane
  • Home
  • Shop
  • What Are Model Horses?
    • Introduction to the hobby
    • Introduction to Collecting
    • Introduction to Showing
    • Getting Creative
    • Pedigrees
  • Sizes & Brands
    • The Brands
      • Animal Artistry
      • Beswick
      • Breyer
      • CollectA
      • Copperfox
      • Equorum
      • Julip
      • Magpie
      • Peter Stone
      • RubberNedz
      • Schleich
      • Everything Else
    • Size Guide
      • Understanding Scales
      • Generic Size Guide
      • Breyer Size Guide
      • CTF Size Guide
      • Model Railway Scales
      • Size Comparison Gallery
    • Finishes
      • Original Finish
      • Custom Finish
      • Artist Resin & China
      • Commercial Resin & China
      • CTF Plastic
      • CTF Bendy
  • My Own Collection
    • Arabians
    • Thoroughbreds
    • Warmbloods & Sport Horses
    • Iberian
    • European Light Horses
    • British Native Ponies
    • European Ponies
    • Other Ponies
    • Type Ponies
    • American Quarter Horses
    • Appaloosas
    • Paints
    • Gaited
    • Mustangs
    • Other American
    • UK Heavy Horse
    • European Heavy Horses
    • Other Heavy Horses
    • Other Purebred Horses
    • Cobs & Vanners
    • Partbred Arabians
    • Other Partbred Horses
    • Partbred Ponies
    • Other Equine
    • fantasy & decorator
    • Other Animals
  • Showing
    • Live Shows
      • Introduction to Live Showing
      • Attending a Live Show
      • Running a Live Show
      • Gallery of Champions
      • 2019 Live Shows
      • BMECS & NAN
      • Recycled Live V
      • Herefordshire Live 2019
    • Photo Shows
      • Introduction to Photo Showing
      • Entering a Photo Show
      • Running a Photo Show
      • Gallery of Champions
      • Grand Photoshow
      • 2020 Photo Shows
    • Postal Shows
      • Introduction to Postal Shows
      • Entering a Postal Show
      • Running a Postal Show
      • 2019 Postal Shows
    • Other Competitions/Events
      • Customising Competitions
      • Tack/Prop Making Competitions
      • 30 Day Challenges
      • Body Transformation Challenge 2019
      • 2019 Competitions
    • Understanding Sections
      • In Hand
      • Performance
      • Workmanship
      • Collectability
      • Fun
    • Where Should My Horse Go?
      • Brands & Finishes
      • Breeds
      • Performance Entries
      • Colours
    • My Own Show Results
      • Section Champions
      • Supreme Champions
      • BMECs Success
      • Chestnut Ridge Customs & Resins
      • Chestnut Ridge Tack
  • Tutorials
    • Customising
      • Base Colours
        • Airbrushed Grey
        • Airbrushed Bay
        • Bay
        • Bay Foal
        • Black
        • Brown
        • Chestnut
        • Faded Black
        • Light Bay
      • Dilutes
        • Cremello
        • Dun
        • Grulla
        • Light Palomino
        • Palomino Foal
        • Silver Dapple
      • Spots & Splodges
        • Black Pinto
        • Bay Pinto
        • Black Leopard Spot
        • Chestnut Pinto
        • Grulla Pinto Foal
        • Leopard Appaloosa
        • Bay Blanket Spot
      • Other Colours
        • Blue Roan
        • Fleabitten Grey (Pencil)
        • Grey (Pastel)
        • Mulberry Grey
        • Red Roan
        • Roan
      • Sculpting
        • Carving Ears
        • Fairy Horse
        • Feathers
        • Hogged Mane
        • Marwari Ears
        • Pink Unicorn
        • Plaited Mane
        • Wild Mane
        • Winged Foal
      • Prepping & Other
        • Hair Direction
        • How to Prep
        • Leg Pinning
        • Removing Paint
        • Prepping for Hairing
        • Touch Ups
    • Tack Making
      • English
        • Boots
        • Grackle Bridle
        • Sidepull Bitless Bridle
      • Western
        • Paddock Pal Western Bridle
        • Two Ear Western Bridle
        • Western Breastplate
      • Headcollars & Halters
        • Arabian Halter
        • Classic Arabian Halter
        • Paddock Pal Arab Halter
        • Simple Headcollar
      • Everything Else
        • Rug Templates
        • Saddle Cloth Templates
    • Other
      • Computer Tutorials
        • Adding Excel Filters
        • Horse Record Spreadsheet
        • Pedigree Table
        • Points System
        • Setting up a Facebook Page
      • Props
        • Bird
        • Breyer Cross Country Jump
        • Desert Scene
        • Horse Lick
        • Snowy Base
        • Snowy Scene
        • Stable Items
        • Trail Class Props
      • Showing
        • Creating a Judging List
    • Online Seminars
      • Seminar Schedule
      • Past Seminars
  • Galleries
    • Custom Gallery
      • Bay
      • Black
      • Chestnut
      • Grey
      • Duns
      • Cream Dilutes
      • Pintos
      • Spotted
      • Roan
      • Fantasy & Decorator
      • Other Colour
    • Tack Gallery
      • English Bridles
      • Western Bridles
      • Other English
      • Other Western
      • Arabian
      • Headcollars & Halters
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      • Schleich
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(c) Chestnut Ridge 2019

​catriona@chestnutridge.co.uk

Important note - Chestnut Ridge does not endorse any of the external links or companies linked to on this website. We are not responsible for the content of those links nor do we recommend using those companies for purchases. Any links are provided for information purposes only and you use at your own risk. We are not affiliated in anyway with any of the companies mentioned.

We highly recommend you research any company before making a purchase from them. This is also true for individual sellers and buyers. There are numerous model horse reference sites that we recommend you look at before buying.

Bay Blanket Spotted

The following tutorial was written in 2011.

The model used is a Breyer Stablemate Seabiscuit.

This model was painted using a combination of airbrushed acrylics, pastels and hand painted acrylics. The paint used were from the Citadel range by Games Workshop and the pastels were an Earth Tone set. Approximate costs are based on you buying all the items needed for this tutorial including a cheap airbrush and compressor. It is assumed you are painting a Stablemate model horse but this tutorial will work for all scales.

Difficulty Level: Medium
Approximate Cost: £118.00

Shopping List

Paints

Ochre
Flesh Tone
Light Brown
Red Brown
Dark Brown
White
Black
Red
Earth Tone Pastel Set

Tools

Airbrush
Compressor
Paint Brushes
Old/Damaged Brushes for Pastelling
Prepped Model Horse
Sealant

The Base Colour

Picture
​Step 1

You need to start with a prepped and primed model horse. I have used white primer as a base for this model but grey primer would also work.
Picture
Step 2

Mix together the ochre, flesh tone and light brown paints in equal proportions.
Picture
Step 3

You should have a colour that looks similar to the one above. Make sure if you are using an airbrush to water down your paints to about the consistency of milk. If you are hand painting watering down the paints and applying them in multiple thin layers is advisable to get a smooth finish.
Picture
Step 4

Now apply this colour to the whole of the horse.
Picture
Step 5

Now mix together 1 part dark brown with 2 parks red brown.
Picture
Step 6

Apply a fine layer of this colour over the entire horse. Now add more layers around the neck, shoulder, quarters, back, legs and chin as shown.
Picture
Step 7

You will now add a layer of dark brown. If you have some of the mix from step 6 left over you can simply add dark brown to this to create a slight reddish tinge, or you can start fresh with just dark brown if you prefer.
Picture
Step 8

Apply this darker colour as shading as shown on the horse above. You'll need to darken the neck, chin, top of the front legs, quarters, withers and back.
Picture
Step 9

We are now going to add our first layer of pastel. Before you do this I recommend sealing your base coat to prevent damage. Use some dark brown pastel mixed with black pastel.
Picture
Step 10

Use an old paint brush to apply this mix to the muscled areas of the horse as shading. Once done seal your model. You can now add black to the legs of the horse using either airbrushed black acrylic paint or black pastel depending on your preference.
Picture
Step 11

​Now add the final areas of black shading to the muzzle, eyes, ears and genitals using black pastel.

The Details

Picture
​Step 1

You can now start adding the white markings. For this model I'm doing a snowcap blanket pattern but you can use reference and add whatever level of white patterning you like. Slowly build up the colour by using thing layers of white acrylic paint.
Picture
Step 2

Mix some white paint with a little bit of red (pink pastel also works) and add mottling to the muzzle, eyes and genitals.

At the same time you can start work on the details of the horse. Here we have started the eyes with a layer of white mixed with red paint.
Picture
Step 3

Once you are happy with your patterning paint the mane and tail in black. Depending on the extent of your pattern (check your reference) you may need to add white hairs to your mane and tail.

Finish off the final details of the model. For the hooves as it is a spotted pattern you will need to have striped hooves. Use a light tan colour and then black pastel to create the striping.

Finish the eyes with a brown iris and black oblong shaped pupil.

The Finished Piece

Finish your piece with a few layers of sealant. You can then gloss the eyes and hooves of your model.

Once done make sure to sign your new custom so that everybody knows it was by you! If you have used this tutorial to finish a model horse why not email us a picture and we can feature it in our completed pieces gallery below.

Gallery of Completed Pieces

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Model horses are meant to be fun, it's easy to lose that sometimes and feel like there is so much negativity around you. Chestnut Ridge is a happy place, here you will find information about the hobby, tutorials to try out and fun and games to help you fall back in love with your model horses.
​Want to submit some content? Just email catriona@chestnutridge.co.uk and help make our community grow.

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  • Home
  • Shop
  • What Are Model Horses?
    • Introduction to the hobby
    • Introduction to Collecting
    • Introduction to Showing
    • Getting Creative
    • Pedigrees
  • Sizes & Brands
    • The Brands
      • Animal Artistry
      • Beswick
      • Breyer
      • CollectA
      • Copperfox
      • Equorum
      • Julip
      • Magpie
      • Peter Stone
      • RubberNedz
      • Schleich
      • Everything Else
    • Size Guide
      • Understanding Scales
      • Generic Size Guide
      • Breyer Size Guide
      • CTF Size Guide
      • Model Railway Scales
      • Size Comparison Gallery
    • Finishes
      • Original Finish
      • Custom Finish
      • Artist Resin & China
      • Commercial Resin & China
      • CTF Plastic
      • CTF Bendy
  • My Own Collection
    • Arabians
    • Thoroughbreds
    • Warmbloods & Sport Horses
    • Iberian
    • European Light Horses
    • British Native Ponies
    • European Ponies
    • Other Ponies
    • Type Ponies
    • American Quarter Horses
    • Appaloosas
    • Paints
    • Gaited
    • Mustangs
    • Other American
    • UK Heavy Horse
    • European Heavy Horses
    • Other Heavy Horses
    • Other Purebred Horses
    • Cobs & Vanners
    • Partbred Arabians
    • Other Partbred Horses
    • Partbred Ponies
    • Other Equine
    • fantasy & decorator
    • Other Animals
  • Showing
    • Live Shows
      • Introduction to Live Showing
      • Attending a Live Show
      • Running a Live Show
      • Gallery of Champions
      • 2019 Live Shows
      • BMECS & NAN
      • Recycled Live V
      • Herefordshire Live 2019
    • Photo Shows
      • Introduction to Photo Showing
      • Entering a Photo Show
      • Running a Photo Show
      • Gallery of Champions
      • Grand Photoshow
      • 2020 Photo Shows
    • Postal Shows
      • Introduction to Postal Shows
      • Entering a Postal Show
      • Running a Postal Show
      • 2019 Postal Shows
    • Other Competitions/Events
      • Customising Competitions
      • Tack/Prop Making Competitions
      • 30 Day Challenges
      • Body Transformation Challenge 2019
      • 2019 Competitions
    • Understanding Sections
      • In Hand
      • Performance
      • Workmanship
      • Collectability
      • Fun
    • Where Should My Horse Go?
      • Brands & Finishes
      • Breeds
      • Performance Entries
      • Colours
    • My Own Show Results
      • Section Champions
      • Supreme Champions
      • BMECs Success
      • Chestnut Ridge Customs & Resins
      • Chestnut Ridge Tack
  • Tutorials
    • Customising
      • Base Colours
        • Airbrushed Grey
        • Airbrushed Bay
        • Bay
        • Bay Foal
        • Black
        • Brown
        • Chestnut
        • Faded Black
        • Light Bay
      • Dilutes
        • Cremello
        • Dun
        • Grulla
        • Light Palomino
        • Palomino Foal
        • Silver Dapple
      • Spots & Splodges
        • Black Pinto
        • Bay Pinto
        • Black Leopard Spot
        • Chestnut Pinto
        • Grulla Pinto Foal
        • Leopard Appaloosa
        • Bay Blanket Spot
      • Other Colours
        • Blue Roan
        • Fleabitten Grey (Pencil)
        • Grey (Pastel)
        • Mulberry Grey
        • Red Roan
        • Roan
      • Sculpting
        • Carving Ears
        • Fairy Horse
        • Feathers
        • Hogged Mane
        • Marwari Ears
        • Pink Unicorn
        • Plaited Mane
        • Wild Mane
        • Winged Foal
      • Prepping & Other
        • Hair Direction
        • How to Prep
        • Leg Pinning
        • Removing Paint
        • Prepping for Hairing
        • Touch Ups
    • Tack Making
      • English
        • Boots
        • Grackle Bridle
        • Sidepull Bitless Bridle
      • Western
        • Paddock Pal Western Bridle
        • Two Ear Western Bridle
        • Western Breastplate
      • Headcollars & Halters
        • Arabian Halter
        • Classic Arabian Halter
        • Paddock Pal Arab Halter
        • Simple Headcollar
      • Everything Else
        • Rug Templates
        • Saddle Cloth Templates
    • Other
      • Computer Tutorials
        • Adding Excel Filters
        • Horse Record Spreadsheet
        • Pedigree Table
        • Points System
        • Setting up a Facebook Page
      • Props
        • Bird
        • Breyer Cross Country Jump
        • Desert Scene
        • Horse Lick
        • Snowy Base
        • Snowy Scene
        • Stable Items
        • Trail Class Props
      • Showing
        • Creating a Judging List
    • Online Seminars
      • Seminar Schedule
      • Past Seminars
  • Galleries
    • Custom Gallery
      • Bay
      • Black
      • Chestnut
      • Grey
      • Duns
      • Cream Dilutes
      • Pintos
      • Spotted
      • Roan
      • Fantasy & Decorator
      • Other Colour
    • Tack Gallery
      • English Bridles
      • Western Bridles
      • Other English
      • Other Western
      • Arabian
      • Headcollars & Halters
      • Other Tack
    • Scenes
      • The Model Horse Shop
      • The Live Show
  • Blog & News
    • Our Blog
    • 2021 New Releases
      • Breyer
      • Schleich
      • CollectA
      • Other Brands
    • Model Horse News
  • Fun & Games
    • Colouring Pages
    • Wordsearches
    • Cross Words
    • Quizzes
    • Other Puzzles
    • Collector Bingo
  • Tales from Chestnut Ridge
    • Crackers and the Magical Fairies
    • Crackers Goes Viral
    • Julie's Story
    • Minstrel to the Rescue
  • Resources & Links
    • Glossary
    • External Links
    • Free Downloads
    • Privacy Policy
    • Shipping & Returns
    • Terms & Conditions
  • Wild Mane