A staple of the model horse hobby customising competitions have been around for decades. They allow artists to show off their painting skills (or remaking skills) with various different challenges. Some competitions have themes, some offer prizes and some simply ask you to challenge yourself and paint something different.
Many of these competitions are done to raise money for charity or a particular event (such as the MEPSA Customising Contest). For these entrants will often complete a piece and then submit it to the organisation. Completed pieces are sold off to raise money and entrants can win donated prizes for their pieces.
The vast majority of these contests are judged by popular vote although some are judged by individual judges. They can be a great boost to an artists self esteem as well as a chance to challenge yourself to do something different. Winning an Utterly Horses cutomising contest was probably one of the proudest moments of my life, I got a Breyer Pippin who I treasure.
Many of these competitions are done to raise money for charity or a particular event (such as the MEPSA Customising Contest). For these entrants will often complete a piece and then submit it to the organisation. Completed pieces are sold off to raise money and entrants can win donated prizes for their pieces.
The vast majority of these contests are judged by popular vote although some are judged by individual judges. They can be a great boost to an artists self esteem as well as a chance to challenge yourself to do something different. Winning an Utterly Horses cutomising contest was probably one of the proudest moments of my life, I got a Breyer Pippin who I treasure.
Customising contests come in many different types - from repaints to resculpts
Challenging Yourself
The best part about customising competitions is that they force you to challenge yourself and try something a little different. Many contests are held with a particular theme or ask you to create something you've never done before. These can be a real chance to leave your comfort zone and try something new.
Some competitions will simply ask you to repaint a model whilst others may allow for more extreme forms of customising. If the competition has a particular theme think about how you can use your own skills but also push yourself that little bit further. If you are not used to resculpting why not think about making a small change to your model for the competition to make it stand out? If you don't often hair why not try learning how to hair for the competition? Or maybe try a colour or style you've never done before?
I personally love competitions with pretty out there themes such as 'Christmas' or 'Spring' as they allow me to create more unusual decorators (which is my favourite thing to do). I don't do a massive amount of resculpting but each time I try to push myself to do something that is just a bit different. Nothing is ever as simply as a repaint decorator (although maybe these would look more normal). For me it is more about pushing myself further to create something I love rather than trying to win anything!
Some competitions will simply ask you to repaint a model whilst others may allow for more extreme forms of customising. If the competition has a particular theme think about how you can use your own skills but also push yourself that little bit further. If you are not used to resculpting why not think about making a small change to your model for the competition to make it stand out? If you don't often hair why not try learning how to hair for the competition? Or maybe try a colour or style you've never done before?
I personally love competitions with pretty out there themes such as 'Christmas' or 'Spring' as they allow me to create more unusual decorators (which is my favourite thing to do). I don't do a massive amount of resculpting but each time I try to push myself to do something that is just a bit different. Nothing is ever as simply as a repaint decorator (although maybe these would look more normal). For me it is more about pushing myself further to create something I love rather than trying to win anything!
A proud moment - Cherryblossom won the 2011 Utterly Horses customising contest
Transformation Challenges
There are two main types of customising contest. The first is where you use one of your own models or bodies for the piece, this may be within guidelines (for example the Copperfox customising contest for Copperfox models) or it may be completely open allowing you to create using any body of your choice. The second type are transformation challenges where you are given a body and have to transform it into a new piece. Cherryblossom above is an example of this, you got a free Stablemate with a purchase over £20.00 and that allowed you to enter the competition.
Transformation challenges can be fun because they allow you to completely transform a model. Because you are often sent the model and do not get a choice they can be a good chance to challenge yourself to do something completely different. When doing one of these challenges try to think outside the box, what hasn't been done before? What can you create that is really different? You want to make the model almost unrecognisable from its original piece but it also needs to look good. Some competitions may have a theme so try to work within this, using your own skills but also pushing yourself that little bit further.
In 2018 Chestnut Ridge ran a body transformation challenge. We sent out 10 random bodies to randomly chosen entrants. Eight entrants submitted completed pieces which you can view in this album here:
Body Transformation Challenge
I was absolutely blown away by not only the skill but also the creativity of the entrants. Nobody went simple! Everyone tried to create something really unique that stood out. For the curious the winner was the dragon (it was voted by popular vote). It is definitely something we plan to run again.
Transformation challenges can be fun because they allow you to completely transform a model. Because you are often sent the model and do not get a choice they can be a good chance to challenge yourself to do something completely different. When doing one of these challenges try to think outside the box, what hasn't been done before? What can you create that is really different? You want to make the model almost unrecognisable from its original piece but it also needs to look good. Some competitions may have a theme so try to work within this, using your own skills but also pushing yourself that little bit further.
In 2018 Chestnut Ridge ran a body transformation challenge. We sent out 10 random bodies to randomly chosen entrants. Eight entrants submitted completed pieces which you can view in this album here:
Body Transformation Challenge
I was absolutely blown away by not only the skill but also the creativity of the entrants. Nobody went simple! Everyone tried to create something really unique that stood out. For the curious the winner was the dragon (it was voted by popular vote). It is definitely something we plan to run again.
A winning entry from a Copperfox Customising competition (not painted by myself)
Some Common Contests
Below are a list of some pretty regular customising contests that you may want to think about entering if you want to have a go at customising. Some of these have prizes, some do not, some simply ask you to challenge yourself.
NaMoPaiMo - Held every year in February this is not a competition more a chance for you to challenge yourself and get painting.
BreyerFest Custom Contest - Held in the run up to BreyerFest every year
BMECS Best UK Artist/Best UK Sculpture Classes - Themed each year and held on the Sunday of BMECS you do not need to be an entrant or to have qualified the horse to enter it
Chestnut Ridge Body Transformation Challenge - Held for the first time in 2018 ten entrants are picked at random and sent bodies which they then have to transform within a set time period
MEPSA Custom Contest - Held every year to raise money for the photo showing organisation
NaMoPaiMo - Held every year in February this is not a competition more a chance for you to challenge yourself and get painting.
BreyerFest Custom Contest - Held in the run up to BreyerFest every year
BMECS Best UK Artist/Best UK Sculpture Classes - Themed each year and held on the Sunday of BMECS you do not need to be an entrant or to have qualified the horse to enter it
Chestnut Ridge Body Transformation Challenge - Held for the first time in 2018 ten entrants are picked at random and sent bodies which they then have to transform within a set time period
MEPSA Custom Contest - Held every year to raise money for the photo showing organisation