One of the most wonderful things about the model horse hobby is the amount of creativity it can unleash. Whatever your skills you are bound to find some outlet to express them within model horses, whether you are customising or creating stories using characters from your herd. Below you can learn about just some of the ways you can get creative with your model horses.
If you want to try your very own model horse project why not check out our tutorials here.
This article is rather long as we go into quite a bit of detail about certain elements such as customising, but we hope you enjoy reading it nonetheless.
If you want to try your very own model horse project why not check out our tutorials here.
This article is rather long as we go into quite a bit of detail about certain elements such as customising, but we hope you enjoy reading it nonetheless.
Customising
Customising involves altering a model horse from its original state in some way. This may be through adding a new coat of paint (repainting) or through altering the sculpture itself (resculpting), you could even add a synthetic mane and tail (rehairing). If you are feeling a little less ambitious you could simply add some white markings to the original model to make it different.
Models that have been altered in any way are known as 'customs'. You can create a custom on pretty much any more horse if you have the right equipment. You can use models that already have original finish paint or you could buy blanks or unpainted resins (known as Artist Resins). You can even paint some forms of china without special glazes (a china with a custom glaze is known as a 'custom glazed china').
Finding a Model to Paint
The first step on your way to customising will be finding a model horse to paint. Obviously you don't want to go painting over your favourite models! If you are new to customising then you will want to start with lower value models that you can practise on. You will be able to find models for sale described as 'bodies', these are models that are in really poor condition and are good for customising only. These are perfect for customising but you could also look at using original finish models such as Breyers and Schleich as these require minimal prep work.
Bodies
A body quality model is one that is in poor condition and is suited to customising only. Bodies will vary from scratched original finish models to one's with missing legs and custom paint work. Bodies can be found for sale through places such as eBay, Facebook sales pages and Model Horse Sales Pages and private sales on Facebook and at shows.
When you are starting to paint you may want to choose models that require less prep work as this can be really time consuming and can easily go wrong. Look for models that are original finish with just rubs and no breaks or custom paint work. If you purchase a model with breaks these will need repairing first, equally custom paint work will need stripping in order for you to prime and repaint the model.
Original Finish Models
Original Finish model horses are ones that are in the same condition as they left the factory. You could buy these new for painting or purchase second hand models at a lower price. One good way to get hold of original finish models for painting is to look for models for models in sales or on special offer.
Sometimes the only way to get hold of certain moulds is to purchase models new from suppliers. Original finish models also have the advantage that they need minimal prep work in order for you to start painting. Most can be primed and then painted without you having to strip the original paintwork.
Unpainted Models
You can also look at purchasing unpainted models which you can paint. These either come blank or readily prepped for you to paint straight onto. Unpainted models come in various different types, from blanks of plastic moulds to artist resins. Plastic blanks are harder to come by but you may see them for sale occasionally. Peter Stone produce blanks on a semi-regular basis that can be purchased direct from the company or second hand. Breyer produce blank Stablemates which are given away at fun day events, you can usually buy second hand ones on places such as eBay and you may get given them at model horse events.
Artist resins and pewters are sold unpainted for you to paint. They come in two forms, clean or raw. Clean resins will require minimal prep work and be slightly pricier. Raw resins are cheaper but they do require quite a bit of prepping, the standard of the raw resin will vary depending on the artist. These models will require prepping and priming before painting.
Some prep work artists sell models that have been ready prepped for you to paint. These could be original finish model horses, artist resins or resculpted model horses. These will cost more to purchase but save you a lot of time and effort!
Prepping
Prepping is the process of preparing your models to be painted. Unless you have purchased a pre-prepped model horse you will need to prep your model. The amount of prep work will depend upon the model itself and can often be one of the most time consuming parts of creating your new piece. If you are resculpting you may need to reprep along the way to give a smooth finish to paint onto.
Sanding
Sanding involves removing any heavy seams or seals from your model horse. As well as any lumps, bumps and seals you will also need to sand off the manufacturers seal (that's the bit where it says 'Breyer' or 'Schleich' underneath). For very solid plastic models or ones with really heavy seams you may need to use something like a dremel to speed up the process.
Use a variety of different sand papers to create a smooth finish, the higher the number of the grade of the sand paper the smoother the finish, start with lower grades (numbers) and then work your way up to higher numbers.
When you have finished the sanding process you should be left with a smooth finish to paint onto. Add a coat of primer to check there is nothing else that needs sanding down.
Stripping
If your model has custom finished paint work then you will need to strip this before you start painting. You don't need to strip original finish paintwork unless it will affect the smoothness of the model (some spotted horses have raised spots that you may want to sand down).
There are various different ways of stripping paint. You can use pure muscle and sand down the finish to remove the paintwork but this can be very time consuming and may cause you to loose some definition in the model. You can also use chemicals in order to strip down the paintwork. If you are choosing to use a chemical remover make sure that it won't react with the plastic underneath and that you are also safe whilst doing it. You will see lots of guides online about what chemicals to use but all of these are dangerous and this needs to be done carefully.
However you strip your model you need to take your time and ensure that all of the custom finish and primer has been removed. Once done you may find that you need to repair certain areas of the model if filler has been removed when the model was stripped.
Filling/Repairing
Your model may require more than just a bit of sanding and priming in order to get it looking gorgeous again and ready for its new coat of paint. Firstly you may need to fill any pin pricks or holes (make sure not to fill the air hole unless you plan to drill a new one). These can be filled using a small amount of epoxy putty. Once dry you can prime to get an idea of how smooth the finish now is.
Any breaks will also need to be repaired. The most common breaks are those to the legs and to the ears. We have a tutorial on pinning legs here. When securing broken off limbs you need to make sure there is a strong join so that they don't simply break off again, that is why when attaching legs it is best to use a piece of wire to add support than simply gluing them back on.
Epoxy putty (such as Milliput) is the best product to use when repairing elements of the model. As you repair and fill then you need to prime to ensure you have a smooth finish and can't see any of the areas that have need repairing.
Priming
Priming is the process of applying a smooth base coat of paint that you can then prime onto. Primers are usually purchased in spray cans and can be bought in a variety of different colours. They vary in quality and price and each person usually finds a brand they swear by. The primer you use needs to be suited to working on plastic, acrylic primers are usually perfect for this.
Models should be given a few light coats of primer, make sure not to spray too close to the model as this will make the primer runny and lumpy on the model rather than smooth.
You can prime in absolutely any colour but white and grey are the most popular choices. Grey primer will show up any imperfections in the model better than white will but obviously will affect the colour of the paint on top. White primer will give you a good white base and can also be left exposed when painting models such as leopard spots. You may want to do a coat of grey and then white on top. Some artists also use other colours of primer to create a different shade when painted on top.
Repainting
Repainting model horses involves applying new coats of paint to the model to create a completely different colour. This can be done by hand in acrylic or oil paints or using acrylic paints in an airbrush. It can also be done with pastels and pencils. Obviously it is also possible to use a combination of all techniques to create the desired effect. Which method you use is entirely a matter of person taste although most artists will choose to work in mixed media.
What Paints to Use
The most common choice for paint is acrylics. Paints that are designed specifically for painting models rather than artist paints are most suited to customising as they won't crack. There are various different brands of acrylic paint but below are some of the more popular ones for repainting:
Games Workshop Citadel
Humbrol Acrylic
Revell Aqua Colour
Army Painter Warpaints
Vallejo
You can also use oil paints for painting. These create a really lovely rich colour but they take a very long time to dry and can be frustrating in that regard. These can be purchased from any good art store or online.
Quality paint does show and it is worth not cutting corners with your choices. A good quality paint will not only be smoother and lacking in lumps but will also last longer. When you are first starting out you should get a white, black and then a variety of different shades of brown. You will also need a colour that is suitable for hooves (either dark grey or a shell colour).
Hand Painting
Hand painting is the simplest form of painting as it requires nothing more than some paint and a paint brush. It involves adding layers of thin paint to the model to build up the desired colour. Hand painting is the best method suited to using oil paints. You can add layers of different colours to create shading and highlights that reflect a real horses coat.
Hand painting is suited to adding details to models such as white markings, hooves and eyes. It is also good for adding things such as spots or for creating patterns on decorator models.
In order to hand paint you will need either acrylic or oil paints and also some form of thinner. For acrylic paints you can use water but you will want to use a specialist thinner for oil paints. You will also need a variety of good quality brushes in order to apply the paints to the model. A palette to mix the colours is also a good idea (you can use a small piece of cardboard or plastic instead) and of course you will also need a jar of water to clean your brushes in.
Airbrushing
Airbrushing involves using a specialist piece of equipment known as an airbrush to apply acrylic paint to the surface of your model. This technique is good for covering large areas and allows you to blend colours effectively, it is less good for more detailed work so you may want to combine it with hand painting.
Airbrushes vary greatly in price, from a few pounds to hundreds. There is obviously a benefit to purchasing more expensive models but many top artists just use very cheap ones (I remember talking to one top American artist who expressed that their airbrush had only cost them $20). If you are starting off choose a cheap dual action one (you can get these on eBay for around £20) and invest your money in paints and a compressor instead. You can save up for a more expensive model if you decide that airbrushing is what you want to do.
As well as the airbrush and equipment (such as tubes) you will also need to purchase either air canisters or a compressor. A compressor is a much better investment as it is a one off purchase, but air canisters are usually cheaper. You can often get gift sets including an airbrush, compressor and everything else you need for relatively low prices if you are just starting out.
On top of this you will also need to purchase some airbrush cleaner, dust masks and pipettes. A tea strainer is also a good idea if you have particularly lumpy paints. If you choose to use an airbrush you will need a well ventilated room and it is recommended you also get some form of cleaning station to spray airbrush cleaner into so you don't gas yourself with the fumes! You will also need a box to spray into, a cardboard box with one side removed and the lid removed will work perfectly for this but you can also buy specialist spray boxes with extractor fans.
To airbrush a model use watered down acrylic paint (to about the consistency of milk) and spray in thin layers over the model. You can build up depth by adding lighter and darker shades. Adjusting the amount of air that is flowing through the airbrush will allow you to do more detailed work. Make sure you clean your airbrush thoroughly after every use, they are prone to clogging and this can render it completely unusable.
Pastelling/Pigments
Pastelling is a popular form of repainting that involves using dry pastel dust to create colour on the model. Water based pastels are applied using a sponge or brush to gradually build up colours, sealing between each layer. This can be very time consuming but is great for adding real depth to models. Pastelling can easily be used in conjunction with other techniques to add shading or dapples.
To start pastelling you will need to buy a set of water based pastels. As you are painting model horses an Earth Tones set would be perfect, although you could also get a set of greys and a set of colours if you were planning on doing more imaginative pieces (you may find you need the pink from the set of colours for white noses anyway). You will also need a palette into which you can scrap your pastel dust and mix it as well as a sharp blade to do the scraping with (a scalpel will work for this). Pastelling ruins brushes so it is recommended you use old brushes as well as small sponges to apply paint. Brushes that are stubby or stuck together actually work very well for pastelling. Wet brushes will ruin pastelling so instead of washing them you could simply keep different brushes for each colour and then do a mass clean once in a while (or never as in my case).
To pastel the model scrape a little bit of pastel onto your palette and then use either a brush or a sponge to pick it up and apply it to the model. After every layer you will need to apply a layer of sealant. You can slowly build up the colours from light to dark until you have achieved the desired shade. Wear latex (or similar) gloves to prevent finger prints on the model.
Once you have finished apply a couple of layers of sealant to ensure your model stays sealed and the pastels do not come off. You may then want to use acrylics to finish details such as the eyes and hooves before sealing again.
Pigments work in exactly the same way as pastels. These can be purchased online or from artists shops. Some dealers do sets of pigments for each model horse colour.
Pencilling
As the name suggests pencilling involves using pencils to apply marks to the model. This technique is suited to very fine detail but it can be used to create entire coats and there are artists who only work using this technique. The sharpness of the pencil and also it's make up with affect what you are able to produce.
Water colour pencils that are soft are very well suited to this technique as they are easy to shade and blend. However, for finer detail you may want to choose a harder colouring pencil. You can buy sets of these pencils from any good art supplier.
To pencil you simply get your pencil and apply your desired marks. After each layer you need to seal just as with pastels to prevent smudging. You can use pencils over other paints as long as they are well sealed and the pencil isn't too hard, a very hard pencil could remove the paint underneath. Pencils are very good for fine details such as fleabites or the stripes and lines on horses hooves.
Sealing & Glossing
Whatever technique you use you will need to seal your model when you are finished. This prevents the paintwork from becoming scratched or damaged. If you have ever held a poorly sealed custom you will be all too aware of how easily paint can chip off at the slightest touch. There are two types of sealants you can use: matte or gloss. Matte sealants will give a more realistic finish whilst gloss ones will give a high gloss finish, good for dramatic impact but less realistic.
There is much debate about the best sealant to use with model horses but Testors, Krylon and Citadel are all firm favourites. Sealants are finicky creatures and it is not uncommon for them to become dusty and add white spots all over your model! They can also become sticky and simply not dry. A failure in sealant can be heartbreaking as it can mean a model you have spent days working on can be ruined. However, there are various steps you can take to prevent it. Firstly purchase from a supplier you know and trust and other artists have used before, when my local Games Workshop moved premises the sealants I purchased there were all 'duds', I could only think that they were storing them in a very cold or hot room in the new shop and that was damaging them! You also need to think carefully about where you store them, obviously as with all aerosols they cannot be stored in direct sunlight or very hot rooms and need to be stored out of reach of children. Storing them in very cold conditions can also cause them to become dusty and damage the finish. Finally test the sealant before you apply it to your model, you can do this by spraying it onto a piece of black card and seeing how long it takes to dry and whether there is any residue. Also make sure to shake your cans well before use!
Finally when your model is complete you may want to gloss certain areas for a more realistic finish. Most artists will choose to gloss the eyes and others will also gloss the hooves, nostrils and edge of the lips. You could also gloss areas such as unicorn horns that you want to add an extra shine to.
Other Additions
You don't just have to stick to conventional methods to create your model horses. As you learn more about the hobby you will see all kinds of weird and wonderful creations! Take a look at the unidonk at the top of this page for example, notice the gems stuck across the length of the body. Adding crystals and gems to decorators gives a really beautiful and unusual finish. You can also add things such as glitter to the model and use metallic or colour changing paints for very unusual finishes. Over my years in the hobby I've seen all kinds of weird and wonderful things added to models, feathers are not uncommon nor are other charms or 3D effects. I've even stuck pom poms to a model horse and once had an enquiry about adding faux fur to a model. The wonderful thing about decorator and fantasy models is that they are only as limited as your imagination.
Finally you may hear mention of maskol as you read more about the hobby and techniques. Maskol is a substance that is added to a model and then left to dry. You can then paint over it. Once you have finished you remove the maskol to expose the paint below. This can be good for creating crisp white markings on horses, or to protect areas you do not want to get paint onto. Make sure the paint under the maskol is well sealed to prevent it being peeled off at the same time.
A final note of primers and sealants. These are dangerous chemicals and are contained in aerosol canisters. Please make sure you dispose of these correct as per your local guidelines, store out of direct sunlight and keep out of reach of children. It is recommended if you have small people in your house you create a locked cabinet to store any dangerous products you use when customising.
Models that have been altered in any way are known as 'customs'. You can create a custom on pretty much any more horse if you have the right equipment. You can use models that already have original finish paint or you could buy blanks or unpainted resins (known as Artist Resins). You can even paint some forms of china without special glazes (a china with a custom glaze is known as a 'custom glazed china').
Finding a Model to Paint
The first step on your way to customising will be finding a model horse to paint. Obviously you don't want to go painting over your favourite models! If you are new to customising then you will want to start with lower value models that you can practise on. You will be able to find models for sale described as 'bodies', these are models that are in really poor condition and are good for customising only. These are perfect for customising but you could also look at using original finish models such as Breyers and Schleich as these require minimal prep work.
Bodies
A body quality model is one that is in poor condition and is suited to customising only. Bodies will vary from scratched original finish models to one's with missing legs and custom paint work. Bodies can be found for sale through places such as eBay, Facebook sales pages and Model Horse Sales Pages and private sales on Facebook and at shows.
When you are starting to paint you may want to choose models that require less prep work as this can be really time consuming and can easily go wrong. Look for models that are original finish with just rubs and no breaks or custom paint work. If you purchase a model with breaks these will need repairing first, equally custom paint work will need stripping in order for you to prime and repaint the model.
Original Finish Models
Original Finish model horses are ones that are in the same condition as they left the factory. You could buy these new for painting or purchase second hand models at a lower price. One good way to get hold of original finish models for painting is to look for models for models in sales or on special offer.
Sometimes the only way to get hold of certain moulds is to purchase models new from suppliers. Original finish models also have the advantage that they need minimal prep work in order for you to start painting. Most can be primed and then painted without you having to strip the original paintwork.
Unpainted Models
You can also look at purchasing unpainted models which you can paint. These either come blank or readily prepped for you to paint straight onto. Unpainted models come in various different types, from blanks of plastic moulds to artist resins. Plastic blanks are harder to come by but you may see them for sale occasionally. Peter Stone produce blanks on a semi-regular basis that can be purchased direct from the company or second hand. Breyer produce blank Stablemates which are given away at fun day events, you can usually buy second hand ones on places such as eBay and you may get given them at model horse events.
Artist resins and pewters are sold unpainted for you to paint. They come in two forms, clean or raw. Clean resins will require minimal prep work and be slightly pricier. Raw resins are cheaper but they do require quite a bit of prepping, the standard of the raw resin will vary depending on the artist. These models will require prepping and priming before painting.
Some prep work artists sell models that have been ready prepped for you to paint. These could be original finish model horses, artist resins or resculpted model horses. These will cost more to purchase but save you a lot of time and effort!
Prepping
Prepping is the process of preparing your models to be painted. Unless you have purchased a pre-prepped model horse you will need to prep your model. The amount of prep work will depend upon the model itself and can often be one of the most time consuming parts of creating your new piece. If you are resculpting you may need to reprep along the way to give a smooth finish to paint onto.
Sanding
Sanding involves removing any heavy seams or seals from your model horse. As well as any lumps, bumps and seals you will also need to sand off the manufacturers seal (that's the bit where it says 'Breyer' or 'Schleich' underneath). For very solid plastic models or ones with really heavy seams you may need to use something like a dremel to speed up the process.
Use a variety of different sand papers to create a smooth finish, the higher the number of the grade of the sand paper the smoother the finish, start with lower grades (numbers) and then work your way up to higher numbers.
When you have finished the sanding process you should be left with a smooth finish to paint onto. Add a coat of primer to check there is nothing else that needs sanding down.
Stripping
If your model has custom finished paint work then you will need to strip this before you start painting. You don't need to strip original finish paintwork unless it will affect the smoothness of the model (some spotted horses have raised spots that you may want to sand down).
There are various different ways of stripping paint. You can use pure muscle and sand down the finish to remove the paintwork but this can be very time consuming and may cause you to loose some definition in the model. You can also use chemicals in order to strip down the paintwork. If you are choosing to use a chemical remover make sure that it won't react with the plastic underneath and that you are also safe whilst doing it. You will see lots of guides online about what chemicals to use but all of these are dangerous and this needs to be done carefully.
However you strip your model you need to take your time and ensure that all of the custom finish and primer has been removed. Once done you may find that you need to repair certain areas of the model if filler has been removed when the model was stripped.
Filling/Repairing
Your model may require more than just a bit of sanding and priming in order to get it looking gorgeous again and ready for its new coat of paint. Firstly you may need to fill any pin pricks or holes (make sure not to fill the air hole unless you plan to drill a new one). These can be filled using a small amount of epoxy putty. Once dry you can prime to get an idea of how smooth the finish now is.
Any breaks will also need to be repaired. The most common breaks are those to the legs and to the ears. We have a tutorial on pinning legs here. When securing broken off limbs you need to make sure there is a strong join so that they don't simply break off again, that is why when attaching legs it is best to use a piece of wire to add support than simply gluing them back on.
Epoxy putty (such as Milliput) is the best product to use when repairing elements of the model. As you repair and fill then you need to prime to ensure you have a smooth finish and can't see any of the areas that have need repairing.
Priming
Priming is the process of applying a smooth base coat of paint that you can then prime onto. Primers are usually purchased in spray cans and can be bought in a variety of different colours. They vary in quality and price and each person usually finds a brand they swear by. The primer you use needs to be suited to working on plastic, acrylic primers are usually perfect for this.
Models should be given a few light coats of primer, make sure not to spray too close to the model as this will make the primer runny and lumpy on the model rather than smooth.
You can prime in absolutely any colour but white and grey are the most popular choices. Grey primer will show up any imperfections in the model better than white will but obviously will affect the colour of the paint on top. White primer will give you a good white base and can also be left exposed when painting models such as leopard spots. You may want to do a coat of grey and then white on top. Some artists also use other colours of primer to create a different shade when painted on top.
Repainting
Repainting model horses involves applying new coats of paint to the model to create a completely different colour. This can be done by hand in acrylic or oil paints or using acrylic paints in an airbrush. It can also be done with pastels and pencils. Obviously it is also possible to use a combination of all techniques to create the desired effect. Which method you use is entirely a matter of person taste although most artists will choose to work in mixed media.
What Paints to Use
The most common choice for paint is acrylics. Paints that are designed specifically for painting models rather than artist paints are most suited to customising as they won't crack. There are various different brands of acrylic paint but below are some of the more popular ones for repainting:
Games Workshop Citadel
Humbrol Acrylic
Revell Aqua Colour
Army Painter Warpaints
Vallejo
You can also use oil paints for painting. These create a really lovely rich colour but they take a very long time to dry and can be frustrating in that regard. These can be purchased from any good art store or online.
Quality paint does show and it is worth not cutting corners with your choices. A good quality paint will not only be smoother and lacking in lumps but will also last longer. When you are first starting out you should get a white, black and then a variety of different shades of brown. You will also need a colour that is suitable for hooves (either dark grey or a shell colour).
Hand Painting
Hand painting is the simplest form of painting as it requires nothing more than some paint and a paint brush. It involves adding layers of thin paint to the model to build up the desired colour. Hand painting is the best method suited to using oil paints. You can add layers of different colours to create shading and highlights that reflect a real horses coat.
Hand painting is suited to adding details to models such as white markings, hooves and eyes. It is also good for adding things such as spots or for creating patterns on decorator models.
In order to hand paint you will need either acrylic or oil paints and also some form of thinner. For acrylic paints you can use water but you will want to use a specialist thinner for oil paints. You will also need a variety of good quality brushes in order to apply the paints to the model. A palette to mix the colours is also a good idea (you can use a small piece of cardboard or plastic instead) and of course you will also need a jar of water to clean your brushes in.
Airbrushing
Airbrushing involves using a specialist piece of equipment known as an airbrush to apply acrylic paint to the surface of your model. This technique is good for covering large areas and allows you to blend colours effectively, it is less good for more detailed work so you may want to combine it with hand painting.
Airbrushes vary greatly in price, from a few pounds to hundreds. There is obviously a benefit to purchasing more expensive models but many top artists just use very cheap ones (I remember talking to one top American artist who expressed that their airbrush had only cost them $20). If you are starting off choose a cheap dual action one (you can get these on eBay for around £20) and invest your money in paints and a compressor instead. You can save up for a more expensive model if you decide that airbrushing is what you want to do.
As well as the airbrush and equipment (such as tubes) you will also need to purchase either air canisters or a compressor. A compressor is a much better investment as it is a one off purchase, but air canisters are usually cheaper. You can often get gift sets including an airbrush, compressor and everything else you need for relatively low prices if you are just starting out.
On top of this you will also need to purchase some airbrush cleaner, dust masks and pipettes. A tea strainer is also a good idea if you have particularly lumpy paints. If you choose to use an airbrush you will need a well ventilated room and it is recommended you also get some form of cleaning station to spray airbrush cleaner into so you don't gas yourself with the fumes! You will also need a box to spray into, a cardboard box with one side removed and the lid removed will work perfectly for this but you can also buy specialist spray boxes with extractor fans.
To airbrush a model use watered down acrylic paint (to about the consistency of milk) and spray in thin layers over the model. You can build up depth by adding lighter and darker shades. Adjusting the amount of air that is flowing through the airbrush will allow you to do more detailed work. Make sure you clean your airbrush thoroughly after every use, they are prone to clogging and this can render it completely unusable.
Pastelling/Pigments
Pastelling is a popular form of repainting that involves using dry pastel dust to create colour on the model. Water based pastels are applied using a sponge or brush to gradually build up colours, sealing between each layer. This can be very time consuming but is great for adding real depth to models. Pastelling can easily be used in conjunction with other techniques to add shading or dapples.
To start pastelling you will need to buy a set of water based pastels. As you are painting model horses an Earth Tones set would be perfect, although you could also get a set of greys and a set of colours if you were planning on doing more imaginative pieces (you may find you need the pink from the set of colours for white noses anyway). You will also need a palette into which you can scrap your pastel dust and mix it as well as a sharp blade to do the scraping with (a scalpel will work for this). Pastelling ruins brushes so it is recommended you use old brushes as well as small sponges to apply paint. Brushes that are stubby or stuck together actually work very well for pastelling. Wet brushes will ruin pastelling so instead of washing them you could simply keep different brushes for each colour and then do a mass clean once in a while (or never as in my case).
To pastel the model scrape a little bit of pastel onto your palette and then use either a brush or a sponge to pick it up and apply it to the model. After every layer you will need to apply a layer of sealant. You can slowly build up the colours from light to dark until you have achieved the desired shade. Wear latex (or similar) gloves to prevent finger prints on the model.
Once you have finished apply a couple of layers of sealant to ensure your model stays sealed and the pastels do not come off. You may then want to use acrylics to finish details such as the eyes and hooves before sealing again.
Pigments work in exactly the same way as pastels. These can be purchased online or from artists shops. Some dealers do sets of pigments for each model horse colour.
Pencilling
As the name suggests pencilling involves using pencils to apply marks to the model. This technique is suited to very fine detail but it can be used to create entire coats and there are artists who only work using this technique. The sharpness of the pencil and also it's make up with affect what you are able to produce.
Water colour pencils that are soft are very well suited to this technique as they are easy to shade and blend. However, for finer detail you may want to choose a harder colouring pencil. You can buy sets of these pencils from any good art supplier.
To pencil you simply get your pencil and apply your desired marks. After each layer you need to seal just as with pastels to prevent smudging. You can use pencils over other paints as long as they are well sealed and the pencil isn't too hard, a very hard pencil could remove the paint underneath. Pencils are very good for fine details such as fleabites or the stripes and lines on horses hooves.
Sealing & Glossing
Whatever technique you use you will need to seal your model when you are finished. This prevents the paintwork from becoming scratched or damaged. If you have ever held a poorly sealed custom you will be all too aware of how easily paint can chip off at the slightest touch. There are two types of sealants you can use: matte or gloss. Matte sealants will give a more realistic finish whilst gloss ones will give a high gloss finish, good for dramatic impact but less realistic.
There is much debate about the best sealant to use with model horses but Testors, Krylon and Citadel are all firm favourites. Sealants are finicky creatures and it is not uncommon for them to become dusty and add white spots all over your model! They can also become sticky and simply not dry. A failure in sealant can be heartbreaking as it can mean a model you have spent days working on can be ruined. However, there are various steps you can take to prevent it. Firstly purchase from a supplier you know and trust and other artists have used before, when my local Games Workshop moved premises the sealants I purchased there were all 'duds', I could only think that they were storing them in a very cold or hot room in the new shop and that was damaging them! You also need to think carefully about where you store them, obviously as with all aerosols they cannot be stored in direct sunlight or very hot rooms and need to be stored out of reach of children. Storing them in very cold conditions can also cause them to become dusty and damage the finish. Finally test the sealant before you apply it to your model, you can do this by spraying it onto a piece of black card and seeing how long it takes to dry and whether there is any residue. Also make sure to shake your cans well before use!
Finally when your model is complete you may want to gloss certain areas for a more realistic finish. Most artists will choose to gloss the eyes and others will also gloss the hooves, nostrils and edge of the lips. You could also gloss areas such as unicorn horns that you want to add an extra shine to.
Other Additions
You don't just have to stick to conventional methods to create your model horses. As you learn more about the hobby you will see all kinds of weird and wonderful creations! Take a look at the unidonk at the top of this page for example, notice the gems stuck across the length of the body. Adding crystals and gems to decorators gives a really beautiful and unusual finish. You can also add things such as glitter to the model and use metallic or colour changing paints for very unusual finishes. Over my years in the hobby I've seen all kinds of weird and wonderful things added to models, feathers are not uncommon nor are other charms or 3D effects. I've even stuck pom poms to a model horse and once had an enquiry about adding faux fur to a model. The wonderful thing about decorator and fantasy models is that they are only as limited as your imagination.
Finally you may hear mention of maskol as you read more about the hobby and techniques. Maskol is a substance that is added to a model and then left to dry. You can then paint over it. Once you have finished you remove the maskol to expose the paint below. This can be good for creating crisp white markings on horses, or to protect areas you do not want to get paint onto. Make sure the paint under the maskol is well sealed to prevent it being peeled off at the same time.
A final note of primers and sealants. These are dangerous chemicals and are contained in aerosol canisters. Please make sure you dispose of these correct as per your local guidelines, store out of direct sunlight and keep out of reach of children. It is recommended if you have small people in your house you create a locked cabinet to store any dangerous products you use when customising.
Have a look at some of the different customising techniques in this video!
Resculpting
Resculpting models involves changing the original model in some way. This could be something very minor such as a gender change, or carving out ears but it could also be incredibly dramatic. A quick look online and you will find customs so dramatic in their resculpting you won't even be able to recognise the original model. Resculpting also may be a necessity if the model you are wanting to paint has damage that needs repairing or if you want to turn it into a unicorn or pegasus.
What Materials to Use
The most common and effective substance to use for resculpting is some form of epoxy putty. There are lots of different brands out there and you may need to experiment a bit to find one that suits you and is also available in your company. Milliput, Amazing Sculpt, Magic Sculpt and Green Stuff are all popular brands. The key is to make sure you purchase a two part epoxy that is designed for sculpting (some are designed for fixing pipes and dry very quickly).
Epoxy putty dries through a chemical reaction when you mix the two parts together (resin and hardener). It does not air dry like clay and is therefore far more suited to model horse sculpting. It will grip to the surface of the model and will also allow you a reasonable amount of time to work with it before it dries. The curing times will vary and it very much depends on which brand you find best. Once you have finished your sculpting you need to make sure that you leave it to properly dry before applying any form of primer or paint.
To create details you may want to purchase a set of sculpting tools, these can be bought relatively cheaply and allow you far more control than simply with your fingers. Household objects such as cocktail sticks can also be used to help you create your desired effect. You may also want to purchase some wire than can add stability to larger areas and allow you to attach things such as legs and heads back onto the horse whilst you sculpt around. Adding wire pins will give more support to your model.
Finally if you plan on doing a lot of chopping and denting you may want to invest in a rotary tool (commonly known by the brand name Dremel). These are really useful devices that allow you to make quick work of any decapitation. They are also great for detailed work such as carving out ears or for sanding off seals and seams.
Basic Resculpting
There are several different basic projects you can try whilst you find your sculpting feet. We have lots of tutorials on this website but below are some suggestions for things you might like to try.
One of the simplest transformations you can make is from horse to unicorn. You will need a small amount of epoxy which you can make into a horn shape between your fingers. Use a little bit of sand paper to create roughness on the head where you want to apply it and then stick it on. For more stability you can create a pin to place it onto or you can add a little epoxy around the base of the horn to secure it.
You may also want to try a gender change on your model horse. How easy this is will depend upon the current gender and the level of detail. The average Breyer mare pretty much as nothing down below so can easily be changed into a gelding or stallion. You may also simply want to create more realism by given the horse more detailed genitals (or simply adding them if there is nothing there). It sounds a little funny but it is all part of the realism! Changing a gelding or stallion into a mare may involve a certain amount of 'removal', it is recommended you use a dremel for this as it will make quick work, if your tool is too large to get between the horse's legs then you can use a fine work extension on the tool. You could also use a combination of sand paper and a hot blade (although do be careful, we don't want you to accidentally remove a finger at the same time)!
We recommend blindfolding other geldings and stallions in the room as this can be a painful process to watch for any male horse.
Carving out ears and hooves is another way you can add realism to a model pretty quickly and simply. A dremel is perfect for this task, although we recommend you practice a bit first. Obviously this is easier to do on larger models as there is less risk you slip and take off their ear. Even if this is all you do to the model you are repainting it can make a huge difference and shows a certain level of attention to detail on your part.
More Advanced Sculpting
Once you have mastered the basics you may want to move onto more ambitious project. I would recommend starting with manes and tails first as this is a good way to practise effectively removing part of the horse and then sculpting it back on, it also doesn't require as in depth a knowledge of anatomy as with other parts of sculpting.
If you are ready to move onto repositioning other parts of the model you will need to start thinking very careful about a horses conformation, muscles, skeleton and everything else that makes it up. It is not as simple as cutting a 'v' bending a leg and then assuming it is done, it will be obvious that no care has been taken and won't look right. Think about when you bend your leg, does it simply bend at the knee or do other parts of your body move with it? A horse is no different, if one part of the body moves the whole of the body moves even in the subtlest way. If a horse is to pick up it's front left leg it will shift its weight to the right, it may alter its head position as well as the position of the other three legs. It also needs a reason to be moving this leg and this may involve a change of expression or ear position. The back, quarters, shoulders and neck muscles will all move. For the alteration to look realistic all of this will need to change leading to a far more ambitious project than simply moving one leg! If you look at a custom and think that it doesn't quite look right but you are not quite sure why then this is often the reason, one part has been altered but the others have not leading to a lack of balance across the piece as a whole.
Also remember your model does actually need to stand up! So you may want to think about adding a base or stand if the changes you have made mean that the model cannot support its weight in the same way (for example if only one foot is touching the ground).
All of that said don't be afraid to have a go! Remember nobody was an amazing sculptor from day one, it all comes with practice. Use tutorials online and in books, listen to others advice, study pictures, films and diagrams and most of all enjoy yourself. Create pieces you love for yourself and you are bound to be happy with your work even if there are a few hiccups along the way.
Rehairing
We've talked a bit above about adding new manes and tails using sculpting materials and techniques but you can also do this by adding mohair or similar to create a luscious synthetic mane and tail. Mohaired pieces used to be incredibly popular and you do still see them in the show circuit today. They are a challenge to get right and a decent hairing artist may be in high demand, it is a skill worth learning.
Hairing Materials
In order to hair a model you will of course first need the hair itself. The most common and popular choice for this is mohair. You can buy this online from nearly every model horse supplier and also from places such as Amazon and eBay. The advantage of buying it direct for model horses is that it is usually pre-sorted into horsey colours and is sold in packs for a particular coat tone. No horse has a single tonal mane or tail just as our hair isn't one tone so you will need a variety of colours to create the correct effect.
As well as the hair itself you will also need some form of glue to stick it together and attach it to your model horse. Depending upon the technique you are using you may also need something to create the hole to put the hair in (such as a dremel) and something to poke it into the whole (such as a stick or a more tailored tool). You may also need some clingfilm so that you can stick clumps of hair together and let them dry.
Finally you will need some warm water, styling mousse and a toothbrush to help you style your horses mane and tail. When you first finish it will look like you have electrocuted the poor creature and will need taming. Clingfilm may also be required for this process.
Removing the Mane and Tail
Obviously the first step is to remove the existing mane and tail from the horse. Some are much easier to remove than others. If they stick straight out from the horse you can simply chop them off using a dremel or hot knife. However, if they are attached to the neck of the horse this may take more time with a dremel hacking away and then time spent resculpting to cover up the imperfections and damage. You may find you need to entirely resculpt part of the horse!
Once you have removed the tail you will need to add a dock (unless you are simply placing the hair into a hole). This should be supported with wire as with other additions and then sculpted using epoxy sculpt. The shape of the dock will affect the final shape of the tail so think carefully about how you bend it.
For this reason it is recommended you start with a model that has a mane and tail that sticks away from the horse and is easy to remove. You can also buy models that are designed to be haired and will already have a dock added and no mane or tail present.
If a model already has a synthetic mane and tail such as a Julip or a My Little Pony you can usually remove these with a short sharp tug. Some may be harder to remove than others and could require actually cutting out. Once removed you can then make a decision about whether you wish to add a new mane and tail into the same holes or whether you want to sculpt a dock for a more realistic finish.
Adding the New Mane and Tail
There are two main techniques for adding hair, the first is to poke bits into a hole and the second is to stick bits on. Which technique you use is entirely up to you and may depend upon the particular model you are using and the effect you are going for.
Whichever technique you use you will need to start by mixing and blending your mohair (unless it has come pre-blended for a particular shade of mane). Think carefully about what colour you want and any changes in colour (for example are parts of the mane white and parts black in segments or are they all blended together?). Take time to blend your colours for a realistic look before you think about adding them to the model horse.
Once blended they can then be stuck together at the top using glue. PVA or white glue is perfectly good for this purpose, the slight flexibility will be helpful in giving you more of a chance to adjust things as you go. Make sure everything has dried before you move on.
If you are going for the sticking in approach you apply hairs up the neck from the base to the poll. Some techniques involve sticking the haired chunks to a piece of paper first. Experiment with different tutorials and techniques until you find one that suits you. You may need to add a tiny bit of glue to secure your hairs but your hole should be narrow enough that once in they don't move around.
If you are going for the sticking on approach you simply glue the chunks on from the base upwards (either the withers or the bottom of the dock). You lay each layer slightly over the last creating the colour effect you are after. Look at reference pictures of real horses to get an idea of how real manes and tails fall.
Your horse will now look like its sat on an electric fence. Don't worry! Once the glue is dry you can start work on styling the mane. Start by removing any loose hairs with a toothbrush being careful not to damage the paintwork (although this shouldn't happen if the model is properly sealed). You can then use a combination of warm water, styling mousse and cling film to style the mane and tail into the desired shape and tame it. Think about the position of the horse's head and body and also any movement. Both mane and tail should flow realistically with the horse.
Resculpting models involves changing the original model in some way. This could be something very minor such as a gender change, or carving out ears but it could also be incredibly dramatic. A quick look online and you will find customs so dramatic in their resculpting you won't even be able to recognise the original model. Resculpting also may be a necessity if the model you are wanting to paint has damage that needs repairing or if you want to turn it into a unicorn or pegasus.
What Materials to Use
The most common and effective substance to use for resculpting is some form of epoxy putty. There are lots of different brands out there and you may need to experiment a bit to find one that suits you and is also available in your company. Milliput, Amazing Sculpt, Magic Sculpt and Green Stuff are all popular brands. The key is to make sure you purchase a two part epoxy that is designed for sculpting (some are designed for fixing pipes and dry very quickly).
Epoxy putty dries through a chemical reaction when you mix the two parts together (resin and hardener). It does not air dry like clay and is therefore far more suited to model horse sculpting. It will grip to the surface of the model and will also allow you a reasonable amount of time to work with it before it dries. The curing times will vary and it very much depends on which brand you find best. Once you have finished your sculpting you need to make sure that you leave it to properly dry before applying any form of primer or paint.
To create details you may want to purchase a set of sculpting tools, these can be bought relatively cheaply and allow you far more control than simply with your fingers. Household objects such as cocktail sticks can also be used to help you create your desired effect. You may also want to purchase some wire than can add stability to larger areas and allow you to attach things such as legs and heads back onto the horse whilst you sculpt around. Adding wire pins will give more support to your model.
Finally if you plan on doing a lot of chopping and denting you may want to invest in a rotary tool (commonly known by the brand name Dremel). These are really useful devices that allow you to make quick work of any decapitation. They are also great for detailed work such as carving out ears or for sanding off seals and seams.
Basic Resculpting
There are several different basic projects you can try whilst you find your sculpting feet. We have lots of tutorials on this website but below are some suggestions for things you might like to try.
One of the simplest transformations you can make is from horse to unicorn. You will need a small amount of epoxy which you can make into a horn shape between your fingers. Use a little bit of sand paper to create roughness on the head where you want to apply it and then stick it on. For more stability you can create a pin to place it onto or you can add a little epoxy around the base of the horn to secure it.
You may also want to try a gender change on your model horse. How easy this is will depend upon the current gender and the level of detail. The average Breyer mare pretty much as nothing down below so can easily be changed into a gelding or stallion. You may also simply want to create more realism by given the horse more detailed genitals (or simply adding them if there is nothing there). It sounds a little funny but it is all part of the realism! Changing a gelding or stallion into a mare may involve a certain amount of 'removal', it is recommended you use a dremel for this as it will make quick work, if your tool is too large to get between the horse's legs then you can use a fine work extension on the tool. You could also use a combination of sand paper and a hot blade (although do be careful, we don't want you to accidentally remove a finger at the same time)!
We recommend blindfolding other geldings and stallions in the room as this can be a painful process to watch for any male horse.
Carving out ears and hooves is another way you can add realism to a model pretty quickly and simply. A dremel is perfect for this task, although we recommend you practice a bit first. Obviously this is easier to do on larger models as there is less risk you slip and take off their ear. Even if this is all you do to the model you are repainting it can make a huge difference and shows a certain level of attention to detail on your part.
More Advanced Sculpting
Once you have mastered the basics you may want to move onto more ambitious project. I would recommend starting with manes and tails first as this is a good way to practise effectively removing part of the horse and then sculpting it back on, it also doesn't require as in depth a knowledge of anatomy as with other parts of sculpting.
If you are ready to move onto repositioning other parts of the model you will need to start thinking very careful about a horses conformation, muscles, skeleton and everything else that makes it up. It is not as simple as cutting a 'v' bending a leg and then assuming it is done, it will be obvious that no care has been taken and won't look right. Think about when you bend your leg, does it simply bend at the knee or do other parts of your body move with it? A horse is no different, if one part of the body moves the whole of the body moves even in the subtlest way. If a horse is to pick up it's front left leg it will shift its weight to the right, it may alter its head position as well as the position of the other three legs. It also needs a reason to be moving this leg and this may involve a change of expression or ear position. The back, quarters, shoulders and neck muscles will all move. For the alteration to look realistic all of this will need to change leading to a far more ambitious project than simply moving one leg! If you look at a custom and think that it doesn't quite look right but you are not quite sure why then this is often the reason, one part has been altered but the others have not leading to a lack of balance across the piece as a whole.
Also remember your model does actually need to stand up! So you may want to think about adding a base or stand if the changes you have made mean that the model cannot support its weight in the same way (for example if only one foot is touching the ground).
All of that said don't be afraid to have a go! Remember nobody was an amazing sculptor from day one, it all comes with practice. Use tutorials online and in books, listen to others advice, study pictures, films and diagrams and most of all enjoy yourself. Create pieces you love for yourself and you are bound to be happy with your work even if there are a few hiccups along the way.
Rehairing
We've talked a bit above about adding new manes and tails using sculpting materials and techniques but you can also do this by adding mohair or similar to create a luscious synthetic mane and tail. Mohaired pieces used to be incredibly popular and you do still see them in the show circuit today. They are a challenge to get right and a decent hairing artist may be in high demand, it is a skill worth learning.
Hairing Materials
In order to hair a model you will of course first need the hair itself. The most common and popular choice for this is mohair. You can buy this online from nearly every model horse supplier and also from places such as Amazon and eBay. The advantage of buying it direct for model horses is that it is usually pre-sorted into horsey colours and is sold in packs for a particular coat tone. No horse has a single tonal mane or tail just as our hair isn't one tone so you will need a variety of colours to create the correct effect.
As well as the hair itself you will also need some form of glue to stick it together and attach it to your model horse. Depending upon the technique you are using you may also need something to create the hole to put the hair in (such as a dremel) and something to poke it into the whole (such as a stick or a more tailored tool). You may also need some clingfilm so that you can stick clumps of hair together and let them dry.
Finally you will need some warm water, styling mousse and a toothbrush to help you style your horses mane and tail. When you first finish it will look like you have electrocuted the poor creature and will need taming. Clingfilm may also be required for this process.
Removing the Mane and Tail
Obviously the first step is to remove the existing mane and tail from the horse. Some are much easier to remove than others. If they stick straight out from the horse you can simply chop them off using a dremel or hot knife. However, if they are attached to the neck of the horse this may take more time with a dremel hacking away and then time spent resculpting to cover up the imperfections and damage. You may find you need to entirely resculpt part of the horse!
Once you have removed the tail you will need to add a dock (unless you are simply placing the hair into a hole). This should be supported with wire as with other additions and then sculpted using epoxy sculpt. The shape of the dock will affect the final shape of the tail so think carefully about how you bend it.
For this reason it is recommended you start with a model that has a mane and tail that sticks away from the horse and is easy to remove. You can also buy models that are designed to be haired and will already have a dock added and no mane or tail present.
If a model already has a synthetic mane and tail such as a Julip or a My Little Pony you can usually remove these with a short sharp tug. Some may be harder to remove than others and could require actually cutting out. Once removed you can then make a decision about whether you wish to add a new mane and tail into the same holes or whether you want to sculpt a dock for a more realistic finish.
Adding the New Mane and Tail
There are two main techniques for adding hair, the first is to poke bits into a hole and the second is to stick bits on. Which technique you use is entirely up to you and may depend upon the particular model you are using and the effect you are going for.
Whichever technique you use you will need to start by mixing and blending your mohair (unless it has come pre-blended for a particular shade of mane). Think carefully about what colour you want and any changes in colour (for example are parts of the mane white and parts black in segments or are they all blended together?). Take time to blend your colours for a realistic look before you think about adding them to the model horse.
Once blended they can then be stuck together at the top using glue. PVA or white glue is perfectly good for this purpose, the slight flexibility will be helpful in giving you more of a chance to adjust things as you go. Make sure everything has dried before you move on.
If you are going for the sticking in approach you apply hairs up the neck from the base to the poll. Some techniques involve sticking the haired chunks to a piece of paper first. Experiment with different tutorials and techniques until you find one that suits you. You may need to add a tiny bit of glue to secure your hairs but your hole should be narrow enough that once in they don't move around.
If you are going for the sticking on approach you simply glue the chunks on from the base upwards (either the withers or the bottom of the dock). You lay each layer slightly over the last creating the colour effect you are after. Look at reference pictures of real horses to get an idea of how real manes and tails fall.
Your horse will now look like its sat on an electric fence. Don't worry! Once the glue is dry you can start work on styling the mane. Start by removing any loose hairs with a toothbrush being careful not to damage the paintwork (although this shouldn't happen if the model is properly sealed). You can then use a combination of warm water, styling mousse and cling film to style the mane and tail into the desired shape and tame it. Think about the position of the horse's head and body and also any movement. Both mane and tail should flow realistically with the horse.
Tack Making
Tack making is a fun element of the hobby where you create miniature pieces of tack to fit your model horses. If you want to start performance showing then learning how to make your own tack is a really good skill and could save you lots of money! It will also mean that you can repair any items that become damaged.
What do I Need?
Like many other areas of crafting tack makers have a tendency towards hoarding. Literally everything could be useful for this or that and they will have boxes upon boxes of tiny miniature things. There are entire companies built up around only supplying items to tack makers and it is no surprise when you think of the huge list of things you could possibly want. If you head over to a website such as Rio Rondo or TWMHC you may become a bit overwhelmed with the choice but try not to be. Think about the project you want to create and what you need for that particular project. You could also look at buying kits that have all the supplies you will need in them ready as well as instructions.
Tools
Tools are a really important part of tack making, you can have all the supplies in the world but without the right tools you won't get anywhere. Below we've made a bit of a shopping list for you to think about if you want to start making miniature tack.
The basics:
These are things that you will need for nearly every project and it is worth investing in straight away
Scissors
Glue
Needlenose Pliers
Wire Cutters
Cocktail Sticks
Ruler
Other tools:
These are all things you may find you need at some point
Sharp Knife (such as an Xacto blade)
Cutting Mat
Specialist glues (e.g. fabric glue)
Different scissor sizes (e.g. small, medium & large)
Needles
Leather Stamp
Swivel Knife
Mallet
Round Nose Pliers
Hemostats
Clamps/Clips
Lighter
Supplies
The supplies you need will vary from project to project. Here we've given a list of some common projects and the kinds of things you may need to complete them.
The one thing I would recommend you invest in is wire. This can be shaped into almost anything and so is a perfect alternative to buying specially made items if you cannot afford them. You can also make something if you realise you have run out of something and it is the day before the show!
Headcollars:
Ribbon
Leather Lace
Jump Rings
Halter Slots (3 or 2 ring)
Buckles
Decorative Plates
Decorative Gems
Halters:
Waxed Cord
Bridles:
Ribbon
Leather Lace
Jump Rings
Buckles
Bits
Decorative Plates
Decorative Gems
Saddles:
Leather
Suede
Jump Rings
Dee Rings
Buckles
Stirrups
Saddle Trees
Leather Lace
Decorative Plates
Decorative Gems
Sheepskin
Felt
Sizes and Scales
When you are first purchasing items to tack make with the sizes and scales given can be very confusing. Some items may be listed as 'traditional' some as '3/32"' and some as '3mm'. What do all these things mean? What do I need for my project? Well below we've explained in brief detail what these different terms mean.
By Scale
Many items are sold by scale, this means that the scale they are suitable for is usually given in the description. This may be as a word (such as Traditional) or by the scale itself (such as 1:9).
This should be pretty self evident. If you are making a headcollar for a Classic scale model horse then you will need to opt for Classic scale halter slots. However, if you are making something for a more unusual scaled model, such as a Traditional scale pony, you may want to know more exactly how large the item is. You may find that you are unable to get something that is perfectly in scale. If this is the case either make do with what you have and go for the best fit possible or create your own piece using wire.
The most common items to be sold by scale are:
Halter Slot Rings
Bits
Stirrups
Saddle Trees
Decorative Plates
By Size
The vast majority of items you will need will be sold by size even from specialist model horse dealers. This is because the item is suited to a vast majority of projects and may be needed in different sizes for one scale. For example, you would use a different sized buckle on the cheek pieces of a traditional bridle to a traditional headcollar despite them being the same size.
To add further complication many items are made in the USA where they still use imperial measurements! That means they are sold in inches rather than centimetres or millimetres which can be confusing. If you are not sure how big something is you can use a conversion tool online or check our brief table below.
A brief conversion of common sizes:
1/16" = ~1.6mm
3/32" = ~2.4mm
1/8" = ~3mm
3/16" = ~4.8mm
So what size do you need to buy? Well to choose the size you need to think about two factors (1) How big will this look on my model horse? and (2) What size leather lace/ribbon am I using? To complete the first step hold a ruler up to your model to get an idea of the size. You could even cut up a small piece of paper to help you make a decision as to whether or not it is the right size. The complete the second step either measure the width of your leather lace or look at what size you ordered.
Buckles should be chosen for the width of leather lace you are using. The size given will be the width of the buckle. So if you are using 1/8" (3mm) leather lace then you need to use 1/8" (3mm) buckles. Jump rings are also sold by size of diameter, so a 6mm jump ring will be 6mm wide.
The following items are commonly sold by size:
Buckles
Jump Rings
Dee Rings
Hooks
Beads
Decorative Items
Chain
What do I Need?
Like many other areas of crafting tack makers have a tendency towards hoarding. Literally everything could be useful for this or that and they will have boxes upon boxes of tiny miniature things. There are entire companies built up around only supplying items to tack makers and it is no surprise when you think of the huge list of things you could possibly want. If you head over to a website such as Rio Rondo or TWMHC you may become a bit overwhelmed with the choice but try not to be. Think about the project you want to create and what you need for that particular project. You could also look at buying kits that have all the supplies you will need in them ready as well as instructions.
Tools
Tools are a really important part of tack making, you can have all the supplies in the world but without the right tools you won't get anywhere. Below we've made a bit of a shopping list for you to think about if you want to start making miniature tack.
The basics:
These are things that you will need for nearly every project and it is worth investing in straight away
Scissors
Glue
Needlenose Pliers
Wire Cutters
Cocktail Sticks
Ruler
Other tools:
These are all things you may find you need at some point
Sharp Knife (such as an Xacto blade)
Cutting Mat
Specialist glues (e.g. fabric glue)
Different scissor sizes (e.g. small, medium & large)
Needles
Leather Stamp
Swivel Knife
Mallet
Round Nose Pliers
Hemostats
Clamps/Clips
Lighter
Supplies
The supplies you need will vary from project to project. Here we've given a list of some common projects and the kinds of things you may need to complete them.
The one thing I would recommend you invest in is wire. This can be shaped into almost anything and so is a perfect alternative to buying specially made items if you cannot afford them. You can also make something if you realise you have run out of something and it is the day before the show!
Headcollars:
Ribbon
Leather Lace
Jump Rings
Halter Slots (3 or 2 ring)
Buckles
Decorative Plates
Decorative Gems
Halters:
Waxed Cord
Bridles:
Ribbon
Leather Lace
Jump Rings
Buckles
Bits
Decorative Plates
Decorative Gems
Saddles:
Leather
Suede
Jump Rings
Dee Rings
Buckles
Stirrups
Saddle Trees
Leather Lace
Decorative Plates
Decorative Gems
Sheepskin
Felt
Sizes and Scales
When you are first purchasing items to tack make with the sizes and scales given can be very confusing. Some items may be listed as 'traditional' some as '3/32"' and some as '3mm'. What do all these things mean? What do I need for my project? Well below we've explained in brief detail what these different terms mean.
By Scale
Many items are sold by scale, this means that the scale they are suitable for is usually given in the description. This may be as a word (such as Traditional) or by the scale itself (such as 1:9).
This should be pretty self evident. If you are making a headcollar for a Classic scale model horse then you will need to opt for Classic scale halter slots. However, if you are making something for a more unusual scaled model, such as a Traditional scale pony, you may want to know more exactly how large the item is. You may find that you are unable to get something that is perfectly in scale. If this is the case either make do with what you have and go for the best fit possible or create your own piece using wire.
The most common items to be sold by scale are:
Halter Slot Rings
Bits
Stirrups
Saddle Trees
Decorative Plates
By Size
The vast majority of items you will need will be sold by size even from specialist model horse dealers. This is because the item is suited to a vast majority of projects and may be needed in different sizes for one scale. For example, you would use a different sized buckle on the cheek pieces of a traditional bridle to a traditional headcollar despite them being the same size.
To add further complication many items are made in the USA where they still use imperial measurements! That means they are sold in inches rather than centimetres or millimetres which can be confusing. If you are not sure how big something is you can use a conversion tool online or check our brief table below.
A brief conversion of common sizes:
1/16" = ~1.6mm
3/32" = ~2.4mm
1/8" = ~3mm
3/16" = ~4.8mm
So what size do you need to buy? Well to choose the size you need to think about two factors (1) How big will this look on my model horse? and (2) What size leather lace/ribbon am I using? To complete the first step hold a ruler up to your model to get an idea of the size. You could even cut up a small piece of paper to help you make a decision as to whether or not it is the right size. The complete the second step either measure the width of your leather lace or look at what size you ordered.
Buckles should be chosen for the width of leather lace you are using. The size given will be the width of the buckle. So if you are using 1/8" (3mm) leather lace then you need to use 1/8" (3mm) buckles. Jump rings are also sold by size of diameter, so a 6mm jump ring will be 6mm wide.
The following items are commonly sold by size:
Buckles
Jump Rings
Dee Rings
Hooks
Beads
Decorative Items
Chain
Props & Dolls
As well as miniature tack for your model horses you can of course make a variety of other different scale items. Many performance set ups will require more than just tack (such as jumps or barrels) and if you like in the UK and some other countries riders are mandatory for performance classes so you will need a suitable doll. If you own a dolls house or similar you may already be used to creating miniature scale items and you may have lots of ideas about the different things you can create.
The brilliant thing about props is that they can be made out of almost anything. Everyday items that you have lying around can be transformed into props for your model horses. A can of beans could become a barrel or some cocktail sticks ground poles, the only real limit is your imagination and creativity.
You may want to invest in items to help you with your prop creating. As a general rule some scissors, a knife, cutting mat and glue are all good purchases as they will be necessary for a variety of different projects. You will also probably want some paints and brushes and if you intend to make new clothes for your dolls you will of course need fabric, threads and a needle. Build up your supplies one project at a time and before you know it you will have a wealth of equipment to create all kinds of things.
Performance Props
The vast majority of performance entries will require some form of prop. Think about the various different disciplines within the equine world, how many of them require extra items apart from the horse and rider? Possibly with the exception of English Ridden and Western Pleasure you will almost certainly need some form of prop for your set up.
One of the most common props needed are jumps. These of course can be purchased from a variety of manufacturers but it is also perfectly easy to create your own. For smaller scales lollipop and cocktail sticks can be used but for larger ones you may need to actually purchase wood to paint and cut into your required shape. Many model horse supply stores also sell jump cups which you can use as part of your new jump. If you are tight on funds think about how you can use things that you already have around the house, all kinds of things can be turned into creative jumps, I've even seen a hoof oil pot and brush turned into a show jump! For cross country logs and sticks make an obvious choice.
For Western entries obvious props you may need to make are barrels or trail items such as poles and cones. Barrels can be made using a repainted can (with or without the contents) or in smaller scales from lids or small tubs. Ground poles can easily be made from round wood, in smaller scales cocktail sticks can be used, in larger scales you can buy wooden rods very cheaply and repaint to your desired colours, other household items such as pencils and brushes could also be chopped up and turned into ground poles. For things such as cones you can either sculpt your own or you could make them from things found around the home that are cone shaped. A piece of black card, or a small square of wood will make a good base. You could also look at making anything from balloons to gates, plastic sheets and even eggs for western entries.
Many entries will require some form of base and fencing. You can purchase scenic mats and cork mats from model horse suppliers and also model railway stores. These can be cut into the desired size and flattened for use in performance entries. You may also want to add an arena wall, dressage fencing or simply field fencing. These can be made from wood and painted, add printed sponsorship stickers to arena walls for a realistic finish!
Model railway scenic supplies are an invaluable use for many performance entries. As well as mats you can buy scatters, grasses and lichen to create a more authentic finish to your piece. If your horse is approaching an obstacle such as a jump think about how the flooring would behave. For a cross country jump, for example, the ground is likely to be warn away on the approach and landing and may even be turned to mud around a water jump. For show jumps and arenas they will be levelled regularly but during the event rounds you are bound to see flattening in areas where the horses have been, for example on the approach to a jump or the outside track.
Other Miniatures
As well as performance entries you may want to create other miniatures for your own stable yard or for yourself. You can make anything you can think of with a bit of creativity, some glue and some paint! Investing in some epoxy sculpt will give you the flexibility to sculpt some miniature items as well.
For your stable common items you may want to make are buckets, bedding and feed. You may also want to create items for your tack and feed room such as tables, bins and hooks. As a starter project create your own stable name plates on your computer, print them off and stick them to the horse's stables. You could also print off things such as a non-smoking sign, insurance information or general other warnings. You could decorate tack rooms with rosettes made from ribbon and photographs of horses competing at events.
You could also think about creating your very own miniature scenes or rooms with a horsey twist. Bedrooms are a common scene that people choose to create with shelves full of model horses and a doll engrossed in packing for the next show or reading the latest issue of Pony Magazine. You could also think about doing something a bit different. Over the last few years I've created a model horse shop and a live show and have plans for other unusual room entries in the future. You can mix your own creations with dolls house furniture and props for a realistic finish.
The key when making these miniatures is to understand and think about scale. A successful project will be perfectly in scale with the items around it. One common mistake I see at shows is people using Breyer Mini Whinnies as scale model horses. In reality these horses would be rather large compared to even a Traditional scale doll. A better alternative are model railway scale horses that are smaller and more in scale. 1:12 scale is the best size to work in as it gives you the flexibility to purchase ready made items for dolls houses. It is also the same scale as Julips, the community for which is incredibly creative meaning that you can find lots of tutorials hints and tips online.
Custom Dolls
In the UK dolls are mandatory for performance classes (unless not suitable, for example a field scene). This means that you need to source a realistic, in scale, flexible doll that is wearing the correct dress for your entry. This is much much harder than you think. Even with lots of money it can be difficult to get hold of decent dolls so learning to modify them yourself and make your own clothes and outfits is really worth while. It also means you can have a little bit of fun and put something different into the show ring.
The Base Doll
The first thing you need to think about is what doll you are going to use as your base. Obviously the first step is to find one that is in scale with your model. Many model horse manufacturers also produce riders to go with their dolls, such as Breyer, so these can be a great first choice. These dolls, however, may lack flexibility in some joints and some may have less realistic heads or faces.
Another good alternative is to source decent jointed dolls. There is a huge hobby around creating realistic dolls in a variety of scales and therefore it is possible to get hold of dolls that have realistic joints and can be properly posed. These are normally sold naked so you will have to make your own clothes. A popular choice is the Yvonne doll but there are also other alternatives out there. Barbie create a range of realistic jointed dolls, so if you are working in 1:6 scale this could be a good choice.
Buying a new doll can be pricey, a Breyer Traditional doll starts at over £20.00 brand new and some of the hobby dolls with proper joints can be very expensive. However, you can also look at getting second hand dolls. Many people sell off items that have come with sets (Classics dolls can be easily found this way) as well as old dolls. Take a look online on sites such as eBay and also keep an eye out at live shows. If buying the doll in person check all the joints are stiff enough that they will hold their position and nothing is floppy or broken.
A New Personality
When you have your new doll you may want to think about giving them a bit of a new look. This will make them look a little more interesting, give them their own identity, and stop your stableyard from looking like it is part of a clone army. One of the simplest ways to do this is to give them a new hair do. This is done in a very similar way to model horses.
You will need to start off by removing the existing hair. Once you have done this you can look at how the hairline has been created and whether you need to add new holes for hair to give a denser more realistic set of locks. Remember that your doll may be wearing a riding or cowboy hat and this needs to sit snuggly, you could even leave them bald underneath this if you are sticking it down! You can then add your new hair by pocking it into the holes, mohair works fine for this purpose just as with real model horses. Choose a hair colour that will complement the dolls skin tone but also the outfit they will be wearing. Once the new hair has been added you will need to train and style it using warm water, a toothbrush and some styling mousse. For most performance dolls their hair will need to be tied up so you may have to spend time putting it into a plait, bun or hair net for a realistic finish.
You can also look at giving the doll a complete new look with a custom skin tone and face. You can add realism to their body and muscles and even sculpt on new parts for a more realistic finish. You may want to simply add odd details such as eye shadow or painted nails depending on the discipline they are competing in. It is important to think about the final finish you are going or and also think about realism, matching their eye colour to their hair and thinking about the final outfit colours. A well coordinated doll will look beautiful, even if she just spends her time hanging out on your shelf.
Creating Clothes
The most obvious and important step in creating your new doll will be creating a custom outfit for her to wear. The clothes you choose will depend upon the discipline she is competing in, the level at which she is competing and the final colour choices you want to go with. It is hard to create a generic doll as you will want one that compliments the final horse, although obviously many of us do use the same doll for multiple different entries with ease.
When thinking about the outfit choice first check the rules of the discipline for which the doll is being used. There are restrictions on the colour of outfit for many events and there are also rules about what must and must not be worn. Make notes on these and plan out your outfit accordingly, it would be a pity for your entry to be marked down because your doll has the wrong colour jacket! Think about any accessories that are needed (such as a medical armband) and make a list of everything you will need to create for your finished piece.
You now need to think about the colour of the final outfit. It is best to choose a colour that compliments the rest of the horse's tack and the horse itself. If, for example, you are making a Hollywood Arabian doll and your costume is pink it would look slightly odd if your doll was yellow! For less colourful entries making sure the doll compliments the leather colour and horse colour will help your entry look coordinated and stand out. The outfit colour should also compliment the dolls skintone and hair colour. These are decisions that are taken in real life as well as in model horses so it is prudent to think about them. Obviously, you could also do it the other way round and create the doll and tack set first before buying the horse to match it! (this is exactly how Al Fahl entered my herd, I had a pink tack set and needed a suitably coloured Peter Stone Arabian, he was the cheapest black one I could find so came to live with me).
When it comes to actually sewing your clothes the best first step is to work from a pattern. Thankfully you can find patterns online that can be downloaded and adjusted to fit the scale you are working in. It will take time and practise to create clothes that not only fit well but look well made and realistic, a tailored hunting jacket is just as hard to create in 1:9 scale as in real life! Perfecting your sewing skills to create these pieces will be a credit to you and your performance entries.
Of course you don't just need to make dolls to show or to suit certain disciplines, why not think about creating some casual dolls to hang out around your yard? The majority of dolls are sold in riding clothes by model horse manufacturers (for obvious reasons) and most dolls house dolls come in non-modern outfits. If you want some dolls to be hanging out on your yard or in their bedroom you will need to think about making them some new clothes to suit. Have fun and be creative, you could even copy some of your own clothes and make a miniature you!
The brilliant thing about props is that they can be made out of almost anything. Everyday items that you have lying around can be transformed into props for your model horses. A can of beans could become a barrel or some cocktail sticks ground poles, the only real limit is your imagination and creativity.
You may want to invest in items to help you with your prop creating. As a general rule some scissors, a knife, cutting mat and glue are all good purchases as they will be necessary for a variety of different projects. You will also probably want some paints and brushes and if you intend to make new clothes for your dolls you will of course need fabric, threads and a needle. Build up your supplies one project at a time and before you know it you will have a wealth of equipment to create all kinds of things.
Performance Props
The vast majority of performance entries will require some form of prop. Think about the various different disciplines within the equine world, how many of them require extra items apart from the horse and rider? Possibly with the exception of English Ridden and Western Pleasure you will almost certainly need some form of prop for your set up.
One of the most common props needed are jumps. These of course can be purchased from a variety of manufacturers but it is also perfectly easy to create your own. For smaller scales lollipop and cocktail sticks can be used but for larger ones you may need to actually purchase wood to paint and cut into your required shape. Many model horse supply stores also sell jump cups which you can use as part of your new jump. If you are tight on funds think about how you can use things that you already have around the house, all kinds of things can be turned into creative jumps, I've even seen a hoof oil pot and brush turned into a show jump! For cross country logs and sticks make an obvious choice.
For Western entries obvious props you may need to make are barrels or trail items such as poles and cones. Barrels can be made using a repainted can (with or without the contents) or in smaller scales from lids or small tubs. Ground poles can easily be made from round wood, in smaller scales cocktail sticks can be used, in larger scales you can buy wooden rods very cheaply and repaint to your desired colours, other household items such as pencils and brushes could also be chopped up and turned into ground poles. For things such as cones you can either sculpt your own or you could make them from things found around the home that are cone shaped. A piece of black card, or a small square of wood will make a good base. You could also look at making anything from balloons to gates, plastic sheets and even eggs for western entries.
Many entries will require some form of base and fencing. You can purchase scenic mats and cork mats from model horse suppliers and also model railway stores. These can be cut into the desired size and flattened for use in performance entries. You may also want to add an arena wall, dressage fencing or simply field fencing. These can be made from wood and painted, add printed sponsorship stickers to arena walls for a realistic finish!
Model railway scenic supplies are an invaluable use for many performance entries. As well as mats you can buy scatters, grasses and lichen to create a more authentic finish to your piece. If your horse is approaching an obstacle such as a jump think about how the flooring would behave. For a cross country jump, for example, the ground is likely to be warn away on the approach and landing and may even be turned to mud around a water jump. For show jumps and arenas they will be levelled regularly but during the event rounds you are bound to see flattening in areas where the horses have been, for example on the approach to a jump or the outside track.
Other Miniatures
As well as performance entries you may want to create other miniatures for your own stable yard or for yourself. You can make anything you can think of with a bit of creativity, some glue and some paint! Investing in some epoxy sculpt will give you the flexibility to sculpt some miniature items as well.
For your stable common items you may want to make are buckets, bedding and feed. You may also want to create items for your tack and feed room such as tables, bins and hooks. As a starter project create your own stable name plates on your computer, print them off and stick them to the horse's stables. You could also print off things such as a non-smoking sign, insurance information or general other warnings. You could decorate tack rooms with rosettes made from ribbon and photographs of horses competing at events.
You could also think about creating your very own miniature scenes or rooms with a horsey twist. Bedrooms are a common scene that people choose to create with shelves full of model horses and a doll engrossed in packing for the next show or reading the latest issue of Pony Magazine. You could also think about doing something a bit different. Over the last few years I've created a model horse shop and a live show and have plans for other unusual room entries in the future. You can mix your own creations with dolls house furniture and props for a realistic finish.
The key when making these miniatures is to understand and think about scale. A successful project will be perfectly in scale with the items around it. One common mistake I see at shows is people using Breyer Mini Whinnies as scale model horses. In reality these horses would be rather large compared to even a Traditional scale doll. A better alternative are model railway scale horses that are smaller and more in scale. 1:12 scale is the best size to work in as it gives you the flexibility to purchase ready made items for dolls houses. It is also the same scale as Julips, the community for which is incredibly creative meaning that you can find lots of tutorials hints and tips online.
Custom Dolls
In the UK dolls are mandatory for performance classes (unless not suitable, for example a field scene). This means that you need to source a realistic, in scale, flexible doll that is wearing the correct dress for your entry. This is much much harder than you think. Even with lots of money it can be difficult to get hold of decent dolls so learning to modify them yourself and make your own clothes and outfits is really worth while. It also means you can have a little bit of fun and put something different into the show ring.
The Base Doll
The first thing you need to think about is what doll you are going to use as your base. Obviously the first step is to find one that is in scale with your model. Many model horse manufacturers also produce riders to go with their dolls, such as Breyer, so these can be a great first choice. These dolls, however, may lack flexibility in some joints and some may have less realistic heads or faces.
Another good alternative is to source decent jointed dolls. There is a huge hobby around creating realistic dolls in a variety of scales and therefore it is possible to get hold of dolls that have realistic joints and can be properly posed. These are normally sold naked so you will have to make your own clothes. A popular choice is the Yvonne doll but there are also other alternatives out there. Barbie create a range of realistic jointed dolls, so if you are working in 1:6 scale this could be a good choice.
Buying a new doll can be pricey, a Breyer Traditional doll starts at over £20.00 brand new and some of the hobby dolls with proper joints can be very expensive. However, you can also look at getting second hand dolls. Many people sell off items that have come with sets (Classics dolls can be easily found this way) as well as old dolls. Take a look online on sites such as eBay and also keep an eye out at live shows. If buying the doll in person check all the joints are stiff enough that they will hold their position and nothing is floppy or broken.
A New Personality
When you have your new doll you may want to think about giving them a bit of a new look. This will make them look a little more interesting, give them their own identity, and stop your stableyard from looking like it is part of a clone army. One of the simplest ways to do this is to give them a new hair do. This is done in a very similar way to model horses.
You will need to start off by removing the existing hair. Once you have done this you can look at how the hairline has been created and whether you need to add new holes for hair to give a denser more realistic set of locks. Remember that your doll may be wearing a riding or cowboy hat and this needs to sit snuggly, you could even leave them bald underneath this if you are sticking it down! You can then add your new hair by pocking it into the holes, mohair works fine for this purpose just as with real model horses. Choose a hair colour that will complement the dolls skin tone but also the outfit they will be wearing. Once the new hair has been added you will need to train and style it using warm water, a toothbrush and some styling mousse. For most performance dolls their hair will need to be tied up so you may have to spend time putting it into a plait, bun or hair net for a realistic finish.
You can also look at giving the doll a complete new look with a custom skin tone and face. You can add realism to their body and muscles and even sculpt on new parts for a more realistic finish. You may want to simply add odd details such as eye shadow or painted nails depending on the discipline they are competing in. It is important to think about the final finish you are going or and also think about realism, matching their eye colour to their hair and thinking about the final outfit colours. A well coordinated doll will look beautiful, even if she just spends her time hanging out on your shelf.
Creating Clothes
The most obvious and important step in creating your new doll will be creating a custom outfit for her to wear. The clothes you choose will depend upon the discipline she is competing in, the level at which she is competing and the final colour choices you want to go with. It is hard to create a generic doll as you will want one that compliments the final horse, although obviously many of us do use the same doll for multiple different entries with ease.
When thinking about the outfit choice first check the rules of the discipline for which the doll is being used. There are restrictions on the colour of outfit for many events and there are also rules about what must and must not be worn. Make notes on these and plan out your outfit accordingly, it would be a pity for your entry to be marked down because your doll has the wrong colour jacket! Think about any accessories that are needed (such as a medical armband) and make a list of everything you will need to create for your finished piece.
You now need to think about the colour of the final outfit. It is best to choose a colour that compliments the rest of the horse's tack and the horse itself. If, for example, you are making a Hollywood Arabian doll and your costume is pink it would look slightly odd if your doll was yellow! For less colourful entries making sure the doll compliments the leather colour and horse colour will help your entry look coordinated and stand out. The outfit colour should also compliment the dolls skintone and hair colour. These are decisions that are taken in real life as well as in model horses so it is prudent to think about them. Obviously, you could also do it the other way round and create the doll and tack set first before buying the horse to match it! (this is exactly how Al Fahl entered my herd, I had a pink tack set and needed a suitably coloured Peter Stone Arabian, he was the cheapest black one I could find so came to live with me).
When it comes to actually sewing your clothes the best first step is to work from a pattern. Thankfully you can find patterns online that can be downloaded and adjusted to fit the scale you are working in. It will take time and practise to create clothes that not only fit well but look well made and realistic, a tailored hunting jacket is just as hard to create in 1:9 scale as in real life! Perfecting your sewing skills to create these pieces will be a credit to you and your performance entries.
Of course you don't just need to make dolls to show or to suit certain disciplines, why not think about creating some casual dolls to hang out around your yard? The majority of dolls are sold in riding clothes by model horse manufacturers (for obvious reasons) and most dolls house dolls come in non-modern outfits. If you want some dolls to be hanging out on your yard or in their bedroom you will need to think about making them some new clothes to suit. Have fun and be creative, you could even copy some of your own clothes and make a miniature you!
Sculpting
It goes without saying that the model horse community would be nothing without sculptors, they are the backbone of our hobby and have helped it grow into what it is today. Sculpting can be an incredibly tough but rewarding hobby to take up and with time and practise maybe you could see your own pieces in the show ring! You could even end up finding yourself sculpting for companies such as Breyer.
Studying Anatomy
The first stage to creating a realistic equine sculpture is a good understanding of a horse's anatomy and biomechanics (as well as basic sculpting skill of course)! In order to start work on your first sculpture you will want to think about this very carefully, it is recommended you spend time studying real horses and also find time to watch some displays showing off the muscular and skeletal systems of the horse. You can watch videos of these online and also see them in person where they draw the horse's internal structure on with chalk. If you feel like it is something you can do you could also look at watching a dissection, there is really no better way to understand the anatomy than to actually see it in person, but this isn't for everyone.
Most of the information you need can be found online but it is always worth investing in detailed books on equine anatomy. These often include accurate and detailed drawings of nearly all the bodies systems in a variety of different poses. You need to be able to understand how everything is built up and how it all connects and behaves. This time spent studying the details will pay off when you complete your final pieces.
Starting off with a flat sculpture such as a medallion can be a good way to hone your skills whilst also focusing on just one part of the body (usually the head and neck). You also only need to think about one side as the other will be flat and don't have to worry about accidentally squishing part of your model! If you get stuck along the way go back to your reference and also ask for the advice and help of other hobbyists. Honest criticism will really help you to spot flaws that you may have on your model and haven't noticed. Experienced sculptors may also be able to offer hints and tips to solve any problems you are having.
Sculpting Materials
When creating your sculpture you could work in a variety of different materials. The key is to find something that suits you. Clay is the most obvious choice and has been used for sculpting for centuries. However, you will need to make sure it is fully dry before you create a mould from it. There are also other purpose made sculpting materials out there which you may like to try. Have a look at a hobby website and try a variety of different things to find one that suits you.
As well as something to sculpt with you will also need some tools to help you sculpt. You can buy sets of sculpting tools relatively cheaply and look at investing in more expensive pieces as time goes on. Household objects can also help you sculpt, things such as cocktail sticks and brushes can easily be used and you may find other things lying around which are just perfect for what you are trying to create. Depending on the material you work with if you have sensitive skin you may wish to wear some form of hand protection, latex or similar latex free gloves are an obvious choice. Personally I just prefer to get everything stuck to my fingers, sensitive skin or not (afterall isn't clay good for skin?).
For larger pieces you will also need to create some form of support to sculpt onto. This is known as an armature. An armature is a wire framework onto which your sculpture will be built. This will not only offer support but will also allow you to experiment with different positions and poses before you apply clay or similar material to the piece. This armature will need to be secure and supported to prevent it from collapsing. On this website here you can find a really useful diagram showing the position of the armature relative to the horse's skeleton: lynnafraley.com/489/03-03-10-beginning-a-new-sculpture/
Casting
You may decide that you want to cast your new sculpture once it is complete rather than leave it as a one off. To do this you will need to create a mould as well as purchase a suitable resin to be used to fill it. Be warned, during the casting process your original sculpture will be damaged, so think carefully before you make the decision to cast and be ready to amend any issues.
Most moulds are created from silicone. To create a mould you will need to place your horse within a temporary structure which you can pour into. The best thing to use is lego bricks or similar as these can easily be removed and also form a seal which prevents the silicone from leaking out. The sculpture will need to be supported in some way, to prevent loss of detail on the hooves you will need to elevate it (a pole through the barrel or the stand from your armature could work). You will also need to have somewhere to pour the resin into, this hole will work but you may wish to create secondary holds using tubes supporting the legs or head. This will also offer your sculpture support and prevent it from collapsing as you pour in the silicone. Silicone should be mixed and poured slowly to prevent it from forming air bubbles which will damage the sculpture. Once carefully poured in you will need to leave it to dry.
When your silicone is fully dry it is time to remove your original model. You will need to carefully cut the silicone mould in half and remove the sculpture, making sure to remove any residual clay from inside the mould. This will also give you a chance to see whether the mould was a success or whether it air bubbles or other things have ruined the cast. If you are happy with it you hold the two halves together with an elastic band, ready for casting!
The next step is to mix your resin to cast. Resins are usually two part and should be mixed together as per the manufacturers instructions. At this point you can also add colour to the resin if you want a non-white finish. Some resins are stronger than others and some are suited to smaller pieces, black resin is commonly used for very small resins as it is less likely to break. Slowly and carefully pour your resin into the holes, once you are sure that it is fill you can leave it to cure as per the instructions.
Once the resin is fully cured it is time to remove your new piece. Undo the elastic band and very carefully pull the two halves apart. Within you should have a rather untidy looking cast of your sculpture. It is not unusual for air bubbles to form or pieces to break off or not fill properly, you can always repair these as you clean up the sculpt.
You will now need to spend time cleaning the cast up, the first cast will remove any residue left in the mould and will also alert you to any issues. Future casts should be cleaner and you should work out a technique to pour that ensures you have no air bubbles and all areas fill evenly. If your sculpture is good enough you could now look at selling either raw or clean casts.
CTF Sculpts
Not all sculptures are made from clay and resin. Apart from the obvious china and pewter casts there are a huge variety of more 'crafty' sculptures that are just as stunning and require juast as much talent and hard work. In reality you can create a horse out of pretty much anything, I've created one out of wotsits before now (a less permanent sculpture) so think about applying your own existing skill sets to making new horses.
Felties
Needlefelting is becoming a very popular hobby and etsy is full of tiny little needlefelted creatures. Within the model horse community it is not uncommon to see needlefelted horses at shows, these can vary from small and cute to large and realistic with hours of skill going into their creation. The internet is full of tutorials to teach you to needlefelt and the tools can be purchased relatively cheaply only, so this is a fun way to start to create your own model horses.
Needlefelting involves pushing together felt strands with a needle to create a shape. As they are prodded the fibres bond together and form solid objects. The wool needed can be purchased in pretty much any colour under the sun including a variety of shades suited to model horses. Before creating your own horse it is worth spending time learning the basic techniques of needlefelting. Your finished horse will include rolls, balls, cords and flats so learning all these techniques is worth while. Practise on smaller shapes first before moving onto a horse.
To create a horse you will most likely need a wire armature to work from. In the above section on sculpting we talk about how these are created and also link to a website with a really helpful diagram. Think about your proportions just as you would with a clay sculpture to make sure you end up with something that looks realistically like a horse and not a giraffe!
Once you have your base shape you can now start making the various shapes needed to create your horse. Work slowly building up layers and definition, think about where the horse's muscles are and work in different colours to create shading and depth to the coat. You can finish your piece with glass eyes, or simple felted eyes, depending on how you want the final piece to look. You could even look about making a tack or headcollar (either from felt or leather) to finish off your piece.
Fimo
Fimo models are another popular craze and the internet is full of the most incredible and adorable little sculptures. Horses, in particular fantasy ones, are popular and can be purchased from within and outside the hobby. Some of the top pieces fetch high prices and can sell out within seconds.
Fimo is the brand name for a type of oven bake modelling clay that you probably played with as a child. It comes in a variety of different bright and realistic colours and can be moulded into pretty much any shape with ease. It can be a little fragile and brittle, so fimo creations need to be treated with care. Of course there are also other similar brands available that you may want to try. Some brands are air dry instead of oven dry.
The majority of Fimo pieces tend to be cute and cartoony in their appearance and the material definitely lends itself to this. It can of course be also used to create more realistic pieces and it is entirely up to you what you create. Once your piece is finished it can be either baked or left to air dry depending on the brand to create a solid sculpture.
Fabric
Fabric can also be used to create models. The first Julips were made of leather and over the year there have been brands that have used leather, fabric and even fur to create model horses. If you have some basic sewing skills you can learn to create horses using fabric.
The first stage to creating a fabric model horse is to create a pattern. If you are just starting out there are patterns available for free on the internet that will allow you to create your first piece and also give you an idea of how you should put together your own pattern for future use. The best material to start with is felt as this can be sewn easily and keeps its shape. Once you have sewed together the legs and belly you can then start to stuff your model using stuffing (or anything else you think would be suitable) before sewing up. Manes and tails can be created out of strips of fabric or from wool or thread. You could even use felting wool to give a bushy tail (I've experimented with mohair and doll hair over the years).
Fabric horses can also be made much larger and from plush fabrics creating a cuddly horse. A really soft finish and a squishy inside is bound to lead to an adorable and snuggly creation. As a real fan of plushies and cuddly toys I would encourage absolutely everyone to have a go at making them (mainly so that someone can make me one, all donations welcomed).
Studying Anatomy
The first stage to creating a realistic equine sculpture is a good understanding of a horse's anatomy and biomechanics (as well as basic sculpting skill of course)! In order to start work on your first sculpture you will want to think about this very carefully, it is recommended you spend time studying real horses and also find time to watch some displays showing off the muscular and skeletal systems of the horse. You can watch videos of these online and also see them in person where they draw the horse's internal structure on with chalk. If you feel like it is something you can do you could also look at watching a dissection, there is really no better way to understand the anatomy than to actually see it in person, but this isn't for everyone.
Most of the information you need can be found online but it is always worth investing in detailed books on equine anatomy. These often include accurate and detailed drawings of nearly all the bodies systems in a variety of different poses. You need to be able to understand how everything is built up and how it all connects and behaves. This time spent studying the details will pay off when you complete your final pieces.
Starting off with a flat sculpture such as a medallion can be a good way to hone your skills whilst also focusing on just one part of the body (usually the head and neck). You also only need to think about one side as the other will be flat and don't have to worry about accidentally squishing part of your model! If you get stuck along the way go back to your reference and also ask for the advice and help of other hobbyists. Honest criticism will really help you to spot flaws that you may have on your model and haven't noticed. Experienced sculptors may also be able to offer hints and tips to solve any problems you are having.
Sculpting Materials
When creating your sculpture you could work in a variety of different materials. The key is to find something that suits you. Clay is the most obvious choice and has been used for sculpting for centuries. However, you will need to make sure it is fully dry before you create a mould from it. There are also other purpose made sculpting materials out there which you may like to try. Have a look at a hobby website and try a variety of different things to find one that suits you.
As well as something to sculpt with you will also need some tools to help you sculpt. You can buy sets of sculpting tools relatively cheaply and look at investing in more expensive pieces as time goes on. Household objects can also help you sculpt, things such as cocktail sticks and brushes can easily be used and you may find other things lying around which are just perfect for what you are trying to create. Depending on the material you work with if you have sensitive skin you may wish to wear some form of hand protection, latex or similar latex free gloves are an obvious choice. Personally I just prefer to get everything stuck to my fingers, sensitive skin or not (afterall isn't clay good for skin?).
For larger pieces you will also need to create some form of support to sculpt onto. This is known as an armature. An armature is a wire framework onto which your sculpture will be built. This will not only offer support but will also allow you to experiment with different positions and poses before you apply clay or similar material to the piece. This armature will need to be secure and supported to prevent it from collapsing. On this website here you can find a really useful diagram showing the position of the armature relative to the horse's skeleton: lynnafraley.com/489/03-03-10-beginning-a-new-sculpture/
Casting
You may decide that you want to cast your new sculpture once it is complete rather than leave it as a one off. To do this you will need to create a mould as well as purchase a suitable resin to be used to fill it. Be warned, during the casting process your original sculpture will be damaged, so think carefully before you make the decision to cast and be ready to amend any issues.
Most moulds are created from silicone. To create a mould you will need to place your horse within a temporary structure which you can pour into. The best thing to use is lego bricks or similar as these can easily be removed and also form a seal which prevents the silicone from leaking out. The sculpture will need to be supported in some way, to prevent loss of detail on the hooves you will need to elevate it (a pole through the barrel or the stand from your armature could work). You will also need to have somewhere to pour the resin into, this hole will work but you may wish to create secondary holds using tubes supporting the legs or head. This will also offer your sculpture support and prevent it from collapsing as you pour in the silicone. Silicone should be mixed and poured slowly to prevent it from forming air bubbles which will damage the sculpture. Once carefully poured in you will need to leave it to dry.
When your silicone is fully dry it is time to remove your original model. You will need to carefully cut the silicone mould in half and remove the sculpture, making sure to remove any residual clay from inside the mould. This will also give you a chance to see whether the mould was a success or whether it air bubbles or other things have ruined the cast. If you are happy with it you hold the two halves together with an elastic band, ready for casting!
The next step is to mix your resin to cast. Resins are usually two part and should be mixed together as per the manufacturers instructions. At this point you can also add colour to the resin if you want a non-white finish. Some resins are stronger than others and some are suited to smaller pieces, black resin is commonly used for very small resins as it is less likely to break. Slowly and carefully pour your resin into the holes, once you are sure that it is fill you can leave it to cure as per the instructions.
Once the resin is fully cured it is time to remove your new piece. Undo the elastic band and very carefully pull the two halves apart. Within you should have a rather untidy looking cast of your sculpture. It is not unusual for air bubbles to form or pieces to break off or not fill properly, you can always repair these as you clean up the sculpt.
You will now need to spend time cleaning the cast up, the first cast will remove any residue left in the mould and will also alert you to any issues. Future casts should be cleaner and you should work out a technique to pour that ensures you have no air bubbles and all areas fill evenly. If your sculpture is good enough you could now look at selling either raw or clean casts.
CTF Sculpts
Not all sculptures are made from clay and resin. Apart from the obvious china and pewter casts there are a huge variety of more 'crafty' sculptures that are just as stunning and require juast as much talent and hard work. In reality you can create a horse out of pretty much anything, I've created one out of wotsits before now (a less permanent sculpture) so think about applying your own existing skill sets to making new horses.
Felties
Needlefelting is becoming a very popular hobby and etsy is full of tiny little needlefelted creatures. Within the model horse community it is not uncommon to see needlefelted horses at shows, these can vary from small and cute to large and realistic with hours of skill going into their creation. The internet is full of tutorials to teach you to needlefelt and the tools can be purchased relatively cheaply only, so this is a fun way to start to create your own model horses.
Needlefelting involves pushing together felt strands with a needle to create a shape. As they are prodded the fibres bond together and form solid objects. The wool needed can be purchased in pretty much any colour under the sun including a variety of shades suited to model horses. Before creating your own horse it is worth spending time learning the basic techniques of needlefelting. Your finished horse will include rolls, balls, cords and flats so learning all these techniques is worth while. Practise on smaller shapes first before moving onto a horse.
To create a horse you will most likely need a wire armature to work from. In the above section on sculpting we talk about how these are created and also link to a website with a really helpful diagram. Think about your proportions just as you would with a clay sculpture to make sure you end up with something that looks realistically like a horse and not a giraffe!
Once you have your base shape you can now start making the various shapes needed to create your horse. Work slowly building up layers and definition, think about where the horse's muscles are and work in different colours to create shading and depth to the coat. You can finish your piece with glass eyes, or simple felted eyes, depending on how you want the final piece to look. You could even look about making a tack or headcollar (either from felt or leather) to finish off your piece.
Fimo
Fimo models are another popular craze and the internet is full of the most incredible and adorable little sculptures. Horses, in particular fantasy ones, are popular and can be purchased from within and outside the hobby. Some of the top pieces fetch high prices and can sell out within seconds.
Fimo is the brand name for a type of oven bake modelling clay that you probably played with as a child. It comes in a variety of different bright and realistic colours and can be moulded into pretty much any shape with ease. It can be a little fragile and brittle, so fimo creations need to be treated with care. Of course there are also other similar brands available that you may want to try. Some brands are air dry instead of oven dry.
The majority of Fimo pieces tend to be cute and cartoony in their appearance and the material definitely lends itself to this. It can of course be also used to create more realistic pieces and it is entirely up to you what you create. Once your piece is finished it can be either baked or left to air dry depending on the brand to create a solid sculpture.
Fabric
Fabric can also be used to create models. The first Julips were made of leather and over the year there have been brands that have used leather, fabric and even fur to create model horses. If you have some basic sewing skills you can learn to create horses using fabric.
The first stage to creating a fabric model horse is to create a pattern. If you are just starting out there are patterns available for free on the internet that will allow you to create your first piece and also give you an idea of how you should put together your own pattern for future use. The best material to start with is felt as this can be sewn easily and keeps its shape. Once you have sewed together the legs and belly you can then start to stuff your model using stuffing (or anything else you think would be suitable) before sewing up. Manes and tails can be created out of strips of fabric or from wool or thread. You could even use felting wool to give a bushy tail (I've experimented with mohair and doll hair over the years).
Fabric horses can also be made much larger and from plush fabrics creating a cuddly horse. A really soft finish and a squishy inside is bound to lead to an adorable and snuggly creation. As a real fan of plushies and cuddly toys I would encourage absolutely everyone to have a go at making them (mainly so that someone can make me one, all donations welcomed).
Artwork & Videos
Creativity with model horses isn't just about creating physical things that you can put on your shelf or use as part of your hobby, you can also create amazing pieces of artworks or your very own YouTube videos to share with the world.
Artwork
If you have a talent for painting or sketching why no have a go at drawing or painting your favourite model horses? You could maybe give them their own personalities and paint your stableyard as if it were real, with your models out grazing in the fields and your riders happily busying themselves around the yard. You could also look at incorporating your art into your stables through miniature paintings or even decorating some of your props. If you have an artistic flair why not turn that to painting jumps or murals on your stable walls? You could even decorate a model horse lorry with a unique custom paint job.
There is also a chance to show off your 2D artwork at live shows. Many shows do include fun classes at lunch for 2D pieces, or even classes for portraits of a model horse. This is a great chance to show off your work and even win a rosette or prize for your efforts. Some photoshows also include similar classes for physical and digital art that you could enter. It is also worth noting that a live model horse show is a gathering of lots of horsey individuals, so if you are looking to sell your work you have a market waiting for you right there!
Videos
Go and type 'model horse' into YouTube. You have just discovered one of the largest model horse communities the internet has to offer. YouTube is incredibly popular and people have made millions from their channels, the model horse community is no different and this social phenomena has added a whole other aspect to our community.
Videos vary from everything from stories, to interviews, to collection tours and tutorials. You will find product reviews, box openings and shots of the latest releases. You will find live streams from shows and videos from nearly every model horse event the world over. It is a brilliant opportunity for you to show off your collection, share your skills and offer your own opinions and all you need is a video camera.
You do not need anything particularly special to start making videos for YouTube, although if it is something you want to do seriously you may have to get editing software or a special camera. It is worth getting a holder for your smart phone or video camera so you can position it (you can buy cheap flexible holders online or even from pound shops). The camera on your phone should be perfectly adequate but a video camera or action camera such as Go Pro will also work. Think about the lighting for your video and make sure you film it somewhere your audience can actually see what you are showing them! One of the simplest things to start with is a collection tour, from that you could move onto reviewing any new models you've received or telling stories with your model horses. You could even look at adding animation to your videos!
Stop Motion
As well as creating actual videos you could also think about creating a stop motion video telling a story or just as a funny few seconds. You do not need any particularly fancy software to do this, the app store has lots of free stop motion apps so you can create your first video using your smart phone! If you do not have a smart phone there are free online programs that can be used and you can also download paid for software that will offer lots more features.
A stop motion video is simply a series of photographs with a subtle change between each one. This allows you to use still objects, such as model horses, to create a story or scene. This is the technique used in films such as Wallace and Gromet. Latex models such as Julips are best suited for these as their legs can be moved and posted for a more realistic finish.
Artwork
If you have a talent for painting or sketching why no have a go at drawing or painting your favourite model horses? You could maybe give them their own personalities and paint your stableyard as if it were real, with your models out grazing in the fields and your riders happily busying themselves around the yard. You could also look at incorporating your art into your stables through miniature paintings or even decorating some of your props. If you have an artistic flair why not turn that to painting jumps or murals on your stable walls? You could even decorate a model horse lorry with a unique custom paint job.
There is also a chance to show off your 2D artwork at live shows. Many shows do include fun classes at lunch for 2D pieces, or even classes for portraits of a model horse. This is a great chance to show off your work and even win a rosette or prize for your efforts. Some photoshows also include similar classes for physical and digital art that you could enter. It is also worth noting that a live model horse show is a gathering of lots of horsey individuals, so if you are looking to sell your work you have a market waiting for you right there!
Videos
Go and type 'model horse' into YouTube. You have just discovered one of the largest model horse communities the internet has to offer. YouTube is incredibly popular and people have made millions from their channels, the model horse community is no different and this social phenomena has added a whole other aspect to our community.
Videos vary from everything from stories, to interviews, to collection tours and tutorials. You will find product reviews, box openings and shots of the latest releases. You will find live streams from shows and videos from nearly every model horse event the world over. It is a brilliant opportunity for you to show off your collection, share your skills and offer your own opinions and all you need is a video camera.
You do not need anything particularly special to start making videos for YouTube, although if it is something you want to do seriously you may have to get editing software or a special camera. It is worth getting a holder for your smart phone or video camera so you can position it (you can buy cheap flexible holders online or even from pound shops). The camera on your phone should be perfectly adequate but a video camera or action camera such as Go Pro will also work. Think about the lighting for your video and make sure you film it somewhere your audience can actually see what you are showing them! One of the simplest things to start with is a collection tour, from that you could move onto reviewing any new models you've received or telling stories with your model horses. You could even look at adding animation to your videos!
Stop Motion
As well as creating actual videos you could also think about creating a stop motion video telling a story or just as a funny few seconds. You do not need any particularly fancy software to do this, the app store has lots of free stop motion apps so you can create your first video using your smart phone! If you do not have a smart phone there are free online programs that can be used and you can also download paid for software that will offer lots more features.
A stop motion video is simply a series of photographs with a subtle change between each one. This allows you to use still objects, such as model horses, to create a story or scene. This is the technique used in films such as Wallace and Gromet. Latex models such as Julips are best suited for these as their legs can be moved and posted for a more realistic finish.
Stories & Cartoons
When I first started in the hobby photostories were one of the most common aspects of creativity you saw. They are less common nowadays but there are still plenty of people that create them, even if it is just a few small snips in a 10 second stop motion video. Stories and cartoons featuring your models can be a great way to practise your writing skills but also give life to your yard and allow you to live out your dreams through your model horses.
Photo Stories
A photo story uses a series of photographs with short captions (or longer text if you prefer) to tell a story. They were popular on online forums and often came in a series of posts telling a longer tale, with a new instalment every week. They can be quite time consuming to make but they are great fun and allow you to not only show off your models but also give them life and personality.
In order to create a photo story you do need to start with at least some planning. Write a brief outline of where you want your tale to go and what photographs you want to take. You can then head out and start to create scenes that reflect various aspects of your story. Make a note of what each photograph portrays and try to take them in order so you don't get lost or confused. If you decide to change things make a note of this so when it comes to creating your final piece you have a good idea of what each picture represents. You can choose to use as many or as few photographs as you like but it is a good idea to illustrate each scene. You can also use pictures instead of words and will need to think carefully about where you insert them into the text. Take a look at the extract below, where would you include the image of the donkey coming out of the horse box?
Julie rounded the corner slowly, peering around the corners of the horse box, anticipation filling her veins. She couldn't wait to see what her mother had brought home! Surely the fact that she was opening the back meant she had bought something. A brand new pony Julie thought! O I hope it's a bay, I love bays. She smiled broadly as she rounded the corner and watched as the ramp was lowered. Slowly out of the darkness a head appeared, and then some ears, and then....surely....no....was that a? DONKEY?!?! Her mother had meant to go to market to see if she could find her a new pony for Pony Club since she had outgrown peppermint. This. This was NOT a new pony for Pony Club. This was about as far away from a new pony for pony club as her mother could possibly get. The grin slowly left Julie's faced and was replaced by a look of sheer horror.
"Isn't he gorgeous?" Her mother brimmed with pride as if she had somehow found a perfect little Welsh C with even whites that was incredibly well behaved yet still fun and quick around the games courses.
Personally I would choose to put it between the 'a?' and 'donkey' but you could also add it right at the bottom of that paragraph. If you were producing a printed publication you would want the reader to turn the page to discover what it was, thereby increasing the anticipation. If you were creating a photostory as part of a gallery with just short captions you could add it as the next shot with the first being Julie peering around to see what would emerge from the open door, maybe you could add a hint of the donkey in the first shot to give the reader a clue.
As you produce more and more photostories try and keep a track of your characters and their relationships. I have a tendency to forget everything and found it very helpful to have a map with their names, family trees, their own relationships and personalities as they develop and also a note of what horses they own. Everytime I mention a new horse or character I make a note so that I can keep track.
Stories
As well as photostories where the photographs help you to tell the tale you could simply write stories, adding a few pictures for illustration. If you have your own Blog a fun thing to do is to create a series of stories with a new 'chapter' being released on a regular basis to encourage your readers to come back for more. These stories could be as short or as long as you like, if you much prefer writing to using images this is a great way to let your creativity flow as you tell your tales.
Short stories are also commonplace in model horse magazines. Some run series and others simply publish one off stories written by readers. These magazines are usually always desperate for content so don't be afraid to approach them and ask if they would be willing to publish one of your pieces. They will usually proof read it but in my experience these often get published, it can be a great feeling to see something you have written in print.
Cartoons
Cartoons (either animated or static) are a really fun way to bring your characters to life. Cartoons, fan fiction and fan art exist in almost every hobby and the model horse community is no different. A quick search on YouTube or deviant art and you will find a wonderful selection of cartoon strips and drawings of model horses. Some people simply create one off faces, turning their models into their own artistic style whilst others integrate these cartoons with their own story they are creating about their model horse yard.
You can also use your cartoons to decorate your model horse records, or turn them into part of the awards or certificates you are offering at any shows you are running. Like other stories you can also create cartoon strips releasing one part every week or so which enable readers to regularly check back to see what everyone has been up to.
Photo Stories
A photo story uses a series of photographs with short captions (or longer text if you prefer) to tell a story. They were popular on online forums and often came in a series of posts telling a longer tale, with a new instalment every week. They can be quite time consuming to make but they are great fun and allow you to not only show off your models but also give them life and personality.
In order to create a photo story you do need to start with at least some planning. Write a brief outline of where you want your tale to go and what photographs you want to take. You can then head out and start to create scenes that reflect various aspects of your story. Make a note of what each photograph portrays and try to take them in order so you don't get lost or confused. If you decide to change things make a note of this so when it comes to creating your final piece you have a good idea of what each picture represents. You can choose to use as many or as few photographs as you like but it is a good idea to illustrate each scene. You can also use pictures instead of words and will need to think carefully about where you insert them into the text. Take a look at the extract below, where would you include the image of the donkey coming out of the horse box?
Julie rounded the corner slowly, peering around the corners of the horse box, anticipation filling her veins. She couldn't wait to see what her mother had brought home! Surely the fact that she was opening the back meant she had bought something. A brand new pony Julie thought! O I hope it's a bay, I love bays. She smiled broadly as she rounded the corner and watched as the ramp was lowered. Slowly out of the darkness a head appeared, and then some ears, and then....surely....no....was that a? DONKEY?!?! Her mother had meant to go to market to see if she could find her a new pony for Pony Club since she had outgrown peppermint. This. This was NOT a new pony for Pony Club. This was about as far away from a new pony for pony club as her mother could possibly get. The grin slowly left Julie's faced and was replaced by a look of sheer horror.
"Isn't he gorgeous?" Her mother brimmed with pride as if she had somehow found a perfect little Welsh C with even whites that was incredibly well behaved yet still fun and quick around the games courses.
Personally I would choose to put it between the 'a?' and 'donkey' but you could also add it right at the bottom of that paragraph. If you were producing a printed publication you would want the reader to turn the page to discover what it was, thereby increasing the anticipation. If you were creating a photostory as part of a gallery with just short captions you could add it as the next shot with the first being Julie peering around to see what would emerge from the open door, maybe you could add a hint of the donkey in the first shot to give the reader a clue.
As you produce more and more photostories try and keep a track of your characters and their relationships. I have a tendency to forget everything and found it very helpful to have a map with their names, family trees, their own relationships and personalities as they develop and also a note of what horses they own. Everytime I mention a new horse or character I make a note so that I can keep track.
Stories
As well as photostories where the photographs help you to tell the tale you could simply write stories, adding a few pictures for illustration. If you have your own Blog a fun thing to do is to create a series of stories with a new 'chapter' being released on a regular basis to encourage your readers to come back for more. These stories could be as short or as long as you like, if you much prefer writing to using images this is a great way to let your creativity flow as you tell your tales.
Short stories are also commonplace in model horse magazines. Some run series and others simply publish one off stories written by readers. These magazines are usually always desperate for content so don't be afraid to approach them and ask if they would be willing to publish one of your pieces. They will usually proof read it but in my experience these often get published, it can be a great feeling to see something you have written in print.
Cartoons
Cartoons (either animated or static) are a really fun way to bring your characters to life. Cartoons, fan fiction and fan art exist in almost every hobby and the model horse community is no different. A quick search on YouTube or deviant art and you will find a wonderful selection of cartoon strips and drawings of model horses. Some people simply create one off faces, turning their models into their own artistic style whilst others integrate these cartoons with their own story they are creating about their model horse yard.
You can also use your cartoons to decorate your model horse records, or turn them into part of the awards or certificates you are offering at any shows you are running. Like other stories you can also create cartoon strips releasing one part every week or so which enable readers to regularly check back to see what everyone has been up to.
Your Own Stableyard
Stables are the whole reason I got into model horses. At HOYS one year I picked up loads of catalogues including one from Julip. I loved the idea of having my very own miniature stableyard and for my birthday a month or so later I received Bob the Cob, my first ever proper model horse. To this day I have my stables sat there, pride of place, with huge amounts of detail and character. It was the one thing I asked for when we moved from London to Oxfordshire, that I would have somewhere to put my stables in our new house. Now they run the length of my pony room floor and I even stole the top off a Billy bookcase to create a field area with fencing.
Having a miniature stableyard is no different to having a dolls house and it is no surprise that the most popular scale for these is 1:12. Julips are one of the most popular choices and you would be hard pushed to find a Julip collector that doesn't have at least one stable. That said any type of stable can be used and you could even build your own out of cardboard boxes or wood if you cannot find one to suit your needs. Breyer, Schleich and many other companies produce beautiful stables in wood and plastic that can be customised and adapted to suit your own yard.
Once you have acquired your stable you can start to build your yard bit by bit. Stables can be repainted or custom wall papers and footings added to make them more realistic. You can add hinges and bolts to doors, guttering and tiles to the roof and make sure horses have water buckets and feed bowls. You can give the horses bedding to sleep in, hay nets to eat from and even add working lights so everyone can see at night. As well as the stables themselves you can also build feed and tack rooms, arenas and a yard where horses can be tied up and mounted.
The key to any good stableyard is detail. From name plates on doors to working kick bolts you can slowly build up all the details you would see on a real yard. If you work with horses or ride think about everything you see on your own yard and see if it can translate into miniature. If you don't you can look online for images and inspiration.
Once you have your physical yard you can start to create the personalities and characters to fill it. Each of the horses in your stables will need an owner and the yard will of course need staff and clients. You will need a vet and a farrier and maybe even a physiotherapist. Maybe an equine dentist comes on a regular basis? Your dolls will develop names and personalities just as your horses do. Some horses will be well behaved, some may be old and retired, others may be incredibly naughty! The only real limit is your own imagination. Once you have developed the story of your yard you can look at incorporating that into your artwork, stories and even performance entries at shows.
Having a miniature stableyard is no different to having a dolls house and it is no surprise that the most popular scale for these is 1:12. Julips are one of the most popular choices and you would be hard pushed to find a Julip collector that doesn't have at least one stable. That said any type of stable can be used and you could even build your own out of cardboard boxes or wood if you cannot find one to suit your needs. Breyer, Schleich and many other companies produce beautiful stables in wood and plastic that can be customised and adapted to suit your own yard.
Once you have acquired your stable you can start to build your yard bit by bit. Stables can be repainted or custom wall papers and footings added to make them more realistic. You can add hinges and bolts to doors, guttering and tiles to the roof and make sure horses have water buckets and feed bowls. You can give the horses bedding to sleep in, hay nets to eat from and even add working lights so everyone can see at night. As well as the stables themselves you can also build feed and tack rooms, arenas and a yard where horses can be tied up and mounted.
The key to any good stableyard is detail. From name plates on doors to working kick bolts you can slowly build up all the details you would see on a real yard. If you work with horses or ride think about everything you see on your own yard and see if it can translate into miniature. If you don't you can look online for images and inspiration.
Once you have your physical yard you can start to create the personalities and characters to fill it. Each of the horses in your stables will need an owner and the yard will of course need staff and clients. You will need a vet and a farrier and maybe even a physiotherapist. Maybe an equine dentist comes on a regular basis? Your dolls will develop names and personalities just as your horses do. Some horses will be well behaved, some may be old and retired, others may be incredibly naughty! The only real limit is your own imagination. Once you have developed the story of your yard you can look at incorporating that into your artwork, stories and even performance entries at shows.