Commission: classic quarter horse filly to chestnut pinto

Here is my current  project. I've been asked to paint this lovely little filly to a flashy chestnut tobiano. These photos are a little out of date now as she is now in the process of being painted, but they show her carved ears, and the raised hoof that has also been carved. The hooves that are on the ground have had the heel bulbs carved out.

This is the foal that is being used for inspiration:

The real animals

These are the real amimals in my life. First is Sunny. He's a 20 year old Welsh Cob cross Anglo Arab. He's my mum's horse.

There is also Holly,

and my pet rats, Lilly and Rose.

Magpie Welshie to side saddle lead rein pony

I saw this completely adorable photo,

 and felt the need to recreate it model form.

The pony is the magpie models welsh pony that i bouget as a body a long time ago. In his time with me he lost both his ers, so they have been rebuilt using baking soda and super glue. They where then carved using the dremel. His homoves have been carved on his uplifted hooves, as have his heel bulbs on the hooves on the ground. The dock of the tail is made out of wire wrapped in string, which was then coated in super glue and baking soda, then sanded smooth. All of his seams have been sanded down, and where necessary filled using car body filler. He is goIng to be painted to a medium dapple grey, haired and given a plaited mane.

The saddle tree is made out of tin, solder, string and felt. Here are a pair of photos showing it going from plain tin with string bracing to having the seat padding added.

Dapple Grey Arab

This little one is the actually the classic scale pony from the Breyer paint by numbers kit. I just happen to prefer her as an old school Arab.

I filled in the paint by numbers lines with car body filler. I sanded her until she was smooth all over, prepped her, carved her lifted hoof and the heel buds all round, then primed her. I painted her to a dark dappled grey with hair details all over in pastels, pencils andacrylics. I finished her with a star and a snip, and gave her shoes. The photos below where taken in both natural light, and with flash.

Airfix Donkey

Many months ago I bought a bag of airfix scraps on eBay. Well this rather homely little girl was in the bag. She is stablemate pony sized. I decided she was a bit ugly, as well as lacking in detail, so I decided to turn her into a fluffy donkey. She is currently about half way through the sculpting. The original body hasn't been changed, I have just covered her in a layer of milliput. Ideas on what colour to paint her would be very much appreciated!

Hello

Hello and welcome to my studio blog. I'm Cara, and my hobby is playing with my plastic ponies. I paint model horses, as well as make the occasional piece of tack and do the occasional piece of sculpture. I have been collecting breyers for roughly 10 years. I have only just started taking commissions. This blog will be about what I have in progress in my studio, as well as the odd post about my animals. Stay tuned to hear more.