2011..... 2011 I cannot believe it’s been that many years since I’ve used this blog. Time to restart...... I’ve been busy in the hobby but quiet. Mostly collecting rather than showing and in 2012 I was involved in a near fatal motorcycle accident that really hamper my abilities and I struggle with the after effects of that accident. Especially sculpting and now tack making. Anyway. Here’s some sneak peaks... 

day two of "Old Timer"

Here we go on day three actually of working on this model.  His head was re-attatched and was not (bad artist!) put on very well, lots of bumps and didn't get into all of the spots I needed to with the epoxy.  A lot of sanding and re-sculpting needs to be done but I also need to make sure I do not make him "front" heavy either.  As I was working his head kept sweeping to the side and I kept trying to straighten it but realized that I kinda liked the way it was hanging so I let the epoxy cure with the head to the side to give the horse some character. 

As I start to sand I also have used a permanent marker on him to mark spots that I need to yet attack with the dremel...( my favorite model horse surgeons tool) Those mark the lines that I have yet to finish sanding on or working with. Such as his belly.  The old timer model was a old draft horse with a big hay belly.  I want to actually shrink that up and tuck up his tummy yet.  I want him to look more like he's been running on the range not just old horse belly.  I will re-sculpt the ribs and leave his feet where they are. He's stable like he is and I don't want to loose that. 

He looks terrible now, but you can see how his head is just slightly off to the right side. I also took off his ears and forelock.  His ears will get sculpted back on when I decide (or he does) what position they will be in. 

Here is the reason I'm playing with him. I've been commissioned to do another armor set. This time including the knight. I've been working on a lot of patterns and such but this is the tourney saddle that will go with the set.  Lots of small sculpting detail that of course doesn't show up in the pictures...

to be continued.....I also will continue working on "dead horse".....

another head comes off!!

Boy I feel like the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland!

My "Dead Horse" was such a hit and I've always enjoyed sculpting that I decided to attack another one......

This guy was a Breyer Old timer that I bought years ago with this idea in mind.  I have always wanted to chop him apart to use a very famous Native American scene called "End of the Trail".  The "End of the Trail" is just that a symbol, of things gone by. A lone warrior on a hill top, tired on top of his exhausted pony.  It is supposed to represent that spirit of freedom. 

So here we go. I'll continue to work on him and show folks how hes going.  He got his head lopped off so I can better work on that huge neck of his and bring his shoulders back in so they are not so big as the Old Timer model is supposed to represent an old pulling horse.  My standing War pony needs to get his belly tucked yet and his head re-attached.  I had some epoxy left from my diorama so I decided it was a good use of some of that extra that I had mixed up. Instead of wasting it.

His neck was a smushed up mess (yes I went to college to say "smushed") so I just decided instead of trying to save it to just rebuild it.  I attacked it vicariously with my husbands band saw and belt sander.  let me just say those things are AWESOME for doing this stuff quickly!  I also removed his years.  Not sure what position I will re-sculpt them in but I'll worry about that down the road.  Poor guy.....