Sculpting again!

It's my first time being in a sculpting-mood for a long long time, so here's today's little update. My twisty jumping mare finally has the base for her feet and has been cooked! I can now start working on her with my Apoxie Sculpt to build up the muscle, mane and tail, the hooves, and her face. So maybe I'll be more enthusiastic about working on her now?

Big Butts

Thought I'd share this little chap I've been working on recently. I've altered his topline (smoothing out his withers and addling some junk to the trunk), hacked off his mane, and filled out his profile until just touching a roman nose. He's close, but not quite done yet.

Hunter Trials @ The Glebe

Last Sunday, the East Sussex and Romney Marsh Hunt held some hunter trials at small course near my house, The Glebe, Burwash, and of course I went along to take photos (the grandma in tow as well!). Despite living a 10 minute walk from the place, Nan has never been to a trials, and I'm happy to say she enjoyed herself (and got stuck climbing over one of the fences). 

After an early lunch in the food/raffle/entry tent, we sent off for a course walk as the Junior Pairs class finished off. Then it was Juniors, Open Pairs, and then the Open classes. Pairs is such fun to watch, listening to the riders talking to each other and the horses running together! There were some really gorgeous horses, including two that the Grissells drove over from Brightling.  

But now, onto some photos! The rest can be viewed here.

G2 Appaloosas

Sundays and Tuesdays are my days off from work (posting about that soon, as I've recently asked if I can take my camera up and photograph the horses on my lunch break, to which the reply was yes) so I like to spend these days doing hobby or art related things. I found a pair of Stablemate Appaloosas in my bodybox today and felt inspired to do some resculpting before my mid-day driving lesson. Please excuse the black-and-white photos, they were looking a little worse-for-wear and the greyscale helps them look half decent!

The first chap is my first go at this scale plaits (I may have posted him a week or so ago?). He still needs his forelock, tail, manly parts, and details, but I think he looks like a nice show horse.

The second is marginally less simple, yet still not too complex, shifting forward a gear to a nice medium trot. I've only done the basic moving, it still needs refining and re-shaping a little. The original plan was to re-sculpt and dish the face, pin the ears, replace the mane with long, flowing locks, and an arabian tail thrown back over the quarters. However, I think he would now make a cute little dressage horse, with a slightly roman profile, pulled mane and plaited tail. And I'm also growing attached to this original-finish tail. Sigh, indecision. And in an indecisive strop, he jumped off the table and threw his hind leg 'somewhere' across my art-room floor. Anyway, he still needs his forelock, tail, privates, and details, and then to be raised up on an acrylic rod to get his feet off the ground into the 'moment-of-suspension'. 

And to fuel my current resculpting love, hobbyist Mia Dyb Wangsmo has been posting photoshopped images of the Breyer stock photo all over the Facebook group as inspiration. This could be a good week for me and my apoxie!

(Below photos credited to Mia Dyb Wangsmo)

Artwork Commission Open

Just a little blog/life update. I have a few re-worked stablemates on the go. They will be for sale as blanks by the end of this week. I've also been working on the new sculpture, though I haven't got very far as I've been on trial for a new job, which is exciting! They'll be a 'new-job' post at the end of this week hopefully!

In between my work-time, model-time, and sleepy-time, I've been working on my artwork portfolio, in order to apply for a tattoo apprenticeship in a few years. You can follow my progress on my Instagram (I've posted a few examples below).

Also, my pencilwork commission books are OPEN for horse/animal portraits, people portraits, and tattoo designs. Feel free to get in touch.

Beautiful Bea

When Victoria (THS) spotted a little Breyer Stablemate that had a customed head-set and hogged mane, she got in touch, snapped her up, and wrote up a nice little blog post about her. She's kindly allowed me to share her photos here!

She was to be a portrait of a half-Shire mare at the horse sanctuary Victoria volunteers at. I did some more resculpting, to add feathering, fluff, and wrinkles, and she was then sent to Anne Healion for painting. When asking a fellow worker to take some more reference photos, we found out Bea had sadly passed away.

" Suffice to say, mini-Bea is now extra special, and I'm so pleased I have her to remember the real Bea by. The model is perfect, both Jodie and Anne have done a great job on her! "

I'm glad I could help to complete this special portrait of a such a beautiful horse.

Small Update

Just a little studio update. I picked up the little clyde fella again, I keep adding stuff to him, and today started covering him in a lot more sabino hairing. Extreme sabino, with most of his front end ending up white. Well, that's the current plan! Also, GM Vera, my dark bay Julip on the Dressage Horse (as a Polish Arab) won the August MOTM on the Julip forum, J-Club! Look how stupendously stripey the rosette is!

I also started another new sculpture. I know, I really should finish at least one before working on another. Can anyone guess what this little one will be? He's shown next to my amazing StableMate Shire customed by the equally amazing Christine, of Last Alliance Studios.

In Memory Sketches

Recently, we have lost several wonderful horses from our world. Wild Lone, Harry Meade's WEG mount, died after the cross country phase (30th August '14). Shear H2O, Leslie Law's Olympic partner, passed away in his sleep (28th August '14). Robert Whitaker's Finbarr V was put down (28th August '14). A horses died during the WEG Endurance race. Presley boy, a showjumping stud, was put down. Closest to me was a horse belonging to MHL forum member Russinka., the horse named Ruby (or Dragon). Her post made me smile, it made me cry, and it was wonderful to read through their relationship. I'm sure it reminded many people of their own equine friends.

I drew these quick sketches in their memory. I did not just want to read the articles and continue on about my day. Though only a few minutes, each of these signifies a very small part of my day that I dedicated to these great horses.

The GDSF: WW1

This year marks 100 years since the start of World War One, and the Great Dorset Steam Fair had dedicated an area of the grounds to having a trench re-creation set up. You could walk down into the trench, alongside uniformed actors, who were sat eating their rations. They had a selection of WW1 vehicles around the area, as well as a working blacksmith set up. Also, GDSF releases a harness brass each year, and this year, they had special 'Lest We Forget' ones. Poppet had both of the 2014 hanging from her harness.

There were appropriately dressed helpers on hand to answer questions from the public, and some examples of war-time equines, who enjoyed a good petting between displays. The lovely old Tennessee walker on the right had the cutest baby-face and kept pulling very funny expressions, much to the amusement of the crowd!

There was also this lovely-coated dappled grey, who I watched do some ridden exercise. She had really lovely movement, and I really wish I could've taken her home!

And then, across all the fences, some glorious recreation tack! The hobbyist in me knew that I had to get some photos for all the tack makers out there ..

And the last thing in this area, but definitely not least .. MULES! I really do love mules, I mean, just look at their silly ears! <3