Lipizzaner

Picked this chap up this morning to take some pictures for a 'sculptures' page for this blog. I'm really frustrated that I haven't had time to work on him much at all. A mix of poor organization, procrastination, and just general slacking on my part. I'll get round to working on the legs/face/everything soon enough, I hope.

Here's to more progressive updates ASAP ..

Back To The City

I've made the move back up to London for the start of the third term, leaving the jumping mare in this state ..

.. and I've left this chap half-painted on my worktop ..

.. and George the cat is probably still snoozing on my desk ..

But I'll return to them soon, maybe summer or maybe before that, we'll see how the term pans out I guess. Now it's time to put in some work on the Lipizzaner sculpt.

Long Time, No Ride

It's been a hell of a long time since I last rode a horse, and after yesterday afternoon's last-minute ride, my thighs are dying. I don't often get the chance to ride, despite my step-mother having about 5 horses at her disposal, so I jump on each chance I get. Yesterday, I was offered a ride on Beauty, a 4 year old fresian. She was stunningly well behaved for a 4 year old and has such swingy hips and a really bouncy stride.  My muscles are killing me today. She has trouble with bending and corners, especially on the left rein, so we did lots of serpentines and circle work. I'm looking forward to possibly riding her more in the summer after I'm back from this term at university.

(ridden photos taken by Yve)

Longdog Racing - 13th April

Here are some shots I took at the Longdog meet I shot at last Sunday with Vicky and Nancy. See the full set on my photography facebook page :)

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.660324594032990.1073741832.351703988228387&type=1

Uni Trouble

(Apologies for the non-hobby post)

Over the past week, I've been having serious trouble trying to get myself hyped for returning back to uni for the third term. Looking back at how stressed I got at the end of last term and the health issues that that pressed on, as well as the fact that I am becoming stressed and tight-chested each time I think about returning. I have 5 images to complete before I return, which is acceptable amount, and I feel inspired with what to work around and such, but each time I pick up the materials .. ughh, the stress just sets in. I think I may end up hating drawing because of this course and I really could not deal with that happening. I love art. I live art. I'm really upset.

At the start of the year, I was dreading moving to the city, but not dreading working on the course. I am not a city-girl, at all. Too many people, too much noise, too much light, just too much everything. And yet, the tables have turned. Yes, there is still too much everything, but I don't hate the city as I thought I would. I love being so close to the museums and galleries, all the events, living with people that I'm in tune with. It's really quite wonderful if I block out the bits I hate. And now it's the course I can't being myself to enjoy. I'm not even sure why I'm really doing it. I like drawing, and fashion, and education, and working to briefs. But I can't see myself working as a fashion illustrator, I don't have the people skills, or the advertising, or the motivation, or the characteristic style you need as a freelance illustrator. You don't look at my work and immediately know it's mine. I don't have a preferred medium, or style or anything, so I'll never be recognizably known.

I've been putting some thought into leaving. I almost didn't return after christmas, but I swallowed it down and 'got over it'. What will I do if I leave? Certainly work with horses, maybe a live-in job on a competition yard, or so I hope. Apply for tattoo-apprenticeships. Work on finishing one of my sculptures by summer. And draw without pressure.

(2 year old Polish-bred Arabians shot at Silverdale, summer '13)

Pencil Work

Clare Stokes ( www.meadowviewartistry.co.uk/ ) has recently been posting up some portrait drawings of dogs, and for whatever reason, they really really inspired me to pick up my pencil. I hadn't done a serious sketch of a horse in quite a while, and I feel that these are quite successful pieces. On the left is a profile of Tia, Logan's dam, and on the right is a Silverdale Arabian's broodmare.

And here are some 'planning sketches' of a mare and foal medallion and another project I'll go into more in another post.

Llama and Lure Racing

A few days ago, I tagged along to lure-practice with my friend, Vicky, and her lurcher, Nancy, and some of their race pals. I love this dog with all my heart and I was so happy at the chance to watch her running. Of course, I dragged my camera along too! Nancy is the darker brindle running on her own, the other two are Ralph and Flee.

Then today, I took a visit to the yard where my step-mum, Yve,  keeps her horses. My favourite out of Yve's little herd is Llama, a grumpy fell pony in her mid-teen. She's broken to ride and drive, and we've shown her in-hand. I hope to take her into a few ridden classes over the summer. Just thought I'd share these cute snaps I took of her today, tomorrow there'll be a jumper update and maybe a sneak peak of some pencil-work too.

Jumper

This morning, I managed to put an hour or two of work onto the jumper sculpt. I switched over to Horse&Country, 'Carl And Charlotte: Europeans 2013' provided distinctly horse-based inspration, and picked up the poor little pointer. Being the idiot that I am, I left my clay-shapers up in London, so I ended up spending most of the session comparing her to my references, altering her position and twist slightly, and refining her barrel and top-line using the side length of a toothpick as my tool (looking at these photos, I need to slim down her neck from below, and also re-paint my nails)

I think she's shaping up nicely (aside from her head, ignore that please!) and I'm looking forward to working into her muscles and details once I get some more tools. 

Easter Visit

(I know, I know, another non-hobby post, but I did get my new Sculpy in the post this morning, so jumper update soon, promise!)

Being away from home in term time also means I'm away from one of my favourite horses to tread its hooves on the earth. Leaving the city for an extended amount of time means I was able to fit in a visit back to Bucksridge, a yard I've worked at since I did work experience in year 10, and home of my beloved. May I introduce you to Logan, a gangley, untrained, completely green gelding, probably approaching 4 years. He's not mine really, but he may as well be (I guess I'm the only one who brings him the carrots)

Throwback Thursday #1

Haven't been up to much recently, mainly because I've been sorting out all the junk in my studio and moving my desks about and generally making more mess than I started with. To make up for that, here's a throwback post dedicated to a corner of a Native class, at Heathfield Show '12.

And here's a little cutie from the class before. Look at that smile!

Current Sculpts In The Works.

I thought I had best introduce you to my two work-in-progress pieces.

Currently, I'm working between two equine sculptures, one during term-time up in London, the other gets worked on when I am back at home during holidays. Both are Stablemate (1:32) scale, which I think only goes to proves that I am a little bit insane, and will require rods once they're finally completed. They are both worked from SuperSculpy over twisted wire armatures.

Firstly, my term time sculpt is this chap, a Spanish Lipizzaner gelding, performing one of the 'airs above the ground' known as the capriole. I started work on him in October '13, and spend time on him when there's a dip in the amount of coursework needed.

My second piece is this mare, jumping at speed. She's based on a chaser from the pages of Horse & Hound, however, when done I hope she'll be mutli-discipline. Perhaps jumping into the water jump on a cross country course, or part of a hunting scene. I began work on her in late December '13, and I'm only able to work on her when I am back in East Sussex during my breaks from college, so she's going to be a slow one.

Welcome!

I thought it was about time to get a blog running, mainly to keep people updated on my sculpting work and other things related to the model horse hobby. Bare with me whilst I get used to things, sort out my layout, and post up the work I'm currently doing and stuff like that. I plan to use this blog to keep a running journal of my progress as a sculptor and custom artist, and for posting inspirations, tips, and information from my own experiences and other in the hobby.

Also, feel free to pass by my facebook page and give it a like! I'l be putting updates onto there too, put probably in less detail.

https://www.facebook.com/JoeypfEquine?ref=hl

Thanks for visiting, here's to not having a photoless post .. a little snap from last summer, of me cooling down Riccardo the ISH, after I'd photographed him having a damn good work out under one of my friend, Vicky. (as you can guess, I wasn't really prepared for being in the saddle that day)