Sunfading Questions from a Newbie

[Dorothy Rose]

I've never sunfaded before, but I have read several threads here as well as the MLP Restoration Project section on sunfading.  Still, I have some questions.

Here is the pony:
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She has several problems, but for now, what I'd like to fix are these mysterious blue patches:

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They're a bit difficult to see, but there's one on her front right hoof, on both cheeks (oddly where the blush ought to be), and in between her front legs.  I'm guessing these are smudged marker spots.  She was a thrift-store find, but she has been Magic Eraser cleaned, so...

1.  How do I cover the very thin paint areas such as the stems on her symbol and her eyelashes if I am not comfortable using the acrylic paint method, just yet.
2.  How do I get the sun to shine between her legs?!

I think that's all for now.  I'm probably worrying about it too much, but...well...heck!  She's a FF Minty and I'm nervous!  If someone could just tell me that I'm not going to come home to a G1 Blank Pony, I'd feel a lot better.  ^_^;;;

[Prince Primbrose]

Painters tape! That dark blue tape that you use to cover edges before you paint something. The glue doesn't remain or stain the pony, so it can be easily removed and leave no marks on the sunfaded area. Alternatively, some people wrap the pony tightly in cling/saran wrap, and color over the symbols and eyes with sharpie. I don't trust myself to do that without poking through the wrap and getting permanent ink on the plastic, so... I use tape.

As for getting her belly faded, either flip her upside down for part of her sunfading, or stand her on a mirror.

[hathorcat]

You can use a plain acrylic paint on her symbols to cover them up And also tinfoil works great to cover over the areas you are not going to fade.

I use mirrors when sunfading [I need to try anything...we only see the sun for a couple of days a year in Scotland ] I find that helps to ensure light gets everywhere I need it to. I would suggest you are going to have to try something similar to get the angle right to get to the marks between her legs.

[Dorothy Rose]

Oh!  A mirror!  I've seen mention of mirrors, but I had not thought about putting a mirror under her.  That's an excellent idea!  Also, I like the tape and magic marker idea.  Actually, since Sharpie fades in the sun, too, I think I shall try tape and paint!  I so do not want to try painting directly onto the symbols with this girl (again, she's special to me, so accidentally harming her would make me very sad), but if there was a layer of tape between her and the paint, I would feel much more confident.

Thank you so much, guys!  I think that solves all my problems and I shall get started as soon as I get home...and can find some sunlight.

Someone mentioned taking their pony with them in their car.  Since I live in an appartment with limited direct sunlight, even in the summer, I think that will be my best bet.  She can sunbathe while I'm at work.  Ha!

[hathorcat]

If you put your pony in the car make sure the sunlight is coming through the bottom section of the windscreen or rear window. The top windows normally has a very strong UV filter which is not as intense at the base of the glass.

[Dorothy Rose]

Good to know.  She's sitting on my dash right now, near the bottom of the windshield, so that should work.  I hadn't thought about the UV protection in automotive glass.  Hmm....  Well, it will have to do for now because the sun isn't hitting my appartment windows right now and I refuse to leave her on the porch because of the neighbourhood girls.  HA!

[hathorcat]

Enough UV will get through that it will work perfectly in your car Its just that the degree of UV protection fades as you go down a windscreen so you are always best to place it where the least protection is