Custom tips for a newbie? (Super silly question, I'm sorry!)

[StrawberrySundance]

I really hope I'm posting in the correct area for this 

I just purchased a bait G2 pony from eBay as I have an itch to get creative and make a custom. I know the basics of rerooting a pony and I've decided to use yarn for her mane and tail as its most suited to her hair style. So...I would like to know has anyone got any tips? What's the best paint/product to use for painting a symbol on? (Her symbol is going to be very basic/simple)

Thank you in advance!

[Griffin]

Sounds fun!

For yarn hair, you'll have to use the tool method for rehairing. Note however that G2s are notoriously difficult to rehair, their heads are hard so it's likely you'll break some needles. (I'm not completely sure if you can rehair them with yarn, but don't let me discourage you from trying!) It may help if you warm up the head first to soften it a bit - keep a mug of hot water at hand and dip the head in every now and then.

Acrylic paints are the best (for both symbols and full body repaints). It doesn't really matter whether you use cheaper craft acrylics or artist grade acrylics. Invest in good brushes, though. For detailed work, long-bristled liner brushes are usually a good choice. The Army Painter has some good detail brushes, and some people use nail art brushes.

The consistency of paint varies a bit from brand to brand and even by colour, some colours may need no thinning at all, others you'll have to thin with water. Practice on paper, cardboard or some plastic surface first, to check you have the right consistency of paint (not runny, but it should flow easily) and to train your hand. Painting on a pony is quite different from painting on canvas or other flat surface, but you'll soon get the hang of it! Don't be afraid to start over. If you make a mistake, immediately wipe with water, or use acetone if the paint has already dried.

Best of luck!

[StrawberrySundance]

Sounds fun!

For yarn hair, you'll have to use the tool method for rehairing. Note however that G2s are notoriously difficult to rehair, their heads are hard so it's likely you'll break some needles. (I'm not completely sure if you can rehair them with yarn, but don't let me discourage you from trying!) It may help if you warm up the head first to soften it a bit - keep a mug of hot water at hand and dip the head in every now and then.

Acrylic paints are the best (for both symbols and full body repaints). It doesn't really matter whether you use cheaper craft acrylics or artist grade acrylics. Invest in good brushes, though. For detailed work, long-bristled liner brushes are usually a good choice. The Army Painter has some good detail brushes, and some people use nail art brushes.

The consistency of paint varies a bit from brand to brand and even by colour, some colours may need no thinning at all, others you'll have to thin with water. Practice on paper, cardboard or some plastic surface first, to check you have the right consistency of paint (not runny, but it should flow easily) and to train your hand. Painting on a pony is quite different from painting on canvas or other flat surface, but you'll soon get the hang of it! Don't be afraid to start over. If you make a mistake, immediately wipe with water, or use acetone if the paint has already dried.

Best of luck!

Thank you so much for the advice!


I'm gonna take a look at the method to refresh my memory as I tend to forget easily
Luckily we have a lot of sewing needles in the house since me and my mother tend to sew a lot so I don't mind using a few if they break!
Ah, okay, luckily the yarn I've bought is quite cheap so if it doesn't work then that's okay  I can buy nylon hair from eBay or My Little Customs if the worst comes to the worst.
That hot water method sounds like a good idea, I'll definitely use it when I begin my project.

Luckily my sister is an art student so she has plenty of supplies, I'll have to take a look  I'll make sure to practice with the paint too, since its my first I don't mind if its messy just as long as it looks presentable haha.


Honestly, thank you again for your advice and I'll be sure to give all your tips a go! 

[aintnobuffalo]

Some excellent advise from Griffin! I wouldn't really add anything. Let us know how it goes! If you are looking for some more helpful tips and guides, check out our tutorial thread too:

http://mlparena.com/index.php/topic,283445.0.html

Happy customizing!

[StrawberrySundance]

Some excellent advise from Griffin! I wouldn't really add anything. Let us know how it goes! If you are looking for some more helpful tips and guides, check out our tutorial thread too:

http://mlparena.com/index.php/topic,283445.0.html

Happy customizing!

Thank you!   
Just waiting for my pony to arrive, hopefully she should be here tomorrow, if not I'm gonna be a bit worried she's been stuck at 'Driver not scanned at depot' for over 6 days now  When she finally arrives, I can then get started on her and possibly record my progress lol.
Thank you for the tutorial thread, it's definitely gonna come in helpful since this is my first pony project