Gosh now I miss all our retired customisers and other old members! :cry:
Gosh now I miss all our retired customisers and other old members! :cry:
Same :( It seems those that didn't get out of the hobby are instead posting on social media sites. I know Instagram has a lot of "new" custom makers, either new new or ones I've never seen before.
@Griffin
Regarding stripping the paint, is it safe to use the Pine Sol bath method on ponies?
Ooh, and I have to share a brush cleaner I found - The Masters Brush Cleaner and Preserver. It comes in a plastic jar and it's amazing! I had a white synthetic brush that was dyed green for years and this stuff made it like new again. Highly recommended!
Indeed. The Pine Sol bath method of stripping paint is fairly straightforward: Dunk whatever you're trying to strip in Pine Sol or similar floor cleaner (anyone know what brands are available in Finland?). Let it sit immersed for a few days, then pull it out and scrub the paint off with retired toothbrush or the like while rinsing.@Griffin
Regarding stripping the paint, is it safe to use the Pine Sol bath method on ponies?
Hmm not heard of that before. I don't think Pine Sol is available here. Acetone does the trick, it's just a tedious process.
I have a pair of customs that got lost in the mail, so I’ve had to start over from scratch making new ponies that fit the theme— I don’t want to replicate them, I want to stay OOAK. My first remake arrived at its destination today, so I’ll be starting on the second soon.
After that, I’m thinking of making a custom based on locations in the Kawaii Monster Café in Harajuku!
Sooo.... I dragged my bag of sculpy upstairs and have started mixing some colors. I turned out the lights last night and you'll never guess...Isn't that the BEST!!!
I have two blocks of GITD white sculpy! Oh mylanta!! The possibilities now... I didn't know, it doesn't say on the plastic.
Blackness, I love the Amethyst pony! Maybe do something with her horn? Or some crystal bits by her eyes.
Blackness, I love the Amethyst pony! Maybe do something with her horn? Or some crystal bits by her eyes.
Looks amazing so far, ChocolateStarfire!
I've got another idea for a custom. All my supplies are still in boxes and it's frustrating :P but at least I'll have projects to look forward to.THIS kind of wing sculpting gives me all the green eyes!!! :jealous: :jealous: :jealous:
edit: This is what I've been doing since December. Well, I got this far in Dec and kinda stopped working on him :P His wings are painted now but I don't have pics.
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His body was dyed about 10 years ago but you can see it went uneven with time. I'm planning to do a FBR on him. Colors are going to be dark blue, black and silver. I'm thinking tipped dyed Moonlight hair? Or, perhaps I'll give him fluffy wool hair.
BlackCurtains, your ponies are still awesome after all this time!
THIS kind of wing sculpting gives me all the green eyes!!! :jealous: :jealous: :jealous:
I WISH I could do such amazing wings!!!
BlackCurtains - those wings are STUNNING!!! I need to get around to sculpting a full set of wings like that one day! Might look at wings for my next project...
I've also received another request for commission and am seriously starting to consider buying an air-brush machine!!
That Ghostbusters pony is gonna be so cool!
And hey ChocolateStarfire, great work on the ghostbuster suit! Looks sweet! Personally I almost always rehair a pony before sculpting - less risk of breaking your work. I use polymer clay but turns out that nylon hair can withstand being baked at 130°c quite well :lol:
Does anyone else have stories about customizing under quarantine? I started this thinking, "I'm gonna have so much free time to make art!" and finished like ... one project. And then I quickly lost steam. :lmao: Hopefully I'm not the only one with dreams bigger than her abilities right now!
And the wings on that boy are incredible! Is that Sculpey, or something else?
Reckon I will message you soon for some tips BlackCurtains - I assume there is a lot of wire going on underneath those beautifully sculpted wings? They make your pony instantly majestic, can't understand why you are not 100% happy with them!! What clay do you use? Getting the wings secured inside the pony will be a challenge..
Is it difficult to learn airbrushing techniques?
Oh, that is a fun thread.
So many great projects. Love the Ghostbuster Pony.
Also I have some pony WIP: an Eastern Dragon G3 custom, a rainbow custom that gets a heavily sculpted diorama and a :muffin: Pony Peacock that is nearly finished.
Those both look awesome! The level of detail!!Thanks SunPony. I will try this. Fingers crossed.
Regarding sticky customs: I actually JUST dealt with the same problem. I think I hadn't let the paint dry long enough before sealing. But I tried using a new kind of sealant over to of it, weeks later, and it seems to have done the trick - she is now totally dry-feeling. The new kind I tried is Vallejo polyurethane matt varnish. I brushed it on but apparently it can be used with airbrush as well. Note that it is water based.
Ah puush, it's so nice to see your work again! :hug: I really dig the dragon! I love that the eyes of the peacock feathers are also :muffin: Pony :lol:Hahaha! I'm so happy you realised that! :hugs:
Wow, mlp4me. That is a lot of work. Painting it white will need lots of layers. Can't wait to see them. :D
Those both look awesome! The level of detail!!Thanks SunPony. I will try this. Fingers crossed.
Regarding sticky customs: I actually JUST dealt with the same problem. I think I hadn't let the paint dry long enough before sealing. But I tried using a new kind of sealant over to of it, weeks later, and it seems to have done the trick - she is now totally dry-feeling. The new kind I tried is Vallejo polyurethane matt varnish. I brushed it on but apparently it can be used with airbrush as well. Note that it is water based.
I tested 4 different sealants under the hooves now and all turned out to be sticky. I have a feeling, that it is the plastic of the pony itself, as I had this problem with every single layer of paint. And believe me, there are about 5 layers of paint and now about 3 layers of sealant on this poor girl. :(
I'm gonna attempt my first custom soon hopefully! I still need a few things before I can start, baby's first custom I'm very excited to start!
I'm gonna attempt my first custom soon hopefully! I still need a few things before I can start, baby's first custom I'm very excited to start!
I need a pack of satsuma pony hair for a custom and both my usual suppliers are sold out (dolly hair & my little customs)
I've finally got back into some work; making hair plugs! Since I use the knot and loop method, it takes foreeeeever, but I've got a good rhythm going! Listening to a podcast makes it go so much faster! I did red months ago, then I did orange two nights ago, and yellow last night! I'm halfway through the rainbow!!
Puush is a genius!!! There are 4 inch length baseball bats on eBay. Texas Rangers seems appropriate....:blush: Thanks. I can't wait to see it.
I started with the needle&thread method back in 2009 (wow). Went through a lot of dental floss because it was the sturdiest thread I could find and easy to get in the needle.
Maybe I could auction it?
Oh, a machete would be great. :D Or a classic baseball bat with nails.
My dragon is still sticky. I think it's because of the pony's plastic. Every coat of paint got sticky when I let it dry and now every coat of sealant is, too. All the sculpted parts are fine.
Any ideas what I could do with it? I'm not happy to sell it in my shop because it's not my usual quality, but I also put a lot of work into it.
Maybe I could auction it?
Sorry for the late replies, I've been without internet.And the wings on that boy are incredible! Is that Sculpey, or something else?
Thanks! Yep, it's Super Sculpey.Reckon I will message you soon for some tips BlackCurtains - I assume there is a lot of wire going on underneath those beautifully sculpted wings? They make your pony instantly majestic, can't understand why you are not 100% happy with them!! What clay do you use? Getting the wings secured inside the pony will be a challenge..
Is it difficult to learn airbrushing techniques?
There's a backbone (wingbone?) of thick gauge wire but the bulk is actually cardstock and masking tape ^^; and no, they don't melt or burn in the oven :)
I used Super Sculpey on that guy. I also work with Sculpey III and Premo, depends on what I'm making.
Securing the wings isn't too difficult. I run the backbone wire all the way down inside the front legs. Then for balance issues I cram a couple 1/2 ounce bank sinker fishing weights in them. Then cap it off with Apoxie Sculpt. I also use some Apoxie on the inside where the wire pokes in. It's possible to do all that and still make the wings removable but I've been experimenting with a different way.
Haha, I'm rarely happy with my projects. In this case it's the top row of feathers. Real bird wings don't look like that. I've made a lot of wings but they're never quite the same. I'm still working on perfecting them.
Airbrushing isn't hard to learn if you can already draw and/or paint. It's mostly learning how to control the flow of paint. I have a Paasche double action (the VL-Series I believe) which is really nice. Well worth the investment.
In other news, I'm moved in to my new apartment. I've found about half my arts & crafts supplies so far :lol: But my work area is all set up! It will be nice when I unpack everything and can get back to work.
I've got two G1 baits who need finishing up;
One will be a strongly G1 influenced unicorn (symbols, hair, body, eyes all done to more or less match the Hasbro designs) with a theme of 'winter frost'. It's taken achingly long to sunfade some marker stains off of her body, but she's almost done.
The other is a badly marked up G1 Parasol who will be getting a sculpted carousel saddle treatment. I haven't decided if I'm going to try to match the Merry-Go-Round ponies or do something more unique (probably the latter).
I tend to let my custom jobs be influenced by what's wrong with the pony. No hair but good body and symbols? Alternate re-hair. No symbols but good body? Custom influenced by the generation of pony. Nice hair but badly marred body? Keep the hair, make a custom that utilizes the original pony's design somehow. Totally janky? How about a full body dye and a whole new look.
So, with Dollyhair out of commission and Retrodolls US seemingly working on restocking or something, I have recently ordered 2 kinds of hair from TheDollPlanet, and 1 kind from Dolltress. The three are fairly different in texture/feel/appearance. Would anyone be interested in a thread of photos comparing these types and descriptions of how they are to work with? If so I could take pics and describe them as best I can, with dollyhair included as well because I know lots of us still have that floating around.
So, with Dollyhair out of commission and Retrodolls US seemingly working on restocking or something, I have recently ordered 2 kinds of hair from TheDollPlanet, and 1 kind from Dolltress. The three are fairly different in texture/feel/appearance. Would anyone be interested in a thread of photos comparing these types and descriptions of how they are to work with? If so I could take pics and describe them as best I can, with dollyhair included as well because I know lots of us still have that floating around.
I'm thrilled to finally get a good amount of hair, I had...four? ponies sitting around bald :lol: Time for a rehairing extravaganza :cool:
Oh! I just started working with some of my Dolltress hair, and I can confirm it's identical to work with as the DH nylon! I've still got to try and curl it, but it's been lovely and soft putting into the head so far!
I'm also ordering a few colors I needed from the newly-reopened Custompony.com site, she's offering 10% off with code "oldstock" so she can move her old hair out to make room for new. I was hoping to try RetrodollsUK, since I've heard lovely things about her, but I struggled to find a color I knew would match for my tailless pony. NGL, I was swayed by the easy "here's what ponies this color will match!" list beneath the shade of pink I needed. I'm sure RetrodollsUK has equally great hair (and I'll be ordering from her later!), but I really struggled with their random selections of color. It was hard to compare all of the pinks! That said, I hope CustomPony will update her photos; they definitely look 10 years old, and it's hard to tell what the colors really look like! ^^;
Is there a thread somewhere where I can put up hair color matches? I know there is one specific to RetroDolls, but what about other brands of hair? Or would this even be useful to people...
does anyone have a good clay feather tutorial? i'm in the middle of making my oc (my icon) and cant fid real feathers that i like or are sturdyHello vampyrefay. Wow, that OC looks cool. Long feathers may be a bit complicated. I'd use a wire as a "backbone" for each feather. Then I'd put a bit of cardboard or thick paper on it to make it wider and give the clay something to rest on.
^ You could create a pallet with the colors you want to use and see if they look okay together.
Right now I’m working on a baby pony g1 custom with rainbow hair. I think I’ll do a glittery rainbow flower garden design on her!
Does anyone have a good go-to they use for getting rid of glue inside of the heads? I'm trying to do something to a G3 but it's not panning out since I can't remove all of the glue.
Does anyone have any advice on rerouting the tail without zip ties? I’ve run out of zip ties and have a pony nearly completed. :(
Post Merge: November 18, 2020, 01:33:13 PM
Rerooting, not rerouting lol.
Does anyone have any advice on rerouting the tail without zip ties? I’ve run out of zip ties and have a pony nearly completed. :(
Post Merge: November 18, 2020, 01:33:13 PM
Rerooting, not rerouting lol.
You can basically use twist-ties instead of tiny zip ties. Do you have access to twist-ties?
I've also done one with just dental floss before.
Working on a very magical pony! Any guesses? *hint* a lightning bolt scar and hooded cape.... :nerdy:
Working on a very magical pony! Any guesses? *hint* a lightning bolt scar and hooded cape.... :nerdy:
I'm excited to see pics when you're done...I'm guessing this pony may need a wand and a white owl as side accessories?
NEEDS the owl!!! Come on, you can do it xxxWorking on a very magical pony! Any guesses? *hint* a lightning bolt scar and hooded cape.... :nerdy:
I'm excited to see pics when you're done...I'm guessing this pony may need a wand and a white owl as side accessories?
Wand yes, as for the white owl, we shall see! :lol:
NEEDS the owl!!! Come on, you can do it xxxWorking on a very magical pony! Any guesses? *hint* a lightning bolt scar and hooded cape.... :nerdy:
I'm excited to see pics when you're done...I'm guessing this pony may need a wand and a white owl as side accessories?
Wand yes, as for the white owl, we shall see! :lol:
Not a clue, but interesting idea. Looking forward to others thoughts.
I suppose the G4 owl would be too small for Hedwig? Oh bit might work for Ron's Pig?
Has anyone ever used many layers of clear sealant to create a 3D effect with the symbol(s)?
I'm thinking of trying something like this: full body repaint...2 coats of sealant...speckles of paint all over body...2 coats of sealant...symbols...2 coats of sealant.
Have you tried something like this? Do you think anything bad could happen with this many sealant layers, or this sandwiching of paint between layers of sealant? Should I use even more coats of sealant between paint layers?
I'm using vallejo acrylic model paints and vallejo polyurethane matt varnish if that helps. Thanks for any info/tips!
Isn't there a thick mod podge that sort of looks like resin? I wonder if you could use that to mimic the look, can't speak on the sealant.
Gonna see how well basic fun Gusty takes dye tomorrow.
I have an idea for a custom Mr. Potato Head. Has anyone ever tried that before? All Google searches bring up potato heads that look like they used sculpey or another clay to create parts/colors. I'm thinking of repainting existing parts instead so that the pieces can still be swapped out.
Oh yeah, mod podge could very well give the look I'm going for! Thanks for the idea! It's thicker than the sealant I use, so it would give more dimension I think. I wonder how compatible it would be with a layer of the polyurethane over top. Maybe I'll practice on something else before I do the pony.Mod Podge would work if you let the coats really REALLY dry inbetween. Else it might get milky.
Oh yeah, mod podge could very well give the look I'm going for! Thanks for the idea! It's thicker than the sealant I use, so it would give more dimension I think. I wonder how compatible it would be with a layer of the polyurethane over top. Maybe I'll practice on something else before I do the pony.Mod Podge would work if you let the coats really REALLY dry inbetween. Else it might get milky.
I used Triple Thick Gloss before to glaze eyes and cutie marks that needed a bit 3D touch. Maybe that's something, too. :)
Oh yeah, mod podge could very well give the look I'm going for! Thanks for the idea! It's thicker than the sealant I use, so it would give more dimension I think. I wonder how compatible it would be with a layer of the polyurethane over top. Maybe I'll practice on something else before I do the pony.Mod Podge would work if you let the coats really REALLY dry inbetween. Else it might get milky.
I used Triple Thick Gloss before to glaze eyes and cutie marks that needed a bit 3D touch. Maybe that's something, too. :)
I've been testing it on my "trial pony" that I keep around to test things on...it seems to be working okay but visible brushstrokes are an issue so far, so I need to keep experimenting. Yes, drying with all those layers is something I am concerned about re: mod podge. I'm glad it is cold out so with the furnace running its quite dry in my house...
I'm working on a custom playset. Can I just say how freaking cute the molds for G3 playsets are and what a waste that they colored it all the same? The celebration castle I'm working on has the sweetest details that no one ever got to notice. There is spiderweb with a tiny spider on it!
I'm nearly done rehairing the Jurassic Park pony...and I've started on another custom--this one will be a space themed pony with a 90s color scheme (bright metallic purple body, neon green/yellow mane/tail, neon green planet symbols). The metallic paint is having a hard time taking...I will wait til next weekend to mess around with it some more, hopefully it was just because the layers are thin/new.Thin is good, you can always add another layer.
Has anyone used thin metal foil for symbols? Like that gold and copper leafy stuff? I cannot recall the name of the product right at the moment.
Has anyone used thin metal foil for symbols? Like that gold and copper leafy stuff? I cannot recall the name of the product right at the moment.
It's just called Leaf :) I have used it but not on ponies. I don't see why you couldn't. It's very VERY flimsy though and tough to work with small pieces, especially if you want something specific.
I've worked with gold leaf, but also not on ponies, only on wood ^^' I can't see why it wouldn't work, but you'd need to figure out what to make it stick to, and then a sealant that won't mess with the finish. (sealant could probably work as an uncercoat tos tick it to as well.
You'll want to work in a calm environment, not breathe too much on it because it WILL fly away. and have a greasy side of your nose and a dry paintbrush. swipe brush over nose, pick up gold, place on sticky thing. at least that's how I've been taught to do it for decorating musical instruments ^^'
The Arena is so inspiring!
I started to work on a pony a while back and I noticed I was having vision issues with the detail work. I picked up a pair of reading glasses from Walmart and that seems to have made all the difference.
I'm excited to say I am finishing up a Strawberry Cow for my daughter after seeing Heely's Strawberry Cow. Just fun, no stress. I also picked up some very groovy rainbow yarn fiber and I want to make a few rainbow powder puff girls.
Maaaan, my last post here sounds so promising. I got sidetracked with RL stuff. The baits are still prepped and sitting on my desk. Oh, and I found big wing guy. I think I'll probably finish him first before starting the others. When? I dunno. Soon, I hope.
*Dusts off thread*
I'm trying to think of what to do with the fashion style Izzy I baited but I can't come up with any ideas I want to stick with!
Sounds great, ChocolateStarfire! Can't wait to see your Hobbit pony ^.^
I haven't touched my WIP in ages. :huh: I've only made one custom this year. Trying to get back on track and offered a commission slot as one of the Halloween colouring contest prizes, maybe trying someone else's idea for a change will get me going! ;)
Well, I found my blades, and with the first cut, I stabbed my self in the thumb XDAnd that's how we know you're a Customiser!!! Stinky chemicals, scarred hands, & so much stains on stuff, despite trying to protect your surfaces. Oh, the joys!!! Hope you cleaned & wrapped the cut up!!! A good first aid kit is as essential as acetone
Haha yep! It's been awhile since I last made a blood sacrifice to the pony gods!!!:lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao:
I tried to love apoxie sculpt and it has its uses, but personally I prefer polymer clay. Everyone is different though :)
I tried to love apoxie sculpt and it has its uses, but personally I prefer polymer clay. Everyone is different though :)
In other news, I'm making progress on the memorial custom and I've decided to make a Halloween pony too. I hope I can finish it on time, but it might be late.
I'm real excited to see whatever you come up with for both. I love seeing your customs, and it has been awhile since you did one, yeah? And doing a memorial custom is so meaningful. :lovey: I feel anticipation building. :)
I'm real excited to see whatever you come up with for both. I love seeing your customs, and it has been awhile since you did one, yeah? And doing a memorial custom is so meaningful. :lovey: I feel anticipation building. :)
Aww, thank you! That means a lot. :heart:
Yeah, it's been a while since I actually finished one. I have a few WIP, one going on three years now - and he's almost done! The hard part is over but I'm just slacking on painting him.
The memorial custom is halted right now as I attempt to sculpt water. And the Halloween custom is going to be late :P
Re G5 - Boiling water would help, sure. I haven't sat down to examine mine very closely yet.
i found these for something completely non-pony related but wondered if anyone had ever used them for customizing they're called U-Mark a10 xylene free paint markers they're meant to be used on plastic and vinyl models and thought it'd be a neat supply for pony customizers
i found these for something completely non-pony related but wondered if anyone had ever used them for customizing they're called U-Mark a10 xylene free paint markers they're meant to be used on plastic and vinyl models and thought it'd be a neat supply for pony customizersI'm a little wary of markers but those do sound interesting enough that I'm going to have to look them up and see what there made of as well as actual reviews for them.
I'm real excited to see whatever you come up with for both. I love seeing your customs, and it has been awhile since you did one, yeah? And doing a memorial custom is so meaningful. :lovey: I feel anticipation building. :)
Aww, thank you! That means a lot. :heart:
Yeah, it's been a while since I actually finished one. I have a few WIP, one going on three years now - and he's almost done! The hard part is over but I'm just slacking on painting him.
The memorial custom is halted right now as I attempt to sculpt water. And the Halloween custom is going to be late :P
Re G5 - Boiling water would help, sure. I haven't sat down to examine mine very closely yet.
The boiling water did help! I was a little sloppy but now that I understand the angle needed I feel more confident.i found these for something completely non-pony related but wondered if anyone had ever used them for customizing they're called U-Mark a10 xylene free paint markers they're meant to be used on plastic and vinyl models and thought it'd be a neat supply for pony customizers
I haven't heard of those but they sound interesting. I wonder how smooth the color goes on.
I'm real excited to see whatever you come up with for both. I love seeing your customs, and it has been awhile since you did one, yeah? And doing a memorial custom is so meaningful. :lovey: I feel anticipation building. :)
Aww, thank you! That means a lot. :heart:
Yeah, it's been a while since I actually finished one. I have a few WIP, one going on three years now - and he's almost done! The hard part is over but I'm just slacking on painting him.
The memorial custom is halted right now as I attempt to sculpt water. And the Halloween custom is going to be late :P
Re G5 - Boiling water would help, sure. I haven't sat down to examine mine very closely yet.
The boiling water did help! I was a little sloppy but now that I understand the angle needed I feel more confident.i found these for something completely non-pony related but wondered if anyone had ever used them for customizing they're called U-Mark a10 xylene free paint markers they're meant to be used on plastic and vinyl models and thought it'd be a neat supply for pony customizers
I haven't heard of those but they sound interesting. I wonder how smooth the color goes on.
i used a primer base on this mask https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/854092099481108530/904022179212062770/20211030_090104.jpg and the markers went on rather smooth for me.
i got them at hobby lobby but you can also find them at umarkers.comI'm real excited to see whatever you come up with for both. I love seeing your customs, and it has been awhile since you did one, yeah? And doing a memorial custom is so meaningful. :lovey: I feel anticipation building. :)
Aww, thank you! That means a lot. :heart:
Yeah, it's been a while since I actually finished one. I have a few WIP, one going on three years now - and he's almost done! The hard part is over but I'm just slacking on painting him.
The memorial custom is halted right now as I attempt to sculpt water. And the Halloween custom is going to be late :P
Re G5 - Boiling water would help, sure. I haven't sat down to examine mine very closely yet.
The boiling water did help! I was a little sloppy but now that I understand the angle needed I feel more confident.i found these for something completely non-pony related but wondered if anyone had ever used them for customizing they're called U-Mark a10 xylene free paint markers they're meant to be used on plastic and vinyl models and thought it'd be a neat supply for pony customizers
I haven't heard of those but they sound interesting. I wonder how smooth the color goes on.
i used a primer base on this mask https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/854092099481108530/904022179212062770/20211030_090104.jpg and the markers went on rather smooth for me.
Oh that does look pretty smooth! (p.s. love the ears!) Where did you buy the markers? A store, or online somewhere?
Despite "not having any time" I somehow managed to start a new custom. It is one I really wanted to do...I'm at the eye-painting stage which is so fiddly. I must be patient, but I also can't wait to finish and share her here!
Has anyone put apoxie sculpt in the oven to cure it faster? I'm going to try it.
Welp, too late XD
After about 20 minutes on 275 (same I bake polymer at) it's fully cured. It got white patches on it, but I'm going to paint it anyway.
So, maybe only in emergencies? (I'm on a tight deadline for a contest)
Teeny Tinies in costumes?! *drops dead from cuteness*After the amount of love the shark costume got I had to make more. Baby Girls get plenty of clothes & costumes (lion, clown, dragon, bunny, elephant), but other young G1s don't get that opportunity without a little crafting...
@tailrust - Yay! A pony a month is a big goal. Can't wait to see what you make!
I'm finally done with my sculpture. Now I can continue working on customs :):art: :accomplished: :frolic: :enthralled: :happy:
My Hobbit/Shire winger pony is almost done! Just waiting on the wings (ha!) and then will take/post pics! Sneak peek of her 3D cutie mark (https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FFKBppWVcAUz3iJ?format=jpg&name=4096x4096)
Having finished Sugar Moonlight as a regular brushable a couple weeks ago, I now want to make her in the larger size (the size of rainbow-mane Sunny). Is this how a custom pony army starts? :lol:
When the paint goes weird & the sealer goes weird & you have to start over...
I think it's more impatience on my part, not to mention the finicky nature of paint. Sometimes it takes a day to dry, sometimes a week...When the paint goes weird & the sealer goes weird & you have to start over...
Aw, I'm sorry. Is it the climate? I have to be careful especially with sealer and not use it when it's too hot. I'd assume it does poorly in cold conditions as well.
I think G5 paint is much more stubborn. I've used the same stuff I use on G4 and such and I'm getting a lot more smears. I will emphasize the helpfullness of 100% acetone for sure, but I've also seemed to suck out some of the color of the plastic by removing the paint. There is no winning unless you're doing a FBR.
Still removing glitter from these wings...
Removing glitter from wings...are you doing one of the large size Zipps?:P I am a sucker for punishing myself.
was looking through my art folder and found this little comic strip(?) I had thrown together while working on a particularly frustrating customNicely done, both cute and highly relatable :lol:
Trying to figure out which female Doctor Who characters have black hair…
Thinking….
Thinking…
Thinking…
Ouch! My head hurts!
Trying to figure out which female Doctor Who characters have black hair…
Thinking….
Thinking…
Thinking…
Ouch! My head hurts!
If you're working with the revival series, there's Martha Jones! It's got brown tones too, though, so it's up to you if you want to use the same hair.
Let's see... I'm looking into prospective dolls to do a custom Danny that matches Megan and Molly.
My custom Simon Belmon outfit and gear for Megan have stalled because I can't find the LEGO skeleton battle pack that has the mace ball I need to copy to finish the Vampire Killer
If scratchbuilt sets count, I've slacked off on the arcade.. And I'm currently looking at making the Sunstone Pyramid
Edit: It's been a hot minute since I've even been on the Arena; how do we post photos, these days? ^^;
Cool! Can't recall whether I have an imgur account or not. Guess I'll need to find out! Not today though; homework calls. :)Edit: It's been a hot minute since I've even been on the Arena; how do we post photos, these days? ^^;
Hey! Welcome back :) The Arena doesn't host photos anymore so you need to find somewhere that does. I use Imgur, but there's Postimages.org, Imgbb, and a few others that are free. Upload your photos there and copy the img url and paste it into your post :)
I've finally figured out the idea for two newborn baby fakie ponies I've got left--the pastel yellow one will be lemonade, and the pastel pink one will be strawberry--strawberry lemonade! :) They'll be painted, rehaired and posted here and for sale sometime in the next week or two. :)
Sharky-Pony, called Squalina, Done!!! I also bought her a wee sharky friend xxx
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Cheers!!! I'd been wanting to do a gradient Pony for ages, bu7t never really figured out how it would fit. It fits with Squalina because sharks are countershaded, so she could be tooSharky-Pony, called Squalina, Done!!! I also bought her a wee sharky friend xxx
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The gradients on this pony are amazing!
Hi Kazzellin-I remember seeing your posts a while back! :)
I've finally figured out the idea for two newborn baby fakie ponies I've got left--the pastel yellow one will be lemonade, and the pastel pink one will be strawberry--strawberry lemonade! :) They'll be painted, rehaired and posted here and for sale sometime in the next week or two. :)
what cuties!!
Sharky-Pony, called Squalina, Done!!! I also bought her a wee sharky friend xxx
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Hi Kazzellin-I remember seeing your posts a while back! :)
I've finally figured out the idea for two newborn baby fakie ponies I've got left--the pastel yellow one will be lemonade, and the pastel pink one will be strawberry--strawberry lemonade! :) They'll be painted, rehaired and posted here and for sale sometime in the next week or two. :)
Here's some sneak peek pics from my website-they just need to be rehaired and they'll be done!
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LAW she was dyed in teal then dip-dyed in sapphire. Her teal hair was also dip-dyed. I've wanted to do a gradient Pony for ages, & Squalina was perfect for this with the countershading sharks have.
I've never owned an airbrush, & imagine it would be worse than my spray sealant in use
Hey, does anyone have any tutorials (written or video) on how to get started rehairing a small G4? I've never been able to get their heads off without breaking the neck ring, and I believe to get to the washer I'll have to remote the stump-thing that the head turns on. Does anyone have any resources onhand that could help? Thank you
Yep, I’ve only done a few G4s but I do it the same way as Sunpony. They’re a pain to get the heads off!
Also, for the love of everything, cut with the knife going *away* from your body and off-hand. Then if it slips, you're just cutting air, not another part of your body (like your other arm, chest, leg, etc.) :)Hey, does anyone have any tutorials (written or video) on how to get started rehairing a small G4? I've never been able to get their heads off without breaking the neck ring, and I believe to get to the washer I'll have to remote the stump-thing that the head turns on. Does anyone have any resources onhand that could help? Thank you
Hmm...I'm pretty sure I saw or read a nice tutorial somewhere when I first customized a G4 but that was about ten years ago and I don't know how to find it now. But I can tell you how I do it currently! I assume you mean the standard size brushable G4. First, a warning - this method is somewhat dangerous as it involves boiling water and somewhat-risky use of a razor-sharp blade!
So, basically I use a saucepan of boiling water, tongs, a towel, and an X-acto knife with a fresh, pointy blade. While you wait for the water to boil you can cut off the mane as close to the head as you can, and the tail unless you want to have it intact. Once the water is boiling, just put the pony right in there, and you can turn off the heat at this time if you are just prepping the one pony. Let her simmer for a minute or so. You can poke her with the tongs and she should feel soft. Pull her out with the tongs and put her on the towel - be very careful as she may be full of hot water. Use your hands wrapped in the towel to pop her head off. Now here is the part where you can very easily injure yourself. Stand the pony on her legs so the neck plug is straight up. You are going to use the X-acto knife blade to CAREFULLY cut between the white plug and the colored pony neck. Ideally your hand that is holding the pony is AWAY from the neck. I wear leather gloves and just try to be very careful about what direction I am cutting. Not only is this risky to you, but because the plug is a harder material than the pony neck, it is kind of easy to slip and cut through the neck. I will alternate between doing this and putting the pony back in the water to reheat/re-soften, until I have cut all the way around the plug. I wonder if adding acetone to the equation would help loosen the plug glue...I think I might have tried that once...hmm. Anyway once the plug is loose you can remove it and get to the tail!
By the way, to remove the hair from inside the head I will pop it back in the hot water to resoften, then remove it and scrape the hair in there with some forceps/scissor blade/whatever. Alternate scraping and heating as needed. Some are easy, some are incredibly hard. Again make sure you hold the head in the towel so you don't burn your hands on the hot plastic.
Anyway, it is quite the process, those plugs are really well glued sometimes, as is the hair. >_< I usually try to do a batch of several at a time so I have a rhythm going and a constant flow of pony parts between the towel area and the pot of water.
If you hate it and want a prepped G4 send me a PM, I always have several prepped ones sitting around.
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(https://flic.kr/p/2nhsTS2) (https://flic.kr/p/2nhsTS2)Kimberly Johns (https://www.flickr.com/photos/187822797@N03/)
Do these seem reasonable? I love to create but I do not love sitting on my creations. It seems to fuel me to see them adopted. I'm a little nervous to be taking a few commissions maybe but I think it will be ok. I just do not want to let anyone down.
Congrats Snap! Eyes are so hard.
Starflash - Never do artwork for free unless it's something you WANT to do. If you feel you need to charge for your customs, then do so. I've never been good at gauging prices myself. The few times I took commissions I charged way too low, but I didn't know that at the time. I wasn't confident in myself and was just happy someone wanted some of my work but I ended up shorting myself.
At basic level, you want payment for your time and supplies. I find pricing for supplies difficult because I usually buy in bulk, like bulk clay. How can you charge someone for using a little bit of something you already have? You know? Time, the very best thing is to literally time yourself when you work and pay yourself what you think you're worth. This is where confidence comes in because you shouldn't feel bad about what you charge. If you're not getting any interest, then reevaluate. You can always change prices.
Would you guys think I was crazy if I admitted that I have 12 customs in various stages right now? :devious:
It's an all time high for me that's for sure. I was getting my airbrushing station set up in a different place and decided that if I was going to do some airbrushing I'd like to get a whole bunch of baits prepped at once.
Oh actually I just remembered one more...make that 13! :lmao: If anyone's interested I can make a list with what stage of completion they are in. :D
I'd love to see a list! And totally not crazy, whatever works for you! Sometimes it's easier to work on several customs at once, makes the process more streamlined just like BC said.
Well I ended up adding another two customs to my list because I dug up a couple of WIPs from several years ago. :rofl:
G1 Big Brother "Big Mac" - orange FBR done, working on eyes and apple symbol
G1 Posey bait chocolate Rocky Mountain Horse - brown FBR done, working on eyes
Well I ended up adding another two customs to my list because I dug up a couple of WIPs from several years ago. :rofl:
G1 Big Brother "Big Mac" - orange FBR done, working on eyes and apple symbol
G1 Posey bait chocolate Rocky Mountain Horse - brown FBR done, working on eyes
OOHHH These two will be awsome I Love Rocky Mountain horses and a big brother Big Mac sounds amazing!
Ooh, those shimmery bodies are gorgeous! I don't know where you do your hair shopping but The Doll Planet (https://www.etsy.com/shop/thedollplanethair) has metallic colors that would look fab with them. This might sound weird, but when I first saw them I thought of jewel beetles. For the first one, you could do an Egyptian theme maybe? The second, a space theme?
The horse looks great! I think it looks like a Fjord.
Does anyone know how dismantle a G2? My mom brought home a hole bag of G2s for me from church rummage sale & they need help...
Thank you I'll have to give that a shot when I have time. I also have a mechanical one that's in need of help too but I don't know if I'm going to tear it apart or leave it alone... maybe a good cleaning would help the mold smell And let them dry fully. They were placed in a plastic bag wet so they have a moldy smell too them now... I don't know how to get that out.Does anyone know how dismantle a G2? My mom brought home a hole bag of G2s for me from church rummage sale & they need help...
If they are the "normal" kind, I believe the heads just pop off. The catch is that they are made of very stiff material compared to other generations so it is hard to get them off...I recommend boiling the pony to soften it. But be careful of the hot water, use a big towel to handle the pony. I made two G2 customs and I don't even remember how I got the heads off...but I'm guessing it was with boiling water.
Oh yess Egyptian theme for the Pegasus definitely! For the unicorn maybe some planets & stars.
As for the Fjord horse I don't know what kind of horse that is but it looks Great!
Does anyone know how dismantle a G2? My mom brought home a hole bag of G2s for me from church rummage sale & they need help...
Kaelynn those baits are to die for!! What paint did you use if I may ask? That Fjord is incredible too. I love how you captured so much subtle coloring in the coat. :swoon:
Griffin, he looks beautiful. I was staring at the antlers for a while because at first they looked like glass. Then you said you hadn't sculpted them yet and I realized that's aluminum foil :lol:
Griffin, he looks beautiful. I was staring at the antlers for a while because at first they looked like glass. Then you said you hadn't sculpted them yet and I realized that's aluminum foil :lol:
Thanks! Oh wow, glass antlers would be so cool! And fragile :lol:
When using sealer what kind do you use. Asking about both gloss & matte.
Thank you everyone
*Starflashbaby*
When using sealer what kind do you use. Asking about both gloss & matte.
Thank you everyone
*Starflashbaby*
I use Vallejo brand polyurethane matte (which I learned the hard way you have to roll it around to homogenize it before every use! But it is great once you know that!). For eyes I use a Games Workshop gloss. These are both applied with paintbrushes.
SunPony Is it difficult to use the Vallejo Polyurethane?No, you just make sure your pony is thoroughly dry, mix the sealant (see Griffin's comments above), then paint the sealant on with a paintbrush. You do need to make sure your brush is very clean and isn't getting any tiny fibers into the sealant, that is probably the only potentially hard part. Then after it is completely dry you do a second coat.
HQG1C are ponies that are fan made. They are just like regular G1s, only they have their own designs.
They sell blanks of some poses, like a Big Brother. Some are glittery and blank. There were also some black ones, but I think they're sold out. The blanks are getting harder to find. I hope they make more.
My main focus though is going to be needle felting for a while. And getting back into making miniatures. I want to open an Etsy shop before my birthday in October. So I need things to list :POhh! Needle felting! :D That always looks fun, but I've enough hobbies so I shouldn't add to them. ^^; You sure you want to do Etsy, though? With the new rules and fees they've added, a lot of people with tangible good to ship out are looking into their own websites or other options. The CEO has been quoted as stating that Etsy is supposed to be a direct competitor of Amazon ( :what: ), so a lot of what's being sold isn't necessarily hand-made items anymore, but items bought via AE and Wish and resold, just like on Amazon. :huh:
Does anyone know how many hanks a styling size G3 takes?
I've never made one, only stripped a couple. I suppose I can figure it out from the hair I saved from them... but if anyone knows, I'd appreciate it.
Well, I bought two hanks of each color I need just to be sure. I'm making a Raincurl :)
Does anyone else feel like this often?
Motivation to work on customs for myself: -1
Motivation to work on customs for a swap partner: 9000!!!
any reason why there are no custom G2 ponies? I've mostly seen G1 and G3 customs but i don't think i've seen g2 customs
What is everyone working on? :)I'm working three G4s and one G3, three of which involve sculpting... one of which involves A LOT of sculpting. :drunk: I've also got a baity G1 Bowtie that I think I might attempt to flock.
What is everyone working on? :)
I've got four customs lined up. One is a gift so I can't talk about it. One is a 3 year old WIP I want to finally finish. The other two are going to be a general spring pony and an Easter pony. I'll be making wool felted and polymer clay minis to go along with them.
I also suspect it has to do with relative popularity! There aren't that many pony customizers compared to collectors, and that ratio goes way down in tandem with the G2 collectors. A lot of people simply don't collect or like them, so accordingly there's fewer customizers! Plus, I'm sure it's a struggle to sell art pieces in general; selling G2 customs must be exponentially more difficult. Why put the time and effort into something that may not sell?
I went to a pony meetup several years ago, and in the prize pile for the raffle (or maybe bingo?) was a beautiful G2 custom, a Merry Go Round styled G2. I picked her, and exclaimed how grateful I was to get her, when I was one of the last people to win a prize! And most of the collectors there didn't even realize she was a custom. I'm sure that wasn't a wholly representative slice of the pony populace, but it illustrates my point! (And no, I won't keep you waiting for a photo, LOL!)
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This is her! She's gorgeous, and so well made! But no maker's mark, so I have no clue who made her! The host who donated her said she got her in an eBay lot! :(
Another question! Do you sign your ponies with your real name or your online/art name? I have always done BC or in the beginning it was BCC for BlackCurtains Customs, but I dropped the second C at some point.
I also suspect it has to do with relative popularity! There aren't that many pony customizers compared to collectors, and that ratio goes way down in tandem with the G2 collectors. A lot of people simply don't collect or like them, so accordingly there's fewer customizers! Plus, I'm sure it's a struggle to sell art pieces in general; selling G2 customs must be exponentially more difficult. Why put the time and effort into something that may not sell?
I went to a pony meetup several years ago, and in the prize pile for the raffle (or maybe bingo?) was a beautiful G2 custom, a Merry Go Round styled G2. I picked her, and exclaimed how grateful I was to get her, when I was one of the last people to win a prize! And most of the collectors there didn't even realize she was a custom. I'm sure that wasn't a wholly representative slice of the pony populace, but it illustrates my point! (And no, I won't keep you waiting for a photo, LOL!)
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This is her! She's gorgeous, and so well made! But no maker's mark, so I have no clue who made her! The host who donated her said she got her in an eBay lot! :(
That's a beautiful custom, it looks factory?!Another question! Do you sign your ponies with your real name or your online/art name? I have always done BC or in the beginning it was BCC for BlackCurtains Customs, but I dropped the second C at some point.
I sign mine under a hoof with my RL initials, DLP. I have since I started customizing! :)
Another question! Do you sign your ponies with your real name or your online/art name? I have always done BC or in the beginning it was BCC for BlackCurtains Customs, but I dropped the second C at some point.
I've been on a hiatus for some time now. The forest druid custom for my friend is still sitting on my desk but that's the only WIP I have. I will try to find some time and motivation to start again! It would be great to do a custom swap sometime this year.
Had a go at sculpting something rather special. Will need to dry overnight & phone will need charged, but I'm pretty proud so far!!! The sculpt in question is sitting on some improv props for now...
Post Merge: May 06, 2023, 10:16:02 PM
Guess who...
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I love the powder pose. Glory is good too. I hope you find one.
They look great, ChocolateStarfire! I'm looking forward to finished pics :)