I want to start customizing--what will I need?

[xkelpiex]

Hey guys, after a year of lurking and posting praise in the customs forum, and just being in awe of all the beauties here, I have decided I want to step into the world of customization. What I want to know is--what are some basic supplies I would need to start off? I know I need a variety of brushes and paint and hair but....what kind of paint? What kind of brushes? Do you guys recommend any tutorials? How should I prepare the paint? Does it need to be thinned, and how? Sorry for being clueless, guys, but I have nooo clue how to go about this, but I really wanna do it!

[pineapples]

http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/mlp-styling This blog has a lot of links on styling pony hair.
http://www.aikarin.com/mlp/customs/customtutorials.html This website has some great tips on how to do almost everything when it comes to customizing.
As for paint I recommend investing in model paints they are designed for painting on plastic models and are made to last the wear and tear.  If you are going to thin model paint even the water based ones shouldn't be thinned with water but you shouldn't need to. I would ask the person at the shop for advice as for what to thin it with as I don't actually know I was just told water was too heavy.
http://www.dollyhair.com/main.htm Is great for re-rooting tools pony hair and it also sells colours very similar to hasbro's

[Katika]

I'm assuming that your first custom will be relatively simple, without sculpting.  That said, the basic supplies I started with are:

*A bait pony (which can be a brand spankin' new one, too)
*Something to rehair it with (for the longest time, I used the cheap curly crap from Michael's and box handles off the G3s)
*Paint brushes (When I started, I got one of those variety packs with natural-looking bristles, but now that I'm doing more detailed stuff, I've started using finer brushes - my current arsenal has 5/0, 10/0, 18/0 and 20/0 plus some of my old, bigger brushes that don't have size markings on them that I use for general base coats)
*Acrylic paints (favored brands seem to vary from customizer to customizer)
*Some type of varnish or sealant
*A rehairing tool or a needle and floss/upholstery thread
*Exacto knife and needle nose pliers, and I personally super glue heads back on

That's the basics you'll want to look for (I think I got them all!).  For paints, as I mentioned, everyone has preferences.  Some people like to work with them thick for certain appications, some people will only use them watered down to an almost wash-like consistency.  I know from experience that Folk Art brand acrylics are quite thick, and Apple Barrel acrylics are on the thinner side.  Citadel Colour paints (found at gaming stores/comic shops) work amazingly well, but there are fewer colors available than with the other brands, and they're significantly more expensive per ounce.  Have you done much painting in the past?  It's pretty easy to make the transfer from wood or canvas to ponies

[ViciousJupiter]

There also a stickie for Custom information and Tutorials at the top of this forum.  That is usually a good place to start.  Hope that helps!

[xkelpiex]

There also a stickie for Custom information and Tutorials at the top of this forum.  That is usually a good place to start.  Hope that helps!

*facepalm* That would have been a good place to look lol!

[PaintedHooves]

Good luck with your first custom!  Please keep us updated   It's always great to get some fresh creativity in the mix!  If you run into any problems let us know, I'm sure there are many of us who would be glad to help!

A quick suggestion, plan out your pony before you make a commitment in paint Sketching out his/her cutie mark is really helpful and taking pictures of the eyes before you get them off (if you want to do the eyes like Hasbro does).  Also, to get the factory paint off you'll want pure acetone.  Don't use nail polish remover, it just smears the paint all over the place.  Acetone works well for cleaning up your line work too, unless you've done a full body repaint that is!  Good luck!

[tikibirds]

My very first custom was made with nailpolish.  At first I looked for ways to use their flaws to their advantage since only g1's were avalible at the time. If it had frizzy hair, I would use glitter paint in it to give it a glittery net look.  I was an odd bird.

If you want to try sculpting, I would start out with sculpty. Its not too expensive if you only need one color. I used some weird air drying clay and that stuff was really annoying to work with because it dried too quick.

[xkelpiex]

Thanks guys! I on't think my first custom will be anytime soon. I want to slowly start getting supplies so I'll try and start the end of november. But, I'll keep you guys posted for sure. Looking at all this stuff, I am getting sooo excited. I'm already thinking of designs!