Counting Bodies Like Sheep...

In addition to the painting aspect, one of the things I wanted to achieve this month with NaMoPaiMo was sorting out my rather extensive collection of bodies.

I'm not exactly the most organised of people - though I do try! - and despite getting a big box with a lid to store them in, the lid had gone walkabout and the corner I'd stored it in had turned into...this.

The red box has some of my leather in it and the one behind, my felt.

Shockingly that wasn't even all my bodies - ones I was actively (or occasionally) still working on lived on top of a set of drawers, the windowsill and my poor Playstation 4 because it was the closest horizontal surface. (and it's nice and warm when it's on, so it speeds up drying time!)

I don't mind a bit of clutter here and there but this was getting ridiculous. I didn't even know what I had any more, so I finally bit the body shaped bullet and hauled everything out of that corner.

 (The flatpacked wooden stable will be sold eventually, though I have someone already interested so don't bother asking!)

Not including the WIPs, all piled up in the box it didn't look like I had that many. I'd had a cull of my bodies sometime last year, and I've got a big cardboard box in the loft full of the rejects - either cheap and nasty horse-shaped-objects that need a lot of work to look semi decent, or ones I know I'm never in a million years going to get through. I'll probably do a sales post with them at some point as they're just taking up space.

Once I took everything out however...

I had just a few more than I was expecting.

A post shared by Christine Sutcliffe (@lynkhart) on Feb 16, 2017 at 9:04am PST

I found a completely unopened bag of unpainted stablemates, in addition to a lot of loose ones too - I think I ended up with about 50 of those alone!

Some were WIPs I've had on hold for years, like this naked flockie-turned-zombie horse.

The rest were a glorious mixture of Schleichs, Magpies and other random brands thrown in.

Mini Haggis came out of the box with a friend. XD

 

The final tally, including a tupperware box of mini whinnies, came to 232, though I know I have a few more lurking elsewhere!

I'll probably take a few to Copperfox's Stirling show in a couple of months time, but the rest are very much not for sale. I went out to Homebase after I'd had a sort though, and bought two more boxes to store the smaller ones in and I think this looks a bit more organised now!

The current WIPs still live on the top, but there's far less space now so I hopefully won't be tempted to add to the pile!

I'm not sure if I'll finish any other horses this month but I've still got the best part of a week so you never know! :P

Aeryn Stormwind, the Nord Sellsword

Taking a little break from the horses, I've been working on another of my Skyrim figures recently - Aeryn. I had her 90% finished a few months ago but I was never happy with her head, so I ordered up a replacement to customise a few weeks ago.

As this post is going to be pretty huge, here's a quick preview of her final form so you at least have something to look forward to...XD

Happy Valentines!

I couldn't let the day pass without featuring these two!

They even made each other terrible cards. XD

(and yes, that IS the worst attempt at an otter I've ever made)

NaMoPaiMo - A few finished ponies!

Against all my original predictions I've not only finished my designated pony, but several others too and I've still got half the month left to go!

NaMoPaiMo - Day...3?

I've kind of lost track of the days a bit here, haha!

Progress has been made on all fronts however, and some are getting closer and closer to completion!


After another couple of pastel layers, the Shetland had his markings outlined, which is one of the most tedious, yet fulfilling parts of doing pintos.



I always love this stage, as the coloured areas really start to pop, even with just the basic outlines done!

NaMoPaiMo - Day 1

First things first, I needed to clear my desk! XD

NaMoPaiMo 2017!

As many of my regular readers will have noticed, other than the recent Julip one, there's been a distinct lack of pony posts over the last wee while. I've always had something of a wandering muse; one minute I'll be really into something, but in a matter of days or weeks I'm in the mood for something else, and so I've been doing a lot more with my dolls over the last few months while the horses took a back seat.

 I really needed something to get myself back in an equestrian mood, as my body piles have been mounting up whilst my motivation to paint them ebbed away. So, you can imagine my delight when Jennifer Buxton announced a brilliant challenge for February - NaMoPaiMo!

Inspired by NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) she came up with this one specifically to get hobbyists back into painting and interest in it has been rather dramatic!

I had no shortage of bodies and quite a few awaiting primer, so choosing my victims wasn't too difficult. Only one model would be counted in the challenge, but I've picked four I'd like to get done this month.

From left to right; 'Horatio' by Clare Stokes, 'Truffles' by David Mayer/Horsing Around, 'Night Heather' by Kelly Sealey and 'Hamlet' by Clare Stokes.

All of them have been sat next to my desk for the best part of a year. I occasionally sanded a few seams and carved out some hooves but other than that they've lain more or less untouched.

UNTIL TODAY!