Moondance re-make...

DizzyLizzy · Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 12:58 pm Post subject: Moondance re-make...

Hellooo. i'm currently working on a custom and i thought i'd ask your opinions...
it's not my first Julip custom, but it is my first re-make, of a HOTY Moondance mould i picked up for £7 in my local saddler Smile

i'm moving the head and neck, and adding feathers to turn it into a heavy horse. Note to self - never try re-making on Julips again, the plastic takes ages to heat, burns, doesn't stretch when heated and tends to spring back into it's original shape as it cools... Mad

eventually i got pretty much the pose i wanted though Rolling Eyes

Only thing is, i can't decide wether to make it a piebald gypsy vanner with mohair mane and tail, or a bay shire show horse with sculpted plaits... Help! Question

Here's a pic of it before work, straight from the shop - you can see why it was a bit of a bargain, poor horse has been much abused in the hair department...

view from above...

(urgh tinypic is being annoying and misbehaving Sad

- i've got a better picture from the side but it doesn't like it so i'll try again later Confused

hopefully you'll be able to advise me on the breed/hair problemo! Wink

apologies for slightly blurry (and absolutely massive!!! how do i stop that??!!) photo's, taken in a rush on my phone lol
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julipfarm · Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 1:09 pm Post subject:

Mohair always works well - and you have the added fun (or stress, depending on how you look at it!) of rehairing as well.
Well done on the melting way reposition him, I normally use Milliput as I find it easier, maybe try that instead of melting if you find that difficult!
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Manda · Joined: 07 Nov 2006 Posts: 2741 Location: Essex

I like the idea of a vanner, mainly because they are more versatile, if you wanted to show him. A cob can be shown in hand, under saddle or as a performance entry.
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Jodi · Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 1:40 pm Post subject:

A vanner would be lovely! looking good so far!
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DizzyLizzy · Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 2:19 pm Post subject:

Thanks! i've had some sucsess with cutting/melting Breyers before, but the main difference is Julips aren't hollow and the Plastic doesn't go quite as maleable when hot Rolling Eyes

although his singed shoulder is a lovely shade of caramel that i wish i could paint... here's the picture i was trying to get to work earlier, finally tinypic likes me Smile

it's also a slightly more manegable size lol
i did the first stages of Milliput work this morning, here's another incredibly blurry (stupid phone) piccy...

so you can see the new position better Wink

The other thing i did (and feel a little guilty about now as he keeps staring at me with puppy dog eyes and looking sorry for himself, if a lump of plastic and milliput can look sorry for itself) is hack off his ears and sand down his nostrils and mouth - i'm going to re-sculpt them later, promise!
i don't actually do showing but i am veering towards the gypsy vanner side of the argument now...
either something like this...
http://cowboyfrank.net/fortvalley/breeds/Graphics/GypsyVanner.jpg
or
http://www.lakeridgegypsy.com/images/Gypsy_Vanner_Horses_Ster8581-37.jpg
or if i go for Shire, like this...
http://www.shirehorse.net/images/Cardinal%20in%20England.jpg
complete with rozzies and show gear that i could make Wink

the only other thing i'm worried about at the moment is if i go vanner with him, will it look wierd with flowing mohair m+t and then hard miliput feathers??? i did a black unicorn once with mohair feathers which looked good but that took literally forever and was half the size... would it look strange? (or does nobody else have a clue what i'm talking about as i have a feeling i didn't explain that well... it makes sense in my head lol)
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Jodi · Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 2:40 pm Post subject:

He's looking really nice! No, sculpted feather and mohair mane and tail wouldn't look strange, check out georgies silver mist from last year (or any of her CM's with feather!)
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Elrenia Greenleaf · Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 2:42 pm Post subject:

Oooh, he's going to look really good when he's finished!
I think your best bet is to finish all the sculpting and give him a skoosh of primer, then decide on a colour.
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DizzyLizzy · Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 2:59 pm Post subject:

'skoosh,' what a lovely word! lol thankies for the advice, i'll keep you guys updated on my progress! Just off to do some more milliputting now! Very Happy

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Pip · Joined: 11 Nov 2006 Posts: 4914 Location: South England

I think milliput feathers look better than mohair, personally. I've owned several customs with hairy hair and sculpted feathers and they were all gorgeous. Smile

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PearTreeFarm · Joined: 01 Apr 2010 Posts: 247 Location: England

wow i think you should do a shire
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Liberty · Joined: 24 May 2009 Posts: 1077

I'm really excited by your custom in progress and getting inspired to do my own. Don't worry I think he's going to look great! Just keep going! Very Happy

FjordsRock · Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 12:24 pm Post subject:

I think a shire would be nice Smile

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julipfarm · Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 1:17 pm Post subject:

I think I forgot to mention taht I think you shoul do a vanner. He is very majestic, isn't he?
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DizzyLizzy · Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 7:27 pm Post subject:

Thanks for all the comments, everyone! Yes, i did go for the kind/wise/magestic look for his face, too, which i have now sculpted to look like a heavy horse - i think the build looks more shire-y than vanner-y, but i'm still not sure. Anyway, here's the next stage of milliputing, with new feathers!

his head - i spent ages on all the sculpting! I re-did the bottom lip, nostrils and hollowed out ears, and gave him a more 'roman' profile

and there we are! All milliputing done! Now i just have to sand, prime and decide on the colour... so far vanner is winning three votes to two Wink

(tinypic is being irritating again, will try adding the other pics later)
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DizzyLizzy · Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 7:59 pm Post subject:

yay tinypic is behaving again! at long last... here's some front feets -

and back feets -

and another head shot

comments/constructive critisism welcome Wink

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