Happy Fourth!

I've just got a couple of little things to show this week, both are in the very early stages with an acrylics basecoat and one layer of oils so far. Nevada and the Mindy are close enough to being finished that I don't want to show them anymore. I will probably wait until after Breyerfest to put them up for sale.

I hope everyone has a great and safe 4th of July! Keep your pets safe too -- I know mine will be cowering in the basement :-/

Update

Here's a Mindy that I haven't shown in a while. The dapples look terrible, but this is close to the color that I'm looking for.

I've been able to work a bit on Stormwatch, too. I usually save him for last because the roaning causes eyestrain and tends to put me to sleep a little bit.

Well! I just spent the last hour writing a rambling, whiny meltdown but I decided not to post it here. I don't think people in the model horse community respond well to hearing negative things. It was only negative towards myself, but I'm sure those of you who read this will be better off not hearing about it. I do wish that I could speak more openly and honestly about things that bother me, but oh well. That's what private diaries are for, right?

Update

All I've got worth showing today is this Nevada, I've just started adding some markings.

In other news, my "Ornaments" painting is going to be on display at the Edmonds Arts Festival this weekend (June 15-17). It's a nice festival with indoor art galleries, booths outside with lots of art and craft vendors, and food. Here is the link if you're interested. I'm looking forward to seeing the painting from a distance, it's so large that I haven't been able to back up far enough in my own house to get a good look at it from afar.

'Til next week...

Update

I've been working a lot on Sushi. At this point I've gone over most of the flea bites with the white mixture I'm using. Lots of back and forth on her. Here are a couple of detail shots to show you the depth of the bites:

Next is the Nevada who will be getting worked on a lot pretty soon. At this point I'm going to start adding white markings. I keep forgetting that her face is going to be bald :-/

Somebody wanted to pop in and say hi ;-)

And finally, I pretty much spammed everyone with this already, but this Taboo that I recently finished is on eBay right now:

Another Short Diversion

I have been painting models but my studio is torn apart at the moment, so no photos until next week. In the meantime, here are a few gesture drawings that I did recently. Horses are really hard to draw to begin with, but when they're constantly moving around it's even worse. But nothing compares to close observation from life!

Quick Update

I'm wrapping up a couple of commissions this week, and working on this Taboo as a sales piece. I'm hoping to have him done within the month.

I'm still really busy working on the "flat" painting and that will continue for the next couple of weeks, so it will be a little quiet around here until then.

A Short Diversion

Sorry for the radio silence on this end lately! I've been working on finishing up the Johann and Oliver commissions, and unfortunately when it gets to this point there's not really any use in showing them until they're done. Glazes, spot-checks and final detailing just don't seem to show through on the photos, yet it takes a long time to get those final details right. 

My time in the model horse studio will be very limited for the next couple of weeks, too, because I'm trying to finish up a large "flat" painting for a show deadline. So I am limiting myself to the commissions and a small sales piece until the flat painting is done. Then I'll be back in business!

In the meantime I thought I'd share a few sketches I made the other day of a raccoon that wandered into the yard. It spent a long time grooming itself.