Do you wanna build a snow pony?
Well this is pretty awful. The bad anatomy was once covered by flocking and fur mane and tail. It does have a nice bit of action and expression so let's see what happens...
- paint with white water based paint (acrylic, house paint, etc.
- ModPodge and white glitter in layers, do one layer, dry, do another... last layer should be glitter sprinkled onto wet ModPodge... it may shed slightly but will look more like snow than if you put ModPodge on top
- use air dry clay (or glue on yarn) for mane and tail... tail could be done with Sculpey (baked) and glued on... I used yarn held together by wire inserted into horse's original tail hole and hot glued
- hot glue various ribbon, tule and things on as trappings... look up horse gear, tack,harness or saddlery ... good classic carousel horses are also an inspiration
- rehab a Barbie as a rider... I don't sew, but I can use hot glue and tule!
below: slide shows demonstrate the steps to make the snow pony
clay mane and tail part one
clay mane and tail, glitter and ModPodge finish
yarn tail, trappings, rider
horse and rider, going for a ride
Epic Log
2015.11.31
Considering slopping white house paint on it as a base, then using various silver and white glitter and something called "diamond dust" which basically looks like loose snow or crushed ice. ModPodge, then sprinkling various glitters to create "snow horse". Add icy tule and stuff in "Frozen" colors and there's a nice Christmas decoration.
2015.12.02
Have, in fact slopped white acrylic latex house paint all over it (soaks into flocking and will take forever to dry).
No, actually it didn't...
Diamond Dust is made of glass bits and is not nice to handle so will use glitter (also cheaper).
Flattened some blue tinsel garland from dollar store (with hot hair dryer) to make trappings for "Frozen pony".
Also have some blue organza.
Leaving eye unpainted, because it's kind of nice.
Using air dry clay like DAS to make mane and tail. Tail requires core of fence wire first.
Bought some turquoise tule.
And air dry clay.
2015.12.12
Amaco air dry clay takes longer to dry and is more soft and fragile than DAS. It powders off on my hands when I touch the dried clay. Of course a top coat of paint will cure this. It also cracked in the tail where the clay was thick. Small cracks in mane but not a problem there. Someone suggested using aluminum foil as an armature. I have used fence wire and aluminum foil as armature for Sculpey: uses less Sculpey, allows it to bake more evenly, supports the slightly squishy Sculpey.
Reworked tail. Maybe should have used tule or hair...
%(&^&#@@!!! tail cracked again, despite use of foil and wire armature. I've talked to a taxidermist and folks who work for an animal clinic who use this clay. The animal clinic makes paw prints of pets who die, the taxidermist uses the clay to create details on top of the plastic armatures of deer and other animals. Perhaps it only works on expired creatures.
Considered creating Sculpey tail and gluing on. Sculpey is great, non-toxic and fairly unbreakable.
Decided yarn may be best option.
2015.12.21 Found one of the Barbies I collected from thrift shops and yard sales is pretty and articulated to ride. Also wearing stuff in turquoise and sheer white ribbon... rehabbed slightly with hot glue and tule and ... hey! I have a rider faerie!
Gave horse and rider to friend for Christmas.
2015.11.31
Considering slopping white house paint on it as a base, then using various silver and white glitter and something called "diamond dust" which basically looks like loose snow or crushed ice. ModPodge, then sprinkling various glitters to create "snow horse". Add icy tule and stuff in "Frozen" colors and there's a nice Christmas decoration.
2015.12.02
Have, in fact slopped white acrylic latex house paint all over it (soaks into flocking and will take forever to dry).
No, actually it didn't...
Diamond Dust is made of glass bits and is not nice to handle so will use glitter (also cheaper).
Flattened some blue tinsel garland from dollar store (with hot hair dryer) to make trappings for "Frozen pony".
Also have some blue organza.
Leaving eye unpainted, because it's kind of nice.
Using air dry clay like DAS to make mane and tail. Tail requires core of fence wire first.
Bought some turquoise tule.
And air dry clay.
2015.12.12
Amaco air dry clay takes longer to dry and is more soft and fragile than DAS. It powders off on my hands when I touch the dried clay. Of course a top coat of paint will cure this. It also cracked in the tail where the clay was thick. Small cracks in mane but not a problem there. Someone suggested using aluminum foil as an armature. I have used fence wire and aluminum foil as armature for Sculpey: uses less Sculpey, allows it to bake more evenly, supports the slightly squishy Sculpey.
Reworked tail. Maybe should have used tule or hair...
%(&^&#@@!!! tail cracked again, despite use of foil and wire armature. I've talked to a taxidermist and folks who work for an animal clinic who use this clay. The animal clinic makes paw prints of pets who die, the taxidermist uses the clay to create details on top of the plastic armatures of deer and other animals. Perhaps it only works on expired creatures.
Considered creating Sculpey tail and gluing on. Sculpey is great, non-toxic and fairly unbreakable.
Decided yarn may be best option.
2015.12.21 Found one of the Barbies I collected from thrift shops and yard sales is pretty and articulated to ride. Also wearing stuff in turquoise and sheer white ribbon... rehabbed slightly with hot glue and tule and ... hey! I have a rider faerie!
Gave horse and rider to friend for Christmas.