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| Customizing Tutorial #1 |
I am starting with a Peter Stone Standing Drafter. I feel that the body on this mold is a little long and the hooves are way too big, so I will be working on those areas in this Tut. Make sure to sand all seams smooth before you start cutting, this makes the process much easier when you start sculpting :) |
I have made wedge shaped cuts out of my piece where I will be shortening and reshaping the body and neck. I have left the neck attached so I can relatively see how long it should be for repositioning it. I will be bringing the front legs back and the hind legs forward in this custom. A common problem in a lot of CM's is, the necks are too long or too short...and even necks that would be broken if they were on a living horse. Plastic is removed in a wedge shape, from the areas you want to shorten or bring closer together. If you are lengthening and area, there will be no need to cut out a wedge, only make a cut. |
I have repositioned all the legs, the pasterns, and the neck. I have also removed the mane and some of the mass from the crest. I shortened the back just a little by heating and pushing it together. I have also reshaped the hooves and carved away all the extra plastic that made them so huge and weird looking. The front hooves should be more round and the back hooves are more of an oval shape, a Farrier told me this, so I try to do that with my customs for realism. |
On to Page 2 Adding Glass Eyes |
Here you see her from the other side and from the back. The holes are filled with aluminum foil, this purpose is to keep the sculpture lighter and to have a base to sculpt against when filling the holes. |
Here you can see that I have also made a cut between the back legs so that they can be repositioned individually...you cannot just heat legs up and move them or bend them without resculpting all the muscles and tendons that go with the position you will be putting your horse in. Unfortunately, that is another very common mistake I see all the time. Some people think it is easy to remake a model, it isn't. There is a lot of work that goes into them and a lot of research if you want to make it look real, and LSQ (Live Show Quality). |
Your results may turn out differently. This is only my personal basic guide to help guide you in a wonderful and invaluable learning experience. |
| All of my Tutorials are exactly that, Mine. They are my personal photos, experiences and directions on the way I sculpt. I am making them free to you for reference only. They are not to be copied in any way without my sole written permission. © Lora Speiser 2007 |
