Progress, really!

Hand detailing is one of my least favorite parts about painting model horses (only prepping is worse). I've added more layers to the mane and tail and white markings and started the hooves and chestnuts. I still need to bring out the airbrushes to detail the mane and tail and touch up a few areas on the body and around the eyes and muzzle. I like to leave the eyes for last or nearly last.

The photos above are after I sealed the model with several light coats of Krylon Crystal Clear Flat. It isn't nearly as flat at Dullcote and it isn't as shiny as Krylon Matte Finish. So far, I am really liking it (especially since it doesn't smell anywhere nearly as bad as Dullcote).

Isn't this cute? At first I was going to remove the bridle and repaint it, but I think leaving the bridle on and also repainting the rider would be a fun challenge.

I find these rubbery horses from Schleich and Safari Ltd. to be very appealing from a painter's point of view. They are pretty nice, inexpensive and not-too-big. When working on these, I don't feel the pressure to get everything "just so". I've done a number of rubbery horses in the past and here are just some of them. Most were done pre-digital camera era so I still need to scan their photos yet to add them to my gallery.

I can't remember just when I painted these fun, rubbery horses, but I am going to guess it was sometime in the '90s. I have done many more; I just need to scan their photos. I don't know the brand but many were definitely Breyer knock-offs of Traditional models but in a Stablemate sized copy.

Has anyone tried using this or something similar to prime their models with? I believe Sandra Hottinger of C.S.Richmond Studios was using a similar Zinsser product at one time. As convenient as the cans of Krylon or Rustoleum or Tamiya primers are, they are enamel or lacquer based and the fumes can sometimes trigger a migraine (even if I wore a respirator - the smell on the painted model can set one off). The fact that this is water-based and doesn't smell horribly is very appealing. That and the fact that this stuff would be dirt cheap compared to the canned variety. The only thing holding me back from trying it right now is that I don't have an airbrush capable of handling the heavier viscosity. I got rid of my Badger single-action because it was a pain to use. I do have my eye on a single-action Iwata that I suspect would handle this stuff very well, but it would set me back about $110 and I can buy a lot of cans for that.

I think I'll try thinning this down quite a bit and shoot it through my Thayer-Chandler Omni and see how it does priming a Micro Mini. My Thayer-Chandler is capable of handling very thin gesso so I am hoping it will handle this. Stay tuned.....