Stablemate Remaking

Mini Remaking 101

Here is the first installment of what I hope to be a popular series of customizing blogs. For this one I have chosen one of the new stablemates and the popular drafter mold.
To start with you need materials. I use Apoxy Sculpt in natural color that I get from Aves Studio. You can contact them at avesstudio.com. To smooth the apoxy I use denatured alcohol, NOT water! Then a couple of sculpting and dental tools and some golden taklon brushes (yes brushes!). Arm yourself with a good coping saw with a 6"clearance, a variable speed dremel, and a heat gun. And most of all SAFETY GOGGLES!!!!!!!!!
So lets start!
I love the new warmblood, but I want him to be in correct extended trot with the hind leg in the air. So I make a cut on the inside of the hock joint. Rule of thumb, cut plastic away in V shapes on whatever side you are trying to move a part towards. If this were a big horse, I would then make into the back of the hock to make is easier to move. Not needed with the stablemates.

Next I want to do the drafter as a snorty stud with a tucked head, so I make a V cut on the underside of the neck, the side I want to tuck the head to, then a slit in the neck right behind the ears. I do this sitting down, with GOGGLES (I am a science teacher by day, can you tell?) with a towel across my lap. Rest your arm and hand holding the horse against something or sawing will be a bear, and you may snap the leg.

Then heat VERY gently, especially the legs. With stablemates, a hairdryer is enough to move the legs, but a heat gun will be needed for bigger parts. Hold the gun at least 6 inches away and test the joint ofter to see if its ready to move. Use a low heat setting if your gun has one. The problem with the newer plastic is that it tends to bubble easily from over heating, if that happens you will just have to sand and maybe fill in the area. Once the parts are moved where you want them. Dremel away the plastic on each side of the moved area, down past level. This will make it look nicer when you sculpt the new muscles in and prevent it from looking bulky.

Above here they are with the joints moved and excess plastic taken away. I use the diamond dust grinders and a small sanding drum to do this on low speed. I also heated the warmbloods tail to give it some wave and more movement than the original.

Next to start sculpting! Mix up small amounts of apoxy. Really try to remake in layers, not only will it turn out smoother, but you will be able to put more details in the apoxy. To start with, I just do a basic fill in of the neck area to give the foundation to the actual muscles. Smooth in the apoxy with denatured alcohol and your fingers, then brushes in the alcohol. Leave brushes in a GLASS jar with alcohol on them to keep them from drying out. And make sure you wash your hands. It is drying, so best to put some lotion on your hands after you are all done as well

The drafter needs to dry now. I place them in front of a small space heated on low. Not only does it speed up drying time, but will help get rid of the finish chemicals in the plastic that can cause leaching later on (make you model shiney)

Next I roll out little snakes of clay and lay them on the tail. I rough in tail strands with a small plastic sculpting tool. You can make the hair wavy or straight depending on your tastes

Then smooth the hair with a large taklon brush in alcohol. Make sure you stroke in the direction of the hairs. Use a small brush where the apoxy meets the plastic with some pressure to ensure a smooth transition between the two.

Okay enough for today, tune in tomorrow for more! Please let me know what you think and what else would be helpful!