NaMoPaiMo - Taking the Plunge

I did it. I entered NaMoPaiMo. Me, who really is not artistic and does not paint models. (Well, I did some nail polish ponies back in the 1990s for friends but those don't count.)

I have entered NaMoPaiMo, I have a mentor (thanks, Beth Peart Weekes!), and I have paints, brushes, and things to prep my pony.

Originally, I had planned to do two practice pieces before doing the real NaMoPaiMo entry.

When Breyer was having its big sale a few weeks ago, I ordered three of their Stablemate Paint and Play kits. My thinking was that the horses were already a blank slate and that that would be easier to begin with.

 I decided to do a palomino, and I have a palomino to model for me just a few miles away. 

And since she is a Quarter Horse, I am going to go with the Standing Stock Horse mold instead.

 Sultanna is in her full winter coat (and, she's in foal, too!) but I have lots of photos of her in both her summer and winter coats for reference.

As I looked at her today, I was reminded of Lesli Kathman's most recent blog entry on Equine Tapestry. She discussed the color red in the coats of some reference pictures, including what looked like a palomino Fjord. As I studied Sultanna today, I could see the red in her coat. In fact, as I contemplate painting, I am beginning to see a lot more colors where I used to see only one or two. 

Sultanna did not look like a palomino when she was born. But Tim called it when he saw her; he told me that her sire was a palomino and he thought that she would be, too. We called her Gingersnap due to that red color before Tim officially named her Sultanna. He was out of the country and with the Sultan of Oman when she was born. Tim thought it was the feminine form of "Sultan," instead, it's a type of grape! (Oops!)

So, I have my model to prep and paint, a decision has been made is to breed and color, and I have officially entered NaMoPaiMo. I think it will be challenging, but I think it will also be fun. 

Wish me luck!