So, a while ago I started to work on a resculpt of an unpainted Stablemates G3 Tennessee Walker from the high step to a rear/prance dual pose. The resculpt took ages, but I documented it with photos and then strung them together into a video. Here it is:
Just in case you need a quick recap, here are the steps:
Materials:
- Stablemates G3 Tennessee Walker mare
- Fine-grit sandpaper
- X-Acto knife
- Razor blade
- Boiling water
- Hot glue gun
- Superglue
- Wire
- Air-dry clay
- Toothpick
- Old paintbrush
- White acrylic paint and a working paintbrush
Step 1: Break off the tail.
Step 2: Sand the rump smooth.
Step 3: Use a razor blade to weaken the back leg at the knee. Watch your fingers!
Step 4: Snap off the back leg where you weakened it.
Step 5: Sand the end of the back leg smooth.
Step 6: Use the razor blade to carve out a deep notch at the upper back of the other hind leg.
Step 7: Continue carving until you have a deep groove circling the upper leg.
Step 8: Boil some water. Ask an adult for help if you're little.
Step 9: Use tongs to dip the horse in. Let her soak for 30 seconds, then pull her out. While the plastic is still hot, hold the horse in a dishtowel and break off the leg at the weak part. If it doesn't break at first, put her back in the water and try again until it does. You should now have two broken-off legs.
Step 10: Carve a notch behind the hoof of each broken-off legs. Carve another notch behind the knee of the longer leg piece. Repeat the hot-water procedure, but this time just bend the plastic, don't break it. Be careful! Bend the hooves back. Bend the longer piece back at the knee. If it breaks, don't worry.
Step 11: Hot-glue the longer leg piece back onto the hip, but angle it back more. You may need to sand down the top.
Step 12: Hot-glue the other leg pieces into the position shown below. The horse won't be able to stand yet.
Step 13: Use the tip of the X-Acto knife to drill a hole where the tail used to be.
Step 14: Cut a 5-inch piece of wire, hot-glue one end into the hole, and bend it so the horse can stand. This is the tail armature.
Step 15: Weaken and break off the straight front leg the same way you did for the back legs.
Step 16: Cut a notch behind the knee. Weaken and break off the hoof just below the fetlock.
Step 17: Use the hot-water method to bend this front leg back at the knee.
Step 18: Sand the upper leg remnant (shoulder). Drill a hole in the front with the X-Acto knife.
Step 19: Drill another hole in the bigger end of the broken-off, bent front leg.
Step 20: Glue another piece of wire into the hole in the shoulder, trim it, and glue the other end into the hole in the bent front leg, thus reattaching the leg. Push the leg into the position shown below.
Step 21: Hot-glue the hoof back on, angled down. Sand the joint smooth.
Step 22: Start filling in holes and cracks with air-dry clay. Use an old, wet paintbrush to smooth and blend the clay.
Step 23: Sculpt the base of the tail, covering the hot glue.
Step 24: Cover the tail armature with a clay snake. Make sure all the wire is covered!
Step 25: Add body to the tail by sticking on more clay snakes, tapered at the ends.
Step 26: Carve the hair on the tail with a toothpick. This part is tricky! Take your time. Use an old, stiff paintbrush to smooth the clay and get rid of crumbs.
Step 27: As the clay, dries, it might crack. Fill any cracks or breaks with superglue.
Step 28: Add a thin coat of white acrylic paint to prime the surface and fill small cracks.
You're finished with the sculpt! Now you can paint her as desired!
Here's the photo gallery showing off what I did, but you can choose any color you like (bear in mind that etching is probably a bad idea).
Enjoy your newly-resculpted horse!
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