I'm calling them "water accessories"... because every gal needs accessories I guess? :D
I've been fiddling with water effects!
So I'm working to make her very "user friendly" so to speak! I've designed it so that her form fitting water collar there, the clear resin around her neck to denote the wake of water she's creating as she swims, can go on (and off) and rest there like that without glue.. It goes on easily enough and stays put but I don't think I want to suggest leaving it as a repeated plug-on/pull-off item because it's just inevitable that the sides will tear up finishwork over time. BUT, it's not a bad option since usually horses are shipped from painters to customers & the end customer may want to do the final gluing. I try anyhow to make them more durable. Really though, this gal has more balance points than any other resin I've done to date..
The seaweed has been the big challenge.. did I say that already? Anyhow, making it support her & have these wonderful magnetic points that blend in to the overall flow. It's all about maintaining that buoyant feel!
I really could be done this week though, I've just been picking away here & there.. finishing up some other things for people while I think about if I like the way she's working out. Did anyone guess her name yet? It's an "O" name... OH! And she's a rare breed that is often seen crossing water on pictures of the breed. She's not the picture perfect stereotype of the breed BUT she's young and gangly and this piece is just as much about her spindlely little legs making punctuated swirls through the water as she goes...
On the mention of swirls through the water.. that's the other water effect I'm working on at the moment! :) As her legs churn through the water her little hoovesies will be creating action bubbles (well in my head they are). ;) And off of her mane and tail. I've created a whole variety of these and have been sitting around trying to decide how I'm going to "fit" them to her. In the end I've concluded here that they are also to be glued on after the fact and best if left up to the finisher to decide upon! My hope is that even if people submerge her into a Lucite block when finished they'll have a fun bubble effect. Well, I've been messing with the clear resin and they DO look like tiny bubbles.. woohoo! (This is not a picture of that, I just had to illustrate tiny bubbles for fun). ;)
Quick little life updates here also, 25 days later & we're still on the hunt for a home in very active pursuit. The previous place's sellers did make us a small counter offer of alternatives but that was not a sensible solution for us.. especially if he should have to relocate to another job in the coming years (likely since there isn't too much in that county or surrounding ones). I've really had the wind knocked out of my sails about it (despite all that I've gotten done).. such a beautiful farm with such a neat history, and especially since it had that move-in ready workshop for me (!). Still though, lately we've seen more traditionally financed farm homes with sturdy bones since then & may put an offer in on one this week. Cross your fingers for us here please. We've been living with our friends here for far too long & while they love how we've landscaped & renovated their property & workshop... it's been over 3 years now.. eeek!! Time does fly! :)
In contact news I have tons of emails to address and Kipling designs to wrap up with people.
& It's come up a couple of times now so I'll reiterate; any outstanding Maxixe de Barrios castings are paid for and are waiting for you here. I need to nag about those but I looooath nagging.. please feel free to just send money. Lol! :) Truly; you send your payment and the horse goes out the next day. This is how I like to keep it. It's only a brief period at the beginning of the edition when I ever have fully paid for orders waiting on castings (aka any kind of a "wait").
Ok, well think I've covered a good deal here today! All my roses here are coming in strong this spring. I saw that up in KY (@ Rolex) you guys don't have trees filled in yet..! but hope it starts looking like spring elsewhere for folks soon! I'm sitting in here typing with the AC on already mind you so don't be too envious.. cheers!.. ;)
