Sunday 31 December 2017

2018 Model Horse Goals

What are your model horse goals for the New Year?

Here are my 10 2018 model horse goals, I would love to hear your goals as well and hopefully you will complete them this year!

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1. Finish my new scene entry

Last year I started a new scene entry...it is still pretty much just a box! So my goal for this year is to get this done!

2. Finish cataloguing all my models

I really need to finish this. It is such an important thing to do and would make my life so much easier.

3. Finish my horse breeds spreadsheet

I have this awesome spreadsheet I've been working on that details all horse breeds including information about them, again life would be so much easier if I finished this.

4. Create 10 new performance entries

I haven't done a new performance entry in so long. So the aim for this year is to create loads of new entries.

5. Finish 52 resculpt customs

That's one a week. I still have horses that haven't been finished from last Summer. So this year's challenge isn't just to actually get painting again but to start sculpting properly.

6. Learn how to needlefelt

I so want to be able to do this and this year I'm going to do it! Seriously those kits I've brought are going to come out and I'm going to finish them! On the subject of kits...

7. Finally use those thousands of books/kits I own!

I'm going to get them out and finish some projects and learn some new skills.

8. Create some new photoshow set ups

Soooo bored of my white light tent. Need to get off my backside and make some pretty set ups.

9. Organise and catalogue tack

So much of this is about organising but let's face it that's the most important thing and definitely the thing we put off most...

10. And finally.....get a bigger pony room!

The goal for this year is to move house. And bigger pony room is number 1 on my list of house based priorities! 

Thursday 28 December 2017

Recycled Lives 2018

These shows sold out so quickly just through creating a Facebook group that I never felt the need to do a Blog post! But I suppose it is only fair to let you guys know that we are running shows next year and yes all three did sell out within one day...

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The idea behind these shows is that we re-use and recycle all the prizes and certificates. I have boxes full of certificates for us to use, all of them are brand new they were just never used at the shows they were made for! What's more some of them are really popular ones, such as the meme ones, or the ones shaped like fruit that looked slightly dodgy if you turned them over or the fun pirate map ones.

The rosettes and trophies will also be reused. I have bags and boxes full of them ready for this show!

I've decided to split the shows by location. So the first show focuses on North and South America. That's great because we can still have a variety of different models competing but with a specialist twist. The second show is for Europe and the Rest of the World and the final show will replace Lah Di Dah, featuring classes for British and Irish breeds.

Each show features three large sections: OF, CM & CTF. They all then have three small sections: AR, Performance/Fun & Other Animal.

With so many of us now owning really gorgeous other animals I thought it would be fun to have a whole section for them at our shows!

The fun section also includes some interesting ideas to get you creating and recycling. So dig out those bodies (and other random stuff from your recycling bin).

If you would like more information about the shows please visit: http://www.chestnutridge.co.uk/2018-live-shows-98-w.asp

Latest Breyer Order

Hello everyone! Well this Blog post is a little late but as they say, better late than never! So here is what we received in our pre-Christmas Breyer delivery.

 Valegro

Valegro
Price: £39.99
Link: http://www.chestnutridge.co.uk/valegro-31171-p.asp



Forthwind
Price: £19.99
Link: http://www.chestnutridge.co.uk/forthwind-39177-p.asp



Rhapsody in Black
Price: £35.95
Link: http://www.chestnutridge.co.uk/rhapsody-in-black-38653-p.asp

 Picasso - Mustang Stallion

Picasso
Price: £36.99
Link: http://www.chestnutridge.co.uk/picasso-39824-p.asp

 Paint Your Own Horse Activity Kit - Quarter Horse and Saddlebred

Paint Your Own Horse Quarter Horse & Saddlebred
Price: £17.95
Link: Sorry this one is sold out!

 Austin - Cowboy 8

Austin
Price: £21.95
Link: Sorry this one is sold out!

 Hilltop Stable

Hilltop Stable
Price: £19.99
Link: http://www.chestnutridge.co.uk/hilltop-stable-39225-p.asp

 Quilted Blanket and Hood Set (horse not included)

Quilted Stable Blanket & Hood Set
Price: £10.95
Link: Sorry this one has sold out!

 Fantasia Del C and Gozosa

Fantasia Del C & Gozosa
Price: £44.99
Link: Sorry this one has sold out!

 Arabian Horse & Foal

Grey Arabian Horse & Foal
Price: £22.50
Link: Sorry this one has sold out!

 Xavier – Mystical Unicorn Stallion

Xavier
Price: £49.99
Link: http://www.chestnutridge.co.uk/xavier---mystical-unicorn-37851-p.asp

 Starry Night

Starry Night
Price: £21.95
Link: Sorry this one has sold out!

 Palomino Morgan

Palomino Morgan
Price: £16.50
Link: Sorry this one has sold out!

 Grey Arabian

Grey Arabian
Price: £16.50
Link: http://www.chestnutridge.co.uk/grey-arabian-39453-p.asp

 Chestnut Sport Horse

Chestnut Sport Horse
Price: £16.50
Link: Sorry this one has sold out!

 Bay Appaloosa Mustang

Bay Appaloosa Mustang
Price: £16.50
Link: Sorry this one has sold out!

 Chestnut Quarter Horse

Chestnut Quarter Horse
Price: £16.50
Link: http://www.chestnutridge.co.uk/chestnut-quarter-horse-39441-p.asp

 Dun Quarter Horse

Dun Quarter Horse
Price: £16.50
Link: http://www.chestnutridge.co.uk/dun-quarter-horse-39839-p.asp

 Black Thoroughbred

Black Thoroughbred
Price: £16.50
Link: http://www.chestnutridge.co.uk/black-thoroughbred-39843-p.asp

 Buckskin Paint

Buckskin Paint
Price: £16.50
Link: http://www.chestnutridge.co.uk/buckskin-paint-39847-p.asp

 Appaloosa

Appaloosa
Price: £16.50
Link: Sorry this one has sold out!

 Chestnut Appaloosa

Chestnut Appaloosa
Price: £16.50
Link: Sorry this one has sold out!

 Grey Selle Francais

Grey Selle Francais
Price: £16.50
Link: Sorry this one has sold out!

 Palomino Morgan and Foal

Palomino Morgan and Foal
Price: £22.50
Link: http://www.chestnutridge.co.uk/palomino-morgan--foal-39425-p.asp

Monday 25 December 2017

Emerald, Sapphire & Amethyst

 Emerald, Amethyst, and Sapphire

O

MY

GOD!!!

The Breyer Christmas web special this year is gorgeous!

Friday 22 December 2017

Poloz Light Tent Review

During a recent manic episode I purchase a lot of weird photography equipment, including a new light tent!

But I'm actually quite in love with it, it is so much better than my old one and the space it takes up is so much smaller!

Anyway this is where I purchased it (I note that if you currently buy 5 or more you'll get 10% off just in case you need 6): https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Studio-Light-Portable-Photography-Box-Photo-Mini-Led-Kit-Tent-Foldable-Cube-60cm/401376687671?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

So shipping time was OK. I purchase it on the 11th of December and it arrived on the 21st. Not bad considering it wasn't coming from the UK.

It was well packed i.e. not damaged when arrived and comes in a handy travel case!

So starting with set up...

It comes in a travel case and is all folded up, there are instructions with pictures in English but they are quite basic. Although I figured it out pretty easily.

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Above is the plug in a little pocket on the outside.

To set it up you have to fold it out and then stick bits together with the velcro sides. I initially had it upside down but once you realise that the lights go on top (idiot) and the bit with the hole in goes at the front it's relatively simple!!!

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I set it up on the landing because that was really the only place I had space that was near a plug. On top you can see the white sheet that can be used over the LED lights to soften it and the front that you can fold up and photograph through. Inside at this point I had the black background. It would easily sit on a table top and that would probably be a sensible place to put it!!!

It comes with three vinyl backgrounds, white, peach and black.

I started with white with the lights uncovered:

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This is with the lights covered by the white sheet:

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For comparison this is a photo of the same model in my current light tent which uses Halogen bulbs on either side

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This head shot was taken with the flash on to give additional light:

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I then experimented with a few different models

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Hattie looked the best out of all of them so far

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I then thought I would try the two different backdrops. I wasn't a massive fan of the peachy coloured one so thought I would give that a go first.

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As you can see it just generally makes the image look rather orange and definitely doesn't suit this colour model.

I had my camera set to auto and I think it was just too much yellow for it to handle!

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Photographing smaller models is a bit more tricky as you have to put your camera inside the tent and then sort of lean in. That said I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard to add a stand under the vinyl as I do with my current light tent to raise them up

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I thought a black model may look better but I really don't think this colour makes anything look good...

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OK so now onto the final background which is black. At the moment my staple colours are really black and white so I was hoping this one would look good. As with all black vinyl backgrounds there were issues with reflection

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But it did look rather good!

Because I'm weird I thought I would try a black model with the flash, didn't turn out too awfully

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I love the way that the light actually reflects the model in this image.

I then tried a translucent Stablemate to see how the colour would look under these lights

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Again I think it would be interesting to compare to my current light tent:

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I next tried a Stablemate with the flash on and off to show you the difference:

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The flash makes a huge difference to the image.

Finally I tried a much larger model, it became apparent that this tent is not suitable for larger traditionals.

He just fit portrait:

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But landscape was a no go:

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Headshots are OK though

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The final feature I wanted to try was the top photography slot that allows you to take your image looking down on the product. I used a blue whale for this (obviously). Also obviously you have to remove the white sheet from the LED lights to operate this function

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He doesn't look too bad?

The final feature I tried was the dimmer, one annoying thing was that the markings on the control didn't actually match up to the switch (basically the sticker had been stuck on wrong) but once you know this no issues!

This is on Max:

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About half way

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And min

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Also as this shows without it on at all it does make it very dark! So it does keep external light out pretty well (reasons why you should use a table and a tripod...)

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So the final thing to do was to pack it up. It folded back in on itself relatively easily. The real issue was getting the vinyl backgrounds to fold back in, they didn't want to go! They had initially been folded the wrong way and I was trying to create a bend the other way so that probably didn't help...

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But as you can see once folded it can be stored in really small places. Like behind your boxes. Or in a cupboard

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Overall I think I would give it a 4/5. It was quite pricey for what you get but the ease of use is really worth it. It wouldn't be hard to pack this up and take it to live shows for people to play with at all. It also stores away really easily and can be erected really easily, which is kinda essential when you are limited on space!

The pictures definitely look better with the use of a flash but I suspect some of it is to do with me not really spending much time adjusting my camera appropriately. I think using it on a slightly dimmed light creates a better effect than full lights.

So if you are after a light tent then I would definitely recommend this one!