Wistful Dreams Studio

This was Breyer's Stablemate Swaps mold, re-sculpted into a Grey Mare. This mare has caused a few problems for me...and this is her second chance. Originally, the Swaps mold had seams sanded, logo removed, ears nostrils and heel bulbs carved, the tail, mane, and stallion parts removed. New forelock, mane and tail as well as all mare parts sculpted. She was then painted with white acrylics and pasteled in grey. She has 4-colored eyes, pasteled chestnuts, and acrylic painted, pastel detailed hooves. She has 3 white socks with a narrow white blaze that pinks on her muzzle. She was then sprayed with a matte finish...which decided to turn very sticky. I had just posted her on eBay...and so I asked around, and got some tips, and followed through...hit her with Testor's Dulcoat. She then got to sit and dry, as the auction days went by...and 2 days before auction end, I hit her with 2 more coats of matte finish (a different can!!!). Well, the night before auction end...she started to crack!!! I just about died! It was not total cracking, but a separation in the paint...and it made her look like she had stretch marks all over her belly and a few tiny ones on her flanks! I could not end the auction, much to my dismay, so when she sold, I emailed the person who bought her, and explained what had happened. He was SO NICE!! He was very understanding, and since I was unable to get her done right away, we worked out another deal, and I went back to work on her. She got her belly and flanks stripped down to primer again...repainted the white...redid the pastel greys...looking great...and later that night...separation AGAIN! AAAGGHH! So, back to stripping again. This time, with Charlotte Donahue's advice (THANK YOU AGAIN CHARLOTTE!!), I painted her in stages...and in between stuck her in a dry box...a box, with a towel, and a hairdryer on low, cool air in five minute incremements! This method has worked great...and she is back to looking like herself! She was good enough to place 9th in the Spokane Live Expo on 11/6/04 here in Washington State (see her and her ribbon on page 4). Sold 11/04.