Painitng dapples: kids, don't try this at home

[Calimero]

I’ve painted this horse as a part of my entry for round 5 of the last LPL.



I’ve painted it using an old beat-up synthetic brush but was pretty satisfied of the result… That’s also the figure that make me think that I could save some time if I use a small foam piece to do the dappling instead of a simple brush. 

[Hammers]

Here's how my Hospitaller Constable's dark grey dapple turned out:



The base paint is W&N Paynes Grey oil mixed with Humbrol 32 slate grey and some thinners to a rather medium grey. I let it bake for two days in my bulb oven. Then I applied it as per instructions with Paynes Grey oil, rubbed off and let bake again for a couple of days. At this point I gave up oils and started with the spotting I used a rather watered down mix of a little Paynes Grey acrylic mixed mixed wiith Vallejo white. I applied rather runny spots, not too small with more density on rump and flanks and less desity on legs, head and neck. I applied a second smaller spot of pure white in the center of the off white spots. The whole thing came off too spotty so I took some off white again and tied the spots togother with by applying it with a fine pored sponge.

I have a reference book on horses but I realize now that the colouring I've picked for this horse is rather unusual since I cannot find a similar picture on dapple greys on the internet. The transition between dark and white can be pretty stark in dapples but the head is usually light to. Oh, and I could have done a better job on the mane and tail even though, again, my new photo bulbs have taken some of the subtlety in the colour transitions out.

[meninobesta]

I was lurking frothers, and saw the link to this blog, which has a very nice article about painting these kind of horses:
http://menix-miniatures.blogspot.com/2009/07/paint-polka-dot-hoss.html

and the result is very impressive!

[Verderer]

I dunno if the 'flicking' method is good for horseys, but if you want to do it proper (flicking I mean), use an old toothbrush to do it, using otherwise the same technique. A tootbrush makes luvverly spatters, should you ever require them. Now this is Finnish innovation, not Swedish!

[Hammers]

I just came across this one on Frothers.



*This* is what a dapple grey should look like, IMO. Sorry, don't know who to comlipment

[Aaron]

IIRC that was sculpted and painted by eBob. I agree with you entirely. Probably the best dapple paint job I have ever seen.

[Hammers]

IIRC that was sculpted and painted by eBob. I agree with you entirely. Probably the best dapple paint job I have ever seen.

So it was painted by eBob to? Well, good on him. He got that cloudy finish spot on.

[vikotnik]

I use a VERY short old drybrush with the size of about #1 and stipple it repeatedly over the surface.
Works effectively, at least for me.

[David H]

I use a VERY short old drybrush with the size of about #1 and stipple it repeatedly over the surface.
Works effectively, at least for me.

Long time lurkers first post! Hi guys. 
I stipple too. Here is a dark dapple I am working on at the moment:
Lightish grey stipples with white stipple on top of that, all blended together with a wash.

[Hauptgefreiter]

Long time lurkers first post! Hi guys. 

Hi! Welcome to the LAF! 
Great Horse!