What is #NaMoPaiMo?
NaMoPaiMo (National Model Painting Month) is the brainchild of Jennifer Buxton and probably one of the best things in the model horse hobby. These videos and article talks about what it is, the rules of #NaMoPaiMo, and how to join. This article talks about choosing your model, some painting options based on skill, and how to get your model ready for February.
What Models Can You Paint?
You can paint ANY brand of 3D model horse object, including toys. There is nothing limiting you to Breyers, Peter Stones, or expensive artist resin model horses. Your official entry just has to be three-dimensional. This does mean that you can't use medallions as your official entry, but many people do paint them as "bonus" projects.
Who Can Enter?
Anyone and everyone who loves model horses and wants to give painting a try! You can be an advanced, professional artist, a complete beginner, or someone who has never painted before.
The majority of this event takes place on-line using the NaMoPaiMo Facebook group and Jennifer's blog, but you aren't required to have Facebook. Many artists get together on other social media platforms and also share updates, tips, tutorials and progress from their own blogs or websites. Jennifer often shares several of these, so check her blog regularly to find new artists to follow.
The majority of this event takes place on-line using the NaMoPaiMo Facebook group and Jennifer's blog, but you aren't required to have Facebook. Many artists get together on other social media platforms and also share updates, tips, tutorials and progress from their own blogs or websites. Jennifer often shares several of these, so check her blog regularly to find new artists to follow.
How to Officially Enter
Keep an eye out on Jennifer Buxton's blog for the latest entry information each year, as well as her NaMoPaiMo signup website.
Choosing a Painting Goal & Selecting a Model Horse Based on Skill Level
NaMoPaiMo is not a contest. Instead, the goal is to come together and learn how to paint model horses. Think of the completion of your goal and your model as the prize.
Choosing a goal is one of the exciting parts of NaMoPaiMo, in which you get to dream big and see what you can accomplish. But it’s also really easy to set yourself up for “failure,” in that you don’t accomplish it to the level you had hoped or you can’t complete your model in time. So picking a goal carefully is crucial to making sure you don’t pull your hair out. DO pick a goal that challenges or encourages you to try something new. But try to avoid picking one that is too ambitious or challenging, as we only have one month to paint.
My method for picking a goal I’m more likely to complete is to pick one that is a step up from your last successful challenge. So if you learned to pastel last year, maybe your goal could be learning how to make the layers smoother, or trying the medium in a different color. If you resculpted a stablemate, try a scale up, like a Pebbles or Classic. Also, supplies should factor into the choice of your goal, based on their price, availability, your experience, and skill-level required.
Choosing a goal is one of the exciting parts of NaMoPaiMo, in which you get to dream big and see what you can accomplish. But it’s also really easy to set yourself up for “failure,” in that you don’t accomplish it to the level you had hoped or you can’t complete your model in time. So picking a goal carefully is crucial to making sure you don’t pull your hair out. DO pick a goal that challenges or encourages you to try something new. But try to avoid picking one that is too ambitious or challenging, as we only have one month to paint.
My method for picking a goal I’m more likely to complete is to pick one that is a step up from your last successful challenge. So if you learned to pastel last year, maybe your goal could be learning how to make the layers smoother, or trying the medium in a different color. If you resculpted a stablemate, try a scale up, like a Pebbles or Classic. Also, supplies should factor into the choice of your goal, based on their price, availability, your experience, and skill-level required.
Considering Your Painting Options & Supplies
Depending on your project goal, here are some painting tools and supplies to consider, based on skill-level. It’s not an exhaustive list, nor are the products listed under each skill level set in stone. If you've never worked in these media before, it's a guide to get you started.
Bear in mind that everyone’s skill-set or ability can vary, so while you might be a beginner, for example, you might have the ability to pick up some intermediate or even advanced products. You’ll have to be the judge of that yourself, but here at least, is a general guide:
Bear in mind that everyone’s skill-set or ability can vary, so while you might be a beginner, for example, you might have the ability to pick up some intermediate or even advanced products. You’ll have to be the judge of that yourself, but here at least, is a general guide:
Tools and Supplies | SUGGESTED FOR BEGINNER ARTISTS
- Pastel sticks
- Pan Pastels
- Colored charcoal pencils for details
- Colored watercolor pencils for details
- Acrylics for hand-painting a base-coat
- A sealer appropriate for sealing in-between layers, especially if working with pastels (it needs to hold detail; Testors Dullcote is good)
- A sealer appropriate for finishing and protecting the model
What You Could Achieve:
Tools and Supplies | SUGGESTED FOR INTERMEDIATE ARTISTS
- All of the above, plus…
- Earth pigments
- Oils
- Colored pencils for details (look for ones that aren’t too soft or too hard)
- Budget friendly airbrush, likely a siphon-fed brush
- Budget friendly airbrush compressor, with or without tank
- Airbrush cleaning supplies
- Acrylics for airbrushing (Vallejo, Golden Hi-Flow, etc)
What You Could Achieve:
Tools and Supplies | SUGGESTED FOR ADVANCED ARTISTS
- Oils
- Advanced airbrush (example, a gravity-fed, dual-action brush with interchangeable needles)
- A higher-end airbrush compressor with a tank that holds pressure longer (or a motor that replenishes pressure faster) and has a water trap
- Acrylics for airbrushing (Vallejo, Golden Hi-Flow, etc)
- Airbrush cleaning supplies
- Acrylics and mediums for hand painting
What You Could Achieve:
Supplies You'll Need for All Painting Methods
- Primer
- Paint brushes in assorted sizes
- Painters palette (you can make one from wax paper, or aluminum foil)
- Painter’s gloves (look for non-latex versions if you have an allergy)
- A mask with vapor filters for painting and priming
- A mask with particle filters for prepping
- Sandpaper and needle files for prepping
- Paper towels to clean up spills
- Newsprint or box for spraying your sealing layers
- Newsprint to protect tables from hand-painting
How to Get Your Model Ready
If you are using a pre-made model horse (like a Breyer, Peter Stone, Schleich or Collecta, for example) a lot of beginners will ask if they need to strip the paint. The short answer is, no! Most models just need some sanding and smoothing out their seems to get them smooth and help provide tooth for the primer (which in turn helps provide tooth for the paints, especially oil paint).
7 Easy and Fun NaMoPaiMo Prepping Tips
January is the month to prep and prime your model horses for National Model Painting Month in February.
While the topic is removing unicorn horns, this video below also walks you through all the steps of prepping and priming a plastic horse like a Breyer or Peter Stone.
Why Is There a $2 Fee?
When you sign up for NaMoPaiMo, you’ll see there is an option to PayPal $2. This is totally voluntary, and even the amount is just a suggestion. So never fear, it’s not really a fee to participate.
But why $2?
Because of the random prizes. Jennifer randomly selects participates to “win” prizes as a way to recognize their growth, thank them for their contributions to the group, etc. The suggested donation helps cover a part of the postage fees of these prizes. While we are all enjoying creating our horses, there is a lot of expense that goes into NaMoPaiMo’s prizes. This is another reason why the focus of NaMoPaiMo is on creation and why it is not a contest. It’s just too financially expensive to give everyone prizes.
So while it is voluntary, consider donating, and if you can donate more, that goes a long way to continuing the prizes that are given out each year at NaMoPaiMo. Or, you could consider donating the prizes.
But why $2?
Because of the random prizes. Jennifer randomly selects participates to “win” prizes as a way to recognize their growth, thank them for their contributions to the group, etc. The suggested donation helps cover a part of the postage fees of these prizes. While we are all enjoying creating our horses, there is a lot of expense that goes into NaMoPaiMo’s prizes. This is another reason why the focus of NaMoPaiMo is on creation and why it is not a contest. It’s just too financially expensive to give everyone prizes.
So while it is voluntary, consider donating, and if you can donate more, that goes a long way to continuing the prizes that are given out each year at NaMoPaiMo. Or, you could consider donating the prizes.
Examples of Past NaMoPaiMo Horses
My NaMoPaiMo Horses and How I Made Them - Years 2017, 2018 and 2019
A short look into my three official NaMoPaiMo horses.
Birth of a NaMoPaiMo HorseSee how I converted the Breyer Stablemates G1 Old Mold Thoroughbred mare into an elegant Arabian mare as my 2018 NaMoPaiMo project.
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How I Made My Drastic Custom Breyer Lady Phase for NaMoPaiMoFor NaMoPaiMo 2019 and the MEPSA Make-Over Contest, I transformed a Breyer Lady Phase into a trotting Criollo mare in airbrushed bay sabino.
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Other Helpful Resources
How To Paint a Bay Model HorseWhile this is an airbrush tutorial, you can also follow along in other mediums using similar paint colors and the same steps. Great for beginners who want to capture the perfect bay color.
How to Paint a Baby Black FoalA black foal looks nothing like an adult horse of the same color, so in this video learn how to paint it faithfully and realistically.
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How To Paint a Black Model HorseThis video shares my secret recipe for a shimmery blue black with rich brown tones. It will really pop!
Ultimate Guide on How To Paint Model Horse White MarkingsThis tutorial video covers the tips and tricks for painting easier and better pintos, appaloosas and simpler model horse white markings like socks and blazes.
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How to Paint Hooves, Eyes & ChestnutsWhile this is demonstrated on the smaller Stablemates scale (because there are so few tutorials on these little guys), you can follow along with a larger scale model horse too.
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