Horse sheen

[Banjer]

Many moons ago I read an article, possibly in Military Modelling about using shoe polish to add sheen to a horses coat.

I am working on a model at the moment and the horse has dried matt even though I painted it with oil paint.
This article, the author of which escapes me, suggested using brown shoe polish on a horse and buffing it to a slight sheen. I am tempted to try this.. I think the polish could be removed with white spirit if the effect was unsatisfactory.

Anyone on pF has actually tried this and can comment?

Cheers

Bill

 

[dfmoss]

I am not familiar with the method you mention, but I do have a solution that I use, when needed.

Unfortunately, I am not at home, so I cannot immediately post the ingredients. I will do so later this evening.

Don

 

[dfmoss]

Banjer,

The formula is 45% turps, 45% linseed oil and 10% poppy oil. I don't remember where this came from. Most likely an old issue of Military Modeling or another publication.

The bottle I have was made up 20+ years ago - it goes a long way. It seems to give a much more shiny result than it did several years ago. Maybe that happens as it ages. I will likely add more turpentine to see if I can reduce the shine a bit.

Hope this helps.

Don

 

[Blind Pew]

Dear Bill, the shoe polish idea sounds odd. In decades of modelling, I've never heard of it - I'm more than willing to be corrected, but...

If you're after a newly-washed racehorse or parade ground type sheen, it's a case of drastically emphasising any highlights. I am mean really pouring it on. Particularly so on a darker horse. This is very tricky to get right. The bigger the horse, the harder it gets, too. Anything not quite perfect in it's execution will look awful. It really does run the risk of the dreaded 'toy soldier' look.

So, how would I do it? Experiment on and old Historex or Airfix 54mm you might have buried somewhere. Prime it up, and lay a thin layer down of say, Burnt Sienna. Straight out of the tube. Make sure it dries as slowly as you can get it to. Then repeat two/three times. This ought to build up an eggshell type sheen, leaning towards glossy. If it helps, I have the old Shep Paine book which has a small section on this topic. I can scan it in, no prob.

I hope this helps. We all know in modelling, there's usually more than one way to skin a cat*. This is what makes it so interesting - seeing other peoples' solutions, or not...

*no cats were harmed in the making of this message.

 

[Dr Bison]

... there's usually more than one way to skin a cat*.

*no cats were harmed in the making of this message.

You mean unlike this one?


Karl

 

[Nap]

Hi

After reading the words boot polish and horse ...thought it was April 1st ! .......never heard of it but obviously it must have been used and indeed still is by Don

Be interesting to see the results you can get

Nap

 

[Mirofsoft]

I use the old Max Longhurst trick

Paint humbrol, like sand or sand + orange or ..... ( a light shade ), let it dry, then apply oils raw ( no mix with or with ) and after 2 3 minutes, sponge away, slightly lateraly and from up to down, it worked for me

 

[Banjer]

Thanks for all the replies.
I was advised by PM to polish the horse with a dry brush or cotton bud and this has done the trick. I won't say who suggested it as I assume they would have posted here and not PM if they wanted to say publicly who they were.

I don't have linseed oil or poppy oil and they come in rather large, expensive bottles for the amount I would use.

I wish I could remember where the shoe polish method came from but I am not making it up. A little niggle says Roy Dilley but I may be doing him a disservice.

I have Shep Paines book and have reread the section on horses, most enlightening.

Cheers

Bill

 

[DaddyO]

Hi Bill

If you are looking only for a slight sheen you could use your own skin oils
Gilders often use their own oil to pick up loose gold leaf by wiping the brush on the side of their nose - a quick wipe with the cotton bud would have the same effect.

Paul

 

[Ray Stout]

The Oil paint will be absorbed by the undercoat underneath, as well as drying out naturally. So, for a slight sheen, (such as a sweaty face or the sheen on a horse, use the undercoat sparingly. For a uniform coth, use more as the u/coat will absorb more of the oil and be more of a matt finish. When I started painting in the 70s, I used Rose Watercolour undercoat paint, but most paints that use water as a thinner will work almost as well. Ray.