Starting My Customs Journey - Revealed!

Glistening Rainlight

Glittering in the Water
MLPTP Supporter
Joined
Jan 1, 2020
Messages
718
Hehe, the guessing game has concluded, and the pony has been revealed to be.... Lunarstar, from FlyingPony's Worlds Apart!

I decided to make Lunarstar because she and Worlds Apart hold a very special place in my heart. I discovered the story when I was little, while it was still being written, and absolutely fell in love with it. It had a big impact on me that still carries over to today, having gotten me started on some of my biggest hobbies. I figured no pony could possibly be more suited for my first ever proper custom than her.


Progress thus far...
Prep​
Cleaned and Rerooting​
Steady Progress​
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Guessing Game Post:
I've started working on my custom! I'm posting update images as I go along, but so far I've not revealed who the custom pony is! Some of you will certainly know her, let's see if any of you can guess. :b

Guessing Game - One Rule
One question at a time per player - you may ask another question after I have answered.

Original Post:
So I'm finally starting my customs journey, after long looking forward to it! I know where to get the hair from, and I have my own bait pony ready to get started, but there are few more things I need and want to double-check (as a chronic over-thinker/mini Twilight), and I was wondering if you all could give me some of your recommendations?

Edit: Updating to mark off the items I no longer need:

Main thing I need:
  • A re-hair tool
  • To know what size needle to use for said re-hair tool (I will be using G3s)
  • Tinsel and glitter that are as close to the official G3 types as possible
Other things I need:
  • I will be using acrylics, but I want to thin them out a bit so they don't create so much texture on the pony. Should I use water or something else?
  • Would Elmer's glue be fine for re-gluing the mane? Should I use something else, or no glue at all? I'm pretty sure you definitely need to glue it, right?
  • And any recommendations for getting the head off a pony who's neck is glued, other than the exact-o knife method? (going to try Lilykin's suggestions)
  • Oh and I guess any recommendations for airbrush stuff too, I may not mess with that immediately though
 
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I ended up using The New Grey Mare’s rooting tutorial when I did mine. It doesn’t use a rooting tool. I’m not sure if it’s easier to use one or not but the fabric glue worked for me by dabbing it inside when I was done
 
-nods- The wire/floss method. I have tried that before, a long time ago. I used wire that was probably too thin, it kept breaking and just about sliced open my fingers after a while. I realize I probably did it wrong but it's why I'm wanting to try the re-hair tool instead, not too keen on trying that again if there's a better option.
 
That happened sometimes with me too and I wondered as well if I was doing that wrong as well
I hope the tool goes better for you :satisfied:
 
For a re-rooting tool I personally use an exacto/craft knife handle and a needle with a long eye (like an embroidery needle) cut at angle. Make sure you cut it over a trash can while wearing safety glasses. Go ahead and do several at a time since you will inevitable mess up a couple. I'm sorry I can't recommend a size, you could by a multi pack and see what fits best.

Most hair sellers also sell tools/needles so if you don't want to diy it get one with your hair. I haven't bought any hair yet but Shimmer Locks is the one I've had my eyes on. (I use yarn a lot cause I'm impatient lol)

You can thin out acrylics using water. A lot of customizers build up color using several layers.

Elmer's/pva glue is fine as long as you don't plan on getting your pony wet ever again. I prefer fabric-tac or tacky-glue though.

If it's not coming off with gentle tugging try a hot water dunk. If that doesn't work you can very carefully use acetone to loosen the glue. Make sure you keep the hair out of the way and avoid symbols. Do not use it on a shimmer pony, it will it will take the shimmer right off. Exacto knife is a last resort.

Sorry, I don't have any good recs for airbrush. Just make sure you have a well ventilated area to work in before you really get into it. And the right face mask required. You do not want that stuff messing up your lungs.

Good luck! :satisfied:
 
I recently purchased Vallejo model colour acrylic colours which was recommended by a friend who does model army tanks and such. The colours are amazing and it takes the tiniest ever amount. They have thinners also. After some seriously failed attempts with craft acrylics which wouldn't dry properly I am loving the Vallejo paints. They aren't cheap, but they go a long way.
 
If you’re looking for thin paint, I use posca paint pens. There are brush ones but they don’t come in all colours. They’re water based and very thin but can be quite pricy
 
Oh. Well. I ended up getting HissiCo's set of 36 acrylic paints, because it looked like it had a good selection of colors, including a proper green. Uh, I guess I'll find out if that was a mistake. I don't have a whole ton of money to spend on paints, and I'll likely be trying them out for my normal artwork as well so I figured it would be a good option.
 
They sell rehairing tools.
Dyemore is good if you've got a pony with light/white hair. Though I've had some issues with green dye.
I use the type of acrylics that you can get at Walmart, or craft stores for a buck fifty or less.
Be careful, some sealants can make your custom go sticky in hot weather.
 
Any way of knowing which sealants, or if they've been used in a brand's paint? Because I keep my window open a lot, that sounds like something I really want to know.

I've got some stuff from Shimmer Locks on the way - turns out they have rehairing tools (I was mostly wondering what brand to get, I suppose I could have been more clear about that) as well as fabric glue, so I got that along with the hair I need. I'm starting out with a super simple pony, so that should be everything I need for her.
 
Mr. Super clear is considered the gold standard for sealing on vinyl. It is sensitive to humidity too, so you can only spray at certain times. It also requires respirator mask and is hard to find locally if you don't have a hobby shop nearby. I want to say Testors dull coat has been recommended as an alternative, but I would def test it before before using it on a final project.

I think Liquitex Matte was what I bought for small areas. It's brush on so you don't need a respirator, but you also won't get the smooth finish a spray has. I don't know how it will work with your brand of paints but it's made to go over acrylic paint so I think it would work fine. If you're planning on using pastels/watercolor pencils at all you may want to go with a spray.

Granted, these are mostly doll customizing tips but vinyl is vinyl lol. If you're worried about how something will turn out get you cheap pony/doll to practice on.
 
@Lilykin I went with Testors as an alternative cause MSC was pretty expensive and I was just starting out, I really wouldn’t recommend it at all ^^; It does put down a base to lay pastels and pencil down, but doesn’t seem to do anything to seal it even after 3 or 4 layers over top of the work. I do like to use it as a final coat, I’ll paint on a gloss sealant, let it dry and then spray it with the Testors and it gives it a nice matte finish.
 
@AzaleaArt That's good to know! I really only messed around with acrylics so I didn't need to build up the layers the way you do with pastels/pencils and MSC. Plus I hate dealing respirators/chemicals XP
Acrylics are pretty good for that, I still usually paint on a sealant of some sort when I use them, do you? Yeah I don’t love the fumey part but it does the job
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I've got everything in, and the hot water worked! ^^ I'm very excited to get started! Next up I've got to clean her up.
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By the way, I'm not actually sure who this pony used to be. I feel like I can almost remember, but since it's not happening I wonder if you all can help me. Little me ruined her a long time ago and took off a lot of her mark using acetone, but the sparkles that remain were from that original mark. I never had the impression that she was rare but I can't seem to find her on identification sites.
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