NaMoPaiMo day one

Today is the first day of NaMoPaiMo.

photo by Jenny Janssen

All across the globe, model horse hobbyists are painting.

photo by Anne Giles

Mostly, they're painting basecoats.

photo by Charlene Flitsch

There is no one correct way to create a base coat.

photo by Stacey Kianese

This one is airbrushed.

photo by Lorna Crockett

So - obviously! - is this.

video by Julie Ward

Other base coats are hand painted. Danielle Feldman writes: I use an gesso/acrylic basecoat applied using a mix of white gesso, black gesso, and a touch of burnt umber. I scrub it on with a fairly dry soft synthetic brush to avoid any texture. He started with grey primer, but this should help to ensure the first coat of oils goes on well.

photo by Danielle Feldman

Hanna Wangsgaard's base coat is both airbrushed and hand painted. Whatever works is right!

photo by Hanna Wangsgaard

While some basecoats almost look like the final coat...

photo by Paige Palen

most are kind of... streaky.

photo by Carla Clifford

That's totally okay.

photo by Elaine Lindelef

In fact, it's to be expected.

photo by AJ Richards

Jenn Constantine explains: Quick but important reminder as you jump in... "The first is the worst!" Your beginning layers will very likely look and feel awful, especially with acrylics when you have to keep the layers thin. Every horse of mine that's gone on to win NAN ribbons has given me the "oh NO this is terrible" feeling at first. They still do and probably forever will. Colors may be weird, streaky and you'll see brush strokes. KEEP GOING patiently with thin layers and it WILL get better, I promise!

This year's first NaMoPaiMo Champion of the Day goes to the first person to finish her model,  Kim Brandner's fifteen year old daughter, Kassandra.

Kim writes: Kassandra worked on her micro Friesian the whole day. using three layers of purple and two layers of black pastels and added grey shading. The eyes, nostrils, chestnuts and hooves were painted with with acrylics. He is so tiny so we took the first picture with a magnifier glass!

Now she has to go back to schoolwork again. 

Congratulations, Kassandra, and good job to everyone who worked on their models today. This year's NaMoPaiMo is off to an amazing start!