Simple Acrylic Markings

Article and Photos by Ashley Stollberg 

Breyer horses come in a wide variety of colors, and there are infinitely more possibilities if a model is repainted. What if you want your model to have a custom look, but you don’t really think it needs a complete repaint? Try adding some simple markings with acrylic paint!

Acrylic Basics

Acrylic paints are available at any craft store, and also at most department stores if they have a craft section. They’re often sold in tubes, and come in a huge assortment of colors and finishes. Acrylic paint is water-based, which means it can be easily washed off with soap and warm water before it dries. Getting wet paint off of a plastic model is pretty easy, but it can be difficult to wash out of clothing or fabrics. Be sure to protect your clothes and your work area, and keep in mind that the longer the paint dries, the harder it is to get off. Also, be sure to thoroughly rinse your paintbrushes when you’re done using them.

You can use any colors you want to dress up your model, but whites, tans, browns, and blacks are the most commonly used colors for horses. Regardless of color, be sure to choose the finish that best matches your model (matte paint for a matte model, glossy paint for a glossy model, etc.).

Painting White Markings

Maybe you want your model to have a blaze like your actual horse has, or maybe you think your model would look better with some nice white socks. Either way, adding white markings is one of the most common changes you may want to make to your model. To do this, use white acrylic and a fine paintbrush to add the desired markings. 

Examples of various face markings. Left to right: star, diamond, stripe, and blaze.

White paint almost never covers completely on the first coat, so don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t look good right away. Just keep adding coats (letting them dry in between) until you get the desired level of coverage.

Adding a small diamond to an appaloosa model.

If you’re painting a marking on and find that it just doesn’t look the way you want, simply wash the marking off and start over. It’s best to do this while the paint is still wet, as the paint will come off much easier than if it’s dry.

Using a wet paper towel to wipe off a blaze that wasn’t looking quite right.

Painting Horseshoes

Adding horseshoes is a quick and easy way to dress up a model, and it’s extremely easy to do. You’ll need silver acrylic paint and a fine detail brush, and all you have to do is carefully paint the edge of the hoof. If you made a mistake, simply wash off the paint and try again.

Using silver acrylic paint to add horseshoes on a Traditional EZ to Spot.	The finished horseshoes.

Painting Appaloosa Spots

If you happen to have a light gray Breyer model laying around, then you have the perfect opportunity to turn that model into an appaloosa. Be sure to have a good reference photo handy (as appaloosa spots aren’t random), and simply use acrylic to paint the desired spotting pattern on. Because leopard appaloosas have spots on their entire body, be sure to take your time and let an area dry before you move on to the next to avoid smudging freshly-painted spots. Also, be sure to use a fine detail brush so you don’t make the spots too big.

This original finish Stablemates model had appaloosa spots added with black acrylic paint. The mane, tail, and hooves were also repainted with acrylic, and the model was glossed with a brush-on acrylic sealer.

Acrylic paint will last longer if you seal it, but this isn’t necessary if your model is just for play. If you do want to seal your work, simply apply a brush-on acrylic sealer. Sealers come in multiple finishes (matte, satin, or glossy) and are usually sold near the acrylic paints in stores. Be sure the paint is fully dry before sealing it, and let the sealer dry fully before handling the model. 

That’s all there is to it!