An emblem is what makes a pony unique and gives character. You may not have dyed your custom or rerooted her hair, but you will definitely give her a new emblem. That said, you should choose your paint carefully.

Paint Options

	Advantages	Disadvantages	Cost
Acrylic Craft (Hobby) Paint	Inexpensive and has a wide variety of colors. Easy to mix and apply.	Not waterproof and may scratch. Often needs several coats and protective varnish.	$0.35-1.99 per ounce.
Nail Polish	Fairly inexpensive and handy. Comes in a good variety of colors and finishes.	May turn yellow, tacky, or peel off. Brands without formaldehyde or toluene are less likely to do this.	$0.99 and up per bottle.
Oil-based Model Paint	Sturdy finish, waterproof, does not need varnish.	Is slow to dry, if it ever dries at all. Bottles often glue shut.	$7.00-10.00 for a set. $0.88 for singles.
Water-based Model Paint	Sturdy finish closely matches authentic paint. No varnish needed, waterproof.	Bottles often glue shut. Singles usually not available in stores. Hard to remove.	$7.00-10.00 for a set.
Stained Glass Paint	Sturdy, see-through finish. Some varieties have glitter mixed in.	Cheaper brands may yellow with time.	$2.00-6.00 for a set.

My Paint of Choice

I recommend using water-based model paint like Testors or Pactra. The finish looks authentic and is very durable. I use it to customize Little People for my three-year-old nephew, and he hasn’t chipped the paint yet. It also doesn’t tend to bubble or streak like hobby paints. It smoothes itself out as it dries.

To prevent the bottles from gluing shut, always store them sitting upright. As soon as you open a bottle, immediately wipe the paint off the rim and the inside of the lid with a facial tissue. Close them tightly when you’re finished.

If you can’t find Testors in your area, you can order paints from their website at www.testors.com. Be sure to order “acrylic enamels” in the red package.

Painting Emblems

To get the smoothest finish, paints should be mixed well and applied with a soft brush. I prefer a brush with natural hair like camel, and I use a toothpick for small designs. You can paint symbols freehand or draw them on ahead of time. I like to draw the emblems out on a piece of thin tracing paper and cut out the designs with a blade to make stencils. That way, the markings are the same on both sides. If a pony has a lot of stains, a twice-as-fancy design is a great way to hide it.

Painting Eyes

Eyes are fairly easy to paint if all you have to do is change the eye color. In this case, you can apply your paint of choice with a toothpick, needle, or fine brush. The same applies if the whites of the eyes were discolored by dyeing and must be touched up, or if part of the coloring was scuffed.

If an eye needs a complete repainting (hey, it could happen), it’s best to repaint it as it was originally painted. This illustration demonstrates the steps used to paint eyes on My Little Ponies in the factory. Note that most ponies have two eyelashes on top and bottom. The main exceptions to this rule are the Sweetheart Sisters and Teeny Tiny Babies. You may also note that the eyes of later year ponies are outlined in dark grey instead of black, making them difficult to match.

Customizing 101 Intro :: Anatomy of a Pony :: Dismantling the Pony

Changing Body Color :: Painting your Pony :: New Hair :: Special Effects

Finishing Up :: Problem Solving :: Custom Pony Links

Dava’s Customs :: Back to Main Page