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Thought I'd share this with y'all. I'm sure it's been done before but I couldn't resist painting up a set of CMCs.
Poor Apple Bloom doesn't get a costume because she got a lovely red bow hot-glued to her head... because, y'know, show accuracy and all that.

Check 'em out:




From drab, plain ponies to what I believe the kids call "da illest".

Ha!  Those are great.  Nicely done.

Those are awesome!

Just out of curiosity, did you use tape to mask them to get the very clean lines, do it freehand, or some combination thereof?

Great work! I wonder the same thing as Ziel. They look so clean !

Thanks for the kind comments, guys!

And in answer to your question, I used masking tape and spray paints . I don't have the skills to do it freehand!

Working with the masking tape like that is still a skill

You said you used spray paint. What kind of spray paint? I really like the idea of doing it this way, since it'll put down a nice thin, even coat. And I'd probably have an easier time visualizing and perfecting a design with masking tape than just trying to paint it outright.

I used Tamiya brand paint. It's usually used for model kits, RC cars and stuff like that, so it's quite well suited to plastic.

Glad you like the idea! I found it much easier than painting straight on to the pony, because if I screwed up a certain part, I just peeled it off and tried it again.

I've built a number of model cars, and was kinda wondering about using model paint for ponies. Also, that is my favorite brand of model paint. Good pick.

I use Tamiya paints as well, but only the small bottles. I like them because they are acrylic and wash up with soapy water. Tamiya does make their own brand of masking tape. It's yellow colored and comes in various widths. It's also low tack and won't stick too strongly to stuff.

I use Tamiya paints as well, but only the small bottles. I like them because they are acrylic and wash up with soapy water. Tamiya does make their own brand of masking tape. It's yellow colored and comes in various widths. It's also low tack and won't stick too strongly to stuff.

I mostly have/use the small bottles, too. The vast majority of parts for a model car are small with higher detail on them. Painting with a brush will usually suffice, and spraying would actually create a lot of waste from overspray.  But I do use the spray for the larger parts (body shell, hood, doors, etc) for the nice smooth finish.

Veering slightly more on topic, if I ever do decide to paint some ponies (probably blind bags), I'll need to get some new colors. 4 varieties of Gray with gloss/flat white and gloss/semi-gloss/flat black won't make a terribly exciting pony >.<
Guess I have some other colors, but they're still more... car-ish, and not so fitting for pastel ponies.

If you do try your hand at a blind bag paint, make sure to post 'em up here!

I did a blind bag paint! Not very well though. I'll use more water next time .

http://forums.furtopia.org/index.php?topic=43746.0

I think that's great, Shim! Scratch is fast becoming a favourite of mine... needs more figures!

My brother's rebuild/custom Celestia. She speaks! She lights up! She wets!

Is that the twisted part of a wire coat hanger?

I'll hand over to my brother:

"Nope. What kind of two-bit sculptor do you take me for?  I made it from epoxy putty. It's done in a more organic, realistic style much like the wings. I'm not going for show-accuracy, I just wanted to make a beautiful model that represented the character."

Well that's that.

Wow Luku, both you and you brother do some absolutely amazing work!  Those are some of the best customized pony figures/models that I have ever seen!  Keep up the fantastic work, and I hope that you keep posting your future creations here!

Hand over to bro, again:

"Thanks, Hoagie.
 Celestia was a labour of love! I used the pink talking toy as a base (the white hasn't made it over here in the UK, but I suppose that's moot). The hardest part was the reassembly. All the gimmicks and things were removed, and the toy simply doesn't fit back together without them (getting it apart was tough enough!). The saddle, neck, chest and head are totally remoulded (that blasted hair and horn! Argh!), as are the wings.
The new hair was a nightmare (um, arf?). Days and days of trial and error, to get that strange ethereal look. I hope I succeeded.

I remade the electronic circuit, giving it new colour LEDs, a battery box, a new sturdy switch and I upped the voltage a little. That's all tucked away in the base (a cobbled-together mess of wood and plastic).

Overall, I'm happy with how the build went, and I'm positively in love with her now! 

In truth, the work requires little skill or technique. Anybody can do it! Some good filler, sandpaper, paint and glue is all you need. Feel free to ask how I did specific things - I'm more than happy to share."