Cataloguing and the mystical modern chalky

I got the crazy idea of photographing and cataloguing all my models. Have found out a few things, like I have over 100 Stablemates and way more micro minis than I expected. Also found out the two times Gizmo and DeEtta toppled over my box holding the little fellas, it damaged and scuffed them more than I initially thought. Not only that, my phone doesn't tell me that it's overheating, unless I try using the flash on the camera.

 

I also had these fellas for 10 (left) and 2 (right) years and didn't realize they were identical!

Can see the difference in painting methods over 8 years with these guys.

And onto the damage...two horses that broke and I repaired back in my "carpet herd" days broke again, in the same spots, and a third one lost its ear. Most of my white horses and leopard appaloosas got scuffs on them, and one blanket appaloosa that came with the Hidalgo Buffalo Bill play set has a boatload of scuffs that make her look like a poorly executed pintaloosa (yikes!).

 

I don't remember the white going that close to her shoulders, and the other side is worse.

My old customs fared well, one stallion yellowed, but back then I was using shellac that my dad also used for his woodworking projects. Mohair fell off of a Classic sized model I had in there also.

 

Had a random butterfly photobomb my micro minis from Grand Champions.

This is the only one I saved, where he wasn't whapping them with his wings.

 Then there's this guy. When I packed everyone away he was in PSQ condition. I was appalled when I pulled him out at the damage, and then was curious at what was underneath.

 

This is his pretty side, but you can still see alot of scuffing on his ears and back hooves.

And underneath the gray....

 

IT'S

 

WHITE

 

PAINT??!!!

Obnoxiously opaque white paint under the steel gray topcoat! Only thing I could think was why??? It is something I only heard of with vintage chalkies, or white horses (duhhh), but this is neither. Granted he's from 2002 which some people call vintage which I strongly disagree with. He isn't vintage or white, so why.... I dug around and found out about modern chalkies. The people I have asked say he has the characteristics of a modern basecoat chalkie. I was floored. Never knew there was such a thing until today, and would have never known his little secret if the kittens weren't destructive. I almost wonder if I have any others, but I'm not about to hand my unscathed models to DeEtta to chew on!