The Origin Story of Wild Puffin & Show-Ready Puffin
- Rowena
- Aug 17
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 30
Puffins are seabirds that are native to the UK coastline - they have a notorious charm due to their unique looks and personalities. They can also be seen on the Isle of Shetland in Scotland, alongside the native ponies of the same name, of course! It felt like the perfect pairing of model horses and inspiration drawn from nature to create a 3D printed resin pony.
Designing a bespoke 3D printed resin pony
Although she's not my first 3D sculpt (or 3D printed equine 👀), Puffin is actually my first piece for production! The name ‘Puffin’ came to me initially, before anything else, so I searched to create a sculpture that embodied those quirky seabirds’ loveable features. Shetland ponies are equally as cheeky with personality (and bites) to boot. It was a match made in heaven.
Speaking of biting...I will say a certain pony in my life named 'Primrose' had something to do with the nibbly aspect - after all, who doesn't have some sort of Shetland pony trauma?
This should tell you everything you need to know about Primrose.
Ponies are a firm favourite for many; they're a riding school staple for first-timers and great companions in a herd. In my initial sketches, I knew I wanted to emulate the kind of windblown look of a rough grazing pony, or one found on hillside pastures.
I actually wanted her foreleg outstretched, and tried it a handful of times before realising it was flat-out wrong, anatomically. I then searched for more solid references and discovered the centre of gravity lays heavier on the side that the pony is nibbling.
Adventures in Zbrush
This pose shift seemed like a great opportunity to swing the booty out and make the belly pop as the pony stretches to get that one spot. She took a while to come together, but when she did it was actually pretty sudden - as you can see between the 2nd & 3rd pictures.
Initially, I had only concepted out a fluffy version (which would later become 'Wild Puffin'). However, I figured that the base was good enough to use for a variation, and so 'Show-Ready Puffin' was also created.
In combination with the 'Layers' tool on ZBrush to make temporary changes, I save out a lot of file versions along the way to make sure I can always return to a certain point in the process if I decide that a project has gone wayward. It took 10 file iterations to get to the final base, and an additional 4 saves on each variation to get to the end product. And that's before any of the 3D print pre-processing!
My wonderful supplier (who wishes to remain nameless) has been absolutely devoted to making sure these little ponies are the best they can be in print quality, durability and processes. They even came up with an incredible, innovative new system to drain the models at a fraction of the time and ensure they are thoroughly dry & cured inside!
I learned so much about designing, modelling and putting out my first resin through this little girl, and I'm so grateful that you all loved her so much. I truly could not do any of this without the support of the wonderful hobbyists that have been cheering me on! Truly, from the bottom of my heart, thank you ♥
Puffin was originally released in 1:9, 1:20 and 1:32 scales and continues to be available as an open run in these scales, stock depending. If you are interested in getting a copy of your own, you can find her on the 'Resins' page, or under 'Shop'!
Puffins & other seabirds at risk
UK seabird populations are sadly in major decline, with reems of species at huge risk of extinction - including the beloved puffin itself. Food scarcity, avian flu, climate change and overfishing are all reported to be contributing factors. [source]
Please consider donating to, becoming a member of, or simply spreading awareness of avian conservation efforts in the hopes of saving these beloved creatures!
Here are some links to resources if you'd like to help:
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