Back at Work Designing and Making Dala Horse Ornaments

  It's been nearly half a year since I've done much in the way of working on actual dala horses but they're never far from mind.

I'm often using my dala horse designs to create products for home and office on Zazzle.com/dalahorse*

I had a few last wooden blanks for ornaments so I thought I'd try some different color variations of some of my teaching (easy) designs. in case I ever get that instruction book written for you.

The more that I worked on these and considered the book. The more I came to the conclusion that what I will do is create a set of wipe clean laminated cards that can be carried along in your paintbox whether you are teaching a class, taking one or just want to work on your own.

Here are a few of the latest Horses in progress. 

This is where I go to spray clear coat on my ornaments.

Years ago I had plans for a nice studio and a professional spray booth but I was never able to afford it. The upside of that is being able to tell you that you really don't need them. And it's much nicer to spend the day out in the fresh air (as long as you can get to an area where you won't harm or bother anyone with the spray. I'm very careful to stay away from gardens, birds wildlife areas or people.)

Here I've stacked a small mesh patio table on top of a larger one so that there's room to hang ornaments as well as stand chunkier horses or lay ornaments flat. this arrangement has always worked well for me and I think you'll find it useful too.

Don't they make a happy sight? Seeing them always cheers me up.

New Products with my Dala Horse Designs

In this first scan you see one of my business cards along with a sticker sheet. I've done both on zazzle.com in my dala horse store. 

Here you just see a closer view of the sticker sheet. The most exciting thing about this is that it's made from drawings, paintings and actual wooden horses.
The other great thing is that they are shaped stickers and can be used to decorate most any surface so the possibilities are endless. I can't wait to use more of my designs this way!

Different Ways to Learn and Use New Designs

I saved some designs from a book about 30 years ago that I've been meaning to try so I've decided that this is the time to do it.

I had run out of stationery and needed to make some more so I decided to practice parts of the design on paper and card stock.

I used pencils on the paper and markers on the card stock. Both experiments worked well.

When I've had enough practice and am happy with my understanding of the design principals and possible combinations I'll move on to paints and return to painting dala horses combining this style with the things that I already know.

I'm looking forward to my new look. 

4 more Dala Horse Christmas Ornament Designs

I am finally on the last 5 wooden dala horse ornaments and am excited to show 4 of them to you.

After having designed nearly 400 Dala horses it's getting hard to keep each of them different.

After I get that final ornament done it will do me good to step away from it awhile.

Dala Horses Designed on Canvas Panels

Wooden Dala Horse Daisy Design Ornaments

 As you can see there are a lot of fun ways to use a daisy on these horses.

 They're so easy and fun I can't resist using them whenever I run out of other design ideas.

 They seem to look good on just about any color background.

2018 Dala Horse Ornaments

For this years Christmas tree I thought I would revisit a few of my favorite designs.  I started with a pair of very different Iris horses, then moved on to more conventional designs.  Mixing elements of traditional dala horses with a spin of my own, each ornament is a bit different but they all go together.   

            

In addition to making ornaments I'm also designing them in paint and canvas that can be made into ornaments in the future.

                   Here are some of the ornaments in progress.