How Did You Get Into Customizing?

[Fred Broca]

I envy of you guys. I was never much of an "arts and crafts," kind of guy while in school, so doing something as intricate as customizing something a 3.75 action figure is out of the question. However I do have some questions about this aspect of the hobby.

1)How did you get into customizing?

a)Hasbro never made the figure you wanted?

b)You thought you could do it better? You wanted something entirely different?

c)Or were you simply bored?

2) How long so it take to do a fiugre? Or it depends on what your trying to do?

3) How long was your learning curve?

4) Are you ever truly satisified with your work? I went to a con that Herb Trimpe was at. I told him that work he did on issue 165 was hot and I really enjoyed that cover. Trimpe went on to talk about some techical artist shit about the canopy. My point is do you go back and say, I should've did "x", "y," "z" on a piece?

5) How have you evolved as a customizer?

6) What's the biggest difference between your first work and the pieces your doing now? If possible can you post pictures and explain?

7) I know it's not their job, but what could Hasbro do to facilitate this part of the hobby?

8) What's the most frustrating part about customizing?

a) What's the most filling part about customizing?

9) If Hasbro came knocking would you do this for a living?

10) Who's work do you admire other than your own?

a) Other than yourself, who would you recommend for comission work?

 

[MMorelock66]

I got into customizing way before I knew what it was. Mainly painting some stuff to be more realistic and switching weapons of each figure. Then I found Dav Anthony's website with his customs, that's what inspired me more then anything. And the learning curve? I think as all of us we all haven't learned everything we can about customizing. I see new stuff every day that I want to try. I find tons of stuff from guys on the site that I think is incredible. And who's work do I admire? That would have to be Cloud Strife's.

 

[Keenan]

I'm featured as customizer of the month on Joe Customs....
http://www.joecustoms.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=34660

1)How did you get into customizing?
I use to watch a lot of Japanese cartoons- Star Blazers, Speed Racer and was tired of not having characters in figure form, so I started making my own. I was 7 or 8 at the time.

a)Hasbro never made the figure you wanted?
I'd love to have a better articulated ARAH style figure. Double knee joint and elbow joint. This would make me really happy.

b)You thought you could do it better? You wanted something entirely different?
All the time. This was the start of my End of Days verse...
http://keenansendofdays.blogspot.com/

c)Or were you simply bored?
Maybe bored with the same old thing, sure.

2) How long so it take to do a fiugre? Or it depends on what your trying to do?
Totally depends- I've gotten some finished in minutes- LBC style. Others have taken the better part of a month because of sculpting.

3) How long was your learning curve?
...That's what she said!
I've done just about everything- painting, sculpting, scratch builds, casting. There's not much I won't try.

4) Are you ever truly satisified with your work? I went to a con that Herb Trimpe was at. I told him that work he did on issue 165 was hot and I really enjoyed that cover. Trimpe went on to talk about some techical artist shit about the canopy. My point is do you go back and say, I should've did "x", "y," "z" on a piece?
Some things I would go back and change other customs I wouldn't have to. Depends on parts available and what attachment and memories I have because of it.

5) How have you evolved as a customizer?
I'm always evolving. But from the very beginning I jumped right in.
6) What's the biggest difference between your first work and the pieces your doing now? If possible can you post pictures and explain?
The biggest difference is practice and patience. Naturally what I do now is better then when I was a kid.

7) I know it's not their job, but what could Hasbro do to facilitate this part of the hobby?
Go back to using a screw to hold the figures together. This would make life so much better for part swapping.

8) What's the most frustrating part about customizing?
Hmmm, don't know that there is one. I find it very relaxing and rewarding. Maybe just that some projects aren't finished in a blink of an eye, and I'd love them to be- just so I could see them.

a) What's the most filling part about customizing?
Seeing customs completed.

9) If Hasbro came knocking would you do this for a living?
Maybe help out with marketing or in final designs. I'd love to see people get the best products.

10) Who's work do you admire other than your own?
Really everyone's. There's always something new and crazy that inspires me.
a) Other than yourself, who would you recommend for comission work?
I leave this up to the person looking to get work done.

You can see more of my work here...
http://www.joecustoms.com/userops/profile.php?uid=930

 

[Monkeywrench]

That's awesome Keenan!

 

[rds13601]

The thing that got me here to this website was the incredible talent shown off by people like Rick, NSA, K Tiger, Shinobi, Xhairs, Slayer, Cloud Strife, Red, Picklehaube, Shinobi, Keenan, Footloose,Fled, Med, the dude with glasses who was entry 1 in the August banner vote and damn myself for the names I've forgetten. Then come the new ones like Dropshipbob, Morelock and many others. I suck at customizing; but the talent here is tremendous and there are always fun and exciting gems posted that make your jaw drop. It blows your mind as to how gifted the people are here and they never fail!!! Ever!!!!

 

[Wry1]

1)How did you get into customizing?
Way back in the day I thought it was fun to switch parts around and repaint figs. As an adult it's even more fun 'cuz now I've learned how to do stuff.

2) How long so it take to do a figure? Or it depends on what your trying to do?
Depends entirely on the piece. A simple repaint/kitbash takes a couple of hours. A piece involving more intricate 'bashes, hacking and sculpting, waterslides, and uber detailed paints can take 12+ hours easy.

3) How long was your learning curve?
Always learning new techniques. That's the whole point to me, every new piece I do I always try to implement the techniques I've acquired from every piece prior.

4) Are you ever truly satisified with your work? I went to a con that Herb Trimpe was at. I told him that work he did on issue 165 was hot and I really enjoyed that cover. Trimpe went on to talk about some techical artist shit about the canopy. My point is do you go back and say, I should've did "x", "y," "z" on a piece?
No, never 100% satisfied.

5) How have you evolved as a customizer?
Learning how to sculpt has been the biggest game changer. The design options are unlimited when sculpting is an option. No more looking for that "perfect" part. If you don't find it, you make it.

6) What's the biggest difference between your first work and the pieces your doing now? If possible can you post pictures and explain?
My first work sucked, especially the paints. Now my work sucks less.

7) I know it's not their job, but what could Hasbro do to facilitate this part of the hobby?
Put product in stores, that's seriously all I ask. Finding parts on the interwebz is easy and all, but nothing beats walking into a store and checking out some figs and buying the ones you dig.

8) What's the most frustrating part about customizing?
Painting, I'm colorblind. Not easy.

a) What's the most filling part about customizing?
Super fun creative outlet. I love discussing ideas, the research process, getting a solid plan laid out, the build/'bash/sculpting, the paints to bring it all to life, and the final pix to seal the deal.

9) If Hasbro came knocking would you do this for a living?
Well yeah.

10) Who's work do you admire other than your own?
Everyone who takes the time to do their thing proper, there are seriously so many talented cats out there. A complete list would probably break the interwebz.

a) Other than yourself, who would you recommend for comission work?
See the response above.

 

[Falcone]

One day back in highschool, in the early 2000s, I decided I wanted a Joe green shirt from Sunbow. I have been painting Warhammer models for as long as I can remember. And I've been taking Joes apart and putting them together since I was somewhere around 8-10. Since I had all the necessary tools and paint I just decided to start customizing and never looked back.

 

[Cloud Strife]

1)How did you get into customizing?
I'd admired custom Marvel Legends since I first discovered them shortly after they were released, but never really thought I'd be any good at it. So, it wasn't until I started stumbling across custom Joes from the 25th line that I thought I'd give it a shot. I poured over Jin Saotome's tutorials and then finally took the plunge. Haven't looked back since.

2) How long so it take to do a figure? Or it depends on what your trying to do?
It depends on what I'm doing. Most of them have been taking at least 10+ hrs lately due to the camo, but I've been able to reduce the time spent painting camo considerably. The longest I've spent on 1 custom is the 40+ hrs it took to sculpt and paint Serpentor.

3) How long was your learning curve?
The basics, not long. Camo and sculpting, still trudging that curve.

4) Are you ever truly satisified with your work? I went to a con that Herb Trimpe was at. I told him that work he did on issue 165 was hot and I really enjoyed that cover. Trimpe went on to talk about some techical artist shit about the canopy. My point is do you go back and say, I should've did "x", "y," "z" on a piece?
All the time. I've redone several characters and still plan on redoing some that I've already made.

5) How have you evolved as a customizer?
At first, I wanted my customs to be strictly ARAH or Sunbow accurate. Now, I prefer more modern and real world looks, while trying to keep certain hallmark features of the characters.

6) What's the biggest difference between your first work and the pieces your doing now? If possible can you post pictures and explain?
I think my answer to the previous question answers this one as well.

7) I know it's not their job, but what could Hasbro do to facilitate this part of the hobby?
Make the torsos easier to split w/out warping or cracking. Also, they could leave space between the joints and limbs to help prevent paint rub.

8) What's the most frustrating part about customizing?
It depends. Most of the time, for me, it's finding either the right parts, and/or paints.

a) What's the most filling part about customizing?
Being able to add a figure to my display that I put a lot of hard work into.

9) If Hasbro came knocking would you do this for a living?
Although I know it will never happen, heck yeah.

10) Who's work do you admire other than your own?
There are too many to name. I get inspiration from a lot of customizers, as there are a lot of talented individuals in the Joe community.

a) Other than yourself, who would you recommend for comission work?
It depends on what you're wanting. I'd recommend MSWI or Bad Sociologist for ARAH accurate customs, and Wry1 or ceraurus for updated/modern customs. Again, there are a lot of talented guys out there, but I know these guys do commission work, or at least used to.

 

[Byrnes]

[8) What's the most frustrating part about customizing?
Painting, I'm colorblind. Not easy.

I feel your pain Wry. I am completely colorblind. I have to ask my wife all the time when I start mixing stuff if it's cool looking and she's like "Why is it Pink" and I'm like "Shit on me, I thought it was a badass looking Red".

 

[Byrnes]

1)How did you get into customizing? Wanted a vintage Han Solo Stormtrooper, so I bought a Luke stormtrooper and swaped the head with Solo. Then my mind just went nuts with the possibilites for more vintage figures.

a)Hasbro never made the figure you wanted? Several Vintage Star Wars Figs.

2) How long does it take to do a figure? Usually a couple days all in all.

3) How long was your learning curve? 3 years now and still learning but basics takes at least a good year for cutting, dremel, sanding, painting.

4) Are you ever truly satisified with your work? Yes, I'm not a perfectionist

5) How have you evolved as a customizer? Little tricks and tips go a long way. Using the right paints and parts also make a huge difference.

6) What's the biggest difference between your first work and the pieces your doing now? If possible can you post pictures and explain? Being patient with paint. Using Clay to sculpt.

7) I know it's not their job, but what could Hasbro do to facilitate this part of the hobby? Sell fodder. Grab bags would be awesome.

8) What's the most frustrating part about customizing? Painting and being Colorblind also.

a) What's the most filling part about customizing? Making the figure you wanted.

9) If Hasbro came knocking would you do this for a living? Yes, would be fun

10) Who's work do you admire other than your own? Right now Skiman is blowing my mind but pretty much anyone who is willing to display their work for me to look at is someone I admire.

a) Other than yourself, who would you recommend for comission work? I don't know about commissions.[/b][/QUOTE]

 

[starwarsgeek]

1)How did you get into customizing?

I always like to create stuff when I was a kid... model kits, puzzles, Lincoln Logs, Erector sets, LEGO's (yeah they had those way back then)... and customizing was just kind of like an extension to that.

2) How long so it take to do a fiugre? Or it depends on what your trying to do?

Right now I generally spend anywhere from 5-6 hours for an "easy" project to... well, I don't how long it can take at the max. I've had some projects that seem like they've been a WIP forever.

3) How long was your learning curve?

I think I'm still learning, or at least I try to.

4) Are you ever truly satisified with your work? I went to a con that Herb Trimpe was at. I told him that work he did on issue 165 was hot and I really enjoyed that cover. Trimpe went on to talk about some techical artist shit about the canopy. My point is do you go back and say, I should've did "x", "y," "z" on a piece?

I think that most artists will always say that. I don't think that I'm ever 100% satisfied. But as long as my buyers are happy, that's what helps me sleep at night, lol.

5) How have you evolved as a customizer?

I think when you start something like this, you really don't know what to do or where it can go. When I started, I had a few tubes of craft paint and would just do simple repaints. Now, I'm sculpting my own parts, molding and casting them, and then painting them and creating characters not only from sources outside of movies and comics, but from my own imagination. Sometimes I really need to draw on some deep down creativity, because I do a lot of commission work, and when I get a client that wants a figure created from a franchise that I have zero interest in, or a character that I dislike, I need to put that aside and just create the best figure that I can. I gotta eat, ya know?

6) What's the biggest difference between your first work and the pieces your doing now? If possible can you post pictures and explain?

Well, like I said, when I started, I was really just doing repaints. I don't have any of my earliest pics, but I found this one from around 2007 when the Clone Wars TV show was first airing. I think this may have been one of my earliest part swaps:

Fast Forward a few years, and I'm doing some slightly more complex part swaps, where I'm making pieces from different toy lines mesh together, doing some added sculpting, using materials like styrene to build items and accessories, finding 'creative' ways to use products in ways that they may not have been intended to be used (the flames on the gauntlets use the ol' "hot glue" trick), and the many years of practicing my paintwork seems to be paying off:

7) I know it's not their job, but what could Hasbro do to facilitate this part of the hobby?

I think they already do a little bit that helps... they make (some) of their figures easily broken down into parts. Not all, obviously. I think it would be cool if they could start selling some kits of just gear and accessories, or perhaps even just generic head sculpts that you can use on your figures. But I guess that what the custom casters are for

8) What's the most frustrating part about customizing?

What's not frustrating about it? It doesn't matter how long you've been doing this, or how many times you've done the same thing over and over and over... eventually things won't work out like their supposed to.

a) What's the most filling part about customizing?

All the snacks I keep in my studio

9) If Hasbro came knocking would you do this for a living?

Sure. I already make a living doing it 'under the table' so why not do it for real? Although I doubt they would hire me, I'm not that good.

10) Who's work do you admire other than your own?

There are way, way too many people to name. I look at everyone's work, anyone that takes the time to create something and take a picture and post it, I check it out. Not all of it's good, but I still give people credit for trying.

a) Other than yourself, who would you recommend for comission work?

Again, there's too many people to name just a few...

 

[Fred Broca]

1) What does your work space look like?

2) When you're working, is it known that you're not to be bothered for "x," amount of time? Or can you multitask?

3) What time of day (or night,) do you work?

4) Is there a certain ambiance to your works pace? E.g.

5) Do you start a project with one vision in mind, but the creative process takes you in another direction? If so, give an example with with photos.

6) Have you ever woke up in the middle of the night, (or just had a sudden burst of inspiration and had to get to work? If so what was the result?

7) Ever do a piece that would be considered ? (I just wanted to just that emoticon, :lmao: @ "eddism,"

8) Do you guys do customs pieces of yourselves, friends, family members, or other members of the forum?

9) Is it possible to make small accessories, such as rifles, handguns, knives, etc.

10) What is your magnum opus? Please provide a link.

 

[Meddatron]

#10 = Gettysburg Dio

 

[Vortious]

#10 = Gettysburg Dio

Is that the dio that has been at the Gettysburg national park for the last (not sure how long ago I was there, but I think it was about) 20 years or so? Either way you did a superb job on it.

I'm heading down to get some work done in the shop in a minute, so I'll answer the o.p.'s questions in probably about 4, or 5 hours or so. Yeah that's about my normal amount of time down there at a time.

 

[Meddatron]

Same one. Found these pics online. It's my favorite all time dio. Saw it first on a school trip in elementary school well over 20 years ago. I believe its the worlds largest of its kind.

It's not my personal made Magnum opus, but its the type of project I hope to achieve someday.

 

[Vortious]

Same one. Found these pics online. It's my favorite all time dio. Saw it first on a school trip in elementary school well over 20 years ago. I believe its the worlds largest of its kind.

It's not my personal made Magnum opus, but its the type of project I hope to achieve someday.

OOOOOH OK I thought you were saying that you made it. I was thinking back over when I would have seen it, and it had to have been about 19 years ago, because it was about a year before I got my girlfriend who is now my wife pregnant when we were 15, so I saw it at around 14. It was a busy couple of years. MUCH simpler times for sure, but very busy.

Now to the questions:
1)How did you get into customizing?
I always liked taking beat up figures when I was a kid, and turning them into characters that I didn't have figures of. At first it was through imagination, but as I got older I started painting figures to look like characters that I had created.

a)Hasbro never made the figure you wanted?

That is what got me started customizing again when the Transformers Alternators figures came out, and then I transitioned from that to the MU line in 09

b)You thought you could do it better? You wanted something entirely different?

Quite often I have felt that my version was better than the official version.

c)Or were you simply bored?

Yes there have been times when I did customs out of boredom.

2) How long so it take to do a fiugre? Or it depends on what your trying to do?

It really depends on what all is entailed with that particular custom

3) How long was your learning curve?

As was stated before I don't think the "learning curve" ever truly ends

4) Are you ever truly satisified with your work? I went to a con that Herb Trimpe was at. I told him that work he did on issue 165 was hot and I really enjoyed that cover. Trimpe went on to talk about some techical artist shit about the canopy. My point is do you go back and say, I should've did "x", "y," "z" on a piece?

Some times I'll look back on an older custom, and just be like WHAT WAS I THINKING, but not often.

5) How have you evolved as a customizer?

Learning to mold, and cast was really the biggest progression for me as a customizer, and one that I've really enjoyed.

6) What's the biggest difference between your first work and the pieces your doing now? If possible can you post pictures and explain?

Most of my earliest customs were just quick repaints, and I sometimes added capes, but that was about it. Now as I just said I can mold, and cast so if I want the figure to be clear I mold all of the parts, and make it clear.

7) I know it's not their job, but what could Hasbro do to facilitate this part of the hobby?

They could just turn a blind eye to the casters. After all in all actuality we aren't hurting them really.

8) What's the most frustrating part about customizing?

As SWG said there's always something that always works EVERY time, that once in a while just doesn't want to work.

a) What's the most filling part about customizing?

Right now as a caster I love seeing what my customers do with the parts they buy from me. I am so often surprised with how customers u pieces.

9) If Hasbro came knocking would you do this for a living?

As it is that is my goal, to turn casting into my carreer.

10) Who's work do you admire other than your own?

There are too many customizers to mention who's work I admire.

a) Other than yourself, who would you recommend for comission work?
For painting Sybiote of MUCC, and for sculpting Thorodinson of MUCC. For casting SWG.

 

[HeelJoe]

I feel your pain Wry. I am completely colorblind. I have to ask my wife all the time when I start mixing stuff if it's cool looking and she's like "Why is it Pink" and I'm like "Shit on me, I thought it was a badass looking Red".

This is me all over!

 

[Vortious]

I couldn't imagine trying to do this hobby colorblind. You guys really astound me.

 

[Vortious]

1) What does your work space look like?

Well I have 2 one is my computer desk which is where mostly just take care of the messages, but I also look up reference art, and stuff, and take my pics there. It's a little cluttered

Then there's the workshop, and though I just recently tried to straighten it up to be less cluttered w/ molds all over the desk just like 2 days ago it's covered again already. It is really a never ending battle, but it's fun, and that's what is important.

Besides like Einstein said "If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what then is an empty desk a sign of?"

2) When you're working, is it known that you're not to be bothered for "x," amount of time? Or can you multitask?

You can tell people to leave you alone all you want, but it's just not going to happen unless you lock the door, and then latch it from the inside. So you might as well get used to being interrupted. Though it's funny, because whenever I'm down there for hours w/o interruption I'm sitting there expecting it at any minute.

3) What time of day (or night,) do you work?

I work nights (for right now) at my job, so I do most of my work in the mornings on the days I work, but when I'm off I'm down there at all sorts of odd hours. Sometimes early to mid morning, sometimes afternoon, and sometimes late at night into the next morning.

4) Is there a certain ambiance to your works pace? E.g.

No my work spaces are just your basic florescent lighted areas.

5) Do you start a project with one vision in mind, but the creative process takes you in another direction? If so, give an example with with photos.

I've had that happen more times than I can count, but sadly I have no pictures of those because I don't usually take in process photos.

6) Have you ever woke up in the middle of the night, (or just had a sudden burst of inspiration and had to get to work? If so what was the result?

Yes that happens all the time. No so much the waking up at midnight with an idea, but more while I'm in the workshop looking at things I was already working on. Pretty much everything that I have ever made has had that happen at one point in time or another.

7) Ever do a piece that would be considered ? (I just wanted to just that emoticon, :lmao: @ "eddism,"

Not really that I can think of.

8) Do you guys do customs pieces of yourselves, friends, family members, or other members of the forum?

Yes I did a custom set of figures for my wife of me, and her how we looked the day we met at 13 for her for our anniversary, and the girl in the bikini figure I posted in my June entry was based on how my wife looked in her bikini back when we were 15.



9) Is it possible to make small accessories, such as rifles, handguns, knives, etc.

I made the BFG that Coulson used in the Avengers movie, and I've had a few custom items sent to me that people have cobbled together like the gun that come in my Blue bug guy set. So yeah if you can dream it, and can find the right pieces you can make it. Allot of the time though you might need to sculpt a little to get things just right.

10) What is your magnum opus? Please provide a link.

My Magnum Opus? I think would have to be my store. I mean I've done all sorts of customs over the years for my self, but through my store i have the ability to help other customizers have access to parts for their own customs, and there have been allot of times when the customs that my customers made turned out much better than they probably would have if I'd of tried to finish the custom myself.

As far as my Magnum Opus of the customs I've done so far I'd have to say the set of figures of me, and my wife the way we looked when we were 13 that I posted up a little ways. That was the greatest response I've ever gotten out of her when giving her a gift. I've given her jewelry, and cards, and all sorts of other gifts, but she laughed so hard she was crying, and that was what I was hoping would be the result. She has them set up in a display case on her dresser, and I think she wants me to make more customs of us how we looked on other big days in our lives. I'll see what I can come up with.