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Building custom figures:
-simple ways to cusomize-
Before you start
*Caenman has been into the Marvel epic Age of Apocalypse
from the begining and that is what he realy stuck with... so my first tip is to get a theme.
It helps you focus, helps you see where you are going, and helps you stay enthusiastic.
*Pictures, pictures and more reference pictures! Back, front, side...
a good close up of the face with expressions showing the characterisation you want to include in your figure.
*You are going to be limited by your
tools.... a bad workman blames his tools, but it doesnt matter how good you are as an artist/cutomizer you
will have more options with better and more tools.
*Choose your base figures wisely, and the more figures and parts
you have to choose from the better.
*Check
out other customizers to see what they used, see for yourself what is going to
work.
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| tools |
Tools of
the trade =
-Caenman uses a couple of pocket-knives (Swiss of cause) it has the blades - different sizes, small pliers,
blunt edges, etc.
Mini-Rotary-Tool. They come with plenty
of attachments are arn't expencive, perfect for doing good detail or removing large amounts of plastic, sanding and smoothing.
Blades. Not just for cutting but also precision painting and sculpting.
Plyers. Get a grip! different ended plyers for different jobs.
Reverse pliers. The ones that open when you squeez them, so handy for prying open bodies and getting
limbs in and out.
Brushes. different sizes and stiffness will give different textures.
Hot-Glue-Gun.
Great for quick basic sculpts like hair or plazma blasts.
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| male/female joins inside the body |
THE BEGINING:
THE SET
UP: make sure you have the space and organised area for working. Its far too easy to tip paint over and loose body parts.
PULLING
APPART FIGURES: The more tools you have at hand the better chance of taking a body apart cleanly. If you dont need
to open the torso then dont - but it can be easyer with every apendage seporate.
Working with 5inch figures i have found
that even two of the same figure they will come apart differently. Sometimes just squeezing the legs together,
or just push on the head or limb to pop it out.
There's usually three male/female conections inside
the torso. These conections are easyer to glue together than a body so brake them if you need rather than compramise your
figure.
Getting
into them you have a few opptions - top, side and bottom. TOP well thats the shoulder, you can get a blade down there
and turn it to open - just go enough to get the head or an arm out before you go all the way. BOTTOM The crotch, between the legs - This can be a good
entry for stuborn figures cause any damage at that connection can be easly covered up. Careful, the week point is often across
the waist that can break. Side Avoid
it if you can.
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| Top - female Middle - parts Bottom - male |
You have chosen the charactor:
One figure at a time! When i'm pulling figures apart and i think "hey this is perfect
for X" i will use a small zip-lock bag to collect the parts and lable the bag. This
helps cause my memory isnt too good and i loose things.
Put the parts together to see how it looks before
you start painting and sculpting.Even if i have all the parts i think are perfect but the proportions
just arent right i will not use it.
Look at the joints, how do they fit? Arms over hang the shoulders, legs thinner than
the pelvis, etc. This can be remedied by sculpt or carving but if it isnt going to work dont force it - find another piece.
If your going to sculpt now is the time before you paint. Take your time and once
you have it put the figure together to see how the proportions are.
Painting - choose your
colours and the mat/gloss type. Use the right tool, different size brushes and sometimes a bit of paint on the end of wire
or a blade for small detail and more controll.
You can go for a classic one colour or for more detail and
tone try: put your base coat
on once it is dry put your second tone, just a little bit, in the creases of costme or muscle line and with your finger smudge
the paint - usually darker in the crease.
With each part that is the same colour you should be
painting them at the same time - it helps keep the tones and style the same.
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| more colours more options |
| paint will bleed in the joints n' make a mess |
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| avoid this by taking the figure appart to repaint it |
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