Attn: Custom Artists!! Newbs, ask Questions here!

[Rogue Trooper]

Re: ATTENTION all Custom Artists!!

between twelve and fourteen hours a day, usually 5 or 6 days a week. only rarely 7, when important pieces have to go out for a specific date.

as a beginner i only did one figure for myself, spent a few weeks doing it about 4 or 5 hours a day. then commissions and orders started coming in.

i know have a 4 - 6 month waiting list..... hence the long days

Sometimes I fall behind on pieces (recently because I took on more orders than i could do in the usual timeframe) but i'm trying to get on top of things again. I'd say already paid for pieces are accounting for about my next 3 month's work

There must be alot of people in the world who are envoius that you are artist by trade and not just a hobby.

Usually like to customize after ive been for a run, when im running i get i new ideas which i need to do while im ready to go, also when it rains.

 

[Rogue Trooper]

Re: ATTENTION all Custom Artists!!

Hair... Well, for hair I will normally do one solid color as the base. And atop that I will drybrush lighter shades, usually 2 others.. the lightest last and very sparingly. So it gives the hair life and depth that it previously did not have. It really helps sell the figure's realism.

And for hairlines I usually use a fine brush to try and get fine detail in there, to give it the look one sees in reality. Where you can see where the strands begin. Sometimes I use a wash of skin tone and brush that over the hairline edge to blend it in. Same with a part in the hair, I paint a very thin line of skin tone to simulate the look and blend it with that same wash.

Thats what i needed, ive been trying a new way of doing a matt as the base then a drybrushing with paints that have a little gloss. I kind of hoping that the gloss will add that slight shine that hair has.

 

[vader70450]

Re: ATTENTION all Custom Artists!!

you guys rule for starting this!

ok..I am trying to do The twins from the Matrix. I have the heads from the GG busts....I am having a real hard time finding that glossy gray and white suit...any ideas on where I can get them? How well does paint stick to leather? Also what is the cleanest way to get the head off the bust....Dremel?

thanks for all the help...

 

[Buttmunch]

Re: ATTENTION all Custom Artists!!

OK I got a question. How/What is the best way to cast something? I need to cast a skull for some custom projects I am working on because I only have the one and they aren't easy to come by. I imagine it would be very similar, if not exactly, like casting a figure head. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Darren Carnall]

Re: ATTENTION all Custom Artists!!

best thing to do would be to do what I did when i was starting out and google search things like "molding casting" or "casting resin heads" or y'know.. any combination you can think of. There are loads of sites out there with tutorials... i read them all I think, lol

I don't have any links to share at the moment but they're out there. If you're still struggling hext time I'm around here I'll dig the links out for you

 

[DarkAngelDTB]

Re: ATTENTION all Custom Artists!!

Here's the tutorial that I followed to cast my heads.

https://www.alumilite.com/HowTos/SplitGloveMold.cfm

It works wonders. does the job spot on.

Dean

 

[Anzik]

Re: ATTENTION all Custom Artists!!

I use smooth-on silicone for my molds. I hate urethane mold rubbers, although I know a lot of guys that prefer it.
I also use alumalite casting resin.

 

[Rogue Trooper]

Re: ATTENTION all Custom Artists!!

Anyone got any tips about painting lips, this is the only part i ain't all that happy with now. Either look like lipstick, no shape or no lips at all.
Sometime i get this right sometimes not.

 

[Buttmunch]

Re: ATTENTION all Custom Artists!!

OK. I think I understand how to do it now. Now I just need to know where I can get the casting material and resin. I have a few Michaels' craft stores near me. Would they carry the stuff I need?

 

[Darklord Dave]

Re: ATTENTION all Custom Artists!!

OK. I think I understand how to do it now. Now I just need to know where I can get the casting material and resin. I have a few Michaels' craft stores near me. Would they carry the stuff I need?

Almost definitely not. You'll probably need to order it online - I've only found one store that carried the stuff I needed and that was because it's in Burbank and caters to the special effects houses.

 

[Anzik]

Re: ATTENTION all Custom Artists!!

I ordered directly from Smooth-on. I like the oomoo 25 the best for silicone.

 

[DarkAngelDTB]

Re: ATTENTION all Custom Artists!!

OK. I think I understand how to do it now. Now I just need to know where I can get the casting material and resin. I have a few Michaels' craft stores near me. Would they carry the stuff I need?

I get all mine from ebay. I use a supplier thats in the UK. So I am sure you will find what you need where you are.

Dean

 

[nicky]

Re: ATTENTION all Custom Artists!!

Sorry for the double-post but I only just found this thread.

I'm very new at customising. Can anyone help me painting very small eyes? I just cant get any detail on my 1/6 custom heads eyes cos they are so damn small. So far I've dipped a pen in paint for the iris. Any other advice is appreciated. Below are my first ever attempts at painting custom heads.

 

[LoveMinusZero]

Re: ATTENTION all Custom Artists!!

Hey there Custom Freaks!

I was hoping some of you could help me out with something. I just picked up a Marmit Sandtrooper, and I would like to take off the half assed sand/paint job. I've read on older threads that someone did this with acetone, but seeing how the Marmit sets are expensive and hard to come by, I'm hesitant to go ahead without being sure.

I have a Hasbro Battle Droid that I'm willing to test on, they're cheap, abundant, and I'd like to repaint one one anyway, so I tried to remove the droid's weathering with nail polish remover and a Q-tip. I know that nail polish remover isn't pure acetone, but it's mostly acetone. Anyway, it didn't really do anything. This may be because it's nail polish remover, because it's Hasbro, or because I'm an obvious amatuer.

Long story short: How do I get the paint off the Sandtrooper (and the droid too) without damaging the figure?


Thanks guys!

 

[barryo]

Re: ATTENTION all Custom Artists!!

Hey there Custom Freaks!

I was hoping some of you could help me out with something. I just picked up a Marmit Sandtrooper, and I would like to take off the half assed sand/paint job. I've read on older threads that someone did this with acetone, but seeing how the Marmit sets are expensive and hard to come by, I'm hesitant to go ahead without being sure.

I have a Hasbro Battle Droid that I'm willing to test on, they're cheap, abundant, and I'd like to repaint one one anyway, so I tried to remove the droid's weathering with nail polish remover and a Q-tip. I know that nail polish remover isn't pure acetone, but it's mostly acetone. Anyway, it didn't really do anything. This may be because it's nail polish remover, because it's Hasbro, or because I'm an obvious amatuer.

Long story short: How do I get the paint off the Sandtrooper (and the droid too) without damaging the figure?


Thanks guys!

acetone will do fine...........just use it sparingly and dont fling it. for my marmits i just kinda painted over them with a airbrush using a paint that was somewhat like desert sand. but if your looking for a clean version go with acetone & a qtip do get it where you need it. dab some on and let it sit a bit then go at it again, repeat until clean. here's mine without removing the existing paint....

 

[LoveMinusZero]

Re: ATTENTION all Custom Artists!!

Okay thanks a lot! Those guys look great!

I was also wondering, how difficult is it to get the armor back off of the marmit body if you decide you want to switch it out for a Dragon?

 

[barryo]

Re: ATTENTION all Custom Artists!!

Okay thanks a lot! Those guys look great!

I was also wondering, how difficult is it to get the armor back off of the marmit body if you decide you want to switch it out for a Dragon?

all of mine are switched to dragon bodies. i cut the boot/shoes off of the marmit armor & put the black body suit on the dragon, then just forced his feet thru the armor after heating the shin pieces with a hair dryer (a hair dryer is a must with these figs). do a trial run to see if his feet will fit into the leftover shoe though. i learned that lesson the hard way first go round.

 

[Kabukiman]

Re: ATTENTION all Custom Artists!!

STUPID EYES!!!

I'm starting to think my paint brushes might be too thick for 1/6 eye painting. I don't think brushes come much more fine though...

I know decals are an alternative, but I remember reading somewhere once (I can't seem to find the post now) that somebody here painted eyes with a paint "pen" of sorts. Anybody know what that is?

 

[galactiboy]

Re: ATTENTION all Custom Artists!!

I never did this, but thought of it as a good idea. Take some wad of sculpey and flatten it out and put a bunch airsoft balls in it. Then bake ,afterwards you have a nice pallete of eyeballs to practice on.

 

[DarkArtist81]

Re: ATTENTION all Custom Artists!!

Eyes take a LOT of practice, I used to think I would never be able to do them. It just takes a lot of practice to get right. I sometimes draw the pupils in with a pencil, just to make sure I don't paint them off kilter.

You just have to keep trying, it will come to you. Use a nice thin brush, not too long of bristles... and it will happen.