Hey Les - got any Keaton Batman figures laying around? 
Les' backlog situation (for the uninitiated)
- Thread starter DarkArtist81
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Ironman1188
SO BE IT
Probably won't matter to you much, but no one has, everyone, dozens of people, are still waiting on that one.
tigerfeet
Super Freak
and when he does arrive he will be your best head in your 1/6th collection..
Ironman1188
SO BE IT
Maybe read thru the 261 posts prior to yours in this thread that is titled:
Les' backlog situation (for the uninitiated)
Les' backlog situation (for the uninitiated)
Les Walker
Digging my way out!
PM and EMail sent.
For the record, I have yet to hear from him of his Joker head preference, so I didn't know whether to place him in the Pencil Trick set in progress or a later one.
Thanks for the support guys, but it is moot.
Not concerned with the feedback. He will get his head regardless, as soon as he let's me know which type he wants.
Also, since I am retiring from headpaints and commissions when these and the rest of the heads I have in progress are done, his negative feedback means nothing to me. You all know I am working to finish, then retire. That is no secret. Negative feedbacks only matter toward someone who needs them one way or the other for future reference.
I can't let that affect my choice to retire now anyway. No sense chasing him down about it or harrassing him. (That kind of action has never been sanctioned by me anyway, so please, leave him be)
I will send his head when he lets me know which type, or, if I don't get a choice from him soon, I will paint it Pencil Trick and he will get it with those. But he will get his Joker head.
MOST of you know me. Those who ACTUALLY do, know I will deliver the goods. Best work I can do.
May take a while, and those delays have been covered in this thread well enough, so it is not news.
I always have delivered, and will until I am out of this completely, which cannot be soon enough it seems.
I am retiring from this, so those that despise me can pop their corks now. But for you that have always supported me, I can never thank you enough. It has been for you that I have continued, and have tried so hard to do what I could.
Thanks.
I have to get back to work now.
For the record, I have yet to hear from him of his Joker head preference, so I didn't know whether to place him in the Pencil Trick set in progress or a later one.
Thanks for the support guys, but it is moot.
Not concerned with the feedback. He will get his head regardless, as soon as he let's me know which type he wants.
Also, since I am retiring from headpaints and commissions when these and the rest of the heads I have in progress are done, his negative feedback means nothing to me. You all know I am working to finish, then retire. That is no secret. Negative feedbacks only matter toward someone who needs them one way or the other for future reference.
I can't let that affect my choice to retire now anyway. No sense chasing him down about it or harrassing him. (That kind of action has never been sanctioned by me anyway, so please, leave him be)
I will send his head when he lets me know which type, or, if I don't get a choice from him soon, I will paint it Pencil Trick and he will get it with those. But he will get his Joker head.
MOST of you know me. Those who ACTUALLY do, know I will deliver the goods. Best work I can do.
May take a while, and those delays have been covered in this thread well enough, so it is not news.
I always have delivered, and will until I am out of this completely, which cannot be soon enough it seems.
I am retiring from this, so those that despise me can pop their corks now. But for you that have always supported me, I can never thank you enough. It has been for you that I have continued, and have tried so hard to do what I could.
Thanks.
I have to get back to work now.
Last edited:
King Darkness
Super Freak
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2006
- Messages
- 44,456
- Reaction score
- 209
i feel like yelling "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" when i see the retiring comment but that's mainly out of selfish reasons because there's sooooo much more i'd love to have you repaint for me but i completly understand why and i support you but i'll miss seeing the posts and planning on saving up to get another les paint job.
Ironman1188
SO BE IT
I look back in my life, menial such as it is, and think of the things that, at one time or another, saddened me.
The news of folks like Les and Josh stepping out of the game ranks up there. I will never be as talented, uh- sorry Les, as experienced as they are. Not gonna happen. I could take every course and practice morning, noon and night and never have what they do. It takes a lifetime. And they've shared that lifetime with us. Both of them have suffered thru a lot this last year. Lord knows I know how they feel (still going thru my worst year ever) but they never stopped. Sure the 1:1 may have hit them in the groin a few times, slowed them down, but they never quit. Not on their families and not on US. And, despite the 1:1 problems that they are both going thru and that they have been brutally honest about in their postings some folks just don't get it. They pester and berate these masters of their craft. If they wanted rush jobs then they could have gone elsewhere, or picked up a brush and tried it themselves. I've done that recently. It ain't easy and I have a whole new book of respect for these guys that can turn a hunk of resin or plastic into a work of art.
Les, I hope some day that you reconsider your decision but, all said and done it is just that - YOUR decision. It means a lot of heads will suffer and you'll probably get lots of laughs as we try to match your skills (again, not easy folks if ya ain't tried it yet) but if it helps you out then I think we should all be understanding of that. I may not like it, but I support you in it.
Just remember, Brett Favre retired too!
The news of folks like Les and Josh stepping out of the game ranks up there. I will never be as talented, uh- sorry Les, as experienced as they are. Not gonna happen. I could take every course and practice morning, noon and night and never have what they do. It takes a lifetime. And they've shared that lifetime with us. Both of them have suffered thru a lot this last year. Lord knows I know how they feel (still going thru my worst year ever) but they never stopped. Sure the 1:1 may have hit them in the groin a few times, slowed them down, but they never quit. Not on their families and not on US. And, despite the 1:1 problems that they are both going thru and that they have been brutally honest about in their postings some folks just don't get it. They pester and berate these masters of their craft. If they wanted rush jobs then they could have gone elsewhere, or picked up a brush and tried it themselves. I've done that recently. It ain't easy and I have a whole new book of respect for these guys that can turn a hunk of resin or plastic into a work of art.
*******WARNING*******MAJOR VENTING AHEAD*******
To you *********s that seemingly have no patience: LAY OFF If you bothered to read the very threads that you are posting in then you'd see why your head may not be in your hands yet. And if you think "he should mind his own business" - this is my business. I have heads with both Les and Josh, but while I may not see them in every picture they post, I don't feel a need to ask them Why? or Where is it? I know they have them. I know they will get done. And I know that they will join the best figures in my collection when they arrive. That people like you have driven artists and friends into not wanting to do these works of art that they deliver unto us sickens me. I hope that just a day after you recieve what you have so impatiently been wanting you see your beloved figure take the most beautiful shelf dive you have ever seen, crashing thru your glass coffee table and chipping in the most prominent of places on the sculpt.END OF VENT
Les, I hope some day that you reconsider your decision but, all said and done it is just that - YOUR decision. It means a lot of heads will suffer and you'll probably get lots of laughs as we try to match your skills (again, not easy folks if ya ain't tried it yet) but if it helps you out then I think we should all be understanding of that. I may not like it, but I support you in it.
Just remember, Brett Favre retired too!
King Darkness
Super Freak
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2006
- Messages
- 44,456
- Reaction score
- 209
I hope all you sorry ^^^^s who rode les are proud to know that a great customizer is now gone and we have cry baby ^^^^s to thank for it!!!!
Piece of ^^^^ ^^^^^^^s!
^^^^ you!
ProgMatinee
circlesendwheretheybegin
Not trying to sound bitter, but I don't see the reason for guys to go from "overloaded" to "retired". Isn't there a happy medium somewhere?
I've been excited to recently bump into a few new customizers here on the board and their turnaround time has been SOOO refreshing, but the unfortunate thing is with Les and DA retiring those people may now become overloaded.
Wish there could be better solution where lots of customizers offered their services but did not bite off more than they can chew. I think both Les and DA should stick in there, clear their backlogs and just maintain a steady yet doable workload after that. Its a proverbial gold mine with little hassle if you don't overburden yourself and tell people "no" when you have "X number" of orders already on the queue.
I would kill to have the skills to turn a hobby of mine into a paying gig.
I've been excited to recently bump into a few new customizers here on the board and their turnaround time has been SOOO refreshing, but the unfortunate thing is with Les and DA retiring those people may now become overloaded.
Wish there could be better solution where lots of customizers offered their services but did not bite off more than they can chew. I think both Les and DA should stick in there, clear their backlogs and just maintain a steady yet doable workload after that. Its a proverbial gold mine with little hassle if you don't overburden yourself and tell people "no" when you have "X number" of orders already on the queue.
I would kill to have the skills to turn a hobby of mine into a paying gig.
well i think part of the problem is to do it full time you need to take on a lot of projects to get enough money coming in.
doing it part time doesn't earn enough to keep you going. plus with a full time job and this on the side you still might end up way to over booked because painting takes time.
the only real solution i can see would be to charge more and take on less but again that might hurt getting projects since most people don't have the cash to spend buying a figure and then throwing out even more money to fix it to their liking.
doing it part time doesn't earn enough to keep you going. plus with a full time job and this on the side you still might end up way to over booked because painting takes time.
the only real solution i can see would be to charge more and take on less but again that might hurt getting projects since most people don't have the cash to spend buying a figure and then throwing out even more money to fix it to their liking.
ProgMatinee
circlesendwheretheybegin
I see what you're saying, but custom figures aren't for "most people" to begin with, so I don't think a customizer has to worry about pricing them to be, especially when that customizer is backlogged. If orders slowed and you were out of jobs, then you can lower the price.
Even with a full time job, I probably spend 10 hours a week wasting time watching TV that I would GLADLY trade in for the skills to turn a hobby into a small time business even to churn 1 head a week is $30-$50! Even 4-5 for $120-$150 a month pays for my entire collecting purchases.
Not sure how time intensive it is to get it as good as they do, but I would think 8 hours a week to make $50 (tax free!) is a good part time gig, especially when its something you enjoy and are good at.
IDK. I just couldn't see stopping if I had the talent.
Even with a full time job, I probably spend 10 hours a week wasting time watching TV that I would GLADLY trade in for the skills to turn a hobby into a small time business even to churn 1 head a week is $30-$50! Even 4-5 for $120-$150 a month pays for my entire collecting purchases.
Not sure how time intensive it is to get it as good as they do, but I would think 8 hours a week to make $50 (tax free!) is a good part time gig, especially when its something you enjoy and are good at.
IDK. I just couldn't see stopping if I had the talent.
Les Walker
Digging my way out!
I can only speak for myself. Such talk of others, and their reasons for wanting to quit this are their's.
Mine are simple and require me to look hard at myself and see that I have made a ton of mistakes. Granted, I am human, and flawed and this last year, HAS been a drag on me. No doubt. But yes, I have made a ton of mistakes. I have to atone for all that now.
One way I can deal with it is for now, to stop and catch up and slow down enough to think. For my health, and for my senses. I alone have to fix this.
Last year, and still ongoing, my offsite issues have become such a part of my work, that I think I used this as an escape. That was a huge mistake. This was my income, NOT a place to escape. I know I can look back and forgive myself for why I did this, as I was in extreme pain about my Mom, and the heady support I get here made me think I could do more than I could. It's that simple. Like a drug, I let too much work pile up. Stupid. Plain and simple.
In some part of my mind, I knew better, and did it anyway.
Also, I was unaware of just how potent that support has been. Verbal and strong, too strong maybe. I am very grateful on an emotional level for that kind of support, as I love my friends here. But I have learned that support may have inadvertantly created monsters. Enemies. And that is unacceptable.
The very aspect that I relied on to keep me in this still, has become a possible liability for my being able to continue it.
I am not a businessman. That is obvious! I tried, and thought with my "mighty intellect" , and massive public support, that I could handle it and solve it all. WRONG! Nope. I suck at that part. I need a manager most likely, if I ever return to this! That is part of why BMW is so tempting for me. At least through that venue, I can produce quality work and not be "in charge" and just paint.
I am a right brainer, off in never neverland it seems, so I am not best suited to run a business. now, I have to correct the mistakes made over all this time by catching up on a ton of backlog. I will, but at what price?
I am not a pragmatic enough person, yet, to have handled all this. I now see that. I didn't. Not for a long time. But I have been afraid. Terribly afraid. Afraid of the tough financial decisions I would have to make if I let my guard down and faced what I was doing.
Afraid of failing. And failed on many levels I have. I am reminded of this daily.
Do I loathe those that remind me, no. I resent their attitudes now, but I cultivated them, so how can I atone? Not sure. I have to finish the work, as I have no means to refund so many kind and interested souls who wanted my work. I have to finish it all, and I will. I still love what I do enough to put that interest into my work, and get it done.
But what I can do is apologize. Publicly and openly. I was wrong. I didn't realize that, but I was. SEROUSLY, OPENLY, WRONG. My delays have cost me a dream. Part of that dream was to be appreciated for my art. Some here can't do that anymore. Les the person has become a bad word in some sectors. I was offended by that at first, but now, I have Les Walkered myself. What a dork I must be!
So, to all you who wait, patiently and otherwise, I am sorry. I did this. I screwed up. Me. All my myself.
And I am sorry if you were attacked by well meaning supporters. Any of you.
They meant well. But that was wrong too.
I will correct this, and catch up, and either totally revise how I do my art, or get out of it altogether so as to let things sort out.
This has been a most painful experience for me. Humbling for my ego, and thwarting for my own dreams. In a word, it sucks. And I caused it all. Granted, there are other factors involved, many of which I do not control, but I have to look past those now and move on.
Just know, I will finish my work.
Thanks and please continue to enjoy this hobby, with or without me, as it is the best one out there. You are the best guys online, and this is a great site. Do not let the antics of one messed up artist make you question anything.
Just have fun! Please. At least I can hope for that, that I haven't spoiled the fun.
Mine are simple and require me to look hard at myself and see that I have made a ton of mistakes. Granted, I am human, and flawed and this last year, HAS been a drag on me. No doubt. But yes, I have made a ton of mistakes. I have to atone for all that now.
One way I can deal with it is for now, to stop and catch up and slow down enough to think. For my health, and for my senses. I alone have to fix this.
Last year, and still ongoing, my offsite issues have become such a part of my work, that I think I used this as an escape. That was a huge mistake. This was my income, NOT a place to escape. I know I can look back and forgive myself for why I did this, as I was in extreme pain about my Mom, and the heady support I get here made me think I could do more than I could. It's that simple. Like a drug, I let too much work pile up. Stupid. Plain and simple.
In some part of my mind, I knew better, and did it anyway.
Also, I was unaware of just how potent that support has been. Verbal and strong, too strong maybe. I am very grateful on an emotional level for that kind of support, as I love my friends here. But I have learned that support may have inadvertantly created monsters. Enemies. And that is unacceptable.
The very aspect that I relied on to keep me in this still, has become a possible liability for my being able to continue it.
I am not a businessman. That is obvious! I tried, and thought with my "mighty intellect"
, and massive public support, that I could handle it and solve it all. WRONG! Nope. I suck at that part. I need a manager most likely, if I ever return to this! That is part of why BMW is so tempting for me. At least through that venue, I can produce quality work and not be "in charge" and just paint.I am a right brainer, off in never neverland it seems, so I am not best suited to run a business. now, I have to correct the mistakes made over all this time by catching up on a ton of backlog. I will, but at what price?
I am not a pragmatic enough person, yet, to have handled all this. I now see that. I didn't. Not for a long time. But I have been afraid. Terribly afraid. Afraid of the tough financial decisions I would have to make if I let my guard down and faced what I was doing.
Afraid of failing. And failed on many levels I have. I am reminded of this daily.
Do I loathe those that remind me, no. I resent their attitudes now, but I cultivated them, so how can I atone? Not sure. I have to finish the work, as I have no means to refund so many kind and interested souls who wanted my work. I have to finish it all, and I will. I still love what I do enough to put that interest into my work, and get it done.
But what I can do is apologize. Publicly and openly. I was wrong. I didn't realize that, but I was. SEROUSLY, OPENLY, WRONG. My delays have cost me a dream. Part of that dream was to be appreciated for my art. Some here can't do that anymore. Les the person has become a bad word in some sectors. I was offended by that at first, but now, I have Les Walkered myself. What a dork I must be!
So, to all you who wait, patiently and otherwise, I am sorry. I did this. I screwed up. Me. All my myself.
And I am sorry if you were attacked by well meaning supporters. Any of you.
They meant well. But that was wrong too.
I will correct this, and catch up, and either totally revise how I do my art, or get out of it altogether so as to let things sort out.
This has been a most painful experience for me. Humbling for my ego, and thwarting for my own dreams. In a word, it sucks. And I caused it all. Granted, there are other factors involved, many of which I do not control, but I have to look past those now and move on.
Just know, I will finish my work.
Thanks and please continue to enjoy this hobby, with or without me, as it is the best one out there. You are the best guys online, and this is a great site. Do not let the antics of one messed up artist make you question anything.
Just have fun! Please. At least I can hope for that, that I haven't spoiled the fun.
Ironman1188
SO BE IT
Job, hell if I could do it I'd be busy enough just getting MY stuff done right. :LOL
God bless those that can do it and that then decide to help us out.
ProgMatinee
circlesendwheretheybegin
I think you've explained your situation more than adequately and I totally understand the personal beating you took and are doing to yourself. Sometimes thats needed to reflect on our decisions and make any course corrections.
I really hope that when it is all caught up and you've recharged that everything goes well and frees you up to do things whether business or personal are of enjoyment and perhaps a little prosperity.
I think the co-op projects will be a great success for you!
I really hope that when it is all caught up and you've recharged that everything goes well and frees you up to do things whether business or personal are of enjoyment and perhaps a little prosperity.
I think the co-op projects will be a great success for you!
DarkArtist81
Super Freak
I understand how Les feels... and I entirely understand the choice he has made and why.
Prog, I too understand your feeling towards this as well. It seems like something nobody would want to quit. But there are a lot of underlying pressures, especially now in this HT perfection world. There are some truly great customizers out there that make my work look silly and cobbled together by comparison. I can wholly admit that. My work doesn't have that kind of polish, it's old school custom work.
Les and I will no doubt still do work for ourselves, and maybe one day we will step back into the public arena for a few things here and there. But everyone has to face the day when their skills just aren't enough for the market, everyone has to face the inevitable end of their career. Is it now? I can't be sure, nor can Les.
But our hearts are empty, our souls barren and drained. Art comes from these places, not from skilled hands or skilled minds. So even though our skilled hands and minds could continue, it would be without the heart and soul....which is what matters the most. So a restructuring is definitely in order.
I support Les 100%, as a friend he has been of the highest caliber... I will always look up to him as a mentor, and I am sure we will both create and share with one another through the years. We might even return, but it will be because we wanted to, not because we could make money. At least that is how I feel about it.
Prog, I too understand your feeling towards this as well. It seems like something nobody would want to quit. But there are a lot of underlying pressures, especially now in this HT perfection world. There are some truly great customizers out there that make my work look silly and cobbled together by comparison. I can wholly admit that. My work doesn't have that kind of polish, it's old school custom work.
Les and I will no doubt still do work for ourselves, and maybe one day we will step back into the public arena for a few things here and there. But everyone has to face the day when their skills just aren't enough for the market, everyone has to face the inevitable end of their career. Is it now? I can't be sure, nor can Les.
But our hearts are empty, our souls barren and drained. Art comes from these places, not from skilled hands or skilled minds. So even though our skilled hands and minds could continue, it would be without the heart and soul....which is what matters the most. So a restructuring is definitely in order.
I support Les 100%, as a friend he has been of the highest caliber... I will always look up to him as a mentor, and I am sure we will both create and share with one another through the years. We might even return, but it will be because we wanted to, not because we could make money. At least that is how I feel about it.
abake
Rex Tremendae Majestatis
Sad to see this came sooner than expected.
I think we can all, as a community, learn from these sad experiences.
Just know Les that you have friends here who you can count on and who will always treasure your talent and your friendship.
Do what brings you joy.
Rock on bro!
I think we can all, as a community, learn from these sad experiences.
Just know Les that you have friends here who you can count on and who will always treasure your talent and your friendship.
Do what brings you joy.
Rock on bro!
i understand you two and i agree with your decisions. If you ever see a good custom in person like I have with Les’ Hicks and Darren’s Aragorn there’s no way not to interpret it as art. If I saw it as a production line assembly thing then yeah maybe I’d be expecting fast turn around and hard dead lines but I see it as art and well you don’t put art in a box and say perform (well okay you can but you’re limiting it if you do).
Les’ Hicks was the first custom piece I ever had (real sad day when it had to go but it cover medical expenses for our son’s birth so it will never be forgotten) now I have a Darren Aragorn that will someday be joined on my selves by a Les custom and someday if and when you return Josh I really hope to be able to put one of your pieces up too. The three of you were the ones I followed around on this website when I first started venturing into the customs section and it makes the figures mean even more when there’s a human touch to them and not just a factory out put.
Les’ Hicks was the first custom piece I ever had (real sad day when it had to go but it cover medical expenses for our son’s birth so it will never be forgotten) now I have a Darren Aragorn that will someday be joined on my selves by a Les custom and someday if and when you return Josh I really hope to be able to put one of your pieces up too. The three of you were the ones I followed around on this website when I first started venturing into the customs section and it makes the figures mean even more when there’s a human touch to them and not just a factory out put.
