New Partnership With Estudio Proteus

[thainer]

I don't know why you would. Seems like you single-handedly frustrated Proteus into taking unpainted casts off the table, and apparently taking away the ability to have other painters handle Trevor's sculpts. You've been able to wield quite a lot of influence with your redundant complaining. Thanks a lot for that.

I highly doubt that Shadow single handedly knocked the unpainted cast issue off the table. What seems to have been missed is Salvadore`s statement that he primarily entered into this agreement with Trevor to find work for his paint studio to supplement his comic work. Why would he want to sell unpainted casts to us guys who paint them themselves or ship them to another painter when he is, basically, using the Grove name and reputation to keep his painters employed.

It has also been said that paint won`t stop a recaster so painted or unpainted doesn`t matter one bit in this area. Proteus wants to sell only painted sculpts because he is a painter and he wants to be paid to paint and at that point he can charge what the market will bear.

 

[ShadowX81]

Well maybe of more people said "No this isn't fair" instead of lying down and thinking "I probably can't affect anything so I might as well just pay", then things would change.

 

[PROTEUS360]

Well,i explained the facts far beyond i should explain,but i wanted you know we're honest,but that's all,not more explanations,from now,i'm only going to speak to these that make orders,you can keep blaming me or to the world or whatever....,if you don't buy,really you can keep like that forever.

 

[Bullet]

I was actually responding to vareika. I have no clue what the RM thead is and didn't get the shadowfla name. I assumed it was some insulting play on my name that I didn't understand.



There are four other usernames that start with "Bullet". Im guessing those are you too?

No lol but the fact you counted them makes me smile

 

[karamazov80]

Will there be a list of the sculpts by Trevor that will be offered on your site Proteus? Is there any more news forthcoming? Thanks.

 

[TurdFerguson]

No lol but the fact you counted them makes me smile

this made me giggle.

 

[batfan08]

Well maybe of more people said "No this isn't fair" instead of lying down and thinking "I probably can't affect anything so I might as well just pay", then things would change.

I agree, but, if I were to fight for anything, at this point, it would be to get unpainted sculpts back on the table. I'd rather pay 80 bucks than 200; it's simple as that. I'd love to own a Walter White some day, as I love the show, but, to be completely frank, I've got enough on my plate as it is, and it would be a long while before this started affecting me.

 

[transhi100]

I highly doubt that Shadow single handedly knocked the unpainted cast issue off the table. What seems to have been missed is Salvadore`s statement that he primarily entered into this agreement with Trevor to find work for his paint studio to supplement his comic work. Why would he want to sell unpainted casts to us guys who paint them themselves or ship them to another painter when he is, basically, using the Grove name and reputation to keep his painters employed.

It has also been said that paint won`t stop a recaster so painted or unpainted doesn`t matter one bit in this area. Proteus wants to sell only painted sculpts because he is a painter and he wants to be paid to paint and at that point he can charge what the market will bear.

This would make sense except in his first post, post 27, as in regards to shipping casts to another painter, Salvador clearly states:

Hi i'm Salvado Larroca,and yes,estudio Proteus it's my studio.
We are very happy to anounce this agreement with Trevor to sell and paint his heads,the ones that we can sell,due to some legal issues maybe sometimes we can't sell any specific head,but we only paint heads,so selling to specific person shouldn't be a problem,i'm also opening an ebay store if you see these painted in ebay,check that the seller is studio proteus,we don't have the licenses,but we pay to Trevor for every head,not like these recaster that are taking profit of the talent of the talented people like him or WGP and more.
In my studio internet site,you can see some samples,i'm also selling heads from WGP in same conditions as Trevor,so you can stay relaxed about these issues,doing this,i'm trying to offer painted heads instead these bad painted copies that ebay is selling.
this is the link to my studio:https://www.estudioproteus.com/home/.
there are some samples wich i can't sell due that are heads from other sculptors that prefer selling heads painted for themselves,but we offer also our services as painters if the client send us the casts.
We do not sell unpainted heads,and if you want that another more talented than me studio paint these heads,we can send the cast to the selected painter,but not to individuals,Tevor had issues of recast even with selected clients...
well,that's all,we'll be improving our cathalog along incomming weeks.
apart of this,we'll be doing full figures that soon will be anounced too.
Glad to tell that all of you are wellcomed to our new painting studio.
Thanks!
Salvador

So unless I misunderstood, it looks like the option to send an unpainted cast to a painter of our choosing was originally on the table as of 2 days ago. It no longer is and that's disappointing.

 

[thainer]

I only try to get the work for my studio,that's why i proposed this.
I won't be selling casts,unless Trevor ask me to do it,and at this point,we agree.I understand 80 may look expensive,but even when Trevor asked me to cut down his part,i must and insist paying him for his work,so no way a price for less that this(80),get it or not..in fact i prefer do not having to do casts because is not woth even for me.i don't get a single dollar if i do.
I can't be more honest,that i want is painting work for my studio,not for other studios...if you are interested,purchase,if not,i understand.
Until now the ssf guys didn't had legitimate access to these sculpts,unless you buy recasters,now you can thanks to my proposal,but the art has a price,and i insist in paying Trevor his part,but is not a real bussiness for me doing casts for other painters,i hope you will understand...it has costs that i can't avoid,painting is another matter,even i could do special prices to reiterate clients,but i can't do much more.

Post 163. He is clearly trying to drum up business for his paint studio by going into business with Trevor-providing highly sought after and desirable head sculpts. But the only way to get them is if he paints them. If that is the way he and the sculptor want to d it that is certainly their prerogative but maybe that should have been made more clear from the start.
I got the feeling from the first posts that Trevor wants people to get his sculpts and is willing to take a smaller cut in order to make them more affordable but the bottom line, simply stated, is that Estudio Proteus is a painting service and, as such, is trying to sell its painting services.

 

[toyadventurer]

Do you read what i post?i said i pay Trevor 50 per cast,and then i hve to do the cast each 10-15 new molds,cleaning it and filling holes,honestly is not worth for me doing that for 80.I pay 50 to him because i want,because i think that he deserves,not less.It's me who fixed the price.He asked me for less money but i consideer that it's not fair.

If you are paying Trevor $50 per cast your $80 selling price is totally understandable.

 

[thainer]

If you are paying Trevor $50 per cast your $80 selling price is totally understandable.

But he has also said that Trevor is willing to take less to lower the cost of the sculpts. But Salvadore doesn`t want to give him less per head thus making it uneconomical to sell unpainted sculpts for under $80 thus the only way to make this financially feasible is to only sell painted sculpts. Which is what a painting studio wants to do, anyway.

So his very business model is making it impossible to do something he doesn`t want to do. Very clever, really.

 

[kgrhoad]

I really don't understand why this argument has been allowed to go on as long as it already has. I don't know of any other customizers thread where people have been allowed to complain about the prices being asked for work and or services for this long.

This is a thread to showcase their work and what is available. I think the mods should have shut down the complaints and rants days ago or moved them to a new thread where people can complain about the cost of custom figures.

 

[marlindesign]

I am happy to pay the price for a Trevor Sculpt anyday... Where are they and when can we buy????

 

[IDMCustoms]

Being able to sculpt, mold, cast and paint myself, I can honestly say that there is a wide variety of costs and quality of resins. I've collected garage kits for over 10 years now and I've seen virtually every form of resin out there. Some types warrant the price tag while others just use construction plaster to even cast and then try to past it off as resin and charge more. The only way you can really tell is if you have the actual cast in hand to see what type of resin is used. But to most of us, we won't know until you get the head or part in hand.

Clean up is also another big consideration. Most castings don't come out absolutely perfect right from the mold. There are sprues that need to be cut off and sanded, air bubbles that need to be filled, seams that need to be smoothed, etc. The amount of post clean up depends on how good you are at building a good mold, which, of course takes a lot of time.

All of this is considered when pricing out how much you can or will offer the part. Everyone's situation is different and if you think something is worth the price, then it shouldn't matter how you're willing to spend your money in my honest opinion.

One thing I am not sure of is whether the shipping charges will come in to play. If the heads are $80 unpainted, but the shipping from overseas is $20, that's still a $100 unpainted head. It might make sense to have someone in the US cast or even keep a designated supply to ship to collectors - sort of like a distribution center maybe. Just a few thoughts. I love Trevor's work and it would be great to have some of his amazing sculpts.

 

[ShadowX81]

I really don't understand why this argument has been allowed to go on as long as it already has. I don't know of any other customizers thread where people have been allowed to complain about the prices being asked for work and or services for this long.

This is a thread to showcase their work and what is available. I think the mods should have shut down the complaints and rants days ago or moved them to a new thread where people can complain about the cost of custom figures.

Maybe because entire points of view shouldn't be relegated to obscure subforums. How you feel has absolutely nothing to do with that is "allowed" as long as you follow board rules.

 

[marlindesign]

Opinions are great. everybody is entitled to them! But so many posts on the same thing for so long does mess up the threads though...

I stopped reading after page 12 and skipped to the end - who knows what I missed! probably not much

 

[greatlakes6]

The seller can do what he chooses. Comes down to supply and demand. If the demand is high, the price will be justified, if you choose to make your feelings known by not purchasing, then he will get the message very quickly. Eventually, the market will set the price.

 

[marlindesign]

^^^^^ THIS!

 

[King Darkness]

Given the direction this thread took, I wouldn't be surprised, nor blame Trev, if he left again and this time for good.

 

[marlindesign]

Yes, Mods - please clean this thread up!