New Partnership With Estudio Proteus

[PROTEUS360]

My numbers aren't these...paying the Trevor part,my caster and the painting can't be done in a preffessional way for that money....If you can,then convince Trevor.

 

[ShadowX81]

Painting cost isn't really the issue. But more the need to charge $80 minimum for an unpainted cast. (And thats if you will even allow selling one).

Somehow it was done for $35 only a year ago so obviously it is possible.

 

[PROTEUS360]

Part of these 80 are for Trevor,but i don't need to expalin here the terms of our own deal....but it can't be under 80,sorry.

 

[hotslayer73]

Part of these 80 are for Trevor,but i don't need to expalin here the terms of our own deal....but it can't be under 80,sorry.

$80 is a fair price , which i would be happy paying for an unpainted sculpt of Trev,s work.

 

[drdandalek]

I have to say, Salvador does good paintups from the ones I've seen. However, charging $200 painted or $80 unpainted is a little high for me. Basically what I'm reading is Sal is actually recasting the heads with Trevor's approval. Please correct me if I'm misunderstanding(I frequently do,lol). I was really looking forward to doing some of the old and some of the new sculpts. I just can't afford to put that much in an ancillary character outside of my norm. I'm just disappointed because I was excited that this artist was going to be selling his heads again. I have to say, and please don't think this means I support recasters by any means, but those prices will not sell on eBay. A lay person outside of the forums will look at the priceQ sells on eBay versus this one. I hate that because I've heard so many good things about both Trevor and Sal, but this business strategy won't work. Trevor stating in an earlier message that he wasn't out to make any money and unfortunately Sal's message sounded like it was all about money. I would love to have this but that prices me out. I do however wish you good luck on your sales as I'm sure there will be some freaks who can afford it though. I just think eBay will be a tough sell. It's just my opinion and we all know what those are like.

 

[PROTEUS360]

I'm trying my best,but if it doesn't work,we'll try another thing,or leaving this bussiness...

 

[ShadowX81]

Why exactly is a a painter being cut in with the casting process in the first place? Why cant this arrangement be done with just a caster, and then if we wanted to send it to you for painting we could? Right now this arrangement pays 3 people even if it only happens to involve the work of two (only one if you take into account that Trevor is just collecting legacy costs).

$80 is not a fair price at all when its proven that it can be done for much less.

 

[galactiboy]

The reason prices were so low before (if I recall) is that Trevor was casting these himself. Now that someone else is doing it there will be an increased cost because of that... Trevor should be paid and the caster should also be paid for this work.

$80 is a lot of money, but if that's what it will cost then either collectors accept that and pay, or reject it and don't. And in reality many casts now cost this much... Rocco averages $60 before shipping and WGP is around $70.

We were all very fortunate that Trevor was willing to share his work with us for such a low price, when he could have easily charged 2x as much then. Times and circumstances have changed. If you want a sactioned cast from Trevor this is the way to go, if you want to support Dbag recasters you know how to do that as well... but I'm sure you won't win any popularity contests that way.

 

[karamazov80]

Echoing what Galactiboy is saying, if it's $80, and that is the bare minimum they are willing to offer for it, then that is that as I see it. There is a for-profit business involved now, where Trevor and the caster will both need to take a cut. I do agree that some here are more likely to turn to "counterfeiters" if they offer cheap, illegitimate versions of these sculpts for less than the real deal is being offered through legitimate channels, but personally, I would rather pay $80 for the real deal in a way that benefits Trevor than pay less to get a sub-par product from some bum (in fact, I would not accept the latter at all). I'm just glad Trevor is back in some capacity, and that Proteus is considering the unpainted sculpt option.

 

[Queromarvel]

Well, $200 painted is a little off for me too... but something like Iminime, around $130, would sell like water in the desert. Just saying, it would be a far better strategy. Lower your margin of profit on a single sculpt, but sell in bulk, and gain on quantity - and kill the recasters in this process.

 

[mg2065]

I'd rather pay a premium knowing I'm buying direct and supporting the artist.

Having seen trevors work in hand, facebook, etc. I'm just thankful he's given his blessing for this venture.

 

[SwedishHeat]

Before we get all bent out of shape about what is or isn't a fair price, we don't even know what the product quality is like yet, to determine if the price is fair. I know there are different "grades" or qualities of resin, I've seen a few heads, and even purchased one, that felt "powdery" or grainy, and very light weight. . . yet I've got another one that felt very solid and just felt more "durable". I paid more for the lightweight powdery one than I did the one that felt more durable. Needless to say, I won't be buying anymore heads if they are the "powdery" resin. I would be interested in a skintone, solid, 'hefty' resin headsculpt. If that's the kind of headsculpt we'll be getting, I'm all for it.

 

[ShadowX81]

The reason prices were so low before (if I recall) is that Trevor was casting these himself. Now that someone else is doing it there will be an increased cost because of that... Trevor should be paid and the caster should also be paid for this work.

$80 is a lot of money, but if that's what it will cost then either collectors accept that and pay, or reject it and don't. And in reality many casts now cost this much... Rocco averages $60 before shipping and WGP is around $70.

We were all very fortunate that Trevor was willing to share his work with us for such a low price, when he could have easily charged 2x as much then. Times and circumstances have changed. If you want a sactioned cast from Trevor this is the way to go, if you want to support Dbag recasters you know how to do that as well... but I'm sure you won't win any popularity contests that way.

So if im correct, this plan is essentially a sanctioned recasting in which Trevor gets a cut. Fair enough.

Of course this will lead to costs going up. But my argument isn't that costs shouldn't go up at all, but rather that this is the least efficient and most expensive way to go about this.

Normally the caster would make a cast, sell it and give Trevor his cut (which considering he has no more parts and labor costs, should be less than his original $35). But where does the painter come into this? Why are we paying a a painter just to act as a middle-man when we could just go to a caster directly and only have two people's payments to worry about.
Add the fact that this painter lives in another country, which just adds in shipping.

Can anyone provide a reason why Proteus specifically has to be the one to do this?

This isn't the times that have changed, its just the people that we are buying from. There is no reason why sculpts should cost more than $50 if we are more selective in choosing a caster.

 

[karamazov80]

Can anyone provide a reason why Proteus specifically has to be the one to do this?

Because that is who Trevor has chosen to work with.

 

[ShadowX81]

Thats not a reason. Out of all the potential casters out there who could no doubt do this for less money, why do you want him to be the one?

Do people enjoy spending money when they don't have to?

 

[Mr.E]

Trevor,

Make your two recent "cowboy" sculpts available (painted) and all will be well.

 

[karamazov80]

I think Iminime "owns" that sculpt now, in the same way Sideshow would own a sculpt it commissioned from Trevor.

To Shadow, Considering that this is Trevor's product, I would say that it is the only reason that matters. From what I've seen, finding good, reliable casters is apparently not an easy task. And for Trevor there is an extra dimension of needing to be someone he trusts and feels comfortable working with. There's only so much you can really expect here. This isn't a charity, and I'm sure there are factors at play here that we're not all privy to.

 

[galactiboy]

And I don't think there is a painter middleman here. I think the same person making the casts will also offer a painting service. But you can also buy unpainted, but that us still being worked out.

 

[ShadowX81]

To Shadow, Considering that this is Trevor's product, I would say that it is the only reason that matters. From what I've seen, finding good, reliable casters is apparently not an easy task. And for Trevor there is an extra dimension of needing to be someone he trusts and feels comfortable working with. There's only so much you can really expect here. This isn't a charity, and I'm sure there are factors at play here that we're not all privy to.

One thing is for sure is that we are paying a painter to be marginally involved in a casting process he has functionally nothing to do with.

Good casters may not be dime a dozen, but theres no better place look than here. He should be shopping around and comparing our options. Not settle for the first one and ask all of us to both figuratively and literally pay the price.

And I don't think there is a painter middleman here. I think the same person making the casts will also offer a painting service. But you can also buy unpainted, but that us still being worked out.

He stated in a post on the last page that part of the costs is paying his casting guy. Hes just a painter.

 

[galactiboy]

That's a pretty bold assumption, what makes you think Trevor hasn't shopped around. My guess is casters come to him for the opportunity to cast his work so he's probably very familiar with the options.

Clearly you unhappy with the news, but that doesn't mean it was a half cocked decision.