What if Weta release more 1/6 LOTR, Do you Still GEt 1/4 PF

[Darklord Dave]

Everything on Doom that would be cloth for real, is cloth on the figure. Whether you call it a "doll" or an object d'art, they are still a more true to life representation of a character than a fully sculpted statue, and that's why I find them preferable.

 

[Andy Bergholtz]

Well said Dave, that sums up my basic feelings on them as well.

I love fully sculpted statues, busts, etc, I always have. But I love the PF lines in a different way... The mixed media (fabric, metal, leather, etc) just adds more dimension, more depth in a way to an otherwise more simple piece.

And I have to say... A PF figure is indeed as much (or more) of a 'work of art' as a fully sculpted statue. I'm surprised to still see these referred to as 'dolls', especially by folks who even own a few PF's. The connection is so miniscule really.

 

[NASEDO]

I forgot about Doom or even the Goblin they do look great. Makes me happy now. My mind has been stuck on the 1/4 scale humans. Where to me its the Head on a body. With Doom it is different. It should be interesting. The 1/6 statues will be back.

 

[Andy Bergholtz]

The 1/6 statues will be back.

.....Huh??

 

[user 131]

I can't really understand this thread. I would think anyone would embrace a 1/4 PF LOTR line from Sideshow if you're a LOTR fan. I'm keeping the Weta statues I have and will buy some LOTR 1/4 that I like, so that way I have some made by both companies & ones I think best represent the character. If Weta makes more statues I would look at those and buy some if they are good. I'm not a completist; nor am I partial to one company or type of art.

Though it seems Sideshow gets all my business. I wonder why that is?

 

[Agent23]

Like I said before, I will probably get one or two of the P.F. LOTR pieces.

If I go too crazy I will be getting in over my head with spending too much and no space...

 

[HighElven]

I like PF figures, I will more than likely end up getting one or two. Not even Lord of the Rings, as long as they bring out some more Universal Monsters or some cool Marvel.

The connection is so miniscule really.

I tend to disagree with that. A doll is a porcilian head, face and feet, with a softish body with real clothes. A PF figure is a polystone head, face and feet, with a body covered in real clothes. Pretty similar.

But I just dont like the idea of scaled down fabrics. I have a 12" figure, the Black Knight I won in a contest, and the fabric is horrible. Its almost plasticy. I would hope the fabric on say, a Gandalf the Grey 1/4 statue would be far more close to the real costume.

 

[RoboDad]

Dolls?

I DON'T THINK SO.

 

[Andy Bergholtz]

I tend to disagree with that. A doll is a porcilian head, face and feet, with a softish body with real clothes. A PF figure is a polystone head, face and feet, with a body covered in real clothes. Pretty similar.

I suppose I can definitely see the comparison between our PF's and a more high-art type of doll (something along the lines of the upscale Princess Diana porcelain dolls, etc). I was mainly thinking of those folks who often refer to them as 'oversized Barbie dolls', etc. Still, the comparison doesn't sit right with me. It's almost like comparing one of the 1/6 Weta statues to a happy meal toy, because both items are fully sculpted, painted, non-articulated, and made from some form of plastic.

I guess I just feel like the characteristics associated with the term 'doll' were surpassed lightyears ago in the PF line, nothing about them says 'doll' to me. But that's just my opinion, I can understand where the conflict comes from.

 

[RoboDad]

I was mainly thinking of those folks who often refer to them as 'oversized Barbie dolls', etc. Still, the comparison doesn't sit right with me. It's almost like comparing one of the 1/6 Weta statues to a happy meal toy, because both items are fully sculpted, painted, non-articulated, and made from some form of plastic.

Profoundly well put!

 

[thamesvalidude]

If I considered myself to be a doll collector, I'd sell all my figures, 12" and PF on ebay tomorrow. I mean my wife demeans my hobby as geeky, but a doll collector, that sounds really sad?????

Nooooooooooooo!!!!

 

[Viking28]

It's almost like comparing one of the 1/6 Weta statues to a happy meal toy, because both items are fully sculpted, painted, non-articulated, and made from some form of plastic.

Exactly Andy!!!

 

[Andy Bergholtz]

Well, I was admittedly being a little silly with that comparison, but it's not completely invalid.

 

[TheWitchKing]

Despite the comparisons to dolls, all I have to say Andy is keep those Premium Figs. coming you have support and money.

 

[Hells of Iron]

Harry Potter makes a pretty cool looking doll, so maybe LotR will too.

https://www.tonnerdoll.com/harrypotter.htm

I don't dig that hair though...stick with the sculpted stuff SSC.

 

[elwood49]

I believe production and painting of the polystone weta line is much more costly to make, so with the mixed media, Sideshow is making more profit on these figures. Cost less to make, Sideshow setting high retail price on them = bigger profits.

The expense of the 1/4 figures doesn't necessarily lie in the cost of the materials in the figure, but in the amount of time spent developing/manufacturing them. Think about how hard it is to match a fabric at a smaller scale. You can't just use the same fabric as the original and cut a small piece. If you did that, then the textures/detail would be much too big. Specific fabrics have to be developed/found that have smaller details. Imagine a houndstooth pattern from a jacket. If an original swatch was used, then the pattern would overwhelm the figure. Add in the cost of leather belts/boots (please no more poly shoes SS!), metal swords/shields, and various fabrics, and the cost adds up real quick. As Dave always says, they don't pull the prices out of the clear blue sky.

I will say that I get the exact opposite feeling when I look at my SS/W statues vs. my 1/4 figures. The all poly statues look very cheap in comparison, IMO.

But I just dont like the idea of scaled down fabrics. I have a 12" figure, the Black Knight I won in a contest, and the fabric is horrible. Its almost plasticy. I would hope the fabric on say, a Gandalf the Grey 1/4 statue would be far more close to the real costume.

I completely understand this concern, but I will say that the fabrics look MUCH better on the 1/4 pieces than the 12" ones. It's really no comparison. The 1/4's have more metal, leather, etc. Fabric will always look better as the figures get bigger.

 

[screamingmetal]

But I just dont like the idea of scaled down fabrics. I have a 12" figure, the Black Knight I won in a contest, and the fabric is horrible. Its almost plasticy. I would hope the fabric on say, a Gandalf the Grey 1/4 statue would be far more close to the real costume.

The Black Knight was one of their early figures, just look at the new Drusilla 1/6 scale figure, infinitely better then the Black Knight.
Also, you should take into consideration that the Black Knight in the movie didn't have real chain mail. They couldn't afford to outfit every character with the real stuff in the movie, so the Knight's chain mail shirts and leggings they wore are actually a sweater like material with shiny silver thread sown in to simulate the mail armor.
So the Black Knight figure is very actuate to it's movie counterpart.
It'll be interesting to see how Sideshow accomplishes the Chain Mail armor for the Premium Format LOTR figures. There is real chain mail out there that is very close to 1/4 scale chain mail, I wonder if they'll use that?

 

[BillDoor]

This discussion reminds me of the Dominos pizza commercial where the guy answers the door while his friends are watching QVC, ordering a fairy or unicorn or some other sort of trinket. One of his friends shouts "Come on, they're almost out of the figurines!" and the guy at the door snaps back "They're statues!"

Who cares what we call them? I'm man enough to call them dolls if someone wants to refer to them as such. I like 'em, and I'll buy 'em.

What's the difference between a 12" GI Joe "Action Figure" and a 12" Barbie "Doll"? None, other than marketting.

 

[The Josh]

This discussion reminds me of the Dominos pizza commercial where the guy answers the door while his friends are watching QVC, ordering a fairy or unicorn or some other sort of trinket. One of his friends shouts "Come on, they're almost out of the figurines!" and the guy at the door snaps back "They're statues!"

Who cares what we call them? I'm man enough to call them dolls if someone wants to refer to them as such. I like 'em, and I'll buy 'em.

What's the difference between a 12" GI Joe "Action Figure" and a 12" Barbie "Doll"? None, other than marketting.

That commercial is classic.

 

[Darklord Dave]

Oh man, you should NOT have shown me those Potter dolls...

And they're 1/4 scale too.