Where's the customizers have been

I don't know if i'm right to poen this thread but i want to do it.
SO if a moderator feels free to delete it then so be it.

First sorry for my bad english so i will try to make it simple.

I joined this board 3-4 years ago, attracted by the works of Les Walker and Josh (Dark Artist).
I have a feeling that 3 years from nonw there wer a lot more creativity and passion around ssf.

Maybe i'm wrong, maybe i have chnaged or maybe that's the way it is.

I'm sadly watching the custom section falling appart.
Almost only commission stuff or interest thread.

WHere are all the customizers, i mean true customizers, thos who live trhu their passion.
Of course there are still some of them (Big man Skiman, Crimson bob, one to name a few).

So is there a new trend on the board or is overprized stuff the new trend now?


Well that's it, i'm finish for today.

I wanted to say that, i feel better now

elvis1976 said:

So is there a new trend on the board or is overprized stuff the new trend now?

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That pretty much sums it up...
Besides the for sale stuff... I still think there's plenty of people doing their stuff, but don't post as often.
I don't consider myself a customizer, I've just enhanced, bashed and re-painted a few figures. I'd love to spend more time doing it, but I think I have too many hobbies already !!

That's why I like custom stuff from Spenser for example, very well done, and reasonable prices, I mean, I know the quality of some items from some customizers is amazing, but seriously, paying some of the outrageous prices is turning the hobby into a "business"... not so much fun...

Kuzeh said:

paying some of the outrageous prices is turning the hobby into a "business"... not so much fun...

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That is exactly my thinking.

Check out the Star Wars custom subforum... lot of passionate customizers there and very few commission threads.

I do think this section has become sort of a second commerce section... unlike OSW where people seem to love making figures for themselves and discussing them with others. The custom section here is not always as supportive (you rarely hear snarky comments there) and threads about figures that aren't for sale tend to get bumped back to page 2 in less than a day.

I do like the option to buy people's work, but it does seem like we get a lot of repitition since being able to sell the sculpt, outfit, figure, etc. seems to be part of the factor in creating them.

Maybe Dave should split it into:

Customizers & Original Art discussions and another section called Customizers Marketplace?...

Ha ha ha I have to admit I see alot of customs on this thread seb! Most of my commissions are for customs but sadly I don't ever get to do my own customs due to the time and money! But I'm more than happy to do other peoples! I'm not as lucky as you and able to do so many different full figure customs in a short space of time! Keep up the good work

I think if you go to the SW custom forum there is a LOT of very inspired people doing stuff and they really feed on each other for inspiration and passion.

I think if the forum has a little reorganization and seperated some of the major licenses out from the custom section I think that might happen in other places. Fans and collectors talking to fans and collectors. Not sellers, professionals, etc.

I also think to some extent you have a real seperation between the super customs and everyone else. When you have people making high quality stuff and charging $300-$500 or even $800 for figures it makes amateur customizers a little bit depressed. At least, I know I have a hard time making stuff when I know its not even close to being good compared to all the stuff made by professionals.

Its a good/bad thing. Good to see the quality of some stuff improve, but bad to be so seriously out classed that you're ashamed of your work.

Kuzeh said:

Maybe Dave should split it into:

Customizers & Original Art discussions and another section called Customizers Marketplace?...

Click to expand...

I think that was discussed a few times but never saw the light of the day.

I think you pretty much nailed it man on the pricing.
This is one of the the first thread I check everytime I come to this
board cause there's so many amazing stuff and most of the talent here is unbelievable.
But I think some of the issues people are having are some of these figures are now unattainable due to their high prices.
I think you see the pattern of people selling stuff to allocate funds to buy a certain custom piece.

The thing is, you cant really blame the customizer's since they're not a company like Hot Toy where they have more resources. Most of them do it while working a regular 9 to 5 so the prices are justifiable.
But I also think the bar has been raised on custom pieces. Basically, if they are not in the same league or better than Hot Toys, most people pass and just hope that Hot Toys eventually pick up the license for that figure.

Kuzeh said:

Maybe Dave should split it into:

Customizers & Original Art discussions and another section called Customizers Marketplace?...

Click to expand...

I think that happened once and was undone, or maybe it was discussed when there were 30+ Chris Howes commission threads I think around that time there was a shift towards what we have going on now.

That's the main reason why I stop posting most of my work. I still do it because I'm used to and maybe try to archive here my photos but not with the same passion anymore.

Yes that's it the passion is gone in the custom section, maybe we shoulder rename the star wars custom section in general customs. lol

If Dave follows through with the reorg, I think you'll see mini groups full of passion pop up in Indy, GI Joe, LOTR, Batman, etc just like SW did.

The solution is not always "big is better". Its like church, big churches offer a lot of stuff, but its not the same experience of getting to know each other and helping each other as a smaller church. Same thing with schools, clubs, etc. When something gets to big it loses it identity.

I really hope for the reorg.

Or maybe separate forums

Custom figures art forum

And

Commission forum threads

That would separate customizers showing off there work and underground business to market there sculpts and figures.

Moe said:

Or maybe separate forums

Custom figures art forum

And

Commission forum threads

That would separate customizers showing off there work and underground business to market there sculpts and figures.

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I don't think it works because there is too much crossover. The people selling the stuff end up posting about it in the other section anyway and it just becomes 2 of the same place.

This section is now where people come to have customs done for them. I rarely post anything because unless it has Kato clothing and a Silent Surfer paintjob (no offense at all intended to those awesome artists), no one cares. It's not about building customs, it's about paying someone else to make you a Hot Toys figure. It's not that that's necessarily a bad thing, but when that's all this forum is, it's kinda dull. If you go back into the latter pages of this section, you'll see people posting all manner of stuff, now it's almost nothing but commission threads.

ProgMatinee said:

I don't think it works because there is too much crossover. The people selling the stuff end up posting about it in the other section anyway and it just becomes 2 of the same place.

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I agree with you on that! My work sort of crosses over! I do everyone elses work that they can't do. Which I'm more than happy to do! I think I have only do about 5 customs for myself but soon that will change after I get hanumans batman customs. People get to make there own stuff again and we have seb to thank for that

TheObsoleteMan said:

This section is now where people come to have customs done for them. I rarely post anything because unless it has Kato clothing and a Silent Surfer paintjob (no offense at all intended to those awesome artists), no one cares. It's not about building customs, it's about paying someone else to make you a Hot Toys figure. It's not that that's necessarily a bad thing, but when that's all this forum is, it's kinda dull. If you go back into the latter pages of this section, you'll see people posting all manner of stuff, now it's almost nothing but commission threads.

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Bang on buddy

TheObsoleteMan said:

This section is now where people come to have customs done for them. I rarely post anything because unless it has Kato clothing and a Silent Surfer paintjob (no offense at all intended to those awesome artists), no one cares. It's not about building customs, it's about paying someone else to make you a Hot Toys figure. It's not that that's necessarily a bad thing, but when that's all this forum is, it's kinda dull. If you go back into the latter pages of this section, you'll see people posting all manner of stuff, now it's almost nothing but commission threads.

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That is pretty much spot on, exactly what i wanted to say.

You forget 2 of the best customisers in this thread no

Rainman & Velvet Morning