Customs by "Soverign Studio" Shawn K.

1- What does the word customizer mean to you?
Nothing, really. I think it's an over used term, and not just for toys and models. "Customize" means to alter or modify an exiting thing, to change it to your liking. When you design every piece yourself, create your own patterns, do all of your own fabrication, etc. I don't see how it's "custom" anymore. Like I said, it's not just toys, either. Take those guys on 'American Chopper'. They're known for making "custom" bikes. But they design the whole thing from the ground up, fabricate it all themselves. That's not custom, it's fully original. Taking a car off the lot, painting it and changing the wheels is "customizing".  

2- How did you begin customizing?
I started with custom figures about six years ago or so. I was SO excited to hear about the Toys McCoy Indiana Jones figure, I'm obsessed with Indy. And then I saw the figure. It was all wrong, to an over-obsessed fan like me. It was $350.00 new, and yet it just looked like a toy. It didn't look real or anything at all. I had wanted a really good 12" Indy since I was 8, so I resolved then and there that I would have to make my own. I had always made stuff, since I was a kid. I had done a few 12" figure, with mixed results, but I was sure I could do it.

3- As a customizer what do you create?
I create only the characters I personally love, all in 1:6. There are a few characters for which I would love to do 18"-20" figures, like what Sideshow has done with their "Premium Format" stuff. The problem is, I don't have a terribly wide range of interests, so I've created very few 12" interpretations of only those characters I really enjoy. I think if you're making something just for money, if you're heart isn't really in it, your work suffers a lot.

4- What is your process when you are customizing, from start to finish?
Once I've decided on a character I start by gathering reference material. I usually don't need much, as I only make the characters I've obsessed over for years and all the info is already in my head. But having the stuff handy never hurts. Next, I think about how other people might approach the project and start thinking of ways I could do it better, if possible. Then I set out sculpting and designing patterns. A few months later, if everything went right, I have a pretty cool figure.

5- How long does it usually take to make one of your customs?
If it's something I'm starting on from scratch, from the design level, it takes months to get it to where I'm happy with it.

6- Have you ever sold any of your customs, if so where?
Yes. Ebay, I also have a website. I don't do trade shows or anything, or deal with retailers. When I do make stuff for people, it's always "on demand" or "made to order". I don't just make a bunch of figures to sell at shows or anything.

7- What has been the highest price that you have received for a custom?
$700.00

8- Do you get requests?
Yes, but I generally do not take commissions. I seldom get a request that personally interests me. And like I said, if you're really not into it, you're not going to do your best work. Sculpting is about the only area where I take commissions. It's not as involved as designing a full characther, and I can  sculpt fairly quickly.

9- What has been the oddest request?
'Divine', the transexual character from Jon Waters' 'Pink Flamingo'. I didn't do it   lol  I also had a request once for Pete Sampress (the tennis champ). Not an odd request, really but I thought it was pretty random.

10- What has been the easiest item to customize?
No custom project is ever easy, if you do it right.

11- What has been the hardest item to customize?
Probably the handful of characters I'm working on now, because I've designed my own body for them. It turned out really nice, I can't wait to see these characters built on it. If the Jim Lee Batman pics get posted with this, you'll see the new body.

12- When you are customizing what are the essential tools one needs?
It's never easy to decide on tools. And I wouldn't know how to describe "real" tools, I make most of my own. I would say the only tool you really need is your immagination and a love for what you're working on. Both of those will determine along the way what other tools you're going to need.

13- Who in the customizing world or other has been an inspiration?
I would have to say everybody, really. You're always looking at other customs, looking at what was done really well and trying to learn from it, noticing what wasn't done well and figuring out how to do it better. So, yeah, I'd have to say that every costom piece I've ever seen has inspired me in one direction or another.

14- What project would you like to take on as a customizer?
Oh, man where do I start with THAT one? My main interest is horror. I would love to make nearly all of the key characters from George Romero's films. I've also always wanted to make all of the Lost Boys (the vampires, not Peter Pan). There are also a few werewolves out there I'm dying to do, as well as some Fulci zombie stuff.

15- When you want to see other customs is there a place where you go?
Ebay, mostly. Unfortunately, I don't collect so I'm not that "in the loop" on the collecting end and I'm just not aware of that many sites, though I'm sure there's a ton.

16- What has been the best creation that you or someone else has made?
My favorite figure from my own hands is definately Indiana Jones. There's a guy in England that does an amazing Darth Vader; full reveal helmet, LED chest/belt boxes, lightsaber, the works. There's also a guy called KOJUN that does some unbelievable stuff. I've never seen anybody else put real acrylic eyes into a 1:6 headsculpt. Awesome.

 

 

 

 

 

 

17- On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate yourself as a customizer?
I never rate talent on any level. I hate critics. You really can't factor in style, choice of subject, the individual tastes of the public. What one person falls in love with someone else might hate totally. This is art, and it's highly subjective. All you can do is your best work, something you're proud to show publicly, and hopefully people like it.

18- What would you say makes your customs different from others?
I've never approached 12" figures as "toys". "Toys" are for kids. That's why most commercial 12" figures look like they do, with their baggy over-sized clothes, huge visible stitchwork and fabrics with a weave so loose everything made looks like corduroy or burlap, things like Velcro and big snaps and those ugly clumps of thread snaps always leave on the surface. They're not toys to me, they're models. I've never collected 12" action figures because they've just never impressed me, personally. But I've always enjoyed vinyl models, the realism of them, the fact that you can sculpt every detail and wrinkle and bring it to life. So that's what I do, I approach 12" figures as models that just happen to be posable. I think that's what sets my stuff apart, my attention to the details most people don't even think about or are willing to over-look. That, and an obsession with total accuracy to the character being created.

19- Why do you think people started customizing? And where do you think customizing will lead to in the future?
People started customizing because the commercial product lines lacked either the selection or quality (usually both) that serious fans wanted. I think there will always be customizers, as those problems will always exist. Even most of today's "high-end" commercial 12" figures suffer from the same problems that drive me nuts; ill-fitted costumes, poor choice of fabrics, etc. It's nice to make money from your talent, but money can not be the only bottom line. Unfortunately, that's the nature of a corporation. Making a living is the main objective, sure, but the quality has to be there if you want the money to be there, too. Who knows? Maybe someday a bunch of us "customizers" will get together and form an awesome toy company of our own.

20- Do hope to create your own toy line like McFarlane, Neca, or Sideshow?
Yeah, I've day-dreamed about it. I would have no idea where to even begin. It's something I would probably never pursue. I'm a novelist. I got into toy/model design so I could be home with my kids and to not have to work in factories and freezers anymore while I worked on my writing. That would be cool, though; to start a company with a line of collectibles based on my own creations.

21- Do you also collect toys or artwork perhaps for inspiration?
I used to collect SPAWN figures but haven't for years. There are quite a few of them out now that I would love to have, though. Maybe when I can afford it I'll start collecting again.

22- Any advice for anyone looking to get into customizing?
Never do it the easy way. Kit bashing and just throwing stuff together gets boring and will lose your interest really fast. If you're going to do it, make it worth your time. And find ways to challenge yourself with each project. If you're not learning from it and not sharpening your talent, it's not worth it. There's no reward in mediocrity.