Enjoyed this mate. Something I've wanted to try but never really known where or how to start, mixed with that fear of messing a figure up. This is a great help 🙂🙂
I found you today and I’m happy with how you made this video. There’s hardly any vids on covering customizing and this is a valuable one. All around your work is awesome and I’m so very thankful. I’m hoping you make more tips ect. Maybe topics for in detail custom work showing work in progress. 🤘🏼⚔️ Thank you so much for your help bro !
This is seriously one of the most spot on videos for all my my current hobby needs. Thanks for sharing this golden information. I'll be along for the rest of the journey! 🤘 📸 🧸 🌅
Wow that's so awesome to hear! One thing I try to focus on for tutorials is stuff I wish I saw when I was first jumping into the hobby. Thanks so much for the support!
tips: lego technic, bionicle is great ways to completely replace connection systems (ball joints/peg connections, especially the cross pegs that look like a plus sign...along with the female end of the plug) can create amazing and sturdy "peg and hole" systems that will stay in place very well.
Lots of great information! Thank you so much! I've only ever doubled in custom figures before but I'm definitely getting more into it these days. I've already tried some of these techniques and am excited to try some new ones.
Very nice , love your videos, I just have stop buying new figures and toys and start taking pictures and videos, etc. I have so many ideas that I don’t know where to start. Thanks!
Thanks for the tips i have customized before but woth markers i was little then but now i started to paint warhammer and miniatures. So my painting skills has gotten better and i also draw so it's very fun. Right now im focusing on making a custom jedi with a custom clone commander so i hope it goes well. You are the best iv'e subbed to you now😊👍😁🫡
Thank you! I accidentally got into making simple framed action figure dioramas, and this is so much good info. I'm def going to use a clear matt coat next time. Haven't done more than simple touch ups and highlights so far, learning. A good source of leather/pleather are cheap thrift store purses and belts, it's usually thin material. Appreciate you doing this!
Great video sir. I’ve sanded down the knee and elbow joints a little bit to keep the paint from rubbing off. If there’s a better way please let me know. As soon as I get home from work I’m reworking my Black Krrsanton. Great job on all of these dope customs sir. Thanks for sharing and have a good day brother.
You’re definitely welcome! And thanks 🙏🏼 yeah, I need to try sanding the joints for future projects. I’ve heard that’s the best way to deal with joints besides dying the figure.
I’m definitely going to try the matte spray just to knock down some of the glare. And to be honest I wasn’t really sure about your first figure (Cody) but when you show the photo I have to admit it looks killer!
Yeah! The matte spray is really good. I just did it on a cheap Pokémon figure and it made it look so much better. And that’s a good point too! Some figures might look way better in a scene/photo than in hand.
Thanks for this.I’ve been doing Warhammer painting and kitbashing for ages…. Never even thought about this for action figures but my son is starting to do it, and now I’ve got the bug, so thanks for this. Very helpful!
Sweet! That's really cool! I have a 5 year old son that is starting to mix certain pieces from figures and it's really cool to see. Careful with the bug, it can get out of control lol
One way that works for joints is to get gel superglue and use a toothpick to put it over the paint in a very thin coat you have to break it up into multiple areas going slowly so as not to seize the joint. It’s a long process and relies on a enough gap in joint. I do the cnenter insert dry it then bend knee or elbow to see if it scraped off. Cosmic legions and mythic legions have some tight tolerances
at walmart they have some really good brush kits.... the ones im talking about is the brush heads are white...and the handle is blue. they are about $20+ there's like 20+ sizes and types of brushes....and they are the best brushes ive used
Yes! For sure. My plan was to make this one as kind of a general video but then taking each section later, and going more in depth. Still trying to improve and get better. Making custom clothes is definitely at the top of my list.
Really great info here matt, really do appreciate how you make things that are totally outta my wheel house completely attainable! I’ve painted and weathered some stuff, but haven’t made much of a custom wired cape or anything and have been wanting to (but I’m afraid of sewing machines 😂😂😂) Once I get the chance, I’m going for it!
Ayyy I appreciate it Marc and glad you liked the video! My only experience with a sewing machine was my senior home economics class lol surprisingly, I remembered a few details to help me get started. I have a more detailed soft goods video coming later. Definitely try it out and let me know how it goes🙌🏼
thank you, thank you , THANK YOU! I run a channel about GI Joe Classified figures and my scratchbuilding projects around that line. I just started exploring making my own custom characters and Variants on existing figs and am trying to learn as much as possible. So this video was an amazing thing to come across. The sealer point for a start to painting is awesome. I just hand primed a figure with hobby primer, but there are definitely some softer pieces I can see why that approach is so good. I will be using that approach next fig , for sure! Thanks so much for this amazing video! Subscribed with a vengance😮😅!
Yo!! That’s awesome! Glad you were able to find it useful🙌🏼 and thanks so much for the support with subscribing. Really means a ton. If you have any questions or requests, let me know! :)
I am making my own batman custom figure that is something i have wanted to do for long time. i recently got this figure body that came with few arm options, it is good but it is skinnier than batman is but it is the only figure body that i could find in my city and my country. Excited to see how it is gonna turn out
Have you done a video on what matte spray does, like does it seal paint, is it better than mod podge? or is it only for the base layer? is there a base spray that doesn't need a final coat after the paint? thank you
I haven’t done a dedicated video over matte spray, but I just had some one else ask as well. Maybe I will set something up. There’s different kinds of. The matte sprays I show in this video are sealers. I like using them to start paint jobs because it’s easier to paint on rather than the plastic on certain figures. I’ve only used modge podge on dioramas. Not on figures. So I’m not sure exactly how it would hold up and dry. As far as not needing a base coat, there might be, but I imagine it being more expensive.
Thanks for vid, but can I ask which exact paint I should use after matte spray and should I wait a bit after using spray or you put on paints immediately?
You’re welcome! Glad you enjoyed the video. As for the wait time after the spray, it depends on the one you’re using. I think some people recommend a full day for certain sprays to cure. I’ve painted on minutes after before. I wouldn’t recommend that. Mostly, I would say at least 30 minutes. When it feels dry and smooth and not sticky, I’ll start painting. As for the paint, my favorites are Vallejo and Citadel. I do also like Army Painter.
lol not sure about before I was born. I don’t think any one is taking it like I invented these ways though. Mainly meant it as a way for dividing the video up.
@@amusingking ha yes I see I follow you on Instagram for toy photography. I guess I just got tripped up finding you by searching custom toys on RU-vid being a different context than searching toy photography
My first time using rit dye to make a white gi joe turbble bubble blue, the dye was not taking. I was leaving it in there longer and longer and eventually I checked and the dye took perfectly, BUT the plastic pieces also warped. Remember to check your parts frequently and I also should have placed them in something so they werent touching the bottom of the croc pot I was using ( used a croc pot to control the heat better). Ill use a heat gun to reshape them ( with a respirator mask. Plastic fumes are dangerous)
Do you ever sand your figures? I read in some forums to sand em down... ive not yet primed them yet though cause ive seen some people not use any primer at all unless they dont film it... my paints not laying on quite right. Considering trying your matte spray trick.. but wondering if itd ne a similar effect if i used the matte black spray primer?
I have. And it definitely gives a better surface for the paint to stick to. I’ve really only done that on bigger customs. Like a full custom. Just need to be careful to not do it too much and distort the pieces
For 3D prints or if I’m repainting most of the figure, I’ll use an airbrush and I have the gray, white, black primer from Badger. I have it listed as well.
Would spray paint work for painting the figure? I want to make an omni man custom and my plan is to spray the whole body white and then hand-paint on the red parts
Sorry for late reply. I wouldn’t recommend any spray paint. But the one I recommended in this video as a clear primer is really good. Not sure if they have an equivalent to the exact same but white?
Mmmm, not too long, but also depends how hot the water is. If you're worried about messing up plastic, I would experiment first on another figure. When I heat up water in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, I might leave the figure in for 2 minutes and that should be good. It will be hot! So be careful taking it out.
tip: THIS TAKES SOME WORK...BUT IT'S WORTH IT..💯 💯 💯 There are these doll ball joints called JETON ball joints... they are plastic ball joints people use for dolls or stuffed animals to create articulation. they are white, they come in every possible size you would need...and you may have to custom work them by cutting or shaping certain parts of them....but THEY ARE UNQUESTIONABLY THE BEST BALL JOINTS EVER MADE TO USE WITH ACTION FIGURES...💯 THEY ARE VERY STRONG...some take special pliers to detatch or attach them.... but if you use enough creative ingenuity to modify them and get them bonded to your action figures.....THEY ARE THE BEST BALL JOINTS IN THE WORLD!!!! THEY will never wear down....they will be lose enough to articulate ANYTHING NO MATTER HOW BIG OR SMALL ACTION FIGURES....and they will never pop out no matter how much your kid plays with them....💯 you'll never need to replace them. i wish every action figure in the world would have these as standard bone stalk ball joints.... they are smooth, they can handle ANY amount of weight, they are fantastic....💯 they may be a pain to modify or bond onto a figure...but once you do it correctly....they are worth the work....💯 anyone who's not familiar...check them out.... www.amazon.com/OLYCRAFT-Skeleton-Adjustable-Flexible-Connectors/dp/B0BR9R8ZMB/ref=asc_df_B0BR9R8ZMB/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693381012409&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14155006171500050552&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9011497&hvtargid=pla-2188267600205&psc=1&mcid=9226db08273d3d7ca4dfa2a54d271c18&gad_source=1 just make sure you use the correct size for the scale of figure you want to add them to
if you use magnets.... use neodymium magnets that come in all strengths and sizes...but beware....you may need to use some serious adhesive cause them magnets will rip straight out of the figure.... tip: hot glue the magnets....then pull them out...then superglue them back in....
@@amusingking another trick is to use CA glue (super glue, not the gel kind...has to be the original liquid version) and if you mix that with baking soda (some people sprinkle the baking soda on first, then add the super glue, but you can do the reverse, which works the same) and you will have the most unbelievably strongest bond...it's amazing. it creates kinda like a cement/motor type of finish that almost nothing will be able to separate it...💯 some pilots use this method to fix airplane propellers and even wings... if you bond two items together using this method the actual structure itself will break before the superglue/baking soda bond... you can even shape full structures of this stuff...
Some might be a primer but there’s also a sealers. The Krylon UV Resistant Clear and the Mr. Hobby super clear are labeled as sealers. But the other one I show from Krylon Colormaxx is labeled as a primer, I believe.
Hello! I just use a standard sewing machine. Nothing special or fancy about it. For the fabric, you don’t want stuff too thick because it won’t look at the small scale. I’ve used worn out clothes and have worked really well. I’m planning on doing a tutorial focused on that but to get started, you can look up different patterns online and measure to your figure.
@amusingking I thought I seen a Chicago Bears cup in the background on the shelf. Was I mistaken? I guess that logo is used for other teams so I may have mistaken the colors.
Do you mean like painting patterns? Painting on camo? Or patterns for sewing? For painting, I'm not sure. I've seen some people do camo before but haven't look into the process. I will definitely look into and let you know if I learn anything.
Hello there. I've been making soft goods for figures for years. If you ever want to talk and share methods, fabrics, needles, and the mechanics of it, i would be happy to.
Yo! That’s awesome!! I’ve been trying different stuff and not sure if it’s the best. Is the standard presser foot the best? And just straight stitches? And using the smallest needle size?
@amusingking 3 presser feet (foots?) That i use. A clear plastic one(primary to see), a teflon one (for pleather and non slidy stuff) zipper. The needle i would stay 80 and under unless you are sewing something special like spandex then a 90 stretch would be a lot better than a 70 universal.
@amusingking the strait stitch is the best stitch for almost every instance. There are only two reasons i would not use it. 1) If i needed spandex to stretch at the seam, such as adding in a splice. 2) If im adding a decorative stich, i.e. smething with golden thread.
Does anyone have any suggestions on what 1/12 scale figure would be best for using other 1/12 scale accessories? I know some of the hasbro head sculpts work well but I was more so thinking like sh figuarts dragonball style headscuplts. Like what figure has the suitable neck peg for that? Is anyone has any suggestions please let me know!
SHF usually runs a little bit smaller in scale compared to Hasbro and Mafex. For neck pegs, when they don't fit perfectly, I just use sticky tack. I know there's a to use hot glue and vaseline to mold a socket for the joint. I need to try it. Not sure if that helps and apologies for the late reply.
I have non Hasbro, non Takara transforming action figures. Are there businesses that will create parts/accessories based on my design ands specifications?
@@amusingking the title is how to make custom action figures... I only saw fighting figures so I was wondering if action figures are only fighting figures and not including any others.
Mmm not sure exact definition of action figure, but I would say a figure or toy that has articulation and can be posed. Most of my collection is made up of Star Wars figures so that’s what I used as examples. The point of the video was to encourage people to get into customizing their own figures. What kind of figures were you hoping to see?
I create and modify figures for making stop motion videos but have not done any that are fighting figures. Have not a lot of experience. Just learning. That's why the question.
I have heard of sanding the joints, is that just to give space so the pieces are not rubbing against each other? But makes sense why the lines aren’t good.
no matter what.....ALWAYS CLEAR COAT YOUR PAINTED FIGURES (no paint in the world will not flake off or chip off or rub off) don't EVER use spray can clear coat....it will ruin and eat your plastic figure like it was acid....use brush on clear coat
@@amusingking a pretty good clear coat I've used is a clear water based polyurethane. Minwax i believe the brand is. the silver and blue can can be very thick, but if applied correctly, and if it's had a couple weeks or more to cure fully, it's extremely effective and durable the other Minwax can (aqua green/blue ) is more of an acrylic version of the same. it's much thinner and has a matte finish, if you apply a few coats of it it can be very good as well. *** the only thing is YOU MUST LET EACH COAT FULLY CURE which takes a long time (2-3 weeks) to fully cure between coats. i have tried a rustoleum 2x ultra hard ceramic automotive clear coat in the spray can. it's pretty damn good, but i would be very careful to experiment with that, cause the solvent in almost every spray can (no matter what it is) can easily eat away and not only ruin your paint job, but can also melt and destroy the plastic underneath as well. if you can find a way to use THAT...i bet it would be a most supreme clear coat that if cured properly could potentially make your clear coat and paint job almost Indestructible. if you look up safe ways to transfer the clear coat from the can into a glass jar, and hand painting it, i bet that would work...i just haven't tried that method yet...but do your research and look at lots of videos on how that's safely done i would highly suggest it. let me know if you ever try that successfully and let me know how that turns out.
Damn.. lol you just had to kill me with kidness. I dont mean disrespect. Its just, i thought you where going to talk about actual customizing with sculpting and how to use the dremel.. not just paint splashes lol
Lol!! Oh I get you. Didn’t I talk about dremel stuff? I do plan on other videos that are more specific dealing with making soft goods and modifying pieces which involve the dremel. I wanted to keep this one pretty beginner friendly to spark interest in customizing. I’m still learning a lot myself.
