I am constantly learning and re-evaluating my thoughts and expectations as I interact with more creators, stores, and collectors. Your videos keep it real and I find them encouraging as they add other perspectives for me to consider. Thank you once again.
Just watched your latest video as usual very informative. Thanks for showing right at the end of the video the Geckogon that I bought from you last week,just love him,looking forward to the reveal of the new figure when you have him made. It would be great if you show him on your RU-vid channel
Thanks for your support! Your geckogon wanted to be on video so I couldn't say no to him 😁. It will be traveling to you very soon. And about the new toy: yes, I will definitely do a video presenting it as soon as it arrives.
I enjoy the process sometimes, I think learning 3D from Blender is extremely frustrating. I agree with a commenter before me that finding mentors would allow people like me to get from A-B a lot smoother. I create and design outside of 3D modeling learning and the disconnect is insanely large. I find a lot of guides and tutorials too generic and not building-block enough for the direction of my personal art style. I don't even want to sell them necessarily, I really just want my own stuff to give to my friends and family that I feel like I put my heart and soul in like I do with digital art.
If you find 3D modelling frustrating, then, externalise it. Find someone that helps you with that. Just draw a front, side and back sketch of your model and begin there. Then buy a 3D printer and print your model. Continue learning how to paint it, first with brushes and acrylics and then, in the future, with airbrush and enamel paints when you decide to make your first art toy. But the most important part is to begin. To take the first steps.
As someone who is just starting out, it feels very daunting to learn the process of making a first toy. Where do I begin? Should I print my own? Find a manufacturer? Should I pay someone to do the 3D modeling or learn how to do it myself? Of course, the financial and time implications of each option are to be considered. I think you've touched on some of these subjects in your previous videos. Personally, I would love to have a mentor to guide me through this journey. Have you considered doing a course or maybe having a Patreon for mentorship? Time is a limited resource and the best thing to do in my opinion is to maximize efficiency and productivity.
Well, the way you should do it depends of your situation. But in the end, whatever path you choose it would be the correct one. If it works or not you will see it on your way to the objective. But the most important part is to begin. That is where 90% of people stops, in the dreaming part. And about externalising the job, well again, that's up to you. All options are valid. I myself do the 2d sketches and the general idea of each toy and send to a 3D modeller. I would never do this kind of job better, so I prefer to pay a professional for it. The same for the production and illustration. I answer for the designing, painting and everything else. Having a daytime job do that I only can concentrate in one process at a time. And about the Patreon... maybe someday. This community and the channel needs to grow a little bit more.
@bdl8888 I don't know enough details about you or your situation, so I'm kinda shooting in the dark here, but I'll throw some advice at you off the top of my head. For me I have been an artist since childhood (I am 41 now), and have always loved toys. I did some special FX work, a little work in videogames, and then discovered art toys in 2013. What Art Fabula said in response to you is absolutely correct, you need to JUST START. You can think your way in circles endlessly all you want, but you're not going to grow through trial and error until you assert yourself and get moving. "Efficiency" vs time, etc.. shouldn't really be your main concern right now unless you already have a design figured out that you're ready to produce. You need to figure out what you actually want (what size, design, material, etc.), before you figure out how to get it, because there's multiple ways to make art toys, and some ways are better than others depending on the product goal. For example, do you care if the piece is vinyl or resin? What part of the process do you want to do yourself?? Are you wanting to get your hands messy, or have someone else do the grunt work? Do you want to create art yourself to have produced? Do you have any artistic ability? WHY art toys? These should be your first questions before you figure out how to "maximize efficiency and productivity". A good first step might be to write up some notes to help organize your thoughts. Some questions to ask yourself: What are your creative strengths? What are your weaknesses? What are your options for starting based on those strengths and weaknesses? What can you do on your own, and what can't you do? What you can do on your own should be your starting point, and then get help or learn to fill in the blanks. Decide how much you WANT to do yourself. If you can draw, start drawing. If you can sculpt, start sculpting. If you can draw or sculpt but don't know what materials to use, then researching what to buy so you CAN start, should be your first step. If you have no artistic ability, then write down/describe your idea, and then search for reference material that helps convey what's in your head, so you can provide an artist with visual reference material to back up your written description. We live in the information age, so get on Google and start searching/learning/gathering reference. For me, I can design, draw, paint, and sculpt....but I have learned molding and casting, and many other things along the way as I need them. I started my art toy journey in 2013 by sculpting mini figures, and I learned how to make silicone molds and casts in resin so I could produce my own toys. If I had known about the sofubi making process back then, I likely would have started there, as resin work is toxic and grueling. BUT, doing all the resin stuff has taught me ways to create and sell my own toys, which is helping me now on my sofubi journey, and I now can make my own resin masters to send to the factory for sofubi. I have just started making sofubi as of last year (my first sofubi piece is currently being produced in China). Just get moving, so you can get growing though :). Yeah there's a LOT of steps to take, so figure out the first steps you CAN take, and take them. What is holding you back from starting TODAY?. Learn as you go, and don't get overwhelmed worrying about certain steps that won't even come til much later in the process. Start manifesting your ideas, either through your own art, or by writing and finding references, and getting help from a designer/artist. Whether or not it's sculpted by hand, or digitally, is putting the cart before the horse right now....get a concept done, as that will serve as your target to help you focus your efforts. Some advice on building a character, that I'll share. My first mini figure toy, and a character I still continue to use as my sort of Mickey Mouse, I came up with by simply trying to combine elements I love. Base your toy/toys off of things you love, and what you want to see exist, something you want for you, as it will help keep you driven and inspired. Also, if your heart is in it, people will feel that when looking at the finished piece, and that's a good thing. For me, I love monsters, and my favorite kind of monster is a werewolf. I was also born in the 80's, and love that era, and wanted to create a happy go lucky, sort of funny werewolf who was a walking 80's cliché. So I came up with a pun name of "Big Rad Wolf", and then tried to decide how I could make him 80's themed. This brainstorming resulted in a puffer vest (like Marty Mcfly in Back to the Future) , a "Wolfman" cassette deck (instead of Walkman), some torn blue jeans, a "RAD" t shirt, and I made his color scheme very colorful, in colors you might see on a lot of 80's toys...aqua and purple, etc.. In other words, make a list of things you like, character name ideas, theme, etc., to help build a character. With Big Rad Wolf, I actually sculpted him from the ideas in my head, I didn't even sketch him first (many people prefer a sketch first though). I sculpted him only 2" tall out of Super Sculpey Firm clay, made a silicone mold, and cast him in resin. I sold a bunch of castings. I hope some of this rambling helped, good luck, and get started! The only thing holding you back is yourself, try not to think rigidly either....saying things like this...""maximize efficiency and productivity", that mostly happens AFTER a learning process. You are going to waste your time, and you're going to waste some resources through trial and error, there's no avoiding some of that. Don't delay starting, or progress, by seeking perfection.
