A Thread For Custom Figures

[Timespirt]

I had picked up stands for marvel action figures figuring they would be a good fit since the Stargate Action figures already have holes in the bottom of the feet but the holes in there feet were too big to stand on the marvel stands (they kept falling over and there is only one peg hold not 2). I can't understand them making the effort to put the holes in if they don't sell stands for them. Is there any place to just buy stands that would fit them so I don't have to buy more action figures to get stands (or do they sell the stands alone?)? If there is where would I be able to buy them?

Also, would you know if anyone has made any custom Rodney McKay 12” action figures heads by any chance?

Any info on the above 2 items would be very much appreciated and I thank you MsBig for telling me about the Harry Potter stands

[MsBig]

Hey Timespirt! I'm sorry, I can't help you with either problem.

I get my supplies the usual way, just by buying action figures on eBay or from Amazon, etc. Some come with stands, and some don't. And I don't know anyone customising Stargate at 12" scale.

[Timespirt]

Thank you anyway MsBig. Maybe someone else might come up with something.

[GermanAstra]

I'm late but wanted to say that those Stargate customs are really great and all are so fitting.

I do have that naked guy you used for "One false step" as well - great idea for usage!

[Thunderbird 2]

Wow! very nicely done. I'm definitely looking forward to your thread. Ok i'll take a guess, is it Anders from battlestar gallactica?

Hullo all,

sorry I have not been online for ages, I have been very busy with other things. - I haven't forgotten my promise, I have just finished creating and editing converged pics of the shots I took while making Dr B. I did this to save space, and for easy reference for yourselves on Flickr. Its now good to go! I am ready to start showing you how I did it, and hopefully, you'll make your own for your collections too.

Boom Stick - a good guess, but Nope! Keep guessing, the answer is coming soon! Ironically, if anyone does have a spare Anders head please let me know, I am plotting another custom that would use one!

[boom stick]

Hey Thunderbird, i'm excited to see your recipe for the doctor! please do tell

[Thunderbird 2]

Hey Thunderbird, i'm excited to see your recipe for the doctor! please do tell

Your wish is my command! To answer the head riddle, Dr Beckett is a face graft. I literally took the face from one figure, and grafted it onto the head of another. In this case, the face of DST's Classic Scotty, onto the head of Rodney McKay (Atlantis Base version).

I did this after matching up face / jawline shapes using images in Paint Shop Pro (Similar to Photoshop) on my Computer. I hunted for action figure faces similar to Paul McGillion, to see which would match the one Stargate head that has a similar face shape / jawline structure - Rodney McKay. The final burst of inspiration hit when I remembered a newspaper article highlighting the fuss about Mr McG auditioning for the role of Scotty, there was a distinct resemblance between him as he is now, and Mr Doohan as he was playing Scotty during the original Trek series.

Then it came to getting the pieces and making them work! - For that, I have set up the pictures on my Flickr page here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thunder...7628119775140/

[boom stick]

Wow!!!! that truly is a piece of art. The attention to detail is astounding, down to the shoes! I bet the hard work pays off when you look at that beauty. Well done sir!

How long did the whole process take after having all the necessary figures?

I was going to attempt to make a Beckett figure before seeing your work, lol. I'm not skilled enough to attempt this. Too bad this section seems almost non existent, i wish there was more activity around, especially when someone creates a figure so beautifully done. Once again Thunderbird, i salute you sir!

[Thunderbird 2]

Wow!!!! that truly is a piece of art. The attention to detail is astounding, down to the shoes! I bet the hard work pays off when you look at that beauty. Well done sir!

How long did the whole process take after having all the necessary figures?

I was going to attempt to make a Beckett figure before seeing your work, lol. I'm not skilled enough to attempt this. Too bad this section seems almost non existent, i wish there was more activity around, especially when someone creates a figure so beautifully done. Once again Thunderbird, i salute you sir!

Your praise and enthusiasm are very much appreciated B-Stick, Thank You!

Its frightening, but the total length of time to make the fig was no more than a week! Four days on the sculpting, two for all the painting. As I said in the how to, its about having the right reference material and working out what you want to do before hand. I learned the hard way a long time ago to NEVER rush. That always ends in tears.

Re your comments about not having the skills - don't be so sure. I did what I could through planning on the computer, thinking ahead to anticipate problems in construction and painting as best I could, and budgeting (for the figs themselves). However the critical element - which deserves 60% of the credit on this project, was pure good luck! I had only attempted a face graft once before on a smaller scale, and I knew there was a calculated risk it simply would not work. Nevertheless, I realised I would be far more disappointed if I didn't make the attempt and was prepared to pay for it financially. Any form of art - not just customising, is about trying things out. You can surprise yourself! - I was worried about the scale and look of the finished head right up until people said their comments in here on the forum. That was when I felt satisfied I had done a good job true to the character of Dr B.

Look at the figures Roll My Blues and Mooncat have done earlier in this thread as key examples. I sometimes look at their work just for inspiration, - I have two more customs of my own def brewing, and I hope to add one more if I can beyond that, based on work Blues Did. These guys showed me through their figs what can be done. Others have had an impact in other ways too, German Astra's repainted Desert Ops team are fantastic, but her more accurate Gate ramp is inspired work. JediKnutt's driven me up the wall with his Ultimate O'Neill and SG1 team follow up, - because I want to get leg packs and zat holsters for all MY SG1 team now!! BobTheOdd's another one with his set pieces. An offworld gate that has to be seen to be believed - he even got the Ring Transporter in there! Also the simple yet very effective Ancient Control Chair pedestal.

As for the thread going quiet? That's the nature of the beast. The best customs are done slowly. I am confident as and when people create more characters, they will let us know. I hope you will be one of them!

[GermanAstra]

Wow, that Beckett is truly awesome! The face looks creepy though, laying there by itself. Almost like in the movie "Face-off"
I'm wondering though - wouldn't it have been easier to use a figure that already comes with the field uniform and the right shoes? Was this only a reason of availability/money, or are there any else reasons why you used that Base figure of Rodney? Or am I just a girl and never paid much attention to tell the little differencies between the uniforms? Aside from admiring Jack O'Neill in his blue dress uniform of course, a figure which I also never would have been able to make without the help of "roll my blues" and the inspiration of all you guys in here. Before I joined Gateworld, I had no idea that there is such a thing like customizing figures. I was pretty new in the action figures business (we didn't have such things back in Eastern Germany, aside from rubber Indians and Cowboys)

Others have had an impact in other ways too, German Astra's repainted Desert Ops team are fantastic, but her more accurate Gate ramp is inspired work.

Aw, thank you! I don't even remember anymore, but I think the ramp was not my original idea. I read somewhere that someone had made it wider. The way how I thought about it and made it is all mine, though. Not sure where it was, he also had cut off the handrails and glued them back on much lower to make it more real, I never got around to that. I also have seen customized ramps with lights, people are so awesome!

As for the desert figures, that was just a case of "I did not get what I wanted", as the prototype had been much more accurate and a lot of people complained about that. It bothered me enough to try to make it different.

Unfortunately I must admit I have moved on from Stargate a bit now, and am stuck in the Torchwood/Doctor Who fandom. Have taken my customizing skills with me and created David Tennant in his theatre role as Hamlet, using a Tenth Doctor figure. I had "fun" chopping off the shoes and creating miniature toes and naked feet with Milliput. Twice, as I did Hamlet in his famous t-shirt and jeans and Hamlet in his black suit, but both have naked feet. Never going to do that again, as these figures are even smaller than the Stargate ones LOL

I can link to my pictures if anyone is interested.

My next project is Mr. Tennant in a white Navy uniform, like worn in the theatre play "Much ado about nothing" which I was fortunate to see live back in June. I always have a look in here though and maybe one day I get inspired again.

[Thunderbird 2]

Wow, that Beckett is truly awesome! The face looks creepy though, laying there by itself. Almost like in the movie "Face-off"
I'm wondering though - wouldn't it have been easier to use a figure that already comes with the field uniform and the right shoes?

Firstly please do link in to your new customs Astra! It may not be SGate specific, but its all good! Star Wars and Iron Man customs have been seen in here, why not Who as well?

Re Face off, Yes I was creeped out at that point too. I nearly didn't take those pics, but I wanted a reminder of that awful moment, simply to show in order to create what I wanted I was taking a dreadful chance.

Re the figs I used, no I used A field ops Sheppard for the body, and the head of Atlantis base Rodney with the Scotty face. Then I took the right shoulder joint from a base Shep for the Atlantis patch. I used the base Rodney for the head, simply because Field Ops Rodney costs so much more to buy if you can find one. Its a rare and valuable figure compared to the other Atlantis guys. - Too valuable to destroy one.
Essentially, you could make a Beckett like mine with a Field Ops Rodney, the Scotty face, and get decals made for the shoulder patches. I chose not to do that for budget reasons, and I wanted the Atlantis patch to be an exact match to my other figures. Alternatively, the base Rodney could be used to make a Season 1 Base version of Beckett, when he wore the tan coloured jacket and trousers.
Re the boots - the Atlantis guys only have trainers / sneakers for the feet, unlike SG1's military boots, or the Weir / Keller figs that have civilian style hillwalking boots. I was determined that as my Beckett is an offworld version of the character, he too would have field boots! It was an easy little change thankfully.

[GermanAstra]

Firstly please do link in to your new customs Astra! It may not be SGate specific, but its all good! Star Wars and Iron Man customs have been seen in here, why not Who as well?

Your wish is my command!

part 1 - changing the Doctor into Hamlet - bare arms

part 2 - feet for my Hamlet figure

part 3 - Shirt & Jeans

part 4 - both Hamlets finished!

And if you have some more time on your hands, we then started to set up the whole theatre play, all famous scenes with our figures. I need to post the rest of this yet (you should see the throne room - awesome), but here are the first two parts, with an introduction by Mr. Shakespeare himself, and a glance at behind the scenes with the director and the stage sweeping guy as well:

"Hamlet" part 1

"Hamlet" part 2

[boom stick]

Your welcome!
This thread has been a great source of inspiration for me as well. There are truly many skilled artists here. All these awesome customs have definitely made me see what’s possible. I have done some minor customs. I still want to attempt a few customs seen on this thread over the years but the sculpting aspect is what makes me hesitate.

Thanks Thunderbird 2! Your enthusiasm has made me create an account and post my collection online (finally) lol. I will attempt the Beckett figure eventually when I can get my hands on the supplies and figs.


Astra, nice looking doctors you got there. I gotta find myself some of that milliput and experiment.

here`s my custom

[boom stick]

Here's 2 more customs, a repaint of the series 1 figure of McKay.

[Thunderbird 2]

Hi B-Stick and Astra - I disappear for Christmas and you both go snap happy! Wonderful work both of you ! B-Stick its clear using Millput or Fimo is the only thing you haven't done yet. I spotted your Blue Jack O'Neill figure straight way cause you have colouring screen accurate! That's not easy to do. I also like your take on the Teyla figures in juggling the costuming a little. You have to give Milliput a try, it opens up so many more options.

Astra - not only are your Dr Who / Hamlet customs great work in themselves (the dinner suit is exceptionally well done, and difficult to replicate in that scale, - you demonstrate how to use Mulliput very well too. The right balance to create good believable customs, not overdoing it into lumpy goo statue territory. Has Mr Tennant seen your work? (I spotted you have met the man himself from your page's profile pic?)

Keep up the good work guys! - I have almost but not quite finished two new Stargate customs myself. More news on that soon.