Topic: WHY do you customize?

[EliteVideoCore]

Well I used to do a bit of transformer customisation and then my interests shifted to Star Wars after I saw Clone Wars with my Uncle... I saw some of Jay's youtube videos and was determened to create a custom! I bought 5 CT-327 figures of of e-bay and cept them like that for a while... I got sick and rented Republic Heros to entertain myself as I wallowed in my own filth and saw and played a Sgt. Kano and immeadieatly loved the design so I gave it a shot with Testors paint! To my desmay the paint remained tacky and refused to dry. I was about to purge and purchise some Games Workshop Citidel Minis on ebay when I FOUND A STORE NAMED GAMES WORKSHOP!!! It's funny because it's been infront of my face sence I was like, 6 and never noticed it... I bought Scab Red, Ultramerines Blue and Skull White... I have compleated 12 customs and purchised 8 more paints sence then... THE END       

[Cimter]

The reason I customize is I know I can't get the figures I want (Marvel Star Wars, Classic Star Wars and WEG characters).  I don't do these to sell and most probably never will, I do characters I want in my collection.

The other part of the reason I customize is the thrill of seeing something come together after so many hours of work and sometimes sweat, blood (and then sometimes proper blood at that) and tears.

So that's it in a nutshell, the reason I customize.

[wraithnine]

i started customising when i wanted to have the astromechs that hasbro wouldnt make ,from then it snowballed into clones  and the rest is ..history

[kreeper2]

Why do I customize hum??? Because   im a big geek and nerd!!!! ( pushes wife off the dam computer)  HU HUMM any way back to why I cutomize ive always had a thing for changing things around to fit my needs. As a kid I would do it to my tranformer gi joe and he man figs much to the chagrin of my brother cause I would mess his up too. Its just kool to see something that you have created up on your shelf or  someplace else where other people can see it . My parents would have a fit whenever I would paint (or ruin a toy like my dad use to say) but its just something that I got to do. Now as an adult  its just an outlet and it relaxes me  besides its either that or kick the poor dog .

[narceron]

I've recently been copying customs by other guys.

I did a sylar custom based about 90% on Darkos, now I'm working my way through the SA backlog Devin posted.  My scout trooper is a little droopy, I don't think I drilled out his chest enough.


BUt I'm with devin, the idea you can create, then enjoy your stuff, its very cool.

Right now, on my desk, sylar is killing a scout trooper...couldn't have done that yesterday.

[spudafett]

I've recently been copying customs by other guys.

I did a sylar custom based about 90% on Darkos, now I'm working my way through the SA backlog Devin posted.  My scout trooper is a little droopy, I don't think I drilled out his chest enough.


BUt I'm with devin, the idea you can create, then enjoy your stuff, its very cool.

Right now, on my desk, sylar is killing a scout trooper...couldn't have done that yesterday.

he is droopy?  you drilled out his chest...?  what the heck are you trying to do man?  did you even watch my videos
lol... j/k  I take great pride in knowing someone is emulating my work.

[narceron]

I did watch your video, before I drilled the chest, it would attach.

[Darth Optimus]

I started WAYYYY back when the "BattleTech" 4th edition tabletop miniture wargame came out.  The starter box came with a bunch of plastic minis.  I thought "these could be painted", and so I did.  I went thru about 120 or so of those, then started to add paint apps to my rather large toy collection.  I went to kitbashing my own ideas out of Toybiz figs, went to Transformers for a while straight-up repaints), then change to Star Wars for the level of customizeability available.  I don't sell any of my customs, I just do it as a way to express imagination and creativity.

I've since sold most of my collection, but I've still got the BattleMechs that started it all.

[darthdaddy]

I made my first custom from a defective Ahsoka Tano action figure I received from Tunghori that had no face paint and only her pink skin.  We had found a MOC Ahsoka that day at Target, so I decided to create a second fan fiction character to diversify Elias' collection.  I even customized a Jedi Starfighter for her from an extra Obi Wan Jedi Starfighter that he had.  He loved it and it was his favorite toy.  I later made three different versions of this character at different stages of her life for him. 

Later on we bought a few custom action figures on ebay that were created by JACKOFTRADZE and Order66Customs.  When they arrived Elias asked me if I would start making him custom action figures.  At first I told him that I didn't think I was capable, and I'll never forget what he said, "Dad I believe in you.  I know you can do it. Just start and I know you'll finish." I figured that this speech my 6 year old was giving me was a parent's golden opportunity.  I figured if I set an example and set out to accomplish something I thought I couldn't do, I could throw his pep talk back at him for years to come whenever he was unsure of himself.  I made action figures of two fan fiction characters that he invented and had drawn every day for about a year.

As soon as I finished those customs, he asked me to help him create a blog about Star Wars custom action figures.  Today the blog celebrates its one year anniversary.  I made a custom action figure every week for a year now.  It started off by trying to set a good example, but it also ended up being a bonding activity for us and I even got a lot of self fullfillment out of it too.  It's super relaxing and everytime I finish an action figure I have a real sense of accomplishment.  I've grown to love every action figure that I've made.  The blog has been a real blast too.  It has definitely been a life changing event and has given me a real sense of accomplishment.  It's funny what your kids will get you doing.

[JediMerc]

Hmmm....I actually started to grow tired of seeing (only slightly) different versions of some of my favorite characters (i.e. Luke, Han, mandos)---or NOT seeing characters ever being made (Dass Jennir, early Starkillers) and wanted to create entirely new counterparts to the ones Hasbro was always pumping out.  I just like the idea that if I don't like what is put out there for us to buy, then I might as well make it myself!  Customizing has, over the past 2 years, become a relaxation activity: it helps me de-stress after teaching and spending time with my two children (both under the age of 3).  I can really get into customizing like I do a puzzle: getting just the right pieces and accessories in place takes time---if you want to do it right---and i enjoy the "journey" of finding which components will make the "best" figs.   I love the inspiration that hits when you see someone put together a great fig and you think: "I could do that" or "I might try a different version of the fig he/she came up with"...

[CloneSniper78]

At first it was a need to make what Hasbro did not. Then I was making them to try and get my favorite customizers to notice me. And now I just do it for myself and also if I see someone else come up with something that I really like and I say " I want one those too". And some of my customs were to try and win competitions and ended up being some of my favorites. Competitions are great because they force you to do your best if you really want to win. But some guy named Sprywalker keeps kicking my butt!! LOL