CUSTOMS FAQ
By Patrick Winter |
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The most obvious question:
Q: WHAT IS A CUSTOM SPORTS FIGURE?
A: The base figure normally exists as a McFarlane SportsPicks figure (see here). It is stripped down, reprimed and repainted. It also can go beyond that and include additional sculpting, swapping of parts to create a more unique pose and more. The end goal, create a figure that bares a better resemblance to the player you want it to be.
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Customizing Sports Figures is a popular hobby and is truly a labor of love for those involved with it. To the casual observer customizing seems like an easy way to make a little bit of cash here and there. Truth be told, there's not a customizer out there who has made any money at this hobby. But, what drives them to do it? Well, most likely the same thing that drives me to customize - creating figures of those who likely won't ever get to have a player sold at retail or created for them. A major point of credit has to be given to "Jomo", he basically pioneered the craft and for many, seeing his work inspired them to enter the hobby. He also has allowed his web site to be a great resource for those starting out in the hobby. You also won't find very many customizers who do the 12 inch figure work he does, it is exceptional.
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With that in mind, its important to remember that there are some excellent customs out there and some real bad ones as well. When you are considering purchasing a custom you really should keep in mind a few things or you are likely to be disappointed in what you get. Here are some things to consider when purchasing a custom:
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Price - you get what you pay for when it comes to customs. There is a big range of what you will pay for in a custom. The worst thing you can do in searching out a custom is to jump on something that is very low in price. The majority of the time you'll be disappointed in low priced customs or customs that are often times listed on ebay in hopes of cashing in quick on a hot player.
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Attention to detail - A good custom will go the extra mile and feature items that are exclusive to the player they represent. Uniform details, accessories, skin tone, etc are all things that should be featured on a good custom.
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Contact a customizer directly - There's a reason we're known as "customizers", the emphasis is on the word custom. A good customizer wants you to have something you'll cherish and keep on a shelf and display with pride. If you can talk directly to a customizer and tell them EXACTLY what you want, why settle for something that wasn't made to order.
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Research - Do your research on your player and expect your customizer of choice to do some as well. The internet provides a database of information on the player just by doing some simple searches.
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| A good custom will often times look better than the original figure that they are based on. The original figures are churned out by the thousands in Chinese toy factories by poorly paid workers. Customs are or at least should be scrutinized over to make sure they become true works of art and not mass produced toys. |
| A common question asked about custom sports figures is, "is it legal"? Customs are one-of-a-kind pieces that are sold to an individual and not mass-produced for profit. therby, They are not threatening anyones living by captalizing off their hard work. As I said earlier, there really isn't any profit to be made creating customs. I have yet to find anyone who has had a legal issue creating customs for individuals. Customs sold on ebay face the scrutiny of many and can peak the interest of some licensing groups for obvious reasons. |
EXAMPLES OF SPORTS CUSTOM TREATMENTS: |
