The collectible figures market grew so much and
became so sophisticated that some demands arose that could not be attended by
the companies. Thus, based on these unfulfilled desires from the collectors, a
secondary market emerged, the so called “customs” market. There are several types
of customs: one collector may not like the painting Sideshow did on his Premium
Format figure so he contacts one of the several professional painters available
in this secondary market to do a customized painting on his/her figure. Others
have a wilder dream, like, let’s say, to make an exclusive sculpture based on
the cover of a beloved comic book. It can also be done, there are professional
sculptors ready to take the job… for a price. The customs market is on average pretty
expensive because the works are even more limited than the regular collector
figures Market and because the professionals are putting at risk their necks
messing with characters whose licenses they don’t own. It’s a very closed Market
with ES (Edition Sizes) no higher than a hundred and more frequently, no higher
than a couple of dozens. There are sculpts that are limited to one piece since
the owner wants complete exclusivity about it. It’s an ever expanding market,
as is the regular one, but I think there’s so much talented sculptors and
colorists out there that maybe the rate is even higher than big companies
business. Another reason why the market is so expensive is the production costs
of such limited editions. I can’t even imagine how the customs produce their
pieces but they do. I can’t believe they have a factory in Asia that does the
replicas for them so there must be a more artisanal process. But this is my
guess. We’ll try to discover interviewing two of those small studios that
produces their own pieces and which prefer to stay anonymous for precaution. My
intent with this interview is to broaden and deepen the discussion about
collectible figures, dive on our beloved hobby in another level, beyond
mainstream and big companies. I don’t know much about customs either so we will
discover together more about this booming secondary market, that evokes so many
questions in me. The idea is to make this dive within three categories of
interviews: three producers (who manufactures the statues), two sculptors (who
obviously sculpts the image) and finally three painters (whose work you can
also guess, but not all of it). I chose these three categories because I
believe they are the three main parts responsible for turning our wildest
collector’s dreams into reality. Today we bring you the interview with the three
producers. Along the week we will release the other two parts. But before we
begin I would like to quote a very famous sculptor who made and interesting
statement about customs: “[…] I find it odd that comic book artists can sell as
many sketches of Batman as they want but we sculptors cannot sell our stuff...
[…]”
So with this last insight in our heads, let’s
start.
[Note of the Editor: two of the companies
chose to remain anonymous for their specific reasons. Only Court Master Studios in the person of Joel Zartiga opted for showing its name, contact and images of its works. Therefore all images from statues in this first part of our Customs Market series are form pieces from Court Master Studios. In addition, as I
elaborated the questions for the interviews for studios and sculptors I didn’t
imagine there were people who still worked like the old times. So some
questions doesn’t quite apply to some interviewed.]
-x-x-x-
1 – Hello, thanks for talking to our readers
about the customs market. The first obvious questions that comes to my mind is:
how do you produce the copies for an edition of a given figure? What materials
do you use, what the end product is made of? Do you outsource some part of the
production process (I’ve heard 3D printers to be really expensive)?
Studio A (SA): First, we have to make the prototype and make
a silicone mold. From the silicone mold, we cast copies in resin. We outsource
some of our production process since we are still a very small company.
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Studio B (SB): First we sculpt digitally, then 3D printing in
SLA or RCP31 material, then we produce from that, end result is made of
Polyresin.
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Joel Zartiga (JZ): We usually produce a limited run and
not mass produced. Mostly depends on the number of clients wanted me to do it.
We used mostly resin reinforced with fiber mat for added durability. Haven’t
tried 3D sculpt yet, maybe [someday, but]
not for now.
2 – Your statues are sold painted and assembled
or like kits? If you do both, how much is the difference of a completely
assembled and ready to display statue to an unpainted and unassembled kit?
(SA): We sell mostly painted but we also sell kits
if there is demand. There's a difference of around $200-300 between our painted
and unpainted products.
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(SB): Both, for example, with one of our most famous
statues the difference was 225 USD
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(JZ): I only sold it as pre-painted already.
3 – The process of sculpting is totally digital
or there are parts where hand sculpting is necessary? If so, when hands can do
better than computers?
(SA): Our process now is mostly digital but we still
use a bit of modifications by hand when needed. We change with hand sculpt when
we see something wrong that we didn't notice during the digital sculpting.
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(SB): Normally digitally. However, we adjust by hand
the printed parts to fit perfectly and to stand perfectly to avoid leaning
issues.
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(JZ): All is hand/traditional sculpt.
4 – The painting is still handmade isn’t it?
(SA): Yes, painting is still done using airbrush and
handbrushes. All by skilled hands of course.
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(SB): Yeah, of course.
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(JZ): It depends. I use airbrushed on my smaller scaled statues. life size bust are hand painted via oil
(JZ): It depends. I use airbrushed on my smaller scaled statues. life size bust are hand painted via oil
5 – What was the highest edition size you’ve
ever made (and also the smallest)?
(SA): Highest was 70 and lowest was 1.
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(SB): 120 max edition to date. Some, 25 pieces.
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(JZ): Mostly one of a kind and group commissions.
6 – Which services do you provide to the
collector? Do you do customizing painting, custom sculpting, restoration etc.?
Even if you don’t, I don’t know the customs market, so I would ask you please,
to cite all the services customs professionals do that comes to your mind.
(SA): We do custom sculpting and painting (statues).
From concept to prototyping to final ready-to-display statues.
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(SB): I don't do commission services to collectors.
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(JZ): Yes, we do customizing as well. It depends on
the way the client wants it.
7 – I saw you reached a level where you can
create a piece from your own mind and sell it to the collectors. Do you do any
kind of research with the market before starting a project? Do you accept input
from the community as you share the work in progress with them/us? After all,
you have to make a profit out of it so you must do something that will generate
demand with 100% certainty? Am I right?
(SA): I started this studio because I was a collector
to begin with. Up until now, I still do statues of characters that I like even
if it's not going to be a popular piece to sell. We still have to do some
characters that sells well also, we are still running a business after all. We
share progress and accept suggestions from the community. It is an integral
part of our growth as artists and as a company.
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(SB): Indeed, customers are always the main source of
adjustments, I only have 2 eyes where there are thousands that can see issues
that passes by me . Normally I do characters I want and feel good working in
it, sometimes I follow the market request but what matters is to give a good
statue everyone enjoys.
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(JZ): Yes, it always comes in my mind making my own
idea and not looking for some reference on the internet.
8 – Speaking of profit, everyone in the studio
can make a living only by working here? Or is still necessary to have a second
job to complement the income? How long it takes for a project comes into
fruition? How many hours a day do you spend working on the sculptures?
(SA): Most of our artists and the guys involved in
the production makes a living out of this business. I, however still have a
professional job. I believe there are other companies like me that can make a
living out of custom statue making alone.
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(SB): Normally a second job is required as this is
not really a high profit income and I do this just to enjoy the sculpts and the
process. I have my other business as I work in automotive industry but the best
part of my life is to create the sculpts and enjoy the feeling when a collector
receive his statue and enjoy it as an art.
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(JZ): For now, all my guys are satisfied on the
salary they were receiving from me.
9 – Which characters sell more: Marvel or DC
(or any other for that matter)? Is there a character or characters that always
sell well?
(SA): From experience, Marvel characters sells best
but DC is not far behind especially Batman and Superman pieces. For Marvel,
collectors of Hulk and Spider-Man seem to spend more in buying custom pieces.
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(SB): Both sell well but normally Batman and Deadpool
are the highest selling products.
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(JZ): Both. It depends on what we’re commissioned to
make.
10 – Which character you would like produce the
most but didn’t have the opportunity yet?
(SA): A quarter scale Galactus. It's just too big
and too expensive and will probably make me lose money but I will definitely do
it soon.
 |
| 1/4 Galactus? It's bound to be a great figure in all senses. |
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(SB): Many characters still in mind, but I would
love to make a Grendizer statue.
 |
| This doesn't stay behind Galactus in greatness. |
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(JZ): Spawn.
11 – If you had the opportunity to work to a
big company would you take it or would you stick to your studio?
(SA): Yes, of course, it will be an honor.
Nevertheless, we actually have worked with a big company already but only for a
few pieces.
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(SB): I would take it.
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(JZ): It depends, but I really love working at home
instead.
12 – Once 3D printing become a mainstream
product, capable of printing and painting a statue in let’s say, one hour, and
costing, let’s assume, $800.00, what will happen to our hobby? I believe it
will become virtual, you’ll sell a blueprint of the statue with a validation
code to the buyer and he/she will print it in their homes and customize it if
they will. Assuming they know how to work with 3D software, of course.
(SA): I believe we are still a few years from that
idea to become a reality. However, if it ever comes, I'm pretty sure artists
will be doing something for the hobby that no one can just download and print.
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(SB): I believe it's a long shot but if that happens
then yes this is what's going to happen.
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(JZ): [Did not
answer]
13 – What software you use for sculpting?
(SA): We use ZBrush.
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(SB): ZBrush, Maya.
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(JZ): Wax, clay.
(JZ): Wax, clay.
14 – How much more expensive is a custom
product from your studio in comparison with a Sideshow product of the same
scale? (You can use percentage in all price related questions, by the way.) Can
you explain to a fellow collector that’s reading this why is there such a
difference since you don’t even pay the license to use the characters?
(SA): Speaking from our products alone, we sell
almost twice the price of a similar piece from Sideshow. The reason is that we
only sell a very few copies and our production costs are higher than the cost
they pay the Chinese factories.
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(SB): It's almost 60% more. Two main reasons: less
edition size so cost is much higher, almost double; very low edition so it's
much more rare.
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(JZ): [Chose
not to answer]
15 – Tell us a little bit of your trajectory,
how you ended up forming your own independent studio?
(SA): As I said earlier, I started as just a
collector and hobbyist. I fortunately met people who made me interested in
making my own statues so slowly for the past 8-10 years I have made my own
studio. Currently I only have less than 10 people working for me.
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(SB): I started as a collector and had many ideas and
started with first commission and slowly reached here.
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(JZ): I have 8 workers here.
16 – Do you collect statues? To you what is the
best big company out there? The one with the more creative pieces? Or the one
you admire the work the most. Why?
(SA): Yes I actually collect, a lot. Sideshow still
is king. But I also like XM and Prime1. I have a bunch of Prime1 pieces on pre-order.
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(SB): I have 300 plus statues. Sideshow is number 1. Creativity
goes to XM. Admire Tsume Art.
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(JZ): Yes, for now I’m in love with ECC and Prime 1.
17 – What can you tell to a collector who’s
looking to acquire a custom figure but don’t know how
(SA): Check out the statue groups on Facebook as
there are lots of people who can show you where to find one.
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(SB): Keep an eye on Facebook groups whose subjects
are collectible figures.
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18 – What would astonish you the most: to see
an alien or to see a ghost?
(SA): A ghost alien would probably freak the
bejeezus out me!
-/-
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(SB): Alien.
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(JZ): I don’t like both
19 – Please, leave a phrase, or a quote to our
readers around the globe.
(SA): Save Martha!
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(SB): We do this to do things outside the box and to
create what you desire and wish to have on your display, we do it with passion
and patience, business comes after.
-/-
(JZ): [Did not
answer]
Once again, thank you for answering these
questions. I’m sure it will shed a light to many people and sparkle the desire
of owning a custom figure in many more. I’m a grand admirer of customs, many
times they do more creative and better stuff than the big companies and I
believe there’s no way a company or group of companies can stop people’s
creativity to flourish. Look at Deviant Art, per example, loads of fan art there,
many making a profit out of it. It’s unstoppable and it’s good to be this way.
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