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Kn1ghtW0lf87

03-19-2017 11:06 AM

I'm loving this design and I'm pretty sure JTMitchel from youtube bought and reviewed this set with the soul purpose of painting them up like this based on the twitter photos. Thats awesome!

KamenRiderOOO

09-06-2017 08:48 PM

Customs Corner September Interview- ZeltraxMillenium

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September Interview- ZeltraxMillenium

1. When did you first get into the Toku Community?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZeltraxMillenium

Well, that is a good question. First off, thanks for having me here. Second to answer question, It of course all started when I was 3 years old when MMPR first came onto the airwaves and it has just hooked me ever since. Upon growing up with Power Rangers/Along with getting internet & using some Youtube-Fu, I then learned about all the other toku stuff at about 2007 & 2008. Kabuto & Boukenger were my first Rider & Sentai show thanks to me finding the very earliest clips of them. I guess after that, the rest is history.

2. How long have you been customizing?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZeltraxMillenium

For that, we go back to 2009 when I saw a video from Thew AKA Barutazaru AKA ToyGrind as he's now rebranded himself. He took a Classics StarScream & painted him up into ThunderCracker/Long before the Generations one came out BTW. I was just so enamored by that custom that I wanted to do it myself so I got a bunch of paints & brushes & the rest is history. I MAY do that as a drinking game at this point.

3. What was the first custom you did and was it for yourself or for a customer?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZeltraxMillenium

We're gonna go back to Transformers to answer this one. This was around 2011, and I had gotten my hands on both *At the time* copies of the 2 Allspark Almanacs. Quick History - The Allspark Almanacs are detailed books going into the character designs & various other things from the cartoon Transformers Animated/Highly recommended BTW. Anyway, right when I got the 2nd Allspark Almanac at the time/Because I didn't know about about the newer Complete Edition of the Allspark Almanac which combines the 2 original books & adds new material until it was announced & released on March 4th 2015, I looked at the stuff they had planned for Season 4 which had HotShot from the beginning of Season 3 get a toy/Along with a uncolored prototype that was sadly never released. I took it upon myself to make this character's toy, and since HotShot was supposed to be the kid-appeal character in Animated before the Michael Bay movies showed up & made BumbleBee a household name again, I went straight for another TFA Deluxe BumbleBee to use in the custom. To make a long story short, I was in over my head a couple times/Trying to make everything work plus it was my first time using a dremel. But I was able to make it work. Heck, I brought my TFA Hotshot custom to Botcon 2011/My first convention where I met a bunch of people including Optibotimus. I actually showed him my HotShot custom & he was FLOORED with how good it looked. I thought my face would shatter from the smile I had. I told Paul/Optibotimus that I could make one for him if I can find another TFA BumbleBee. Sadly, I never could find another BumbleBee.

4. What materials and methods do you use when customizing?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZeltraxMillenium

Let's go down the list: Toothpicks/Yes seriously because I've found those useful when I need to paint on small as heck details. Multiple brushes/Never know what you might need. Multiple paint types like Citadel, Testors Acrylics, & Tamiya. I also use a dremel with SEVERAL different bits for it, different kinds of sand-paper & even sanding blocks. Bondo/If I ever get to work on a helmet kit again. a water-based clay/Can't recall the name but it's hard as a rock once dried. I also use Alumilite Resin & Mold Rubber in case I have to replicate something & I don't want to tear apart the base figure. And of course, LOTS of different spray-paint. I've mainly switched to RustOleum but I have used Dupli-Color/Automotive paints, Krylon, & Tamiya spray-paint cans as well. I'm always looking for better materials & methods to use in customs.

5. How much do you enjoy customizing?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZeltraxMillenium

Customizing, for me, is a great stress reliever. Alongside working on Gundam model kits, customizing figures gives me a place to relax & flex my creative muscles. Trying to think of the best way to go at a custom piece is probably the best part of my work. I kinda wish I could explain this better for you guys.

6. What is your favorite piece you've made?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZeltraxMillenium

My favorite piece? OH, now THAT'S a tough one to call. My favorite piece/Which also ties for biggest customizing job would have to be SH Figuarts FamiKamen Rider. FamiKamen Rider was JewWario's Kamen Rider persona and during the livestream for a FamiKamen Rider movie MarzGurl & JoshKnightThe1st produced, I got commissioned by a friend to make FamiKamen Rider and I accepted. The base for the figure was the Red Buster figuart because I figured that the GoBusters SHFs would be perfect for FamiKamen Rider's aesthetic.

7. What is your least favorite piece you made?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZeltraxMillenium

Least favorite? Haven't had that happen on me in a long while so, can't really answer that one.

8. Biggest customizing job you've had/most tedious to make custom?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZeltraxMillenium

The biggest one? That would have to be another custom figuart - Dark ToQ-1. The commissioner sent me a ToQ-1 Line-Change figure & a ShinkenRed figuart to use as a base for the custom. The commissioner let me keep the ToQ-1 Line-Change figure to make molds of the helmet, morpher, & weapons for the figure. Makind the molds was easy enough, but pouring the resin for the weapons was a bit difficult the first 7 times, but on the 8th try, I was able to get it right. The runner-up for biggest customizing job would DEFINITELY be the MMPR Red helmet kit I made from Eric0101-Cosplay. It was my first time working with Bondo, and it was a surprising experience.

9. Do you have any custom plans that are coming up/in progress?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZeltraxMillenium

I do have one project I'm in the planning stages for - The Dark Seiza-Blaster. While I have a love-hate relationship with KyuRanger, I can't deny some things in the show look pretty bad-ass, including RyuuCommander, maybe HouOu Soldier & the Dark Seiza-Blaster. My plan for that is to trace out the design onto EVA floor-mat foam, glue it together with contact cement, & color it appropriately. I also plan to use PVC pipe for the handle & some silver leather-like material for the bigger forearm strap. It'll be my first BIG foam-prop replica so, I'm really excited for it.

10. Any advice for fellow Customizers?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZeltraxMillenium

Much like other customizers you've interviewed, this is gonna sound like a broken record. Plan out what you want to do, gather the right materials, get some dang good brushes, good paint & thinners, and whatever else you'll need to complete the project you want to work on. Most importantly? JUST HAVE FUN WITH IT.

KamenRiderOOO

10-08-2017 06:57 PM

Customs Corner Interviews- October- Nrin Vakil/ZordBuilder

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October Interview- Nrin Vakil/ZordBuilder
1. When did you first get into the Toku Community?

Quote:

I was initially hooked in 1993 like many other people when MMPR first debuted. My interest in Power Rangers waned when the last of the remaining MMPR cast left during Turbo, though I caught a sporadic episode here and there. Tommy's return for Dino Thunder, which occurred during my senior year in high school, got me back into things, and that's when I saw my first Sentai: Dekaranger. It was also around that time that I started poking around some of the fan boards online. I didn't discover Kamen Rider until Kamen Rider Decade, then Kamen Rider W sucked me in and is still my favorite series. In college, I gathered a group of my buddies to dress up as the original six MMPR. Of course, I was the green ranger. I made all the helmets, sewed the belts, and made my green ranger armor.

2. How long have you been customizing?

Quote:

Since middle school, but back then I only customized Star Wars action figures. I even made the figures of my wife and I for our wedding cake from Star Wars action figures! Then life got busy and I took a break from customizing until around 2014. I saw the first pictures of the Dino Charge zords and the Bandai of America minizords and was instantly inspired to get back into things and make those minizords into DX sized zords.

3. What was the first custom you did and was it for yourself or for a customer?

Quote:

First ever custom (I think) was a removable helmet Boba Fett, using a Dash Rendar head, and I hollowed out the existing helmet with a dremel. That was back in middle school.

Toku related, my first custom was the Oviraptor zord, which was quite the ambitious project. As soon as I saw the Dino Charge minizords in stores, I held one up next to the DX zord and though I could an easy head swap and repaint - boy was I wrong!

I really had a fun and difficult time finishing the Oviraptor zord, primarily because I was also learning how to mold and cast at the same time. Getting the right shaped void in the base of the Oviraptor head piece so it would fit on the peg atop the Parazord body was a huge challenge that took me a week or two to figure out.

I loved the end result, and I was really amused when I saw Bandai of America was making their own version. I still like my head and jaw better, but their forearms blow mine away.

4. What materials and methods do you use when customizing?

Quote:

Since getting back into customizing as an adult, I've been able to use materials like silicone rubber for molds and two-part liquid plastic to fabricate new pieces - be it helmets, lower jaws or arms. The potential hazardous exposure to fumes made my parents not allow me to try out these materials when I was a kid.

I typically like to use silicone rubber molding material and urethane plastic from a company called Smooth-on (I buy mine from The Engineer Guy - http://www.theengineerguy.com/). I've also discovered a really neat material on their website called Hydrospan, which lets you enlarge a cast up to 1.6x the original by soaking it in water. I recently purchased the reverse type material called Hydroshrink, but I have yet to experiment with it.

For sculpting, I still stick to good old Sculpey, which I cure in heated water. I use a mix of hand sculpting and some pointy tools to do detailing.

With regard to painting, I've really gotten into paint markers. My two favorites are Gundam markers and the Walmart brand "Painters" markers.

5. How much do you enjoy customizing?

Quote:

A lot! It's hard to quantify/qualify, but customizing is an incredibly fulfilling artistic outlet. I've always been drawn to making things that could have or should have appeared in the show, comic, or movie - basically "in-canon" stuff. So it often feels like I'm contributing to the expansion of the fictional universe I'm creating my custom from. To me, customizing represents a very distinct artistic endeavor, because you end up with an articulated, detailed creation that can look like it was produced by a major toy company (or look even better than what those companies make) rather than something less tangible like a drawing or painting.

6. What is your favorite piece you've made?

Quote:

It's kind of a tie between the Tapejara and Futabasaurus Megazords. Both just look so cool to me, distinct from their original counterparts, but fitting right in with the officially released zords. Both had similar creative elements in fusing the custom pieces to the pre-existing articulated connector points, and the work on Tapejara led to the success of the Futabasaurus. I do wish I could figure out how to make Futabasaurs more submarine-y and less space-ship-y. Other than that, I really like these big dino megazords!

I also like the Dino Force Brave figures with correct helmets that I've been working on recently. To me, it was a no-brainer that if they switched colors and zords that the helmets should have been properly repainted, too. I'm happy to debut the whole team here on Tokunation!

7. What is your least favorite piece you made?

Quote:

Some of my Spirit Rangers for the non-show Dino Charge zords, especially the earlier ones. I'm still getting better at detailed painting, but it is darn hard to mirror details and make them look good when painting by hand. This led me to dabble in printing stickers for the visor details, but I still want to be able to figure out a good way to do things without going down that route.

Zord-wise, I'm not a fan of the Iguanodon's tail weapon not really fitting in flush with the rest of the dinosaur. I like the idea, but could not figure out a better way to disguise it before it whips out as a tail-end weapon. I also still regret not re-painting the whole purple Pachy-zord the proper lighter lavender color. I had a very frustrating time when I repainted Parazord into Oviraptor, because the pieces did not fit back together because they became thicker from the spray paint, and then bits flecked off here and there. Coming off of that experience, I avoided that altogether for Iguanodon and just made the new pieces match the darker purple. I might revisit it one of these days and give it a proper color repaint.

8. Biggest customizing job you've had/most tedious to make custom?

Quote:

The biggest job thus far has been the Futabasaurus Megazord, which involved enlarging the minizord head, cutting the lower jaw off from the head, filling in some of the busted teeth, attaching those parts to the cut up connector bits from Plesiosaurus, and THEN I decided to try the "cheek" details that the Futabasaurus has.

In general, for the Dino Charge Zords, I've tried to fabricate new pieces that can easily be switched out for the ones that come with the official zords, like forearms, heads, jaws, etc, without actually cutting up the zord base figure. For the "cheek" details, I ended up sanding down the Plesio-zord neck pieces, punched through the material once or twice, and then reverse molded the chewed up parts so that the new pieces would mount flush to the remains of what I had sanded. In the end, it worked out well, but I almost though I'd need to buy a new Plesio-zord because I had ruined the whole neck piece.

On a related note, my in-progress Diplodocus is going to have a lot of that going on. For a long time I had thought about avoiding "disguising" the other dinosaurs on the Titano-zord base figure, but I feel like I really need to get all those bits smoothed out like the minizord. That's going to take a while...

9. Do you have any custom plans that are coming up/in progress?

Quote:

Lots and lots, as always. As people who follow my Facebook page know, I have customizing ADD and am constantly starting new projects, which can distract me from finishing others. When the creative inspiration bug bites me, it's hard to not zoom off after a new and exciting idea.

Primarily, I plan on finishing up all the extra Dino Charge zords using pieces from the mini-zords. I've still got Allosaurus, Diplodocus, Deinonychus, Styracosaurus, Kentrosaurus, and Victory - with each in a different stage of production. I also want to make proper Spinozord arms for the Bandai of America toy.

I'm still working on the rangers (Spirit or otherwise) to accompany those zords as well.

I also intend to make Dino Force Brave zords using the American zords and shrinking/adapting the unique pieces molded from my Korean mecha. I'll have to experiment with Hydroshrink to make it all work, but I think it's totally doable. The next logical stage is making zords (and rangers?) of the extra dinos from the batteries in that series. I've already got ideas for a few of them.

In unseen work, I've got a few Kamen Rider custom figures in various stages of development, such as a Kamen Rider Gaim arms for Kamen Rider Skull, a Kamen Rider W version of Kamen Rider Drive, and I really want to make a Kamen Rider W version of Kamen Rider Build, if they don't make an official one (I'm a bit obsessed with W, as you can see).

10. Any advice for fellow Customizers?

Quote:

Be prepared to fail and to make a few (maybe quite a few) duds when you start customizing. Even if you are proud of something now, you might look back in a year or two, through the eyes of your advancing skills, and say, I can't believe I made that!

The actual process of fabricating a new piece or part can be incredibly frustrating as you learn a new technique. I can't tell you how many bad molds or casts I made in the creation of some of my Dino Charge zords, either due to air bubbles, not letting the mold (or hydrospan) cure long enough, and I end up with a worthless mold or part because I rushed and was too excited to get to the end product. I'm a fan of a (de)motivational quote I once heard - "I've learned so much from my mistakes, I think I'll make a few more!"

Even so, stay humble, because there will be someone out there far more talented with more advanced skills than you have. I enjoy seeing others work and drawing inspiration from them, however, it really gets me when someone says that my work inspired a project they are working on. It doesn't happen too often. I can't let that inflate my ego (too much), but it feels nice to be part of a creative conduit chain.

Lastly, don't give up! I've had multiple late nights where I almost feel like throwing my project across the room because it seemed like everything was going great and then one little detail in the fabrication derails me and everything grinds to a halt. Just take a step back, do something else, then the creative inspiration will provide a solution and you can get back to your custom with renewed energy.

Sunred

10-11-2017 07:01 AM

I love how ZordBuilder made the heads motif-appropriate. Kudos. :rock:

KamenRiderOOO

11-02-2017 11:40 AM

Customs Corner Interviews- November- Red5/ReddoFive

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November Interview- Red5/ReddoFive
1. When did you first get into the Toku Community?

Quote:

I entered this community the first time I saw power rangers (Day of the Dumpster after I got home from school) and never left, haha. But I first watched sentai in 2011 while I was stationed in Korea. They were airing Gaoranger and I looked up where Power Rangers came (up until that point, I never really cared) and found Zyuranger and Shinkenger on Youtube. So I marathoned those two seasons, then went on to Go-Onger, Gekiranger, and so on. I found out about Akibaranger when my family and I vacationed in Tokyo and watched it in our hotel. Haven't looked back since.
I love being able to watch toku for that escape that we all need. It's no different from enjoying a comic book movie or show (and I do love those as well). My kids and I watch Power Rangers and sentai together now; they call Power Rangers "Tenshin da" (like the first words from the opening theme to Dairanger....which was their first sentai series to watch)

2. How long have you been customizing?

Quote:

I have only been customizing for about three years with SH Figuarts, but I have modified GI Joe's, Power Ranger toys, and hot wheels for as long as I can remember. SH Figuarts were very intimidating when I first started, but I am more comfortable with them now.

3. What was the first custom you did and was it for yourself or for a customer?

Quote:

The first custom SH Figuarts I did was for me. I have not taken on any commissions for two reasons; one, I am never satisfied with my work and would feel terrible if I gave someone something I am not happy with and two there is a ton of pressure to create for someone other than yourself due to the added pressure that comes with wanting your customer to be satisfied.

4. What materials and methods do you use when customizing?

Quote:

I like to piece together weapons for figures that I make. Once those are built (if I can't find them for sale), I then hand paint them white and add in the details. I hand paint everything I make; even if I use vinyl heads or keychains for figures, I repaint them to get the suit and helmet to match as closely as possible. I tried to use an airbrush, but I need more practice with that; so until I get better at that, I will continue to hand paint.
I have been slowly working on my own sentai that I made up and have been building everything from scratch, so that is taking a while, but each little part that gets done keeps me motivated to do the next step. That will be done eventually, but I still have on red ranger as a work in progress and another one planned after that. Just need to acquire the needed materials for both projects.

5. How much do you enjoy customizing?

Quote:

I love seeing something that I want to create materializing and looking like the person or picture I am trying to copy. There is nothing better than creating; without art (and that is exactly what customizing is, an art form) the world would be a pretty lame place. I take pride in my customs and display them proudly at home. I'm actually working on a red ranger versus the Avengers display in my office; pretty stoked about it.

6. What is your favorite piece you've made?

Quote:

This is like having to choose my favorite child! Lol I would say it is a three-way tie between Ninja Red, ToQ-1, and Go-On Red. I am the most happy with how those three came out and I put a ton of work into them. Gao Red is good, but I need to redo the lines on his chest, so that knocked him out the running for my favorite.

7. What is your least favorite piece you made?

Quote:

did a Denzi Red figure and I hate it. I keep displayed to remind me what happens when I try to rush through things and not give it my all. I won't throw it away, but at the same time I don't want to redo it either. It is my constant reminder, like a last place trophy or something, lol.

8. Biggest customizing job you've had/most tedious to make custom?

Quote:

I haven't really done anything big other than my sentai I made up; that is four figures and everything has to be created for them, but the most tedious custom was Gao Red; i redid the lines on his chest about twelve times before I just left them as is. I still want to go back and try again on them, but I don't know of that is a rabbit hole I want to go back down.

9. Do you have any custom plans that are coming up/in progress?

Quote:

I am super excited for Patoranger's designs to come out so I can tackle the red ranger. I also need to finish my custom sentai figures and I will once materials are purchased (I have everything for them except the heads). I want to do an Aba Red figure and possibly complete the whole team. I have plans sketched out for what I need to complete the task, but it all depends on if I can get the materials for a decent price.

10. Any advice for fellow Customizers?

Quote:

Just do it. Seriously. What stopped me from trying certain customs is because I kept comparing myself to some of the best in the community and got discouraged. I started after I had a great conversation with KingRanger that I decided to try it out myself and I ended up enjoying what I was doing. It is all art and art is awesome! We don't downgrade Picasso because Michelangelo also painted, so don't be discouraged because someone else might have done a figure you want to try to make.
Be willing to think outside the box! Not every answer is going to be sitting right in front of you, so branch out and problem solve.
Sometimes things need to be destroyed to get the figure the way you want it. If that one thing is perfect for your custom and the custom would look amazing in your display, I say use it. If you need to take an exact-o knife to it, consider it a valiant sacrifice for your art.
It is okay to step away from a project. Not everything will perfectly work out, but if you keep working while frustrated, you will get stuck in quicksand and things will just get worse and in a hurry.
Lastly, communicate with the other people in the community that customize. Bounce ideas off each other, ask for advice, and just shoot the shit with someone you have at least two things in common with (you watch toku and customize toku toys). I have gotten parts for figures and ideas on how to fabricate things from folks in the community and it's great because I can haphazardly explain something and they know what I'm talking about because they have been there before. It's actually really cool and comforting (cause I don't feel like I am going crazy). So talk to people; it's neat!

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