What offbeat thing are you finding to use in making customs?

[ddgaff1132]

Funny thing I'll grab are vending machine charms. If I find a machine with charms I like, small guns, or cool items. I could through several dollars in quarters into these machines. Too bad many of the weapon related bubble gum machines have gone out of favor. Sign o the times.

[bobws]

I need to get a furry teddy bear, i just had an idea for a Doctor Who custom....an abominable Snowman aka Yeti! Of course i'll have to make a Second Doctor , Jamie and Victoria figures to complete the set'

[Spyweb007]

Strangest thing I've used in the past is clear Shrinky Dink film for inkjet printers. I printed stormtrooper guns on it at 3 times the size I need and after they shrink they are thick enough to fit in a mego hand with photographic detail, but flat. Not perfect but better than nothing.

[Jrfjr126rock]

One of the more recent female Megos (Charmed Phoebe?) came with slide on black shoes that are really thin... these work great if a shoe is too large where you can slide the large shoe over the smaller shoe to keep them in place. I used this technique with Poison Ivy since her shoes kept falling off.

[Earth 2 Chris]

It's been years since I've done this, but the weirdest thing I used for any custom was a gumball machine Marvel thumb wrestler. I took a Captain America (appropriate) and cut it down to make the Guardian's helmet. Custom shield made by the master Paul Wasson, aka Laser Mego.



Chris

[Megotastrophe]

Dollar Tree sells a coconut hair treatment I use on my beard and the lids look great as spare tire covers for the FTC vans.
20211104_203259.jpg

[Jrfjr126rock]

Thank you kindly, Jrfjr126rock! This CATWOMAN head is one I hand-sculpted, molded, cast, and painted myself. I loosely based her on one of my favorite artist renditions of her done back in the late 1980’s by artists Alan Davis and Paul Neary during their run on Detective Comics.

It's perfect! Unfortunately there is not a single masked Catwoman head out there. Even the ones made by FTC are mostly sold out. If you ever decide to make sculpts to sell let me know!

[darklord1967]

Did you sculpt this Catwoman head or find the sculpt online? It looks amazing!

Thank you kindly, Jrfjr126rock! This CATWOMAN head is one I hand-sculpted, molded, cast, and painted myself. I loosely based her on one of my favorite artist renditions of her done back in the late 1980’s by artists Alan Davis and Paul Neary during their run on Detective Comics.

[Jrfjr126rock]

Actually, when I was making my 8 inch scale custom CATWOMAN figure, I used PU braided Leather jewelry making Cord (necklaces and bracelets, etc) for creating her bullwhip.

They are available in a few (not many) colors




They also come in varying widths so that you can really nail the scale thickness of the bullwhip. As a reminder, this is what the finished bullwhip looked like with my custom figure.

Did you sculpt this Catwoman head or find the sculpt online? It looks amazing!

[darklord1967]

* Shoelace (for a whip? Does anyone have a better solution for making a whip?)

Actually, when I was making my 8 inch scale custom CATWOMAN figure, I used PU braided Leather jewelry making Cord (necklaces and bracelets, etc) for creating her bullwhip.

They are available in a few (not many) colors




They also come in varying widths so that you can really nail the scale thickness of the bullwhip. As a reminder, this is what the finished bullwhip looked like with my custom figure.

[thunderbolt]

Watered down acrylic paint will give the same results on wood

[scott metzger]

To add to Sprytel's list: Dollar Store Dowels for various things : Canes, Fighting Sticks, Staffs, etc

Those are useful. And I found you actually can dye them. I wanted to use them to make spears and such for my cavemen/ladies, and didn't want the paint chipping off every time I put them in someone's hand. A tall water bottle, some brown dye, and some patience, and I had a usable brown as opposed to the original tan color of the shish kabob sticks.

Some really cool ideas here.

[thunderbolt]

Just got some of the Creepy Cloth from Dollar Tree for Baba Yaga so there is that. Now looking for a cheap dome for Von Klempt.

[darkbros]

Odd things I have been using:
* Dollar store knee high pantyhose (for pantyhose)
* Dress sock (for fabric with ridges)
* Stuffed animal (for fur)
* Clip-on hair extensions (for hair rooting)
* Shoelace (for a whip? Does anyone have a better solution for making a whip?)
* Dollhouse accessories (haven't actually arrived yet... but wow... you can find anything for a dollhouse!)

To add to Sprytel's list:
Dollar Store Items:
Dollar store Robots: for Cybernetic / Robot parts...I saw LoucoPorBonecos take a part a Dollar Store 'Transformer" and use it to build a Cyber Warrior on Youtube, and it inspired me
Dollar Store Glow Stick Toys : For GITD accents that Can't be done with GITD Acrylic Panint
Dollar Store Dowels for various things : Canes, Fighting Sticks, Staffs, etc
Dollar Store braided Phone Cables for cabling on sci-fi guns, back packs, Robots, etc
Dollar Store ( or Five below) Hair Bands ( clear like what was used for the Jeannie Mego, colored as well) great for holding ponytails, braids, or even for holding holsters to belts, etc.
Dollar Store 11" Doll Shoes and skirts work well for Mego Females
Dollar Store round colored raised dots or jewels Stickers in the Craft section, can be used for accenting belts, chest emblems, etc
and of course as I reported many many months back....the Dollar Store female Mermaid heads that work on Mego Female bodies, that can give yu Alien looking females for many things ( Zamarons, Green Lanterns, etc)

other items that are tried and true I have in the parts bins:

Elastic in various size widths and colors for belts, straps, etc.
different styles of buttons that I find on clearance that can be used for mystical pendants, cape clasps, ornate belt buckles, etc
Vinyl tape made by Duck that comes in different patterns and colors
Quitling thread for ropes, webs and if braided in clear glue, makes excellent whips
Plastic Scrubbers with criss cross patterns make for excellent block stamping of web/ scale patterns on clothing
Snaps, hooks and various colored velcro
colored thin gauge electrical wire

[RonnyG]

Odd things I have been using:
* Dollar store knee high pantyhose (for pantyhose)
* Dress sock (for fabric with ridges)
* Stuffed animal (for fur)
* Clip-on hair extensions (for hair rooting)
* Shoelace (for a whip? Does anyone have a better solution for making a whip?)
* Dollhouse accessories (haven't actually arrived yet... but wow... you can find anything for a dollhouse!)

I second the stuffed animal! I was going to buy fur fabric at the craft store, but then I saw a stuffed bear at the Dollar Tree. I cut it apart and it was perfect because it was lightweight and easy to apply.