Hello again--
Today, in true Cherry Coke style, we are going to be doing something different. Instead of working on how to make a custom figure of any given character, we are going to go over some basic customizing odds and ends I've been meaning to discuss, such as custom packaging, making capes with two layers, and sewing a suit jacket for an 8-inch action figure.
There was going to be more included in this article, but to tell the truth, it started to get to too big, so I've decided to put some topics off for articles in the near future, such as: sculpting your own heads from scratch, and how to make posable hands.
I hope this gives you your customizing fix for now, though. Let's get started.
Custom Packaging:
Not everyone wants to make custom packaging for their figures. Some would rather spend their energy moving onto their next custom. Can you imagine having to make boxes for every one of Scott Metzger's 400+ custom figures?? However, for those that do, here are some tips and tricks:
You will need:
- Comics
of character whom you are doing a box for.
- Construction paper
- Elmer's glue
- Poster board
- Transparency film paper
- 3M Spray adhesive
- Scotch tape
One standby I love for making boxes is to first get my hands on several images of the character, such as old comics. This gets me to thinking about the design of the box, the color scheme, and also gives me some Lettering to use as the character's name sign on the box.
The first thing you need to do to make a box is design a layout for the box, called a Flat. This is a pencil design of the dimensions of the unfolded box which you will design as a montage of images to adorn your box. Begin with a sheet of 11x17 paper and draw the pattern seen in (fig. A.2) with the exact dimensions seen there.
Now start to paste your lettering and pictures into place on your box. Remember to leave the area of the window blank (if you have one). I tend to have the dimensions of my window be 2.5x6" and begin about 1" below to the top edge. I start by laying down sheets of construction paper in the base color I want, i.e. for my Flash box, I laid down pieces of red construction paper and pasted them in place. Then I glued the lettering on separately. Go wild with this! Don't let your imagination be constrained simply by what Mego did.
Try thinking of a name for your toy line, and a logo.... Charlee Flatt used to call his the "Unofficial World's Greatest Super Heroes." I call mine "The Unsung Heroes Collection," as I frequently make characters whom I feel have not gotten adequate figure representation, and I call my villains "The Unsavory Villains Collection," since you can't really say, unsung villains now, can you?
Anyway, what can you come up with? Once you have glued in all of your box design articles (fig. A.3), take your box flat to your local copy center and get a 11x17 color copy made of it (fig. A.4). Using Spray Mount by 3M, mount your color copy onto a posterboard and cut out along the box lines (fig. A.5). Fold your box into shape but don't glue anything yet!
