Tomato's Mad Experiments 05-14-2013

[Deaths Jester]

It's not going to be me becuase that just looks freaking weird and distrubing...much like your obsession with MLP!!!

[Tomato]

Just submitted a few customs (Giant Man, Wasp, Robin) to a custom figure site, I'll link those when they get approved. However, until then, here's something that really doesn't fit on there.



For those who don't remember, I did a whole bunch of custom Red Vs Blue minifigs awhile back. I've been kind of stalled waiting on new armor sections for other characters, but I did a new Donut up real quick as a replacement for my old one (on right). Donut was my first custom Halo minifig (or at least one of my first), and I hadn't quite gotten the whole thing down to a science at that point. The paint apps were very sloppy to begin with because I did them without taking the minifig apart first, and paint has rendered most of the joints immobile (the head joint actually broke at one point when I tried to turn it. it's now super-glued onto the torso).

Anyway, like I said, very happy to see the difference here. It's comforting to know that, while I still HATE painting, I'm getting better at it.

Edit: Wow, went faster then I thought. Here are the links

Robin (This one's for Benton)
Giantman and Wasp

[Tomato]

Kyle Rayner submission

So, originally I held off submitting this one because I wanted to finish the Hall of Justice diorama, but a few shipping-related delays later I just gave in and did it... only to have the figures arrive a few hours after I submitted it. But whatever, at least I can show the completed thing here:



Also, because I'm feeling generous, I will skin and/or mesh one character for whoever correctly guesses what the placement order of both the JL and YJ teams is based on (Hint: To save on space, the JL takes up both the back and middle rows... IE: In the image, Batman is actually in the second position, Flash the fourth, Martain Manhunter seventh, etc.)

Edit: And this last one? Made it just for you DJ!

[Tommy Troy]

That's amazing stuff!

[Cyber Burn]

Awesome collection, but I couldn't even begin to guess the order that the characters are placed in. Yet, anyway.

[Tomato]

Ugh... with the sudden death of the YJ line (Damnnit mattel!) there might not be much of an option to increase ranks. If I do manage to get this job, I might be clearing out some of the YJ figures just so I can fill in some of the gaps.

Updates for Customs:
Red Team
Blue Team
Project Freelancer: Blood Gulch Chronicles
Project Freelancer: Seasons 6-8

[Deaths Jester]

Edit: And this last one? Made it just for you DJ!

GAH!!!!!  Get a freaking life, 'mato...that's just fifeteen too many action figures....I mean when you have to have a multiple display areas and you're not even a comic artist like Ross...you need a life!  At least Ross has a reason to have all his figures...their there for reference!

[Tomato]

Then perhaps I shouldn't mention that nowhere on that display do you see either all my Ponies (the DP thing was left over for the camera) OR my Freedom Reborn figures.

Also, for those who care: I am currently working on the most difficult paint job I've ever attempted. What do I mean by that? Well Junior, I mean that I paint stuff like 2" Halo minifigs and this little abomination of nature is causing me to cringe. I mean that all I want to do is go in there, step on its neck and shoot it in the head.


...


I'm talking about RvB's Junior, in case none of you got that yet.

[Tomato]

Finished!





I have one more image to post later, but I need to add some witty captions to it and it's 4 in the freaking morning. I shouldn't even be awake right now.

[Tomato]

Took this one just to give everyone an idea of just how effing tiny this thing is... and because it was fun.

[Cyber Burn]

That is small, reminds me of when I used to paint D&D Mini's.

[Deaths Jester]

Gah...Mato...you so have too much time on your hands and way too much money...go draw someone's blood already!

[Tomato]

Gah...Mato...you so have too much time on your hands and way too much money...go draw someone's blood already!

Wait... so you think I have too much money, so you want me to go draw blood and earn MORE money? You're so inconsistent.

So, due to Mattel being a number of things that would probably be blocked by FR's censors and thus ending the YJ figure line, it pretty much means I have to take matters into my own hands if I want to finish my YJ display (which has been modified to incorporate the additions . Now, I'm still holding out hope the last few figures they previewed will eventually be released (Red Arrow, Captain Marvel, etc) but I have started working on some other customs.



This is what I have so far on one of the League member's heads. not sure I like how the nose sculpt turned out (might trim it down a bit) but overall, I think it turned out ok. Started as a Captain Atom, but I reshaped the hair and sculpted most of the face (pretty much everything from the nose down is sculpted). Now if only I could get some decent green paint, we'd be in business.

[Deaths Jester]

AHHHHH!!!!  You decapitated someone!!!  Mato, you homicidal maniac...quit it!!!

[Tomato]

He'll have a body... just as soon as I find a green paint that isn't fugly (I swear, whoever mixes the paint at Testors doesn't know what green actually looks like. Every paint I've gotten that even has the slightest hint of green has been wrong.)

In other news, finally made real headway on a project that's eluded me for ages now




For those ignorant among you *cough*DJ*cough* this is one of the Red/Blue bases from Halo CE's Blood Gulch (aka Coagulation aka Hemorrhage). It's something I've been trying to build for over a year now, but I had major issues with my previous builds because I was trying to design it digitally and what works in a computer doesn't necessarily work in, y'know, reality. Instead, this time around, I dug through the legos/mega bloks I had available and just winged it... the result is going to be a little smaller than I'd originally planned, but it's more for display anyway.

Ordered the pieces I still need from Lego, hopefully I'll have is finished in a few weeks to show you guys.

[Deaths Jester]

Hey, I'm not ignorant to Legos..used to play with them as a kid...though I now don't!  Geez, 'Mato...way to make a decision on someone before even knowing them!

[Cyber Burn]

Legos are awesome, I used to have a huge freaking castle in my room when I was in high school. Wish I still had it. 

[Tomato]

if you guys haven't followed my tumblr pages, you missed sooo much.

I have a sub account specifically for toy collecting and customs now as well, here's the latest post (nothing custom here, but I am super proud of how Spidey is posed)

[MJB]

I don't know why but I'm really loving the pix where you have your avatar figure posed in them showing stuff off. It's just super I say!

[Tomato]

So, in case people here weren't aware, I've been playing around with 3d printing. I've printed a Luna before (pony related, didn't think it was necessary to post here) but I've just finished a mini-Delta for my Mega Blok collection and I'm in the process of printing some lanterns I meshed from scratch for the DC Collectibles toys.

Delta:


Lanterns:

[Cyber Burn]

Those are sweet 'Mato. If you don't mind me asking, how much are the lanterns setting you back?

[Tomato]

They're scaled to match the 3.75" dc collectible line, so they're on the small side (just under an inch high including handle)... each one is just over $3 for polished flexible plastic. Whole thing ended up being $40 plus shipping, but that's because I had to pay shipping fees twice (the star sapphire battery was just barely too small on one section.)

It all depends on the material though. I considered doing them in silver, which would have been > $30 each.

[Cyber Burn]

There's a DC 3.75 line out now??? Where the heck have I been???

But back to the subject, those lanterns look really cool, and would make great collectibles by themselves.

[Tomato]

There are only 4 of them out, and they've been con exclusives for nycc and sdcc. DC Direct/Collectibles put them out to gauge how receptive the fan base was to a decently articulated 3.75" line *looks sideways at infinite heroes*

[Cyber Burn]

If I had the finances, I would sooo be receptive to the line. That's a good size for a collection, it allow for more figures in a smaller space.

[Tomato]

Something I've been working on in my spare time for my X-men collection.

[Cyber Burn]

Toad! Very cool 'Mato.

[Tomato]

Finished Toad. Long story short, I'm very happy with him.

[Deaths Jester]

Shouldn't the piece around his neck be green along with his gloves and boots?  Just saying......

[Tomato]

...

I don't even know how to respond to that DJ.

The design I used is based on the original costume by Jack Kirby, with some minor updates based on personal preference or my own laziness. The color palette is also based on the design in his earliest appearances in the X-men comic.

I'm probably going to go back and add some touch ups to this today... I want to lighten the orange areas with some drybrushing, maybe add some wash/drybrush combos to the face and purple to bring out the details.