I've been thinking a lot lately about this topic so bare with me. If you've ever looked in the wiki, you'll see articles that have several different ways to do the same thing. That is because there is no one true right way to customize. Customizers offer advice based on the method that works best for them, but it won't be universal for everyone. That is true for painting, casting, splitting torsos, and/or sculpting. Everyone will do things differently, even if only slightly different. And that's fine.

I'm bringing it up here and now, because all too often I see one of two things happen. A customizer will say, "This is how you do it..." as if it is definitive and there is no other way to do it. Or a fledgling customizer won't be able to do something that exact way and will give up because they can't do it and therefore can't customize. When I put up a tutorial I'm just saying what works best for me. And I'm being completely honest here, I'm willing to drop that method in a heart beat if I can get better results doing it another way.

I guess what I'm getting at, is don't be married to a certain process because technology, tools, and methods are changing and improving every day. How the majority are doing it today can and will change tomorrow if they can get better, easier results. We've already seen several times when someone in a different hobby world introduces something that works with GI Joe customizing. Dyeing figures, making soft goods, and using water slide decals for logos all revolutionized how people customized. So if someone's method for painting eyes or cracking torsos doesn't work for you, then keep trying different ways until you find a way that works for you. Then post it here because I might use that instead.

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As long as we can all still agree that Kilcarr is always wrong.

That statement is FAR more wrong than I am.

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But what if you are actually wrong about that?

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Unpossible.

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well said!

i work in a very large repair studio, we handle thousands of individual jobs a year. i have 10 yrs on the bench and have learned from everyone i work with in some capacity. most guys i work with have 20+ years on the bench, but we all learn from each other. someone will walk by and say what's that tool/chemical/etc. and in a weeks time half the shop is ordering one

we had a trainee that didn't quite make it this past year. i really feel like we failed him, and not the other way around. i took a personal interest in showing him how "I" do my job. ultimately he was never allowed to get one way nailed down, too much info. too quickly, so he felt like there was some magic # or formula that was just outside his reach.

i don't consider myself any where near the level of artistry that drew me to this site, but i have learned very much, and plan to learn more! it helps to already be a trained bench monkey too

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See he's already proven himself wrong. Kilcarr right? Inconceivable!

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

Also? What kind of messed up voodoo customizing is pluv doing that involves cats in any way?

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Trained bench monkey is my favorite phrase of the day. Now to see how I can work it into a conversation.

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Method? Half the time I'm just "LASER BLAST" with stuff till it looks like it'll pass. I do everything the wrong way

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The longer he posts here, the more I enjoy "Don't give a flying f" Lance Sputnik. LOL

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Customizing is like Jet Kune Do, take what you learn and use what best works for you.

Be like water?

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and here I was thinking this was going to be a post about taking let's say a Schleich Lion and turning it into one of those "head on" animal rugs in scale...

Some techniques I will not only marry, but some of them will get taken behind the barn and made pregnant.

Like my old fashioned hand-cranked Fiskars drill. I own two Dremels, one of which was the very first Moto-Flex from decades ago when I was entertaining jewelry setting and making. But nothing gives me a safer and less damaging drill hole than that dang near Amish style hand-cranked Fiskars. I use it for all my customizing needs where I have to marry one part to the whole or a piece. It is also absolutely GREAT for hollowing out pieces like armor or gear that are on static figures. I took this drill to those Ugha warriors and nearly salvaged every single bone and sinew wrapping on their arms and legs, to be used with my fantasy customs. Dremels, even the variable speed ones, are too fast for the precise drilling. So like my first scented letter from a gal, I treasure it, keep it safe, and take it out when I need just the right inspiration.

But I evolve like you said pluv. Did that with Loctite Gel glue. One member here turned me on to it after decades of loyal two-part epoxy using, and I wonder how I never got a hold of this stuff before. I've tried others from all over the place, even the flexible variety, and I still find myself going back to Loctite.

Oh and if you do want a skinned cat for a dio, either use one of those craft felt pieces made from ground up plastic bottles( damn genius that )with the leopard pattern at where the spots are the smallest, cutting it out as a full skin, or get a Schleich lion or tiger or other cat, and cut the head at a near 10 degree angle and just glue or pin set it on to some of that faux fur in the color of choice at someplace like Jo-Ann fabrics. To get the pile "just right", take an electric shaver or match to the sides to thin out the ruff of it so it looks like proper cat underbelly.

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TOTALLY agree. As somebody who is new-ish to customizing, I beg, borrow, steal and adapt whatever works for me. When I asked y'all for help with dremeling out a head (http://www.joecustoms.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=40660), the advice went in a few different directions. I used a little bit of all of it, but experimented with what worked best for me until I got the hang of it.

And a lot of times I'll see great tips, but I don't have the same tools/materials. So then I try to morph it into my situation.