I've seen a bunch of custom action figures all over the internet, and I would like to know how people make them. Any info anyone can give me would be much appreciated, thank!

I used to change parts from my old GI Joe's. One that I remember was interchanging Duke and Gung Ho.

Ever heard of the plaster casters?

No, I haven't. What are those?

KISS wrote a song about that but, I'm thinking it's not the same thing....

Here's my suggestion: Pick a character you would like to see as an action figure, look at a few figures you have that you wouldn't mind destroying, and then go to the store and buy the following: Testors GLOSSY (and I only emphasize the glossy paint because it looks better for custom toys and models and you don't have to top coat it in spray gloss later) enamel model paint in a variety of colors, fine paint brushes, an x-acto blade (for trimming or shaving plastic and fixing paint when its dry), fine tipped permanent markers (for fine details), super glue (for putting your unusual creations together), and Sculpy polymer modeling clay (for extra appendages, hats, tails, hair, and other custom accessories. you name it...). Then look up some tutorials for model making online or from books at your local bookstore or libary.

Then, relax, use your imagination and go nuts!! Let your mind make something wonderful!! I've never made my own action figure before but I've customized a few by just painting them up with Testors paint and that stuff is awesome and it really looks great and its not expensive either. In fact I used a combo of Testors spray paint and enamel model paints to create my own Identity Disc from the new Tron movie, Tron: Legacy. In fact, I'm thinking about trying to hunt up the supplies to fix my white prototype disc that I made a while ago after I saw the movie in theaters and then I'd like to find a few more cheap frisbees to destroy and paint to make Rinzler and Clu's ID Discs from the movie to go with my white "Good Guy" disc.

And another thing, if you can, try to do all your painting in either a well ventilated basement or at best, outside unless you want to risk killing your family and pets and yourself with strong paint fumes. Kinda learned this the hard way over the winter and my house smelled terrible for about a week because I was working on my disc in my basement and the whole house smelled like paint fumes. Especially when the central heat kicked on and you could smell it through the vents all over the house... :oops:

So in short, create, have fun, and PAINT OUTSIDE IF YOU CAN!! :roll:

LOL.

I know I'm a dork but I only know what I know about customizing anything because I've actually tried it before. :wink:

I used to glue several pieces of paper together to make paper action figures (I never played with "paper dolls") when I was a kid. It was good enough if I needed extra figures for guards and soldiers.

I had something similar happen to me when I was 11, except it was with those stick and tissue model airplanes. The chemical that you have to apply to the tissue is noxious as hell, and yes, central A/C systems seem to kick on at the worst times.

I'm kinda starting this hobby as well. I just did a crude repaint of a Spider-Man who was missing a hand. I can see how addicting it's gonna be. Especially with the toys I've been seeing at flea markets and clearance isles.

My goal is to do one of The Phantom out of a DC Universe figure.

Customizing grows on you fast. Very fun and worth it if you have the tools.