Violence Toy

Violence Toy seems to make alright toys, not the best not the worst. Did anyone know that the artist who did violence toy (a tattoo artist) also did bootleg nagnagnag resin figures that were circulating around a few years back? I know cause once the artist contacted me saying he wanted to buy my nag bootlegs cause he made them. I also talked to some other folks who verified this fact. So the fact that they kind of look like bootlegs is right on the nose if you ask me. I own one violence toy painted by a good friend but if he didn't paint it and sell it to me for a really good price (75 bucks maybe?) I probably wouldn't own one. The fact that their store doesn't have a paypal option is kind of foolish as well if you ask me.

 

Me too! And considering that I'm too scared to watch much horror, I still have that kind of appreciation with ephemera that's removed from the actual product.

I was actually going with @Count until that bit. I think it's perfectly reasonable (and potential worthwhile) to care about people overcharging for stuff, even if it doesn't necessarily affect your personal wallet. I think he's just being salty.

 

I just think that the only voice you have in the pricing of a toy is by buying it or not, if you already weren't going to buy it for other reasons, then you really don't have much else to say about that. I mean you can say whatever you want, but you are just being salty at that point. I've been salty about toy prices before myself, because I wanted the toy and didn't want to spend whatever amount of money, not sure why else you would care really?

And $80 each for a series of 6 one offs doesn't even sound way over the top by todays pricing standards, I don't know if they're usually more than that or what, but that's what I just saw.

 

Can't speak (and wasn't trying to) to the specifics of how this brand is priced, but would you say the same thing (to take this logic out a bit), if someone was being ripped of by someone selling supplements that don't really do anything? That only actual customers are in a position to say something shady/unethical/unfair is going on? I mean, ultimately people will vote with their dollar, as it should be, but I think that non-buying people should be allowed to offer an opinion, particularly if they're educated in the subject, as many here are.

 

Honestly pricing in this hobby is all over the place. I do think VT is a bit too expensive, but not that much. I know some new HK toy makers that sell toys the same size for more than double.

 

From my conversations with people buying those overpriced HK toys the general consensus is they overpaid and regret it. They are just trying to ride the wake of success created by others. They are going to learn after the initial excitement dies down, To be more reasonable or get content selling overpriced micro runs as their model.

 

Yeah. I passed on a 6" x 6" toy I really liked because sticker price was $280 not counting shipping. That's twice the price it should be at the high end of the spectrum. Right now he is lottoing off a mini-run of someone else's toys for $350 + $40 shipping. I want it, but I'd rather wait because I'm 99% sure Unbox Industries will do a painted run for less than half that price. His paint jobs are pretty average and I think that's what he is charging an arm and a leg for (haven't seen the price for blanks). For that price I'd expect Joe Whiteford level of paint detail/quality.

I'm begrudgingly willing to pay more sometimes just because I like the toy that much. But then again, I can eat those high prices fairly easily because I'm only buying 1 copy of a sculpt and not 20. The people collecting those criminally overpriced runs of an artist yeah, I can see them regretting it pretty bad. But then again, there is a lot of rampant hypocrisy against flipping by people who'll chastise you for buying aftermarket while they throw half their shit on eBay. Hell, I had a dude "offer" the aforementioned toy I wanted for the low, low price of $280 + $100 Amazon Gift Card + MVH Sludge Demon. This was literally a day or two after people started getting them in the mail.

Say what you will about VT, but they intentionally make their toys fairly easy to get. 4 base models with mildly different arm/leg configurations, all the same box with different paint. Can't say that about a lot of artists now who seem to almost revel in the artificial scarcity model.

It's weird because a lot of artists I've talked to (mainly custom painters on IG) think the price for painting if way too low and they can't live off of it. Do you price your painted stuff based on how long it might take you to paint a single one so you can say "this run is basically paying me $50/hr"?

 

Yeah I didn't see the $160 toys, just some random thing they recently had up on their website for $80. That is expensive but depending on size of the run, the size of the toy, who they were painted by, how they were painted, where they were made and had to be shipped, it may not be that overly inflated, I have no idea. I kind of like them and I wouldn't spend that on them myself, but in the end I don't really care that much so I'm not mad about it and still don't understand why anyone would be mad, unless they really loved them and really thought they needed them and couldn't afford it.

It's not that you can't say anything about something you don't own, it's just why would you say anything about something you have no intention of owning anyways, something you don't even like. This isn't about supplements that don't do anything and you're warning the public about it, whether these toys do anything for you or not is all personal opinion that is up to the purchaser, this is an optional hobby that you are choosing to participate in. And it's a far cry from that dick head Martin Shkreli, who is selling something people need to live at mega inflated prices, he has them over a barrel and its super ugly. Again it's just toys that people made and they're selling for whatever they think they should sell for, and if they're selling for too much the market will sort them out eventually, nobody needs these to live.

And finally this isn't a flipper profiting, this is the toys creator, Would you be happier if these sold for 60 and were re-sold for 200 on ebay the next day? At least the dudes are making a couple bucks, I'm sure it's still not making anyone rich.

I'll admit I was being a bit sassy by saying your salty if you're hating on the price, I was just taking a dig at all the bashing that seems like an undeserved pile on. It's been raining the last 2 days and I just really want to go back outside, I'm getting salty.

 

If you're just painting toys, and not making original figures, IMO you don't deserve to live off it. Fuck, I don't even live off it making original toys. But I could if I didn't want a nice lifestyle

 

Gettin' this guy in the mail today has further swayed my opinion in an even more positive direction. I can 110% agree that it's not at all for everyone, but I really enjoy crude, textured and weird sculpts. Getting to further analyze the sculpt, there's definitely a lot more discernible and readable details here. I'm into it.

 

Robert you are one of the best photographers on here and i like the colors used but the figs just don't work for me

i can understand tho how these would appeal to others, will be interesting seeing what VT does next just the same

 

@xSuicide Squadx
I like the scaly-type textures on the chest and abdomen and the way they're sculpted, especially coupled with the weird flatness of those two body parts. Not something I'd be interested in, but I feel like at least those elements are original. The tiny bug eyes seem a little derivative of Elegab, though. Not sure if that was intended or what. I do see how someone could like it.

 

Thank you, @kichigai! Very, very high compliment amongst many great toy shooters/lovers here! I see both the appeal and repulsion, honestly. But I've stated my preferences and how these fit in. I still very much appreciate a constructive back and forth of both love and hate for these creations.

@Odibex i had initially not been that big a fan of this body type(I prefer the taller, more human boot wearer), but getting it in hand I really do appreciate what's goin' on here. There's a lot of individually painted details I don't think I'd have otherwise noticed, and I like what I see. The size is also very nice, and the Time Gore is my favorite head of the four offered.

 

Quoted for truth!

It's never been 'cheap', but the pricing over the last 2-3 years or so has drifted into 'crazy' territory . . . since NNN started believing his own hype, hiked his pricing to flipper levels and set a president for other manufacturers to emulate even retail is (mostly) retarded.

Add on the recent global shipping increases and this 'hobby' is rapidly pricing itself out of contention.

 

I applaud you for stating the obvious about NNN- his dolls are great tho prices are absurd to say the least.

Yet NNN sells out each time so who can say what is right or wrong- sell 100 for $50 each or sell 5 for $1000?

Seems quite lazy regardless of how much time is involved with crafting them, I guess it comes down to this:

Does a maker of any product want folks to enjoy their product or do they just want $$$ and social status?

Unless the makers can speak for themselves on here or in some other way public, who can really say?

If these guys who make these VT are Tattoo artists, they most likely already have a
built in "fanbase" who already pay a good chunk of change for their "art" in flesh.

So maybe that is how they gauge the price of VT dolls?

I would say based on what i saw of the VT line, it must have cost at least $7500 - $10,000 or more to produce-
so based on the prices they seem to want to make the money back ASAP perhaps to make more VT dolls?

I really can not fault them for that but perhaps others are just getting tired of seeing
what appears to be an old formula rather than seeing any newly inspired output?

I think the older folks here are objecting based on nostalgic points of reference. Toys of all type used to get
released quarterly for the most part and momentum built up over time. Now it seems like most newer folks
want instant success. Compare it to instant coffee- it leaves a bad taste in ones mouth

Back on topic can anyone post pics of the VT line again so further discourse
can be made based on actual sculpts not just personal opinions without pics

 

New painted run

View this post on Instagram

 

I neither hate nor love them but doing glass eyes on the ET one I do respect- that is a serious pain in the ass to do!

this guy actually looks kinda cool:

http://violencetoy.com/snail-man

 

i wanna comment even though i dont own any VT but i plan to own at least one. that being said a majority of the reason is because im a fan of zach's tattoo work and paintings and ezra's as well (when he still tattooed).

i will say, however, i would only buy the lil bootie body. big torso small legs looks better to me than small torso huge legs. i also hope there are future plans to have matching arms. none of the weapons really do it for me. i think mori-san had the right idea when he sculpted forearm nubs, so you could get countless combos of hand/weapon hand/hand weapon/weapon.

on the subject of paints, i am really drawn to their bloody paint apps, and the pastels dont look bad either in my opinion!

 

I'd say it looks like he costs an arm and a leg, but I guess it was just an arm. LOLOLOL!!

 

That's because it's made by Rotten Studio, not Violence Toy. They just painted them.

 

Oh thanks M, I was not aware of that....... it fits in the VT line as a weirdo cousin then i suppose. I read they were releasing these new versions 1 per week rather than a 4 doll drop. That seems smart and fair to fans who seek these out even if they are sorta expensive. Maybe the key to the VT line not dying with the 4HM will be an ongoing and continued mutation of indifference towards horror culture icons and body parts

 

I definitely see what you're sayin', @ultrakaiju. I do really enjoy classic sprays and the less - is - more approach, but it also depends on the toys for me. Violence Toy, in particular, I feel can manage both. And I think these recent releases are sort of testing their ability to accent details, since they've worked with broad coverage and simple sprays already. If an artist can do both, that brings more diversity and also expands on their personal capability!