As a lot of you know up until now all of my toys have been my designs and I work with some great professional sculptors to get them just right. I've really wanted to release something that I sculpt myself. I've been doing a LOT of sculpting lately but most is crap and just trying to get a handle on things. I doubt this one will ever make it to vinyl but thought I'd put it out there to get some feedback. I also realize I could go the resin route but lets face it resin is not sofubi. I'm looking for real critiques, don't worry I can take it. This fella is almost 7" tall with articulation at the neck(s), arms, and legs. I have the damnedest time getting the joints nice and flush.
Alright, here's my attempt at a critique! My first reaction was: two heads, again? Honestly, I think the whole two-headed monster thing has been played to death lately. I know some people are really into it, but I'm personally sick of it and kind of see it as a gimmick at this point. As I started to view the photos more carefully, here are the things that came to mind: I like the doofy grins, the unibrow on the right head, and the crazy teeth. I like the right head better than the left in general, there's a lot more personality. The belly-face brought to mind existing sofubi, like Nekomata and Smalmack. Kind of turned off by it since it's such a literal face with a mouth like those other two. Not accusing you of stealing an idea (belly mouths have been used in lots of places) but I think it's a niche that's already been filled. When viewed from the back, it's a whole different monster... Literally. From the front I thought it was just a doofy ogre-like monster with pockmarks, but from the back it looks like a moon monster with craters. I think overall the story the back tells is a LOT more interesting. Moon monsters are fascinating! The shell is by far my favorite part. It's a shell, but it's a cratered shell! It's different and unique, and makes me want to know more about this monster. Teenie tiny weenie +1 Well, that's all I can think of. I hope I was helpful and not too harsh. It is a good sculpt, don't get me wrong! I can't do anything like that. The front just seems to me like it needs some work to match the interest of the back.
Okay, I like the heads, the arms, the back, the legs. The body is too fat and clunky for me. I think if the belly-face was creeping out more subtly and the body was bumpy like the arms and legs, and slimmer, the joints would work better and the figure would come together more. Maybe sculpted eyeballs? Just throwing things out there. Please don't hit me. I cannot do better. Very cool.
This thing is rad, love how chunky it is but still at 7" height plus it has 2 heads but doesn't feel like a "I have a 2 headed toy as well!". It reminds me of a meteor due to the texture and craters. It has passed by planets collecting different DNA but has now landed on Earth. It awakens here with no understanding of what it is, thats why he looks so goofy. The only part that feels off are the arms, they seem too small for how big the rest of it is.
@hellointerloper @quentor @IronPaw that's exactly what I was hoping for truthful thoughts on it. I knew I would have someone say something about the two heads. I like two headed creatures, I don't even own one two headed toy and realize they've been done A LOT lately. But I've always wanted to do one so this was my attempt. I agree on the right face having more personality. This whole thing is out of my comfort zone, I normally do fairly clean designs. I like the feel of a nice round mid section with the tiny arms, I mean this is some sort of two headed mutated crater turtle so it doesn't have to make sense. Thanks for the thought, keep'em coming!
Really in love with the dimpling you added to the skin. I'm also really jealous of you dudes who can make nice and clean articulation points. I'm personally having the damnedest time getting the joints on one of my sculpts just right....then again, I'm pretty much brand new to the whole toy sculpture thing. My personal favorite aspects of this sculpt you posted are the legs and that meteor shell on the back. I think the face you added to the chest could either be taken out or changed completely....It's not really singing for me, ya know. Overall I'm really diggin this sculpt. keep it up!
oh and @hellointerloper I took the tiny man piece off because I was afraid it wouldn't be possible and gave it some lady bits.
There is a lot of good stuff going on here but it doesn't work as it is . . . I like your style and you clearly have talent for sculpting and character design. The two heads are cool, but the large belly head is flatter and less 3D, but perhaps you were aiming for that . . . the two heads just look awkward in those positions, i reckon. I would take the two upper heads off and recycle them into a different project, they are worth saving. Give the belly head a bit more substance in the depth of sculpt and add some horns or a crown skulls or whatever . . I like the bowed legs, it makes me think of a mischievous imp or weird little demon. Nice work, keep it up . . . .
Yeah I'm not real keen on the body is all. it kinda reminds me of mayor quimby, or Barney! Lol! I think a new body with something of a more meteorlike face (thinking disarticulator oozeball, geek jyujin, back of a DX) to balance out those heads. the heads are quirky/weird which is good, but the belly-face is overkill IMO. Get those heads closer together, more subtle belly-face. Boom. Glory. You might have to make the torso "taller" to accomplish that and have all the flashing fit well, but stretching out the torso would make the turtle shell more oval than the circle it is now, which would help as well. In my opinion. Which means nothing.
I think the head placement is great, instead of the same old side by side. @CopASquatToys how does this feedback work for you? Not that I find a problem with the thread, but in my head taking everyones opinions would make me feel that I'm not making this toy because I love it or its what I want. But something everyone else wants. Dont know exactly how to put this feeling into words.
I'm not going to critique your design because designing something yourself is the best part of making toys and what one person likes someone else might hate which is how it should be. Th sculpt itself I will happily critique though. First suggestion is changing the way you do the eyes. One thing lots of sculptors have in common is that they do the eyes by themselves then add them to the piece. Some guys like Groman actually use steal marbles for the base of the eyes to get them perfectly smooth. Even just rolling a perfect ball of clay and cooking it then shoving it into the monster makes a huge difference. Especially when the rest of the sculpt will be a little rough it creates a great contrast. The overall texture looks like you took a tool of some kind and pressed it into the sculpt hundreds of times. What I would suggest is doing the same thing with a few other tools of different shapes and sizes over the same areas again and again. That would let you still retain some of the texture you already have but you'd also create all kinds of depth and variation which would not only look better in clay but it would be so much fun to paint as well. It's usually best to go from biggest to smallest so whatever tool leaves the biggest imprint should go first then go smaller and smaller. And don't just use something rounded. Mix in other shapes and the effect will be really interesting. For vinyl I always suggest making one hand in a position that can hold something. Leaves the door open for all kinds of accessories that you can make or buy to do special releases. Even just being able to hold string or a chain can be lots of fun later.
@IronPaw I just like hearing others ideas and criticisms on it. I doubt I'll change much of anything since it won't be produced anyhow, but you never know. For the most part I liked this guy but some of the points that have been brought up matched some of the things I already had in my head. Like I'm pretty cool with most of it but the left head still isn't where it needs to be so I might re-work that part, and adding more texture like @Waterbear mentioned. Which I had already thought about but was happy where it was at and didn't want to screw it up haha. I mean I wouldn't do it at all if I didn't want to but it's nice to get different perspectives. Everything isn't for everyone and like has been said that's the way it should be.
Yeah nothing but respect, I feel the same way though. I like when people are brutally honest, and it may hurt a bit but I'd rather know. As you mention Adam, it often echoes some of the criticisms you already have of your own work. I am a musician, and my sister will always tell me "That song is too sappy" "That song is not good with that other rapper" or whatever. But when it is good she might say "Now that one is ready for the radio" or whatever. I get mad at her sometimes because I have put in this work, and here she is criticizing it, but after considering it, I know she is right and I change it, and usually for the better. I have come to see her as a resource, because I don't want to have spent all that time making a sub-par song, when even I know what is wrong, I just need someone to say it to me. Often it is one guitar solo, one guest artist, one key change, one muffled sample or something that needs to go. Not the whole song, but you get roped into thinking it's good enough because you're "done" in your mind. But then it nags at you because you know it's not your best. I get it. I play my songs for my middle school students and they tell me, "That guitar shit is lame bro, but the rest is pretty good. Stop with them hippie ass rhymes" lol! They hold no punches. It's priceless marketing information that makes my work better---for free.
