Hello everyone I am coming to you today to get your honest opinions. So please take your gloves off and go to town. I am currently developing a designer toy studio and am working on bringing not only resin sculpts but soft vinyl as well. Being that most of you have seen it all I value your critique. We have several concepts working, this being one that I wanted to get some feed back on, what you would like to see, if you would like to see it at all ect ect.. We really wanted to do something different here, with that said, I present Roman, the Penguin Kaiju. Thank you for any and all feedback!
This is a pretty cool figure especially for ppl that don't like super gory stuff but want something weird. I like it but i would be interested to see what this would look like in final sofubi form and in different colors both with and without paint applications. How big would this figure actually be if it becomes reality?
I was thinking about 7-8" or so. I kinda like the fact that he has no weapons and is kinda just there... So I think his size and stature should kinda reflect that, in that he's rather innocuous. But I would like him large enough to show off on a shelf. As far as the colorways are concerned, we think that this piece can be a lot of fun. We are actually working on the sculpt right now, but I'm not sure if the sculptor is cutting it. So we might have find another one. Thanks so much for your feedback Headhunter! It means a lot.
I would bring the tail all the way down so it can give you really solid balance. Nothing worse then cool toys that don't stand up. Looks like you won't need/want articulation in the arms or legs? So then the neck would be the only joint which would make sense. From an artistic standpoint the feet could use more detail. Maybe claws or nails or webbed toes.
We have already addressed the tail issue, we made it fatter and a bit longer. We think the "arms/wings/things" can just be as is, however we are contemplating bringing the legs down just a touch so they can be articulated and he could sit on his bottom. I think you are right about the feet though, they could use a little love. Thanks so much for your input Waterbear. It's truly appreciated.
Another set and in 2 pairs instead of the one. If I were to make this, I'd go with glass eyes because they are more realistic and would add a ton of character! There's something about glass eyes that are soul grabbing.
There is a whole faq section on sb and my first thoughts are...who are you? I always find it strange when someone joins just to pitch a product. That being said..all I can think of is perry the platypus
Save your money. My two cents is that 7-8" is way too big given the minimal detail on a simple sculpt. At that size it will take up a lot of space and look like a giant egg on your shelf. Maybe at mid-size or smaller it could fly. Good luck with your free market research.
I remember seeing a penguin sofubi kaiju that looked almost exactly like that on the BST lately. Somebody help me out here, I think it's made by Dream Rocket?
There's a newer platypus figure out there too, although the maker's name escapes me. I haven't seen DR's Razor Pegimon in a while. (Also, I think it is a bit of leap to say that it looks exactly like this drawing...)
Hello Bryce, I can say that I have been a "lurker" of SB for about 2-3 years now, but just recently joined a few months back. I feel like had I joined and made comments here and there just to feel like I had legitimacy to post something like this would have been disingenuous as I am anti-internet-social by nature. I play my cards close to my chest and have been working on Trioxin (my studio) for a quite some time now. Without trying to sounding too cryptic I feel like I'm working on something really awesome with Trioxin that I can't wait to share, but am still months away from. I come to all of you with complete humility knowing that I am unknown, but with the goal of making a name for myself in the future. The reason I made this my first post is because I wanted raw, unadulterated truth, and what better place to get it than SB? I wanted my first post to mean something, to let you and everyone know that I plan on being more than a member, but a contributor and maker. I choose this weirdo character to be my test dummy, to work out the kinks of vinyl toy creation, and what better subject than this guy? To me this guy is the embodiment of a test dummy, something to throw in the front lines to get pelted with arrows and spearheads while the real dangers lies somewhere behind him.
I think you're right, when I first approached my soon to be last sculptor, my original idea was to make this guy 6" knowing he would shrink down a bit more. Thanks for the insight. And this thread wasn't intended to be market research, but to humbly get opinions from people who love the same things I do.
The drawing is very pleasant to look at. Fun attitude and funny body. I also thought of the DR penguin at first, but theres room for more than one toy avian in town. Cant say that this would have the same effect if it was a toy. I feel the best way to start would be to make a small resin version and go from there. People still enjoy resin right?
Why worry about what other people think? Make what you like and fuck 'em! But seeing as you're desperate to garner opinions . . . this doesn't float my boat on ANY level.
I mean this in the most respectful way possible, this thing would make a pretty awesome stuffed animal.
Now THAT is something I can totally agree on. That mohawk in crazy yellow. And also bulky enough to kind of "plop" down like a beanbag.
I know this is a bit of an echo but yeah...this stuff is one step less loathsome than Kickstarter campaigns to me. If you're not willing to commit to your idea then why should anyone else? Designing (good) toys takes a tremendous amount of skill and practice: I think you should re-focus this market research energy into actually designing something you love and doesn't require other people's opinions to validate it.
I think at a smaller scale it could be cool, like 3"-5". The feet need some work, maybe go with more of a foot than a stump
I guess I am feeling a little cynical with this apparent 'influx' of people to the board recently who are coming here to talk about/sell their new figure. I am approaching this with an open mind, but I do hope that people who actually sign up and request to have their account on SB activated have done enough reading to know that that is such a small part of what the board is actually about. I am not griping on you Isodrin, but you should understand that this place, while it is about toys, also serves that much more as a community for likeminded people. If Skullbrain was only a place where toys were bought and sold, the latest auctions/lotteries posted, people came to sell their home projects, then it might as well just be another KR. I am not trying to disparage anyone's work, but I am saying this now so that, if anyone else is going to come and read this and then pop up a thread about their own 'toy in the works' you might want to consider that you might only be the latest of many who have come before. As an additional point, and I can't stress this enough, people coming here to make 'so-foo-bee' or jump on the Japanese kaijooz game, have to realise that this board is - or in the very least was - home to many people who have come before and eventually made their way into production of a toy. This takes an incredible amount of time, hard work, and artistry. Sure, probably anyone with enough money and connections might be able to get something made, but to do it properly, so that people will appreciate it (including yourself) means it is not just some impulsive notion or trend project. Many people on hear will freely tell you it will take years before you ever actually get something in hand, and the trials and sacrifices are many. You can't count on it necessarily getting there, and you have no guarantees anyone will care for it. And you will also not be raking in any money for your efforts, more than likely the opposite. The only reason to do something like this if it is for yourself and truly your passion to become a toy artist. If you can't commit yourself you'll be unhappy and people aren't going to appreciate it either. I am just saying this as a dose of reality so that people come in with reasonable expectations when they want to pitch a toy, based on nothing but a preliminary idea. Sigh, seems this has all been said before, and I should probably add it to the FAQ section, but I am not sure people are taking it to heart or listening. As for feedback for the guy you proposed, I think I have to agree with what has already been said. It is also very difficult to make any accurate assessments based solely on a 2D rendering. But he looks cool, and you have thought about him some clearly, but I am not sure how much that extends to how this would work as a vinyl toy. The size you proposed seems far too big for what is evident in the drawing, you would need a lot more detail and textures I think to make it work at that scale. If the arms/flippers are not articulated, they are really going to have to be flat to the sides, and even then, the 'rotund' nature of your guy could create some issues in pulling. You need to really think and conceptualise where joints would be for this to work, which is why I am emphasizing people put thought into how an actual toy would be, not just a cool design. I do like what you have so far, and he has some cool character, but he would probably translate better as a mini/midsize fella, especially given the limited movement. I also would always suggest someone getting in to this for the first time should always initially aim for smaller scale figures for production. It makes it much easier to test things out and keep costs down for your first guy. Making a toy is going to be a huge learning curve for a greatly extended process, in addition to having to work in a whole new medium. Just look at some of the artists from here as a example. Start small, set some realistic aspirations, and go from there. If you are successful, the rest will follow in due time.
