(Maybe Silly) Do You Have a "Deal-breaker" for Choosing Figures?

[rjray]

That is, is there something that makes you decide a given figure is off the table? I.e., maybe you have no desire to model anything to do with the Waffen SS, for example.

For me, it's tobacco use. I just have zero interest in painting any figure holding a pipe, cigar, etc. Make no mistake, it can be limiting... I've seen a LOT of really excellent figures that were holding a cigarette or something. In a few cases I've been able to replace the hand (or just re-sculpt the fingers), but the position of the arm sometimes looks awkward after doing that.

Anyone else? Even if they seem like silly things to quibble over?

Randy

 

[Wayneb]

For me I would have to say an anatomically incorrect from a visual standpoint loaded with gear figure would be a deal breaker. As far as vices...I have/had enough of my own, so anything that adds interest and detail I don't care what he's holding................................on second thought, I do care what he's holding.

Wayne

 

[rjray]

...on second thought, I do care what he's holding.

Wayne

That would have been a hell of a straight line to leave open .

Randy

 

[Nap]

Hi Randy

A good question ...for me it's the look of a piece first along with the actual subject

Once purchased it invariably ends up in the GA as anothers takes my eye !

Nap

 

[fogie]

Is this a moral thing - that's to say an objection to say, smoking or nudity or the expression
of oppressive imperialism, slavery, so forth - or a quality issue where production values are
unacceptably poor ?

Mike

 

[Forté]

Company attitude is a huge one for me.
Adding boobs/ nudity for the the sake of sales or kink puts me off too.

After that it's really down to the sculpting and concept design. Armour that looks like it would have no chance to be functional, dumb poses where parts don't match up with the angle, stuff like that. Even on fantasy sculpts too.

 

[OldTaff]

Anything that's badly produced, out-of-scale shakos, legs too thin, poorly defined details....that sort of thing.

 

[Airkid]

Anything that is overtly aggressive. Pointing poses (must be thousands). Females equipped for battle with their baps out. Poorly sculpted stuff from so called quality producers. Generic faces and equipment. Poorly depicted weaponry. Hey, is there anything left...??

Phil

 

[akaryu]

Gratuitous nudity, aggressive poses, gore & horror, bad or faulty research, bad sculpting, bad casting, bad choice of subject. Sounds boring maybe, but still leaves enough figures & busts to keep me happy & busy for more than one lifetime....

Pierre

 

[Babelfish]

Agree with most of what Phil and Pierre say .... except for the "aggressive poses" bit. These are miniature warriors that we paint after all, and by its very nature the work of warriors is "aggressive", warriors do "aggressive" things. So I don't quite get that!

For me it's stuff like poor casting quality that is the deal-breaker, rather than any specific subject. I'll paint anything that takes my fancy, from ancient to modern, with some fantasy stuff thrown in occasionally as well for good measure.

- Steve

 

[rjray]

Is this a moral thing - that's to say an objection to say, smoking or nudity or the expression
of oppressive imperialism, slavery, so forth - or a quality issue where production values are
unacceptably poor ?

Mike

Not a moral thing, no. I just hate the stuff. I mean, that is an objection to smoking, but it's not for moral reasons. Don't like the smell, don't like the way it's entwined into culture, etc. I know that my decision to not model it won't erase it, but I just wouldn't want to look at my display shelf and see it.

Randy

 

[rjray]

Anything that is overtly aggressive. Pointing poses (must be thousands). Females equipped for battle with their baps out. Poorly sculpted stuff from so called quality producers. Generic faces and equipment. Poorly depicted weaponry. Hey, is there anything left...??

Phil

Oh yeah. When I was first dipping my toes into figurines, Verlinden 120mm was really taking off. But WOW! some of those sculpts were terrible! I remember one figure (but don't remember the subject) whose left hand was on his hip with the fingers splayed out. Dude's fingers were nearly twice as long as they should have been.

Randy

 

[housecarl]

We like what we like Randy.
I just wish I could motivate myself to paint what I've got.

 

[rjray]

We like what we like Randy.
I just wish I could motivate myself to paint what I've got.

Oy, amen to that! My wife has been helping me organize all my modeling... "stuff". So far we've focused on all my after-market for armor, aircraft, etc. But in the process, it's become clear (to me as well!) how over-the-top I've gotten with buying figures and sending them straight to the shelves. Basically, I recognized I was running out of room for plastic kits and (mostly) stopped buying them a few years ago. But I've justified figure kits 'cause they take up so much less space . So she (gently) reminds me that I'm trying to ease off those as well, at least until I can organize what I have and actually get to painting some of them!

(And lest any of you worry that she's another unsupportive spouse: my wonderful wife also builds models with me, goes to shows with me to help with selling the stuff I don't want any more, and actually encourages me to take time away from the computer to build/paint every so often. Which is harder while I'm in grad school, but she still helps me remember to work it in to my schedule . So, yeah, this one's a keeper!)

Randy

 

[Airkid]

Nice to have a supportive spouse Randy. Mine is just that. She has her hobby (heritage knitwear) and is perfectly happy with what I do. She's my biggest critic

Phil

 

[winfield]

Mine would have to be sculptors with no appreciation for the subjects they depict. No soldier "at rest" wears his tin hat, no matter when in history he lives. Weapons have weight; no one can grip a firearm with a thumb and finger. Weapons with firelocks cannot be presented with wiggly blobs in place of said item. That sort of thing. Boobs and blades just don't interest me as subjects.

 

[Wayneb]

Oh yeah. When I was first dipping my toes into figurines, Verlinden 120mm was really taking off. But WOW! some of those sculpts were terrible! I remember one figure (but don't remember the subject) whose left hand was on his hip with the fingers splayed out. Dude's fingers were nearly twice as long as they should have been.

Randy

I have no problem with Verlinden figures, they are what they are. Besides that, my mother always told me you should never criticize anyone for the way they look......You could end up like that one day.

Wayne

 

[DEL]

Female childlike subjects with overexposed adult bodies. Just can't get my head round that there's an interest in these.
On the occassions that these subjects are promoted here I'm always surprised at some of the responses from members
who are in the main grown men not adolescent boys,

 

[Mirofsoft]

Busts, garden dwarves, parody figurines ( big head small body ) old witches, old crumpy guys .... in short : all "grostesue "
Pity it's the case of nearly 50% new figures

 

[Ronaldo]

Underdressed female warriors with breasts out WTF ,there's the guys all clad in armour to the nineties and some bint flashing her boobs , bare thighed in nothing more than a bikini bottom waving a two handed sword with one hand . where's the brave guy in his speedos then . did the Greeks really go to war with there bollocks in full display but wearing breast armour