Dad threw this action figure together by tossing a Slayer Design Studios head that he painted onto a Vintage Fi-Ek Sirch body. He grabbed a cane from a Emperor Palpatine, and a holster from the Comic Pack Rohlan Dyre.
JEDI ELDER
Monday, February 6, 2012
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
CUSTOMIZER SPOTLIGHT #18: SILLOF
This summer, Sillof ran out of room in his workshop and was looking to sell some of his custom action figures. I have always been a huge fan of his work, so when I found out that I actually had a chance to own one of his action figures I jumped at the chance. I loved Sillof's various renditions of Chewbacca, and I was really happy when I was able to acquire his 1st Lt. Chuck Backer from his World War line of figures. It's the only 6" custom action figure that I own, but I totally love it. It's one of my favorite pieces.
1st Lt. CHUCK BACKER
created by
Sillof
created by
Sillof
This 6" custom action figure created by Sillof can now be found in my personal collection.
1st Lt. Chuck Backer was created in 2008 and was featured in Sillof's Star Wars 1942 line.
Sillof is pronouced "Si" (like Psi or Sci-fi ) and "llof" (like cough or pilaf) and no it is not his real name. He's a high school history and film teacher. He has no formal art training, other then art classes in middle school. If something turns out good, he says it is just from years of practice, or luck. He started building custom figures and dioramas when he was a kid. He opened a website in 1999. It was then called "The Wookie's Workshop" and "The Wook's Workshop". before he had his current website www.Sillof.com.
His work has been featured online on blogs, websites, and online news services, newspapers at the local, national and international levels, in books and magazines nationally and world wide. His customs have even been featured on television in local news, national news, cable, and overseas, in independent films as props, costumes, and set designs. His action figures have been publicly displayed at contests, fairs, & conventions including 3 of the 4 Star Wars Celebrations. Most recently his work has been seen in Toyfare and Star Wars Insider Magazines.
Unlike other customizers, Sillof has gotten away from faithfully creating characters and has begun to redesign these figures in various time periods or aesthetics. He creates these works out of admiration for their original designs, but rather than just recreate another person's work he enjoys putting his own spin on classic characters, as well as creating his own new characters. This is all just the creations of his spare time. He starts with a general concept or direction (samurai for example) Then he brainstorms what he wants. This is mostly done in his brain. Then he makes a list of adjectives and descriptions of the character, maybe a little back story and the physical elements he wants to include in the figure.
He then begins the actual construction. He usually works on all of them at once. So while the glue or paint is drying on one he works on another. Some parts of the figures are recycled from existing toys. They are cut off and glued together. Sometimes he sculpts over the old toy parts. Sometimes he dremels down the part using it more as an armature and sculpts over it. Often times, he will sculpt an entire new piece. Some of the figures are completely built from scratch. It really just depends on what he wants, needs, and what he has on hand in his various drawers of parts.
He sculpts using a 2 part epoxy polymer sculpting compound called Apoxie by Aves Studios. You mix 2 parts together and then in few hours it is hard a rock. It is not as easy to work with as sculpey but more then makes up for it with it's durability. Sillof says it gets easier to work with practice.
His work has been featured online on blogs, websites, and online news services, newspapers at the local, national and international levels, in books and magazines nationally and world wide. His customs have even been featured on television in local news, national news, cable, and overseas, in independent films as props, costumes, and set designs. His action figures have been publicly displayed at contests, fairs, & conventions including 3 of the 4 Star Wars Celebrations. Most recently his work has been seen in Toyfare and Star Wars Insider Magazines.
Unlike other customizers, Sillof has gotten away from faithfully creating characters and has begun to redesign these figures in various time periods or aesthetics. He creates these works out of admiration for their original designs, but rather than just recreate another person's work he enjoys putting his own spin on classic characters, as well as creating his own new characters. This is all just the creations of his spare time. He starts with a general concept or direction (samurai for example) Then he brainstorms what he wants. This is mostly done in his brain. Then he makes a list of adjectives and descriptions of the character, maybe a little back story and the physical elements he wants to include in the figure.
He then begins the actual construction. He usually works on all of them at once. So while the glue or paint is drying on one he works on another. Some parts of the figures are recycled from existing toys. They are cut off and glued together. Sometimes he sculpts over the old toy parts. Sometimes he dremels down the part using it more as an armature and sculpts over it. Often times, he will sculpt an entire new piece. Some of the figures are completely built from scratch. It really just depends on what he wants, needs, and what he has on hand in his various drawers of parts.
He sculpts using a 2 part epoxy polymer sculpting compound called Apoxie by Aves Studios. You mix 2 parts together and then in few hours it is hard a rock. It is not as easy to work with as sculpey but more then makes up for it with it's durability. Sillof says it gets easier to work with practice.
We also recommend checking out his "Toy Wars" film series where he brings his action figures and dioramas to life at this link here:
http://www.sillof.com/Toywars.htm
Our CUSTOMIZER SPOTLIGHT post was featured on Ed Johnson Presents: NERD NEWS.
http://www.sillof.com/Toywars.htm
Our CUSTOMIZER SPOTLIGHT post was featured on Ed Johnson Presents: NERD NEWS.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
TTT Added to "Customs I Wish I Owned"
TTT's dad collected Star Wars figures in the 70's-80's, him & his brother used to modify their toys as kids, usually with a bench vice for Hot Wheels and a lighter for their model planes/cars.
In high school he started getting into model cars and got pretty serious about them for awhile, but eventually got out of it.
In 1998 he became a serious toy collector, everything from HotWheels/NASCAR, Spawn, Star Wars, GI Joe and Transformers.
In 2007, some toys had fallen off of a shelf, everything was OK except for a Transformers Alternators Smokescreen figure, he was busted in half at the waist. TTT replaced the figure but now had this busted useless piece...what to do ? He thought..."Hey, I used to paint model cars the same size as this !...maybe I can customize this, huh?" But being busted in half, he wasn't about repaint the whole thing so he came up with adding some battle damage...why not - nothing to lose. So he started one day, just went at it, melted some bits, dremeled off chunks, it was fun and it worked rather well. Soon, he had to do another...and another...and...well the rest is history.
He started collecting G.I. Joe 25th in 2008 which lead to customizing them shortly after and here we are today.
TTT now specializes in pretty much anything, models, figures...cars, statues...nice clean and shiny to rusty, burned and trashed & zombiefied. Most know him for battle damage & zombie type work. 2012 marks 5 years of TTT "torturing your toys".
Ever wonder what the zombie apocalypse would like like in the Star Wars universe. Check out these customs. The paint work is just phenomenal.
In high school he started getting into model cars and got pretty serious about them for awhile, but eventually got out of it.
In 1998 he became a serious toy collector, everything from HotWheels/NASCAR, Spawn, Star Wars, GI Joe and Transformers.
In 2007, some toys had fallen off of a shelf, everything was OK except for a Transformers Alternators Smokescreen figure, he was busted in half at the waist. TTT replaced the figure but now had this busted useless piece...what to do ? He thought..."Hey, I used to paint model cars the same size as this !...maybe I can customize this, huh?" But being busted in half, he wasn't about repaint the whole thing so he came up with adding some battle damage...why not - nothing to lose. So he started one day, just went at it, melted some bits, dremeled off chunks, it was fun and it worked rather well. Soon, he had to do another...and another...and...well the rest is history.
He started collecting G.I. Joe 25th in 2008 which lead to customizing them shortly after and here we are today.
TTT now specializes in pretty much anything, models, figures...cars, statues...nice clean and shiny to rusty, burned and trashed & zombiefied. Most know him for battle damage & zombie type work. 2012 marks 5 years of TTT "torturing your toys".
Ever wonder what the zombie apocalypse would like like in the Star Wars universe. Check out these customs. The paint work is just phenomenal.
TTT
To see more customs created by TTT go to:
http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=7082.0
http://www.outofcommissiontoys.com/
To see more customs created by TTT go to:
http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=7082.0
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
The Old Republic Customizing Contest
Imperial Shipyards, Yakface and Echo Base News Combine for TOR Customs Contest!
In tribute of Mercury Art Studios to boot! This could be the first Across Sites Custom Contest. The idea is simple make some type of The Old Republic Custom, but all entries much have some sort of "Evolutions" theme and you will need three customs to enter. Entries aren't due until April 30th. Click on through to read all the great details and see what the prizes are!
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
R5-P8 - Pirate Droid
R5-P8 was an R5-series astromech droid produced by Industrial Automaton. It was an assassin droid of Hondo Ohnaka's pirate gang during the Clone Wars. It had a blaster pistol fixed on its head, so it could serve both repairs and security purposes.
Before and after.
Dad created this custom droid that appeared in Season 1 of the Clone Wars "The Gungan General" episode just by repainting the new Vintage R5-D4 action figure that can be found now on pegs everywhere. As soon as the figure came out, Dad knew he wanted to try and make this droid even though there are rumors circulating that he may find his way to a proper release by Hasbro down the road. Dad used the gun from the Toys R' Us Nikto Guard and modified it by cutting pieces off some guns in our fodder bin. Nothing too crazy was done to make this one. What you see is what you get.
Before and after.
Dad's R5-P8 was featured in Yakface's Mega Spotlight.
Dad's R5-P8 was featured on the front page of Imperial Shipyards.
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