JimoAi's custom Figures

[JimoAi]

In this thread, I will showcase my customised animal figures

We will start with my most recent custom: goliath grouper to queensland grouper     

[bmathison1972]

Very nice, JimoAi. I would love to have a large grouper in my collection; the IC figure is a bit big. The 'Friends with Fins' set (or whatever it is called) is nice but the set has become hard to find and expensive.

[JimoAi]

Very nice, JimoAi. I would love to have a large grouper in my collection; the IC figure is a bit big. The 'Friends with Fins' set (or whatever it is called) is nice but the set has become hard to find and expensive.

I actually have 2 of them. One I had to discard due to the paint being tacky and the other is in the process of being a baby queensland grouper. Got the both for 3 USD. My main motive of converting the Goliath grouper to a queensland was so that it fits better with my other figures as the Queensland gets bigger than a Goliath and for the size, the Queensland fits better. While the colour scheme looks simple, it's painstakingly hard to find good pictures of the giant 270cm queensland grouper for reference. Other than the paint, there isn't much difficulty as both species have the same number of fin rays and the main difference seems to be colour

[Beetle guy]

I actually have 2 of them. One I had to discard due to the paint being tacky and the other is in the process of being a baby queensland grouper. Got the both for 3 USD. My main motive of converting the Goliath grouper to a queensland was so that it fits better with my other figures as the Queensland gets bigger than a Goliath and for the size, the Queensland fits better. While the colour scheme looks simple, it's painstakingly hard to find good pictures of the giant 270cm queensland grouper for reference. Other than the paint, there isn't much difficulty as both species have the same number of fin rays and the main difference seems to be colour

When the paint get's tacky it is mostly a reaction of the paint weakening the plastic by causing a reaction. When you use acrylic paints it can be a solution to prime with an art gesso first. This stops the paint from "dripping"in and causing a reaction with the plastic/pvc that makes it tacky.

[JimoAi]

I actually have 2 of them. One I had to discard due to the paint being tacky and the other is in the process of being a baby queensland grouper. Got the both for 3 USD. My main motive of converting the Goliath grouper to a queensland was so that it fits better with my other figures as the Queensland gets bigger than a Goliath and for the size, the Queensland fits better. While the colour scheme looks simple, it's painstakingly hard to find good pictures of the giant 270cm queensland grouper for reference. Other than the paint, there isn't much difficulty as both species have the same number of fin rays and the main difference seems to be colour

When the paint get's tacky it is mostly a reaction of the paint weakening the plastic by causing a reaction. When you use acrylic paints it can be a solution to prime with an art gesso first. This stops the paint from "dripping"in and causing a reaction with the plastic/pvc that makes it tacky.

What if I don't use a primer?

[JimoAi]

Very nice, JimoAi. I would love to have a large grouper in my collection; the IC figure is a bit big. The 'Friends with Fins' set (or whatever it is called) is nice but the set has become hard to find and expensive.

@bmathison1972 you could consider this. It's insured by the Safari one but it's slightly smaller. I'm not sure if it's an inspiration or bootleg

[bmathison1972]

it's probably a bootleg and I bet those measurements are not correct

[JimoAi]

it's probably a bootleg and I bet those measurements are not correct

Am getting it. If it is just the same sculpt as the safari ltd, imma redo the queensland grouper

[Beetle guy]

What if I don't use a primer?

Then the acrylic paint "seeps in" and makes a reaction with the weakeners in some pvc's (mostly only in the soft pvc ones) causing the model to get tacky. When a figurine is tacky this cannot be solved. So the primer keeps the paint from seeping into the pvc.

You can use a cheap gesso from art supply shops. Add a very thin coat. Then with very light coats of paint (I usually turn the acrylic paints into washes) You can keep almost all the detail.

[JimoAi]

What if I don't use a primer?

Then the acrylic paint "seeps in" and makes a reaction with the weakeners in some pvc's (mostly only in the soft pvc ones) causing the model to get tacky. When a figurine is tacky this cannot be solved. So the primer keeps the paint from seeping into the pvc.

You can use a cheap gesso from art supply shops. Add a very thin coat. Then with very light coats of paint (I usually turn the acrylic paints into washes) You can keep almost all the detail.

How long will it take? And what do you mean by soft plastics? Like rubbery plastics used by schleich?

[JimoAi]

What if I don't use a primer?

Then the acrylic paint "seeps in" and makes a reaction with the weakeners in some pvc's (mostly only in the soft pvc ones) causing the model to get tacky. When a figurine is tacky this cannot be solved. So the primer keeps the paint from seeping into the pvc.

You can use a cheap gesso from art supply shops. Add a very thin coat. Then with very light coats of paint (I usually turn the acrylic paints into washes) You can keep almost all the detail.

How long will it take? And what do you mean by soft plastics? Like rubbery plastics used by schleich? And will thinning the paint do anything?

[JimoAi]

@Beetle guy from last year, I always think down the paint with a little water

[Beetle guy]

@Beetle guy from last year, I always think down the paint with a little water

Thinning the paint is just to leave more detail and make nicer effects for the figurine. This will not keep some models form becomming tacky. That's why I use a primer. I do not know Schleich models. I only collect Japanese brands since they make the only decent insects to my opinion ;-).

By soft pvc's I mean the rubbery ones. I think the Schleich will do well without a primer. When you can bent the figurine it is always good to consider a primer I think.

[JimoAi]

It's been a while but I finally customised another figure. I used my spare Yujin yellow tang to create a purple tang, which I have kept before  

[Isidro]

Fabulous! It's very loyal to the species appareance!

[JimoAi]

Next up, the ocelatted eagle ray, one of the three species of sotted eagle ray  

[JimoAi]

I've converted this Kaiyodo kidako moray to a laced moray    

[JimoAi]

  remember the Yowie wolffish I got several months back? Well here he is with more accurate colors

[JimoAi]

I've repainted my Yujin Moray to be a Giant moray as the paper stated    

[JimoAi]

   customized my safari ltd thresher after reading @Gwangi review.