Discussion thread: what is customizing to you?

Discussion of custom parts made for the Castle Theme
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Re: Discussion thread: what is customizing to you?

Post by MWardancer »

tomcatrio wrote:Well.. My first few posts here. I am what many will consider an outlaw Extreme customiser, who repaints minifigs, minifig animals, and has no holds barred to cut and reglue plastic and even rubbery additive plastic Lego. Heck, I even modify 3rd party parts from folks like Brickwarriors, Brickarm, and Brickforge. :lol:
Interestingly, Tomcatrio (whom I respect deeply) is an example for me that raises the question whether a work such as his is still customizing. Often the minimum requirement for change in customizing is diskussed, rarely the maximum amount of change.

I Know that no matter how much I evolve, my customs will never look like Tomcatrios, because I seem to have some unspoken set of aesthetic rules. Number of details, scale, textures and so on.

There seems to be a tension between changing a fig as much as possible and keeping it as it is as much as possible.
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Re: Discussion thread: what is customizing to you?

Post by Sir Erathor »

Hmmm, I would say that changing parts of official minifigures could be called minifig customization, but then again that's not necessarily using custom parts, like Brickwarriors and Brickarms. I would say that using those unofficial parts to change a minifig is minifig customization.
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Re: Discussion thread: what is customizing to you?

Post by Tedward »

Elephant Knight wrote:In terms of stickers, I would only qualify it as customizing if the sticker was altered, like cutting it.
That is about all the "hard" customizing I do. I love to collect sticker sheets at drafts and use elements from the stickers for interesting details.

On the general topic when I think of something being customized I think of any and all of cutting, painting and adding/sculpting but when it comes to figs anything not stock meets the definition in my book. Swapping out a hairpiece and legs and adding a BrickArms weapon may not be interesting or terribly creative but it is customized.
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the enigma that is badger
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Re: Discussion thread: what is customizing to you?

Post by the enigma that is badger »

I'd take the broader view more in keep with the concept from the custom car hobby: any action or use of aftermarket products that adds to or modifies stock parts (ie LEGO elements in our hobby) is a custom; really, I'd most likely be willing to accept even the switching around body elements (legs, hips, arms, torsos) as creating a custom minifigure as, to me, it's still a modification of stock LEGO parts.

For the purposes of this forum, I don't see much need to provide a definition for custom; we're all certainly welcome to our own opinions on the subject, but with "Castle MOCs" implying builds rather than figures, this forum has and will likely continue to be the place for any distinctive figs members have created and want to share; to me, at least, it doesn't seem like a pressing issue.

Tedward wrote:Swapping out a hairpiece and legs and adding a BrickArms weapon may not be interesting or terribly creative
I'd more than disagree; I've seen some truly great figs over the years with wonderful character and presence that "just" involved a interesting combination of stock and/or aftermarket elements in creative, unexpected ways. Are decals, painting, sculpting, printing, etc also a great way to alter a figure? Certainly, but they're far from absolutely necessary when it comes to creating distinctive, interesting minifigs that add to a MOC or just look nifty on their own.
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Re: Discussion thread: what is customizing to you?

Post by AK_Brickster »

the enigma that is badger wrote:I'd take the broader view more in keep with the concept from the custom car hobby: any action or use of aftermarket products that adds to or modifies stock parts (ie LEGO elements in our hobby) is a custom
I like this viewpoint. I mean, if I took a Ford engine out of a Mustang and put it in a Ford Fusion (please ignore the fact that there is a good chance that neither engine is actually made by Ford, technically), that would be a "custom" vehicle. In this way, taking the parts off of one stock LEGO fig and putting it on another stock LEGO fig would fall into the range of "custom" as well.

If we are talking about what should be allowed in the "Castle Customs" subforum, I think any fig (since we are primarily discussing figs here, aren't we?) that is not a stock Lego fig should be allowed. They just fit better here than in the MOCs forum. In fact, I would even propose that this subforum simply be renamed as "Castle Figs" and all "figbarfs", purist or otherwise, would belong here, whereas MOCs would belong in the MOCs forum. It seems like a more natural classification than "Purist" vs. "Custom".
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Re: Discussion thread: what is customizing to you?

Post by MWardancer »

A valid point, the example with the cars. Maybe a difference to lego might be that it is made for being taken apart and reassembled. Switching torsos then cannot be customizing, it is just using Lego the way it is supposed to be. Cars Are not primarily construction toys, so maybe smaller alterations can be considered customizing than regarding something that is defined by being alterable.
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Re: Discussion thread: what is customizing to you?

Post by the enigma that is badger »

MWardancer wrote:A valid point, the example with the cars. Maybe a difference to lego might be that it is made for being taken apart and reassembled. Switching torsos then cannot be customizing, it is just using Lego the way it is supposed to be. Cars Are not primarily construction toys, so maybe smaller alterations can be considered customizing than regarding something that is defined by being alterable.
Walk into a local NAPA and be amazed with how many ways cars can be altered in ways both subtle and extreme! Parts from different models and brands can be interchanged in innumerable ways, and color selection is just about infinite.

I'm as far from a gear head as you can get, but I do know car manufactures work modularity and compatibility into their products in no small number of ways, not to mention the myriad of aftermarket car parts designed to add flair to particular brands and/or models. Is changing a tail light from one design to another a bit more difficult than snapping off the arms of a fig? Probably so, but then the basic concept is the same.

Yes, switching minifig body elements around is probably the most accessible method of customization and doesn't involve any change to the raw nature of the parts, but, to me at least, it's still a creative act outside the bounds of normal building (ie what you'd find in a LEGO instruction manual) and as such, customization.
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Re: Discussion thread: what is customizing to you?

Post by Tedward »

the enigma that is badger wrote:
Tedward wrote:Swapping out a hairpiece and legs and adding a BrickArms weapon may not be interesting or terribly creative
I'd more than disagree; I've seen some truly great figs over the years ...
Sorry I was not clear. The key word in my quote is "may". I too have seen some excellent "customs" made this way.

What I am trying to say is that there seems to be some confusion between judging levels of difficulty and quality of result. People should be allowed to make simple and easy "customs" without being made to feel bad that they have not cut or painted or sculpted. It sometimes appears to me that we insist on a level of difficulty "score" before something is considered "custom".

I prefer the much simpler definition that anything not "stock" (as in found on a published LEGO ® instruction sheet) is a "custom". A value judgement can be applied to the effort and result afterwards.
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Re: Discussion thread: what is customizing to you?

Post by LEGOFREAK »

Bluesecrets wrote:Customizing is the changing physically of a piece of LEGO, whether it has been Brasso'ed, drilled, painted, taped, stickered, molded, melted, or whatever. Physically, it has to have been changed. This may include the attaching of things to the piece of LEGO.
I may be a bit late to the conversation, but this is essentially where I stand as well. I will say though, that adding something you make, like stickers, or capes also counts in my book. and of course, if you cut or paint or alter any third party thing then that counts too.

I will say there comes a point though when you cross a line, and it becomes less a minifig and more a doll. I used to see some insane minifigs that no longer looked .. Lego-ey :D
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Re: Discussion thread: what is customizing to you?

Post by Bruce N H »

the enigma that is badger wrote: Yes, switching minifig body elements around is probably the most accessible method of customization and doesn't involve any change to the raw nature of the parts, but, to me at least, it's still a creative act outside the bounds of normal building (ie what you'd find in a LEGO instruction manual) and as such, customization.
I don't think anyone is saying that 'switching minifig body elements around' is necessarily uncreative, but that's not necessarily the same as 'customization'. IMO if the new fig is made up of unaltered official LEGO elements it is a MOC, not a custom, in the same way that 'switching bricks, plates and slopes around' to give a castle that is not 'what you'd find in a LEGO instruction manual' is a MOC, not a custom (and can of course be very creative).
AK_Brickster wrote: If we are talking about what should be allowed in the "Castle Customs" subforum, I think any fig (since we are primarily discussing figs here, aren't we?) that is not a stock Lego fig should be allowed. They just fit better here than in the MOCs forum. In fact, I would even propose that this subforum simply be renamed as "Castle Figs" and all "figbarfs", purist or otherwise, would belong here, whereas MOCs would belong in the MOCs forum. It seems like a more natural classification than "Purist" vs. "Custom".
I do see the point here, but I think the catch is that parenthetical phrase about 'primarily discussing figs'. While most customization is about figs, we can also talk about using custom decals to add details to a castle, creating sails for your ships, altering actual bricks, including custom lighting, painting bricks, etc etc etc. There is a whole lot of 'customization' beyond just the world of figs and their accessories. I always saw this forum as the place to discuss techniques for altering your LEGO pieces, for instance threads like Recluce's tutorial on creating resin casts, Tony's experiments with vinyl dyes, this thread on changing the bulb in a light-up brick, Ben's post on cleaning yellowed bricks, etc.
andhe wrote: And although the CCXI category doesn't explicitly state it, I imagine the category is looking more for the cutting/painting/gluing variety of custom fig, than the clever use and combination of existing or 3rd party parts.
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In the CCC, we have always used a very broad definition of what is an acceptable entry. E.g. if you simply took the hat off of one fig and put it on another fig, that would be accepted. However, if you look back at previous years, the winners have always involved some alteration of parts. That's not to say that a purist entry could not win, just that it would have to be pretty special and a lot more that swapping hats around (e.g. I've always seen Michael Jasper's purist figs as being inspiring examples, and LugPol has this apparently ongoing minifig wars contest that inspires a lot of great purist figs).

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Re: Discussion thread: what is customizing to you?

Post by AK_Brickster »

[quote]While most customization is about figs, we can also talk about using custom decals to add details to a castle, creating sails for your ships, altering actual bricks, including custom lighting, painting bricks, etc etc etc. There is a whole lot of 'customization' beyond just the world of figs and their accessories./quote]

I guess I've never seen a MOC with custom decals, lights, sails, etc ever posted here in the customs forum. They are always posted in the MOC forum. You make a good point that painting, resin, etc needs a home. That seems more like general customization as opposed to 'castle customs' though.

Just playing devil's advocate. I am pretty indifferent to what the sub-forums are called, as long as LCC has a place to live ;)
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Re: Discussion thread: what is customizing to you?

Post by Bluesecrets »

Just playing devil's advocate. I am pretty indifferent to what the sub-forums are called, as long as LCC has a place to live
This thread was never meant to change the name of a subforum. It is to discuss what we all think customizing is. Because as it has shown, it is something of a cloudy area for everyone. Discussion is never a bad thing, as long as it is kept civil.

So we discuss. And we'll see where it ends.
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Re: Discussion thread: what is customizing to you?

Post by the enigma that is badger »

Tedward wrote:Sorry I was not clear. The key word in my quote is "may". I too have seen some excellent "customs" made this way.
Ah, my apologies; yes, from the wording, I thought you meant to imply all creations of that sort couldn't be something creative or interesting. Glad to know we feel the same way!
Bruce N H wrote:I don't think anyone is saying that 'switching minifig body elements around' is necessarily uncreative, but that's not necessarily the same as 'customization'. IMO if the new fig is made up of unaltered official LEGO elements it is a MOC, not a custom, in the same way that 'switching bricks, plates and slopes around' to give a castle that is not 'what you'd find in a LEGO instruction manual' is a MOC, not a custom (and can of course be very creative).
I see your point, but I'd argue the key difference between bricks and figure parts is that bricks, generally speaking, cannot be disassembled into their raw component parts the same way figure parts can. LEGO instructions would never ask a builder to pull the arms off one torso to be used on another or switch the legs attached to a hip piece. That, at least to me, seems to be the line between simply building (ie using the parts as they fell out of the box) and customization.

To be clear, I also consider this type of customization an excellent gateway to others; once someone realizes they can break down fig parts in that way, I'd argue it's much easier to see the parts less as unalterable components and more as raw material for further creative exploration, perhaps in ways that do more to alter the nature of the pieces (paint, cutting, etc).
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Re: Discussion thread: what is customizing to you?

Post by AmperZand »

the enigma that is badger wrote:
Tedward wrote:LEGO instructions would never ask a builder to pull the arms off one torso to be used on another or switch the legs attached to a hip piece. That, at least to me, seems to be the line between simply building (ie using the parts as they fell out of the box) and customization.
I agree up to a point. In the picture linked to here http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Amper ... _small.jpg, I consider the minifig on the right as customised and not just because it's holding a BrickForge spear. Even without it, it's a custom: his torso is back-to-front.

But what about when you use parts "as they fell out of the box" in a way TLG intended but the part itself isn't as TLG intended? For example, I have a caveman hair/beard piece that I bought new from TLG but chunks of it are missing. It looks mangy so is perfect for one of my zombie pirates (unfortunately, I don't have a picture). Is the minifig a custom? I would say it is.
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Re: Discussion thread: what is customizing to you?

Post by the enigma that is badger »

AmperZand wrote:it's a custom: his torso is back-to-front.
Well yes, that type of customization involves popping off the arms and switching their orientation, something I made clear above I consider results in a custom piece.
AmperZand wrote:For example, I have a caveman hair/beard piece that I bought new from TLG but chunks of it are missing. It looks mangy so is perfect for one of my zombie pirates (unfortunately, I don't have a picture). Is the minifig a custom? I would say it is.
Hmm, interesting case! It's technically a factory error in regards to the piece, but then you're using that error for an aesthetic effect in a figure, sure, with artistic intent behind it, seems like a custom to me!
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