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.
[/quote]
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).
Bruce