Customizing
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Customizing is the process of modifying an existing toy to obtain something that can't be bought, to improve something that can, or simply to engage in a refreshing exercise of creativity. Customizing is also frequently used in the toy industry by designers to develop "proof of concept" models to showcase an idea. The term kitbashing, derived from customizers of model kits, is sometimes used.
Customizing may be as simple as repainting a small detail. It may also be quite extensive, resulting in a product that in no way resembles any of its original sources. The derived parts are frequently augmented by scratchbuilt ones, and any part from any source, whether it is a Lego brick, a plastic tank tread, or a Barbie doll head, can be part of a customized figure.
Customizing may also be done to create a toy representation of a character without a toy, for example Generations Metroplex into Metrotitan.
As the Transformers brand expands, the customs market is becoming increasingly profitable for non-official companies. Searching for "Custom Transformers" on eBay will produce a variety of fan-created items, some of which have sold for thousands of dollars. Reprolabels have been around for many years, starting off by selling replica G1 sticker sets. As advanced casting and mold-making technology becomes more readily available, as well as 3D printing services like Shapeways, a number of fans have turned to mass-producing their creations. These range from model kits of the Quintessons to fully transformable model kits of Wheelie and Cyclonus and "upgrade" kits to add extra parts to Classics Cliffjumper and Ultra Magnus. As these are not officially licensed Hasbro/Takara product, they are generally beyond the purview of this Wiki, so we'll just leave it at "Yes, we know they exist and yes, they're neat."
Customizing in official capacities
Customizing is actually used in official capacities.
Mock-ups
At times, Hasbro's design teams resort to customizing to show new possible concepts to their bosses. Of note, some planned Generation 2 redecos of the Seeker and Sideswipe molds were found as hand-painted mock-ups and put up for sale on eBay. Also, at BotCon 2007, the "Not Gonna Happen" display featured mock-ups of a planned "military vehicles" line, which were actually military vehicle toys or models modified onto various Transformers parts.<ref name="hasbrotour1">BotCon 2007 Hasbro Tour at TFW2005</ref><ref name="hasbrotour2">BotCon 2007 Hasbro Tour at Seibertron</ref>
Customizing class
Starting with BotCon 2006, Fun Publications offered a customizing class to attendees that allowed them to assemble and paint their own exclusives. This event proved to be very popular, selling out within hours of being announced every year.
- Shattered Glass Galvatron is a redeco of Cybertron Evac which transforms into a gray and purple Eurocopter Dauphin rescue helicopter, inspired by a customized toy by Fun Publications' Jesse Wittenrich, who painted a Galvatron using the War Within Springer he didn't want.
Fiction
The Transformers cartoon
After Optimus Prime was captured by the Decepticons, the Constructicons used his parts to build an Alligaticon. City of Steel
Marvel The Transformers comics
Time travelling back to 1986, Hot Rod, Kup, and Blurr found an old Skywarp lying around the Ark and resprayed it into a Starscream. Target: 2006
Animated cartoon
Wheeljack was constantly making modifications to his 65483-2483-321 body, to the point where Perceptor estimated that less than 15.71976% of the original body was left. The AllSpark Almanac II
See also
External links
- Kitbash Clearing House - A collection of links to many Transformers kitbash projects.
- Dave's Guide to Kitbashing - Dave Van Domelen explains the basics.
- TFW2005 Radicons, TFW2005's site where Don Figueroa is known to hang out
- Sector70 - A Kitbashing Resource
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