Interview with Toy
Customizer: Mike McEvil
Welcome to another
awesome Toy Customizer interview!!
As you know by now, toy
customizing has quickly become an ever-increasing hobby thanks to
adult-collector toy lines, and the slow pace at which they release new product.
There’s nothing stopping you from creating your very own ideal action figure.
Today I am fortunate
enough to be talking to one of the best Toy Customizers around, who goes by the
name of Mike from Evil Mike's Customs.
Mike has made some
awesome custom MOTU accessories since the line started. He has made a wide
variety of things to supplement just about any character in the MOTU Line. I
have been keeping an eye on his work for a while now and I must say he just
keeps getting better and better.
MOTU!: Hi Mike and
thanks for taking time out to do this interview with me. Ever since I saw your
custom work I wanted to interview you. I must say that your creating awesome
add-on accessories for our MOTU Figures. Can you tell us a bid about yourself?
Mike!: Thanks for the
invitation to this interview! I really like the Masters of the
Universe-collectors-community and how everybody shares their part of this hobby
with each other. I'm really glad to get the chance to say something about my
work as a customizer.
I live in the northern
part of Germany and like most of us collectors and fan boys I got into MotU and
other great toy lines during my childhood.
MOTU!: So Mike, how did
you get started doing action figure customs?
Mike!: It all started
in 2009 when I discovered the MotU Classics figures. I'd say it's part of my
personality that I can't fully enjoy a franchise/toy line simply by consuming
the products. I guess I simply need more to do with it. So I enjoy contributing
to it by doing drawings, 3D renders or like in the last years mostly
customizing. The first 'custom' I did was painting MotU Classics He-man's axe
shield black to use it with Wun-Dar. And from that point I tried more and more
different techniques to create those parts of MotU lore for my collection that
weren't available on the official market: Dioramas, accessories or full custom
figures.
MOTU!: How long have
you been customizing figures and creating add-on accessory kits?
Mike!: I'd say since
2010 until now. I think I didn't start directly in 2009 because I needed to
gather some courage to buy expensive figures and cut/paint/break them at first.
MOTU!: You do a lot of
sculpting on your figures, not just the same old repaints seen elsewhere. What
materials do you generally use to "make the magic happen"?
Mike!: Since I
discovered 3d sculpting I do everything possible with the program 3d Studio Max
and have the items printed by the company 'Shapeways'. However, if I have to
sculpt something directly onto a figure I use the material 'Green Stuff' from
Gamesworkshop.
MOTU!: Your paint jobs
are very well done. Can you tell us a little on your technique for getting a
sweet paintjob that gets past the pesky joint rub problem?
Mike!: Well, mostly the
secret lies within using thin paint and applying two or three or even more
coats of paint. That creates a very smooth surface and achieves the best
results. The kind of paint is also a thing, of course. I use acrylic colors
from 'Citadel' or 'Vallejo'. Those can be mixed with water to make them more
liquid and they have a very nice silk mat shine that looks similar to the paints
on the official figures.
The joint rub
problem... the world would be so much better without it. I'd say you never can
eliminate this completely. Even Mattel's figures have suffered of this problem
if they have painted joints. I prevent that problem as often as possible by
using figures with the right color so I don't have to paint the joints. If
there is no other way you can disassemble the joints completely and sand down
the parts that will rub against each other so there is more space between them
or you can try to put some superglue (the one that doesn't get white) on the
painted parts. The superglue creates a plastic-like coat that is very durable
against the rubbing-off-issue. But be careful not to glue your joints together.
MOTU!: Any horror
stories of something gone horribly wrong?
Mike!: At the beginning
I didn't use acrylic, water-based colors but other colors that were oil-based.
These needed several days to get dry, smelled unpleasant and sometimes never
stopped to be sticky. I really ruined a few pieces with those colors. I guess
those experiences are part of the game and every customizer knows them.
MOTU!: On the opposite
end of blood loss, what has been your favorite custom to date? Not necessarily
your favorite character, but one that just turned out exactly, or better, than
you planned.
Mike!: One of my very early custom figures was
a MotU Classics Dragon Blaster Skeletor. I personally liked that custom much
more than the official version by Mattel and it's one of the figures I still
regret having sold.
MOTU!: Do you have
upcoming MOTUC customs that you're excited to be working on, or planning out?
Mike!: I'm currently
working on quite an obscure variant. The New Adventures 'Battle Punch He-man'
for MotU Classics. It's quite special to me because it's the first time I
3D-sculpted complete body parts. As there were no boots in the Classics line
available that seemed to fit I tried to make my own boots and I'm really
satisfied with the results.
Regarding the
accessories, I created I'd say I'm very proud of all the different iterations
of Skeletor's Havoc Staff as these were all items I put an incredible effort
into to get them as right as possible.
MOTU!: Where can people
see more of your work? Also, what is the best way for someone to get in touch
with you for custom commissions?
Mike!: You can view my
work on my Facebook at: www.facebook.com/mike.mcevil
For custom work you
contact me at: evil_mike_comics@hotmail.com
My Shapeways Store is
Evil Mike's Customs.
MOTU!: Thanks Mike,
great talking with you! We are looking forward to see more new customs from
you.
Mike!: Thank you so
much! It was a pleasure to be interviewed by you!
If you want to check
out more of Mike’s Customs, click on the links below to for more reviews from
The Fwoosh and Pixel Dan!!
Pixel Dan:
MOTU Classics Custom Weapons by Evil Mike Customs Video Review
MOTU Classics Custom Weapons by Evil Mike Customs Video Review #2
MOTU Classics Custom Weapons by Evil Mike Customs Video Review
MOTU Classics Custom Weapons by Evil Mike Customs Video Review #2
