Monthly Customizing Challenge - Month 12: Gladiators

[BrentS]

I took the liberty of creating an impromptu poll in form of a thread.

Choice A - Imperials
Choice B - Gladiators
Choice C - Yuuzhan Vong

Vote below.  I'll let someone more important than me decide when the poll closes 

[babyjawa]

Vong! I have always wanted to try to make one of these. Maybe if Wallyworld has some ROTS grievous figures on sale I can modify one of those.

[CHEWIE]

Gladiators!

 

[tonphanan]

C

It will let me get off my butt and finish these guy I started almost a year ago.

[hyouriittai]

C, Yuuzhan Vong!

[BrentS]

I'm going to vote for Imperials, if only because I've got a couple in mind to make anyway.

[Nirvana]

A.

So I can continue my Coruscant ARD.

[Jedi_Master_Ben]

Bring forth the GLADIATORS!!!!

[Jeff]

I'll vote Imperials, because that is what I thought we decided after picking Fan Fic Aliens last month... 

So far...
3 votes = Choice A - Imperials
2 votes = Choice B - Gladiators
3 votes = Choice C - Yuuzhan Vong

Looks like we need some more votes still to choose a clear winner.

[CHEWIE]

This is a close race so far.  I say the voting needs to end by Friday so people will have time to get their figure made.

Here are the reasons why I do/don't want to do a certain type of figure:

Imperials - Just seems to lack the creativity that we usually have with these.  I guess because there are already and abundance of Imperial figures that Hasbro has made.

Yuuzhan Vong - For whatever reason, the coolness factor of these guys has completely died with me... except for Nom Anor.  He's about the only character from this species that interests me anymore, and it's because of his character personality, not his species.

Gladiators - I see whacky aliens with huge axes, crazy armor, etc.  So to me this sound exciting.

So, my vote still goes towards Gladiators, but if a Vong wins I'll make Nom Anor.  If an Imperial wins, all I have to do is show a Stormtrooper or Imperial officer with a slight modification, and to me that's just too easy.

 

[Darth_Ennis]

Im up for the Vong. Mostly because I need to finally get around to doing one. And since the april GP is Isard or Daala if Imps win I guess I can tack another one on.

[Jeff]

So, my vote still goes towards Gladiators, but if a Vong wins I'll make Nom Anor.  If an Imperial wins, all I have to do is show a Stormtrooper or Imperial officer with a slight modification, and to me that's just too easy.

Yeah, I hear you on the "too easy part", but we have to remember that everyone needs to start somewhere.  I have no problems with a "too easy" topic every now and again to encourage more participation in these challenges.

Something that is "too easy" for CHEWIE or Phruby or Glassman might not be too easy for everyone who would like to participate. 

I think it is easy to forget that fact sometimes when you make as many customs as some of you folks do...  heck even re-painting a figure can be a big accomplishment for some newbies even though it is old hat for some of you out there.

[CHEWIE]

I know what you're saying Jeff, I guess that since this is the 1-year anniversary of these, I would like to see something that isn't so ...ordinary.  I do understand of course that a repaint can be a big accomplishment too.  Trust me, I don't sculpt.  The only times I've done that would be in a rare case like making Quinlan Vos hair, which turned out pretty bad. 

I don't have any artistic talent at all in that type of customizing area, I just put a lot of time and money into getting various parts, and seeing what fits and what doesn't.  Anyone can do what I do if they want to, so I would never consider myself making anything that can't be done by everyone in the customizing community.

Anyways, my whole point about the Imperials is that I would like to see something that isn't so "vanilla" as Imperials, if you know what I mean.  Something different, that isn't an Imperial officer head swap.  That's why I like the Gladiators idea, it's very different and allows for a ton of creativity and imagination.  People have been making Imperials over and over for years.  The point in these has always been to make new items that you wouldn't usually make.   

When people are saying "Now I can finish that custom I was working on" doesn't that kind of kill the point?  It's supposed to be for something you weren't planning on making.  We've all probably already had a project or two that we threw a custom in that we were planning on making anyway, but to turn a project into something that we've all made numerous times seems kind of pointless and not really much of a "Challenge."

Besides, the Group Project is already of Imperial Women, so I think this should be different instead of one in the same.  Just my two cents and I don't mean to put anyone's opinion down that wants to do Imperials.  Just after being very involved in these every month, that seems like a less exciting genre than we usually try and make.  But, if that's what the majority of people want to make, then that's fine too.  I guess if Imperials wins, I'd like to see it as some sort of branch of Imperials, like Imperial Governors, Imperial Assassins, etc.

 

[Jedi_Master_Ben]

Hi everyone,

I have to agree with Jeff on this one to a certain degree. Beginners have to take on projects that fit there level of experience. That is why all model kits have level of difficulty labeled on their boxes. However, if beginners only do the things that they feel comfortable, then they will not grow as artist and hobbyist. It is taking on challenges a little higher than their level and either fail and learn from their mistakes, or succeed and gear up for the next challenge. It took me 15 years to get this far with out taking any art classes or get a degree in art design. Ultimately, as long as the challenges are fun to make, customizes of all levels will want to participate. Regardless what the outcome of this vote is, as customizes, we have a duty to construct, paint, sculpt our best efforts in order to learn and grow.

Ok, I am getting off my soapbox now; I am going to sculpt something now.

Until next posting,

Jedi_Master_Ben

P.S. Go Gladiators!!!

[CHEWIE]

Good post Ben. 

And my bias against the Imperials on this isn't at all due to a level of one's skill, it's for wanting to see stuff made that hasn't been made over and over and over.  People are going to make Imperials regardless of whether we do an Imperials Customizing Challenge or not.