Ever wondered what it takes to digitally sculpt action figures and collectable statues? 3D World learns from the experts

This Wolverine fan sculpt by Leonardo Peñaranda is based on a concept by illustrator and painter 

Corey Smith

3D tools and software are invaluable to the creation of toys, from action figures and collectables to busts and statues. To discover more about these digital design processes, 3D World has gathered several talented artists to explain how they leverage their skills for the sculpting of detailed and articulate toys: Anthony of Anthony’s Customs, a creator and reviewer of action figures, discusses the creation of great toys; Wandah Kurniawan shares the secrets behind stunning collectable statues; master sculptor Taregh Saber tells us about his journey and offers his advice for 3D artists; finally, Peter Clark, who creates handcrafted resin figures as Delicious Again Peter, and 3D designer Leonardo Peñaranda explain their creative process.

CUSTOM CREATIONS

Anthony of Anthony’s Customs is a traditional and digital sculptor and designer that brings action figures from concept through to production primarily using ZBrush, a Form 3 SLA 3D printer, moulding, and casting. He started making custom action figures a little over ten years ago, beginning development on his own line of action figures from scratch three years ago. “That’s when I taught myself how to work digitally using ZBrush. From there, I wanted to be able to produce my own functional prototypes, so I learned the ins and outs of 3D printing, moulding and casting.” Although he still works on commissioned customs, much of Anthony’s focus has been on developing his Rival Collectibles line before it goes to market. “The focus on the artistic side of 3D modelling which Pixologic has implemented in ZBrush has made it the one irreplaceable component of my pipeline,” he adds.

New tools and more efficient processes are a huge boost to any industry. “Things like being able to quickly Ctrl+Z something or work in symmetry using 3D software saves countless hours on just about any project,” Anthony explains. “Being able to 3D print a model in-house saves tons of time and also augments the ability to work iteratively. Because of this, designing a figure can happen so much faster and more time can be spent on fine-tuning.” Anthony can easily recreate a particular point of articulation with slight adjustments in order to help strike the right balance between form and function.

A prototype cyberpunk ninja action figure from Rival Collectibles’ Rival Clans action figure line

NieR: Automatadiorama sculpted by Wandah Kurniawan. Creative Director, Johnny Pham, Prime 1 Studio Development & Paint Team

“WELL-DESIGNED ARTICULATION ALLOWS YOU TO POSE THE FIGURE AND STILL HAVE IT LOOK GOOD. THAT IS THE KEY”

Anthony’s Customs, figure creator/reviewer