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Wonder if the artist get to pick what the design or the look of the figure should be or if Todd has to tell them exactely how he wants the figures. How much imput do the artist have?
I know its more than one artisit usually, but is there ever tiffs between them becuase they dont like the way another artist finishes their work?
I wonder if they use real naked women models to make the figures and we are stuck to watch the toys.....
I should have been an artist
Hey, sometimes I don't buy that "I use my IMAGINATION" [img]tongue.gif[/img]
I have a feeling that there's a lot more emphasis on being part of the team than anything. While you may be great at one thing, it's the total team effort that pays off. This is why I'd think that you never see the phrase 'sculpted by' on a McF figure. I don't think you'd hear a lot of, 'I did this', but a lot of ' We did this.' Teamwork can raise an individuals efforts to the next level.
I know its a team thing, wonder if there are ever just "oh man, I wouldnt have done that" kind of things.
wonder how much schooling these artist have?
any of the artist women?
The funny thing is that most of the good artists started to make thing on their own without taking classes !!!
Sure, afterwards they will take some courses to improve or the evolve into using another technics......
<font color="#cd6600" size="1">[ February 05, 2004 09:28 PM: Message edited by: Moviemaniac4 ]</font>
I have a brother that is a commercial artist and has been working as an artist for many, many years. He's great but with all the computers that are used now, he's had to learn how to do art with pcs to keep his career going.
I'd have to say "None"
...we know the slave-driver that's their boss.
[img]wink.gif[/img]
j.k. Steve, we wouldn't have you any other way [img]graemlins/kiss.gif[/img]
Employment kills creativity.
yeah my brother definatly doesnt draw for the fun of it anymore.
Well, if you compare some of the concept sketches to the actual sculpts, I'd say they have a bit. I mean, look at the concept for Dorothy! [img]confused.gif[/img]
but do the artist do the changes or does Todd?
wen i met todd this past saturday i asked him how many people actually sculpt. He said many, and some only do certain lines. Then he said they basically choose as a team, todd himself dosent say if that figure is ready to be mass produced. SO basically i think they all gather around and the whole team involved with that certain figure agree if its good to go. Im sure todd has a bigger say so then he lets on though.
CF,
...these people are in house and long term. Wait 'til you see the addition I put on the place recently. You won't recognize the joint when you come out next summer. We have 50 people in house now, with another 5 coming on board over the next couple of months. A far cry from the 7 when I first started. http://www.hostboard.com/forums/
NSS,
...I'll be looking for it. http://www.hostboard.com/forums/
slightly off topic...
Steve,
Any chance the future may hold an official contest directed at getting a line of fan designed figures produced? (Offical, so as to secure all rights and all that legal hub-bub)
Either Spawn related, or something more Total Chaos, whichever. I know the chances of this are a big stretch, but what's your take?
STV,
Ed & Andy are brothers right? What are their positions again? I think I pissed off Andy last year whilst playing horse shoes. You New Jersey folk sure don't know shit for the rules! http://www.hostboard.com/forums/
CM,
...not very likely.
AM,
...Ed and Andy are P and VP of the Design Group.
...you should of let him have his way, coulda been worth some FREE toys!
...rule #1: never argue with a toy company BIG CHEESE! [img]graemlins/angel.gif[/img]
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Sorry Steve...but I'm very competitive when it comes to horseshoes! Maybe I'll let him win this year. [img]wink.gif[/img]Quote:
Originally posted by StV:
AM,
...Ed and Andy are P and VP of the Design Group.
...you should of let him have his way, coulda been worth some FREE toys!
...rule #1: never argue with a toy company BIG CHEESE! [img]graemlins/angel.gif[/img]
...rule #2: toy company LITTLE CHEESE are fair game! I need to get your ass in the pits!
...aaaaah, not exactly. Todd approves every step we take.
...Concept sketches are run by Todd, first. Once he approves a sketch, it's handed off to a sculptor.
...The sculpture (NOT sculpt), is started in soft clay, once it gets to a certain point, it's shown to Todd for his approval.
...Once approved, we mold it and turn it into a harder clay. The figure is then finished in the harder clay and shown to Todd again for final approvals.
...He actually sees each figure several times before each step is finished.
...When the clay is approved, we mold it and cast it, then send it to the model shop for assembly. Once again, Todd looks the rough model over and when he's satisfied, we send it off to the next process.
...Which is the paint department. He also looks at the painted prototype and approves it, as well.
...After that, a tooling pattern and paint master is sent to China to be reproduced into a figure.
...a very simplified explanation, but to the point.
...Todd approves everything!
...there are other inspectors before Todd, but he has final say. [img]smile.gif[/img]
stv, yah i figured that was more likely. i think todd is really cool guy though he gives his staff all the credit. GO TODD!!! GIVE ME A WESTERN THEME SPAWN LINE!!!
so the answer is yes, chaser...every sculptor has free reign ot use as much of todds creativity as they want [img]wink.gif[/img]
can the artist ever suggest something different to Todd or does he get pissed if they do?
BONE,
...actually, they get to decide many things, when it comes to the figures they work on.
...the concept sketches are only head on shots. They get to do whatever they want on the other 3 sides, as long as it all matches.
...so, they do get to use their imaginations very much so.
...but, Todd still gets to approve what they do.
...he'll sometimes change things here and there, but it's only for the better. [img]smile.gif[/img]
From what I've heard, there's also not much sense of 'ownership' over the sculpt once it's done. Apparently McFarlane often likes to get one sculptor to do the basic body, and another to do the armor, another to do a cape etc. etc. I heard from one sculptor that some people have been claiming on their resumes that they sculpted a whole figure when they only did one part, and consequently having McFarlane on your sculpting portfolio isn't as great a benefit as it should be.
NSS,
...Lone Ranger Spawn?
...Rifleman Spawn?
...Have Chains, Will Travel Spawn?
...I don't know, I can't imagine Spawn as a cowboy, can you?
[img]eek.gif[/img]
CF,
...if a sculptor has an idea, he'll toss it up to Ed. If Ed thinks it'll look good, he gives him the go ahead!
...Todd may have something to say about it later, but then again, Ed knows what Todd's looking for, so it usually sticks.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">well we got a pirate spawn... im just saying a western theme alternate reality would be nice. imagine spawn with a kick ass cowboy hat and a long leather coat with a double barrel shotun in hand and his chains wrapped around him. I think it would be nice.Quote:
Originally posted by StV:
NSS,
...Lone Ranger Spawn?
...Rifleman Spawn?
...Have Chains, Will Travel Spawn?
...I don't know, I can't imagine Spawn as a cowboy, can you?
[img]eek.gif[/img]
does that happen much or do they just try and go by the sketch to avoid any conflict?
also, are there any women sculpters? every had any?
PA,
...there's nothing better to have on your resume, than the fact that you've worked for Mcfarlane Toys.
...people need to be honest though and they aren't always so!
...we don't play to peoples egos at the shop, we tap into the best skills of each individual and work as a team. That's one way to keep a line looking consistent, as well.
...if you have six different people working on six different figures, they may not come out looking like they fit together.
...some may look better than others and that's not good when you're looking for consistency.
CF,
...most of the time they stick to the sketch, because like I said, they have three sides to create themselves.
...we have three females working for us at the present time, as sculptors.
are these folks looked on as perminate employees or contracted artist. I mean do you get to keep them for years or are alot of them in between getting careers going and such?
stv im gonna start drawing what i think would be a nice cowboy spawn and ill post it here so you can see how cool it would look. if it happens great if it dosent then thats cool too. the dark age/alternate reality series have always been favorites of mine so setting spawn in a western universe could make for some great looking toys. [img]smile.gif[/img]
thats cool, cant wait to see the updated place. think you can get some more of the artist to show up at the bbq so we can meet them?
although meeting Dave was cool and the one artist, I forget the name (jean st john or something?), it would be cool to meet more of them.
Hey, did you put a sign on the building now that you've added on?!
<font color="#cd6600" size="1">[ February 06, 2004 01:40 PM: Message edited by: chaserfan ]</font>
I remember when I was on the tour, there was a piece there that had been sculpted up. Steve said Todd liked where it was going, so he told them to continue. Sounded like the sculpter didn't know really what it was or where it was going or what sort of line it could fit into. Sounds free to me. Of course, Steve could have just been lying to me [img]wink.gif[/img] ...
Steve?! LIE?! come on! [img]wink.gif[/img]
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">unfortunately being "the guy who weed-whacked Steve's backhair" didn't quite work out in my benefit on my resume...Quote:
Originally posted by StV:
PA,
...there's nothing better to have on your resume, than the fact that you've worked for Mcfarlane Toys.
but if I could add a little bit of my own personal experience to this... (and Steve, bitchslap me if I say something I'm not supposed to)
when I got to work on the "rough" of the dorothy munchkin, the guy on top, I started with a rather cartoony sketch, and the head sculptor told me what direction to go with it. From talking with him and another sculptor, I got the gist of what they wanted and they gave me reference from real life to help work from(mostly babies and fat people).
As I sculpted it, I would show him my progress and he'd tell me what he liked and what I should tweak. For instance, I pretty much was able to make the munchkin's right hand as I saw fit, only that it needed to be "twisted" and what I had come up with stuck through to production. On the other hand, when I had roughed out the teeth, they were a lot more jagged and sharp, which was changed for the final figure.
So there is an amount of freedom from what I saw, but its still within certain parameters.
and Uber, didnt you have a sculpt of something you were working on then you want to show us?