RULES

[Vince-Vell]

Originally Posted by astromerc

Could someone put up a thread on how to obtain a legal license from the different companies with details with links?

Thanks

dont need to, go to any companies web site and use their contact us page and most of the time they have plenty of emails, numbers or links to info or how to get ahold of the departments that handle it.

a simple call to customer service too will direct you to license departments.

so a thread is useless since every company is different on how they handle it.

[loricstone]

Originally Posted by astromerc

Okay so I think we all know what we can and cannot do here. This is a great place I found it back in 04 I have learned some things here and I have enjoyed the efforts of all, off and on over the years.
Some of us come to show our work for help, others for ego or both, but we also want to make money from our talents as well. Why can we not do both? I know the obvious reasons, but here is an idea:

Setting up people that want to buy these sculptures with people that want to make them, like a “dating” service or and kind of Dc/Marvel “ebay” system where collectors who want to get custom commissions can come to this site and artists who want show their skills and possibly someone from Marvel/DC can vet the person so people are not ripped off. This would be a away to allow special collectors to get the custom statue they have always wanted without fear of getting ripped off or any of the other pitfalls that go with having custom sculpts made. Moreover Marvel/Dc etc gets their cut and can grow a new market out of this “seedy” part of commissions, because Marvel/DC/Etc ARE missing out on money. This could be a way of getting it back, and keep customers and the artists who love to immortalize these awesome properties happy?
Yes you already have Side Show, Bowen and he rest but, it is clearly no enough and again these are Special Collectors not the run of the mill. The sculpts would be limited to a small number of people or just one. Marvel/DC/Etc would to be in control.

This place sometimes reminds me of a “red light district” for sculptures. I know that Art directors legal people and other toymakers who own licenses monitor this site and come down like the feds during a drug raid. Yet I believe their can be a compromise so we all get what we all want.

So what does everyone think? Am I crazy? I am not trying to start trouble I just want to find a new solution. If this looks too dumb? d_rod if it does please just delete this ramble

Thanks,

Astromerc

In theory, what you suggest in the second paragraph is ideal. This is very similar to what is going on in the video game industry with Gamestop and other mom and pop shops that buy and sell used games. The companies that make the games are pissed because they aren't getting any of that money Gamestop and others are making.

What you are failing to realize is that these are big, greedy, controlling, corporations you are talking about.

1) They want complete control over their products (somewhat understandable)
2) They want money (basis for all economic stuff)
3) They want to cheap out on the customer any way they can and get the most amount of money they can in the process (econ 101).

What you suggest I just don't see as feasible.

[luiggi505]

Originally Posted by Titanchuck

Can we still post pics of newly acquired painted and assembled kits in our collection thread?

Thats a good question Titan

[d rod]

legal/licensed/authorized = yes

illegal = no

[GedTasker]

Originally Posted by Boondog

Cool, alright, hear that guys? I'm gonna pm all the site sculptors I can think of, but if you're a sculptor with history on this site start day one off with a bang, pick a tight collection of your favorite stuff that you may have lost when the forum fell and compile it into a Day 1 War Journal. We'll get the forum back on it's feet in the first day and then we get get back to business of real time clay-slinging (or wax, but you can't really sling wax I guess, you're either gonna make a mess or break something... people DON'T SLING YOUR WAX)

Nice one Sean..

This sounds like it will be a great way to get the new sculptor's section back up and running!!

[LOOP-DOG]

Originally Posted by WRossi

my only issue with this is i feel like its tailored. its kinda like favoritism.maybe not directly, but if your making any kind of money off a piece you dont own the rights to isn't it the same thing. If i take a batman SS and turn it into a wolverine, a character i have no rights to that's OK? under the pretense its only for myself, i can easily do that too but i just want to understand the reasoning because i don't.

@skinsd
Granted i only have 200 odd posts but im trying to figure out if its worth it for me anymore,maybe in my shoes youd feel the same. thanks for the stats by the way ,curious how many views i totaled though?

Warren I agree with you 100% but just hang in there bro. You have an amazing talent so reading your post and getting the vibe I got made me want to post as well.Overall I def feel that the main avenue (Painter Corner) to showcase our work is practically gone. Its a shame that because of a few bad apples this had to happen. It's def frustrating... especially as a painter who has learned so much from all the great talent on this forum to all the sudden not be able to post up All of my work. We're justgoing to have to adapt fromAll to some...We will just have to post up those works that fall within the new parameters set. paint the hell out of those PrototypeZ Street Fighter pieces...Re-paint those dreadful factory paint ups which are sub par from our favorite companies such as Sideshow/Bowen/Koto etc. I guess what I'm trying to say is there are other ways to showcase our talent. As much as it sucks...WE MUST NOT LET THIS STOP US FROM OUR PASSION! Dont let this take you away from your painting or customizing or whatever it is you like to do in this hobby...rather turn it into motivation and lets keep the hobby going -Loop!

[XMAN]

Originally Posted by LOOP-DOG

Warren I agree with you 100% but just hang in there bro. You have an amazing talent so reading your post and getting the vibe I got made me want to post as well.Overall I def feel that the main avenue (Painter Corner) to showcase our work is practically gone. Its a shame that because of a few bad apples this had to happen. It's def frustrating... especially as a painter who has learned so much from all the great talent on this forum to all the sudden not be able to post up All of my work. We're justgoing to have to adapt fromAll to some...We will just have to post up those works that fall within the new parameters set. paint the hell out of those PrototypeZ Street Fighter pieces...Re-paint those dreadful factory paint ups which are sub par from our favorite companies such as Sideshow/Bowen/Koto etc. I guess what I'm trying to say is there are other ways to showcase our talent. As much as it sucks...WE MUST NOT LET THIS STOP US FROM OUR PASSION! Dont let this take you away from your painting or customizing or whatever it is you like to do in this hobby...rather turn it into motivation and lets keep the hobby going -Loop!

....EXCELLENT POST

[d rod]

Thank you Loop. I agree. So it's not all now. The challenge of getting that $40 statue for your local shop that has a paint job from the 50's should challenge and fuel you to show how a great paint job can make this thing that they call a statue into a display jewel. Now that's talent! If you can make that happen, make sure you send me the link because I want to make sure I see the before and after.

[C. Bormann]

Honestly I'm just going to take a break from posting here for a few months and see what pans out. I mainly start threads about pieces that I have painted and only 3 pieces that I sculpted for myself. I don't see how displaying a paint job, no matter what the character even if it is on a kit, effects anyone especially the big companies.

The big companies should simply be flattered that they have inspired so many other artists. They want to promote these characters as licensed products, but in reality they are only just a figment of a story. To put it simply the characters are just an idea. By sculpting or painting these kits we rejuvenate our passion for these characters and this causes us to quest for more. Without this need from the fans I feel the market for the characters would dry up and seize to exist.

For now I'm going to have to find a site where it is business as usual. I think people need to stop over analyzing things.

[El Diablo]

Originally Posted by d rod

legal/licensed/authorized = yes

illegal = no

just to clarify was that answer in relation to posting pics of unlicensed stuff if the collection corner?