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Old 01-27-2021, 01:57 AM   #201
Clayburn Moore
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Quote:
Originally Posted by qz33 View Post
Moore had nothing to do with the production of these.

He's just a cog in a machine now.
Under the heading of "it's never too late to respond to a crappy comment".....Now you know that the vast majority of statues you see on this site are done by freelancers or by people that are employed by a company, right? You should know that because it's obvious. Virtually no one who sculpts these pieces you all discuss here and buy has much say in the final product. I had more say than most as a sculptor for a statue company for a number of reasons. I was hired for my expertise at art direction and sculpting. I did not become involved in the production for one thing because I did not have time and it is VERY time consuming. With all of the products DST was producing, for me to jump in and insist on art directing the production would have just thrown things off. My time was spent art directing, sculpting and going over the upcoming schedule of projects. I had full say in what I sculpted and what projects went to the people I art directed, like Alejandro Pereira. In some cases, he would suggest a project he would like to do and I did my best to get it to him. But production was just something I didn't have time for and I can tell you that dealing with the Chinese factories is a huge job and the ONLY WAY you can really fully control the production is to go over there as I did many times. I would sit with the workers and look at EVERY single piece on many projects. I'd put the little red arrows stickers to mark every problem and then the factory would set up a work station for those pieces on the other side of the room and start the corrections. The next day, we would do it again, all day every day until every piece was right. That is EXTREMELY expensive to do and I couldn't do it on every project. And it can be dangerous. One factory I worked with was out in the country in a small town. I was on a train returning to the border during a stressful time between the U.S. and China in the 90's. A man started belligerently asking me if I was American and several men started pushing in to listen and the looks on their faces weren't friendly. It could have gotten ugly, but I kept things calm enough until I could get the hell off at my stop. And it has only gotten worse over there, I can assure you. I have more uplifting and positive experiences going to China, but sometimes it's nice to just be a "cog in a wheel" for a while doing good work and meeting friends like Alejandro P and Mat Brouillard.
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Old 01-27-2021, 04:19 AM   #202
qz33
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Hah!
And likewise you do realize that comment was in agreement with about everything you just stated and was in your defense from this statement?

Quote:
Originally Posted by jkazemi View Post
Cannot believe this was done by Moore. Yes very disappointed. He is getting sloppy since he stopped creating his own site statues.
Just letting him know that the poor production quality was not the same situation as for your own company, Moore Studio. And yes except for entrepreneurship blaming the artist for a poor final product is a rare exception not the rule around here. If your name is the only one on the box though plenty of people don't make that distinction.

Very surprised DST gave you any say in production because as you indicate there is a huge disconnect between design and production even at an artists' owned entrepreneurship but especially for more mainstream mass production companies. But as you mention you do have unique experience compared to other sculptors as employees.

A lot of people here blame statue producers like Sideshow for the lack of QC in the products they receive. While I stop short of absolving production companies from any liability or financial responsibility I am well aware they are not due the majority of the blame as the root cause. China just has a different business culture, will take advantage at nearly any opportunity, and outsiders are in a poor position to enforce much of anything. Increased demand for collectibles and economic pressures have not definitely not improved the situation over time either. I always figured you signed on with DST because you were tired of that very situation and just wanted to focus on sculpting and design, instead of the endless headaches of EVERYTHING being your sole responsibility like in your own company.

So maybe you can find some consolation that even 4 years ago that comment was made fully in your defense and for your benefit with no detriment.
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Old 01-28-2021, 05:26 PM   #203
Clayburn Moore
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Quote:
Originally Posted by qz33 View Post
Hah!
And likewise you do realize that comment was in agreement with about everything you just stated and was in your defense from this statement?



Just letting him know that the poor production quality was not the same situation as for your own company, Moore Studio. And yes except for entrepreneurship blaming the artist for a poor final product is a rare exception not the rule around here. If your name is the only one on the box though plenty of people don't make that distinction.

Very surprised DST gave you any say in production because as you indicate there is a huge disconnect between design and production even at an artists' owned entrepreneurship but especially for more mainstream mass production companies. But as you mention you do have unique experience compared to other sculptors as employees.

A lot of people here blame statue producers like Sideshow for the lack of QC in the products they receive. While I stop short of absolving production companies from any liability or financial responsibility I am well aware they are not due the majority of the blame as the root cause. China just has a different business culture, will take advantage at nearly any opportunity, and outsiders are in a poor position to enforce much of anything. Increased demand for collectibles and economic pressures have not definitely not improved the situation over time either. I always figured you signed on with DST because you were tired of that very situation and just wanted to focus on sculpting and design, instead of the endless headaches of EVERYTHING being your sole responsibility like in your own company.

So maybe you can find some consolation that even 4 years ago that comment was made fully in your defense and for your benefit with no detriment.
Thanks for writing back, qz33. And no, when someone says you're just a cog in a machine, it won't be taken well by most people. So thanks for clarifying that.

Yes, I was very tired of dealing with the Chinese factories. Spending time with the workers was fine. The problem is that time is money and while prices have gone up, the production schedule has not relaxed at all, which is not surprising. They use power tools to finish out the pre-paint figures (called white copies) which is a huge mistake. They should be finished by hand except for cutting off larger sections, like the pour vent. Even at the best factories, you can see that they finish off a woman figure's hip with a power sander. It's criminal. You can tell the workers want to do a good job, but the line managers know they will be replaced if they don't meet the production schedule.

I very much enjoyed my time at DST. I had known the people I dealt with there for many years and my wife Shelley worked at Diamond for 17 years (her job involved the Previews catalog. I met her at the San Diego CC, actually). I think all statue companies want their pieces well produced, but they all run up against production costs and shipping schedule versus quality. I solved it by going myself and doing my own QC (my brother Paul also went about three times and is responsible for the high quality of quite. few of our projects), but the costs and the time loss in my sculpting were huge (though in some cases my going sped up production time and shipping). And now the civil unrest comes into play as well. It was always dangerous, but even more so now.
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Old 01-28-2021, 05:59 PM   #204
Clayburn Moore
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And I just posted the photos of the completed Black Panther (pre-mold and paint) if you'd like to take a look.

CSM
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Old 03-09-2021, 03:42 AM   #205
Closetnerd
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So easy to criticize on these sites.....reminds me why I stay away.
Can't help myself (blame it on the beers) so here is my 2 cents.
I have spent a lot of time with, talked casually with, and had the pleasure with hanging with Clay and Shelley. Both have impressed me with their honesty and integrity....and are just plain good people.
Clay is so hard on himself..... He is his own worse critic.
His talent is obvious....the finger pointing and criticism is an attempt to draw him out and pointless IMO but I am sure I will be attacked next so WTF...
You don't know talent until you see it...if you knew what I know ....but you don't.
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Old 05-11-2021, 02:08 PM   #206
GiggaChad
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Clayburn Moore View Post
Under the heading of "it's never too late to respond to a crappy comment".....Now you know that the vast majority of statues you see on this site are done by freelancers or by people that are employed by a company, right? You should know that because it's obvious. Virtually no one who sculpts these pieces you all discuss here and buy has much say in the final product. I had more say than most as a sculptor for a statue company for a number of reasons. I was hired for my expertise at art direction and sculpting. I did not become involved in the production for one thing because I did not have time and it is VERY time consuming. With all of the products DST was producing, for me to jump in and insist on art directing the production would have just thrown things off. My time was spent art directing, sculpting and going over the upcoming schedule of projects. I had full say in what I sculpted and what projects went to the people I art directed, like Alejandro Pereira. In some cases, he would suggest a project he would like to do and I did my best to get it to him. But production was just something I didn't have time for and I can tell you that dealing with the Chinese factories is a huge job and the ONLY WAY you can really fully control the production is to go over there as I did many times. I would sit with the workers and look at EVERY single piece on many projects. I'd put the little red arrows stickers to mark every problem and then the factory would set up a work station for those pieces on the other side of the room and start the corrections. The next day, we would do it again, all day every day until every piece was right. That is EXTREMELY expensive to do and I couldn't do it on every project. And it can be dangerous. One factory I worked with was out in the country in a small town. I was on a train returning to the border during a stressful time between the U.S. and China in the 90's. A man started belligerently asking me if I was American and several men started pushing in to listen and the looks on their faces weren't friendly. It could have gotten ugly, but I kept things calm enough until I could get the hell off at my stop. And it has only gotten worse over there, I can assure you. I have more uplifting and positive experiences going to China, but sometimes it's nice to just be a "cog in a wheel" for a while doing good work and meeting friends like Alejandro P and Mat Brouillard.
This is what America gets for outsourcing jobs to other countries. We all like cheap stuff at the expense of slave labor, but then cry about it when we get back shoddy results. I worked for a company that outsourced products to India. Almost every day I'd get back the emails and I'd have to re-do 75% of it. You pay for what you get and you get what you pay for. Most Chinese made stuff is trash, which I guess is suitable for most Americans, who consume trash food and trash entertainment.
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