My Quixotic Quest to Get 1/6 Figures Made for the Baldur's Gate Games
I went ahead and created a YT channel to start displaying progress on this project:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPwWhJvCvceMAZdxNnWNWVw
I’m going to start assembling Minsc’s body. I’ll get the Phicen and start outfitting it with armor, clothing, and gear.
Some of this is from WotC magazines or D&D game modules, some from artists. I posted on 1/6 Scale Clothing Only Buy/Sell/Swap to see if any custom artists can design and make entire outfit. Anyway, here are the pics I’ve fund thus far:
I belonged already to One Sixth Republic and One Sixth Republic BST (Buy Sell Trade). Now I belong to these groups as well:
Sci-fi/Fantasy Scratchbuild and Kitbash Modeler
1/6 scale figures, 1/6 kitbash, custom figures and 1/6 scale dioramas
SIDESHOW HOT TOYS 1:6 SCALE COLLECTORS
1:6 1:4 1:1 Addicts Buy/Sale/Trade Group Sideshow/Hot Toys/Custom
Hot Toys, Sideshow, & other 1/4 & 1/6 Scale – Grey Market
BUY-SELL-TRADE: TOYS / ACTION FIGURES / STATUES / GAMES
1/6 Scale Clothing Only Buy/Sell/Swap
1/6 Custom Figures Exclusively
EVERYTHING HOT TOYS /SIDESHOW COLLECTIBLES
ACTION FIGURE – HEAD SCULPT – 1/6 FIGURE ONE SIXTH – DOLL – STATUE – CUSTOM
Wow! Pedro shared the base .stl file for the head sculpt, i.e., what he’s going to be working from, and I’m seeing Minsc.
Pedro Lujan has agreed to make a sample head sculpt file for me, apparently having solved issues with the printer. If I’m encouraged by those initial results then we’ll move forward. I’ll still have to find an artist to paint it, though. Pedro says he has some ability as a painter, but feels more comfortable with someone with greater skill taking that on.
I’m starting to feel a bit of excitement. Although I’m also a bit anxious about how well the figure is going to turn out for what it’s going to cost, all told. For the uninitiated a 1/6 figure by Hot Toys runs around $250 an average. I may well end up spending that sum alone just on an unpainted head sculpt.
But to put that in a bit more perspective, Asmus Crown Series Gandalf the Gray costs $350–and there are definitely issues with it, including a hat that doesn’t seat properly on the head, and articulated eyes that are arguably a little too deep set. Similarly Hot Toys Iron Man Mark LXXXV (Endgame) which goes for $423 (standard) and $446 (battle damaged armor) featured a head sculpt that upset a lot of fans for it’s somewhat strange appearance. To Hot Toys credit they offered a replacement for it. But the point being that a figure costing close to $500 plus tax and shipping wasn’t up to a certain high standard that consumers have come to expect for a purchase of that size.
In any case I’ll provide an update with what Pedro makes for an initial sample sculpt. Fingers crossed!
I’m going to start with Minsc who is arguably the most popular character in BG1.
I’ve never attempted to kitbash a figure. I’m learning as I go.
I started by joining One Sixth Republic on Facebook and posted that I’m looking for an artist to commission the entire figure. I did get a response from a very talented artist whose work (see here, here, here) is very impressive, Pedro Lujan of LUX Sculpts. Unfortunately his 3D printer is malfunctioning at the moment, so for now (as of this writing 4/24/21) so he’s only creating the .stl file for head sculpts.
I figured it would be preferable to find an artist that can print and paint the head sculpt. So Pedro kindly gave me a short list of artists that he recommends: Marcel Sälzer, Darren Biggy Rowe, Palmin Van Persi, and Daniel Gonzalez. He also advised that the average ballpark price range for a custom head sculpt these days for most artists is perhaps around $150-250. Anyway, I’ll be reaching out to them. I’m very grateful to him for his assistance, and depending on how things go I may still use him, if he can get his printer fixed.
I’ll need to get a Phicen body. For Minsc it should be a bulked one. Probably TBLeague M34. They’re going for about $100 with shipping.
Finding a two-handed sword on eBay shouldn’t too difficult. I’ve found a few so far that look pretty decent. But I’ll keep looking.
I honestly have no idea what to expect if I commission and artist to make the armor and any other gear. How expensive… How good a job it would be…
Piecing together armor and other gear for Minsc from what’s available online is another option. It may prove to be more a challenge, though–and possibly even more expensive. I’ve found an interesting assortment of items including a chest plate, chainmail, boots, bracers, belts, satchels. It’ll be sort of a mishmash, but that’s actually very much in the spirit of Baldur’s Gate. I’d love to find studded leather armor for him, but so far no luck. However I did find the chest armor for Asmus’ Eomer figure, and that might work for him.
Somewhere for Boo to hang out!
TBLeague Phicen M34 Male Seamless Muscular Body w/ Steel Skeleton 1/6 – $73.99 + $6.99 Square Trade Deal +$5.36 tax + $5 shipping = $91.34
Pants for 1/6 scale 12″ Action Figure Man,Medieval Knight Civil War Viking – $16.61 + $1.10 tax + $13.84 shipping = $31.55
Tunic for 1/6 scale 12″ Action Figure Man,Medieval Knight Civil War Viking – $13.84 + $0.92 tax + $13.84 shipping = $28.60
Knight’ s Chain Mail Upper Body Suit for 12″ Action Figure 1:6 scale – $26 + $1.72 tax = $27.72
1/6 scale toy LOTR – Éomer – Brown & Silver Torso Armor w/Shoulder Guards – $36.40 + + $2.41 tax + $7 shipping = $45.81
1/6 scale toy Dragonborn Warrior – Leather Like Chest Armor w/Shoulder Piece – $47.32 + $3.13 tax +$7 shipping = $57.47
1/6 Assassin’s Creed Leather Boots Roman Soldier Armor For Hot Toys PHICEN USA – $15.15 + $1.00 tax = $16.15
1/6 Scale Toy Roman Imperial Army Camp Flag Bearer – Forearm Bracers – $16.38 +1.09 tax + $7 shipping = $24.39
MEDICOM RAH 1/6 Scale AKIRA Glove Hands Model for 12″ Figure – $20 + $1.33 tax = 21.33
1/6 Scale Metal Cross Sword Model Weapon Toy Accessories For 12″ Figure – $30 + $1.99 tax = $31.99
Leather Belt B for COOMODEL SE018 VIKING VANQUISHER — WARL LORD 1/6 12″ Action – $14 + $0.93 tax + $3 shipping = $17.93
Red Death Wilderness Rider – Shoulder Satchel – 1/6 Scale – VTS Action Figures – $10 + $0.66 + $4.55 shipping = $15.21
I’d go with either Eomer’s leather chest armor or the chainmail tunic, one or the other. Probably the leather chest armor as that would show off his biceps. I’ve ruled out the shorter chainmail shirt and the plate mail for the torso.
Going with Eomer’s armor I’m at $324.36 for armor and gear.
Still searching for a really nice looking purple or red cape. But I might be able to make that myself…
One Sixth Baldur's Gate 