What’s On My Desk – 10/14/21

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 Since we’re nearing the end of October’s second week, I should probably make an update on what I’ve been working on for my ongoing 31 Days of Customs challenge. Here’s a shot of all the projects (in various stages of completion) that’s currently on my desk:


From left to right, we have:
  • My mostly-complete Ninja Commando custom. I just need to go over his camouflage one more time and add a clear coat and I’ll finally be done with this cursed project.
  • Another ninja (who I’m tentatively calling Blue Dragon Ninja or Aotatsu) that I kitbashed using parts from a handful of different 4-in Fortnite figures. I feel like I need to add some more details to his Ryu Hayabusa-esque helmet before I start prepping him for paint.
  • The Orc Warrior. This was a really fun one and I’ll reveal more when I’m done with it, which should be soon. I applied a few washes the last time I worked on it and set it aside to dry. I just need to do some touching up, dry brushing, and highlights.
  • A Dead Cells-inspired Heroclix Kitbash that I made in conjunction with my other Dead Cells Beheaded custom. But I want to try out a black brush-on primer on this one but it hasn’t arrived in the mail yet, hence why I haven’t started painting it.
  • Blade Sisters. I previously hinted at trying something like this with all the Final Faction Shift figures I had stacking up. I don’t know if I’ll give each one its own article or if I’ll consider it just one project, since I’m keeping it simple with this one. Just a few parts glued on here and there, plus a simple repaint.
  • A 6-in custom figure that I’m tentatively calling Ninja Hunter that is heavily inspired by Yaiba Kamikaze from everyone’s favorite Ninja Gaiden game, Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z (everyone’s favorite after Ninja Gaiden Sigma 3, haw haw). Starting out with a basic 5-POA Mattel Batman figure, I swapped its head with Nightwing’s and started making his gear with Worbla and kitbashing him a cybernetic arm.

So yeah, I haven’t been cranking these out like I’d initially hoped but I have been doing my best to make the most of my crafting time this month (limited as it can be on certain days), which was the goal I had in mind when I decided to undertake 31 Days of Customs.

In addition to what’s on my desk, I also hastily painted and decorated a new paint rack (this one for my Reaper and Vallejo dropper bottles) I recently picked up for about $10 on Amazon. I wanted to go with an urban camo scheme (gray basecoat with light gray and black layers) using the same (cumbersome) stencils I used on my other painting rack, and this one came out even rougher. I tried to cover up the worst of the overspray with random stickers I had on hand and was marginally successful at best. But it matters not, this is a $10 paint rack and I intend to put it through hell.


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