Hey hey hey, loyal fwooshers! This week, CIC sits down with Big Poppa Dump himself, Kirk! Kirk offered up commentary on his experiences being a master customizer with a master customizing wife and master customizing offspring. Awesome right? Let’s get to it!
CTV: What was the first custom you ever made? Do you have pics?
Kirk: My first custom action figure was done when I was just a kid in the mid seventies. It was a Mego action figure that I wrapped in several colors of plastic electrical tape to make a Wonderman action figure. Sorry no pics.
In 2004 I started getting into real customizing. So I would have to say the first would be my Raiders Football player pictured below.
CTV: Creative even as a child, huh? Shock. Do your parents know about your hobby?
Kirk: Yes. At first my Dad said "You’re painting dolls?" Now after seeing some of my customs and checking out some of my auctions he really gets excited about it. My father-in-law is real supportive too. Him and his wife came back with two bags full of fodder the last time they visited.
CTV: How does it feel to have a customizing family?
Kirk: Very kool, beats the heck out of board games. Sometimes though, it’s frustrating when I find one of my favorite brush bristles hard as concrete because one of my kids forgot to rinse the brush out or shaking up a bottle of paint and splattering it everywhere because the lid wasn’t put back on right or the family raiding my fodder bins all of the time. Other then that it’s been a great experience.
CTV: Frustrating, but fulfilling, eh?
Kirk: Definitely.
CTV: Have you ever made customs for family or friends?
Kirk: Yes. I made a Flash for my son and I am currently working on a Hulk for him. My wife has kidnapped my Viking Thor custom and my Lord Thor ML fig. I also made my brother-in-law a Tampa Bay Bucks (Booo) Football player.
CTV: Speaking of family members, Fwoosh’s very own custom queen Moni is your very own wife. Small world. Did you get her into customizing, or was it the other way around?
Kirk: I got Moni into customizing, but she got me into Fwooshing. I was telling Moni about these guys who were customizing their own comic characters and since I got really into it, she started googling too. She found the fwoosh and joined, then a few days later she signed me up and showed me the way around a message board. The first two sites that I went through were Arkenyon and Ron Mirasol (soon to be known as SamuRon).
It’s been very kool having my wife as my partner. She was the last one I thought would try to make a custom because she couldn’t say the characters names right half the time. Like Marvel Captain, Pumpkin head, Deadpoo, etc. Ha..one time I asked Moni to post a custom for me, I went to work, she forgot the name, posted pics and asked all the fwooshers to identify him. *Moni’s Note: In my defense, "Deadpoo" was a typo!
CTV: That’s hilarious, fortunately she’s grown into a fantastic customizer in her own right. Getting back to your work, are there any tools you can’t live without?
Kirk: Moni!
Uh…wait…I just called my wife a tool. No, what I mean is she got me set up and bought me a set of REAL good paint brushes, sculpting tools and apoxie sculpt when I first started customizing, she’s that supportive. Yeah..she rocks! *Moni’s Note:(I do…I do)
Now I have her trained…DOH! (rubs back of head) Uh.. I mean I tenderly coerced her into looking for fodder for me when she is out and about. As for real tools, my must haves are two hemostats used for holding small parts when sculpting or painting. Also, my two fine pointed paint brushes for painting eyes and my sculpting tools.
CTV: How do you choose who to make?
Kirk: Mostly by the inspiration of a character. I really enjoy making villains. Why so many Iron-Man cutoms, he’s not a villain? Because he has so many different armors, of course.
CTV: What is your favorite universe to customize characters from?
Kirk: The Marvel Universe, mainly, but I have been getting into doing some DC characters lately.
CTV: What do you like most about customizing? What do you like least?
Kirk: I enjoy dry brushing and doing detail paint schemes. What I like least is sanding plastic.
CTV: What type of process do you go through as you customize?
Kirk: First I pick a good base, then I pick out the right fodder to keep down the amount of sculpting I would have to do. Then do the sculpting, then paint the whole figure a base coat of black. Then on to the paint applications, then to Moni for the pics.
CTV: What does your workspace look like?
Kirk: I’ll show you! I’m sitting in Moni’s clean work area because mine is full of fodder.
CTV: Aw, a family affair. What would you say your specialty is as a customizer?
Kirk: Man boobs, ha. I knew all the guys would get a kick out of that. Seriously, the over exaggerated muscular human forms and paint applications.
CTV: Are there any customizers who inspire you?
*Moni’s Note: Moni!
Kirk: Ha, that’s what I get for being at the mercy of a fast typer. Seriously, Cal and DLC were the first two customizers I had seen on eBay and was really blown away by the detail of their work. Since being a member of the fwoosh, from start to finish I’d have to add Double Dealer, Zombihamma, ActorJez, Dustin Baetz, Glorbes, Craarl, ChurchofZod, Prodigy and the team of Pablolobo sculpting and Robokillah painting. I could keep going but it is really hard to name all of the customizers who inspire me because the fwoosh is full of talent. Ooh, I almost forgot Ray, Grownerd and Apathy Ink.
CTV: That’s quite the list. Who would you say is your favorite customizer?
Kirk: Damn…you put me on the spot here. If I was to choose one, I would have to say it would be ActorJez. Not solely because of his talent, but because he has, on several occassions, taken the time to give me honest feedback and ways to improve my customs and auctions. He’s one of the BIG guns, but he is also one of the most helpful customizers in the craft and a VERY patient person (heehee).
CTV: He’s definitely one of the greats. Do you have any words or advice for customizers who are just starting out?
Kirk: Be original and don’t be afraid to put your own twist on your work. That’s how people will remember you, leave your own mark.
CTV: Thanks for sitting down with CIC, Kirk.
Kirk: Thanks for having me! Here’s a sneak peak, since you’ve been so nice and all.
