July’s Featured Radicon Announced: Sculpt-bot

REDLINE – Sculpt-bot is one amazingly talented guy. Not only has he practically perfected making custom sculpted Transformers heads, but he’s done anything from simple repainted toys to extremely heavily modified customs, drawings, sculptures, and more. On top of this he’s a role-model for 2 good looking kids, a husband, and he even runs a retail store! Sculpt-bot has contributed to this community not only as an active customizer and seller of heads, but he has also given tutorials on making your own heads as well as helped to inspire us all and lead by example what it means to be a true Radicon.

I remember many years ago, pretty much right around the same time that I first became a moderator, seeing him post his first batch of Alternators heads. I was one among many to be highly excited by the prospect of being able to purchase new heads, ones that would allow those of us not so talented in the art of sculpting to really extend what we could do with a toy line that saw too few molds. His sculpting back then was a little rough, but it didn’t take long at all to see that he was working hard to improve on them. Later, you will see a nice side-by-side comparison detailing just how far he has come!

I still remember how excited everyone was about this. TFmaster clearly was every bit as excited to see someone come along and doing this, as he quickly set up a section on Transtopia just for Shawn, naming it after his customs name, “Bromen Studios” (Bromen is Shawn’s last name). As Shawn got more comfortable with everyone, he soon started to show off his other projects, like his really sweet Cyclonus statue, some custom Alternators and Classics, and his breath-taking Devastator Diorama. All I can say is, “the man is good!”

Shawn isn’t being featured as this month’s Radicon just for his uncanny artistic abilities, however. As I touched on briefly in my opening, he’s been a stellar member of the community as well. Not only has he posted comments to help other members improve themselves, but he has always been a kind and friendly, and upbeat, person. He’s never once gotten upset and said something he’d later regret. He’s always welcomed constructive criticism, and has offered it to others. He’s the perfect example of how we’d love to see everyone behave and interact (even if he doesn’t get to do so as much as he’d like).

Shawn has also offered up tutorials so that anyone else who wants to attempt to sculpt their own works may try to do so. It’s never been about the money for him, only the passion for Transformers and sculpture and all things Art. I’d say this is a really big reason why he and I have gotten along so well all of this time. He’s a great friend, Radicon, and certainly not least, human being. When my custom Alternators Motormaster was stolen at BotCon 2007, he sent me a free Motormaster head, how is that not cool? It was a sad day when he put his head-sculpting portion of his hobby aside, but if it means seeing more of his customs, then the loss will be worth it (where’s that Bruticus, bro)! Shawn, here’s to many more years of successful artwork from you, buddy. It’s my pleasure and honor to announce you as this month’s Featured Radicon!

Superquad7 – One of my fondest memories as an early kitbasher was seeing the plethora of Alternators customs. This isn't simply because of my own work, but I immensely enjoy seeing the work of others. One of the many trends of kitbashers, no matter the skill level, is swapping heads. Pretty soon, even with the variety of Alternators (and even heads from other toys), the demand arose for custom heads. It wasn't too long before we saw an artist step up to this challenge. Sculpt-bot quickly started designing and sculpting heads completely from scratch. They were an instant hit with the kitbashing community! More and more artists started to contact Sculpt-bot with orders for his work. As the orders continued to come in, he started offering different heads sculpts.
Like any good artist, Sculpt-bot was never satisfied with a set skill level. He continued to push himself and his skills with each new head design. It was easily apparent that he continued to refine his skills. He eventually made a tutorial for other artists who wished to embark on the same journey he did with creating their own heads from scratch. As the Alternators line drew in more collectors and kitbashers alike, the inventory for spare Alternators to behead began to rapidly dwindle. Also, as the Alternators line drew to a close, some toys were short-packed, thus hard to find for collectors (let alone for kitbash fodder). Again, Sculpt-bot stepped up to the plate, recasting many of these heads. I am sure many Alternators toys today are still thanking him for literally saving their heads!
He didn't just stop with Alternators, though! Sculpt-bot continued his many head sculpts into the Classics/Universe line, offering artists heads to much-desired customs. One of the favorite heads of a few artists is the Universe 2.0 Blaster head. He created to give the toy a bit of needed variety of Blaster simply being second to Soundwave.
Sculpt-bot is not just limited to heads, though! He continues along the avenue of creating things from scratch with many of his newer customs. So far, his custom Computron and Abominus are two such feats that are absolutely jaw-dropping. Sculpt-bot really has his bases covered in the craft of kitbashing!
Not only is Sculpt-bot a great artist, but his contribution to the kitbashing community as a whole cannot be overlooked. He is one of the forerunners of setting up a “studio-style” kitbashing environment with his custom heads. Once part of Transtopia, “Bromen Studios” offered kitbashers a “one-stop-shop” for custom-crafted heads for their work.
It wasn't long before Sculpt-bot started hearing from the Radicons Staff when it came time for this place to grow. While we now sport a very varied section of reproduction artists, Sculpt-bot was one of the very first we were proud to offer exclusively here. Much of the “Repros” section here at Radicons owes it roots to Sculpt-bot and his work!
On a personal level, I'm proud to say that Shawn is a friend of mine. I've been blessed to be able to get heads from him several times. Shawn has offered a few special sales for heads that may have had a few tiny errors in them. Even many of these are top-notch by this artist's standards! He's always been so very cool with me, and during the rebirth of Radicons, he knew we had his best interests in mind. He's always been very gracious and humble towards me as well as very appreciative of what we do here at Radicons. I must say that feeling's mutual, buddy.

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Shawn and his wife with their two kids

ALPHAMAGNUS – Everyone on Radicons should know the name Sculpt-bot by now, he brings a new life to any custom he does. I haven't seen a project of his that bores me, even those with few modifications.

His Technobots kept me furiously working on my Computron. Everyday I'd check back and he'd have something way more awesome done on his, which made me want to get mine out before it was left in the dust. Luckily he veered toward finishing Abominus first which had me rethinking my entire process for mine.
Just when I think I have him pegged, he pulls out a slew of AWESOME ROTF customs! (wishes for Superion )

Way to go Sculpt-bot! Not only for helping alot of customs find their heads, but for keeping this Radicon busy with new outlooks on customizing. If every Radicon was like S-b we wouldn't need Mods at all

Autobotx23 – There are so many different styles and talents here on TFW. People that can recreate to Picture quality, those who can breathe their own vision into a piece and those who can show you their vision of their masterpiece. However, there is one basher whom I place on a pedestal more so than others, and that is Sculpt-bot.

The man can take ANYTHING, and fuse those pieces into a cohesive whole. Not only is he an expert basher, but his paint apps are all TRULY unique. I would go so far as to DARE someone to recreate his style of rough brutish paint that still looks polished and refined. You'd be up for a hack of a challenge!

More so than anyone else on our boards, he has heavily influenced my art style, and I am nowhere near his level of ability.

Not only is he a master basher, but he lives up to his nickname. Many of us have been dead ended on a project, only to have Sculpt-bot reach into our minds eye, and pull out exactly what we were looking for. The Alt sized heads he produces of almost any character in the TF Universe, or maybe one you thought up yourself. Versatility is his middle name!

It has been a pleasure watching his posts, including his upcoming Technobots to go with that Monstrous Abominus. Your spotlight is well deserved, from as big a fan as is possible.

plowking – I have always been a fan of Sculpt-bots work ever since I first stumbled upon it at Transtopia. He was in the process of making cast heads for his custom Alternators. He showed early on that he had a nack for stuff like this. Then one day his posted his custom Alt Hot Rod….this thing was fabulous IMO. I immediately contacted SB to get one made for my own collection….thing is, I already had an Alt Hot Rod, so we went with a different route. It was made to look like a car from Back to the Future, and I must say that SB did a fantastic job on making one off pieces for my custom. Ever since then I've been a fan of the man Sculpt-bot. He continued to improve upon his work over the years, and continued to create some of the most awesome sets of customs made from figures that you wouldn't believe could be unless he told you what they were made from. I'm still amazed to this day at the stuff he cranks out. Congrats Sculpt-bot!! Keep on making the sweet customs man.

Nemesis Predaking – Sculpt-bot is one of those Radicons that was legend well before my time here started. His cast & customs heads are without a doubt some (if not) the best we have seen.
Sculpt-bot's bashes are something else to behold. I've always felt that if you can change a person’s view on a mold or molds, you have done something special. Sculpt-bot never fails to impress me with bashes like Classics Abominus & The Terrorcons, Slugslinger & Caliburst or Alt Brawn.
He is a true professional in every way & well deserving of this honor.
Congrats Sculpt-bot.

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The man’s so talented! He can kitbash, sculpt, paint, and draw!

The Interview

R: Tell us a little about yourself.

SB: First off I would like to say thanks to you guys for giving me the honor of being a featured Radicon. The talent that has been highlighted on here has been superb, and I know I am in good company! My name is Shawn Bromen. I have been a lifelong resident of Minnesota, and currently live outside of St. Paul with my wife (Amy,) daughter (Maddie,) and son (Jack.) There is also a Great Dane named Dudley who takes up more space and time than I care to go into. My “real job” is a retail store manager, and that takes up the lion’s share of my time. My family is always my number one priority, and we are always doing stuff together as time permits. My daughter is quite an artist, so she is often my sidekick while I do some of my kit bashing. We set up a little work area for her next to my work space so we can do our projects together. My son is big into cars so the TFs appeal to him from that regard (he received his first TF for his b-day this year!) My wife has always been amazingly supportive of any art endeavor that I choose to go into, and she even enjoys the TF movies (or so she tells me!)

R: What got you into the art of kitbashing? Why do you like kitbashing? How long have you been into kitbashing?

SB: Most recently, it was discovering the Radicons way back in the day. I was seeing all of these great ideas on the boards, and had never really thought about putting my sculpting into the toys I collected. It was the spark that got me going. Thinking back though, it all started with taking apart my GI Joes as a kid, and parts swapping them. I distinctly remember repainting (badly) a spare Jetfire I had into a Veritech fighter from Robotech. (I believe it was the “Max” version.) So I guess you could say I have been bashing since the time I could use a screwdriver!

Kitbashing appeals to me in the sense that I get to take toys that I have loved since I was a kid, and attempt to make them do all the things that I wished they could do. Lately the figures Hasbro has been releasing have been of such great quality, it has pushed me to make figures that Hasbro may never make, to build on the lines I am currently collecting.

R: How did you get to your level of customizing? Did you have any formal training and/or previous experience in your background? What have been some useful resources for your artwork that you suspect others are unaware of?

SB: I reached my current level by making LOTS of mistakes, and correcting them the next time around. For every finished custom you see of mine, I probably have four that are unfinished due to making a huge mistake. I did some college course work in drawing and painting, as well as drafting, but from a sculpting stand point, I am completely self taught. I started out by doing dinosaur sculpture, but it quickly branched out from there. I love reading “Amazing Figure Modeler” and Tamiya’s “Modeler’s Resource” magazines. There is a lot of melding of different kits and the painting tutorials are invaluable to anyone who wants to have a “real world” finish.

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Man, that’s what I call a work area!

R: Do you have a dream project, and if so, what is it?

SB: I need to find a junker Fort Max, and totally articulate, rebuild, and scratch build a new head for him. He would tower over the rest of my classics! Anyone care to donate! :lol

R: What other hobbies do you have, if any?

SB: I love paleontology, and since my 7 year old daughter has caught the bug as well, we study dinosaurs together a lot. I plan on doing a few new dinosaur sculptures in the near future.

R: Do you have any advice for up-and-coming kit bashers?

SB: It has been said a million times: Practice. Read the tutorials, and contact people that you see achieving what you would like to do. Use their success to propel your own. Don’t be afraid to scratch build. I think a lot of folks would be surprised what they can make from stuff they have just laying around. Also, make sure you are doing projects that are really for your enjoyment, or you risk losing interest in it.

R: What is your inspiration for your projects? What influences your character choices?

AB: Inspiration usually starts by seeing something in a part or character that is different from what it was intended. Blot started by playing with Sideways and seeing a monster’s face in the cockpit. I noticed how similar Movie Megatron’s butt flap looked like a hammerhead shark’s head, so that led to Rippersnapper. I tend to make characters that I think Hasbro is either not going to do, or has done, but failed miserably in the execution. Ultimately it comes down to wanting the character on my shelf.

R: Who are some of your favorite kit bashers and inspirations?

SB: Can I just cut and paste the entire Radicon’s roster? I think this is the hardest question you guys ask, because there are so many folks that contribute awesome projects. I know I will likely forget folks, but here goes: Lobo, Wikkid, Anemis, Spurt Reynolds, Anovasinn, Encline, Sabsabby, Crefigz, SMOG, Ptitvite, The Devastator, Timshinn, Satomiblood, and so many more! All of you guys that moderate the place have impressive portfolios as well, and I am really inspired by the encouragement and support that you give to everyone! I do have to give an internet hug to Plowking, REDLINE, and Superquad7, as their work and words have been pushing me from the beginning!

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Before
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…and after. Here’s a cool pair of photographs that display a good feel for how far Shawn has progressed over the years with his head sculpting

R: What figure has been your favorite to work on so far? Why?

SB: My Devastator sculpture. It combines all of my favorite things. He was fun to assemble, and execute. The paint job was a blast, because I was able to get really detailed. I was able to custom sculpt parts of Devs as well as the diorama, which I really enjoyed!

R: How long does it typically take you to complete a project from start to finish?

SB: Anytime from a day (Slugslinger, Movie Megs) for simple mods and repaints, to months (Devastator, Cyclonus, Abominus) for items that require scratch building and molding/casting.

R: Which TF is your favorite and why? Favorite TF character? Favorite series? Favorite toy (non-custom)?[Answers do not need be the same for each question]

SB: Grimlock: #1 He is a dinosaur, #2 He is a bad-ass! Favorite character is the same. My favorite toy series is the Classics/Universe, because it is revamping the characters I grew up with and love. Fav Non-Custom: MP Grimlock.

R: What was your first customs project that you worked on? Any memorable stories to share?

SB: The first TF custom that I ever threw together was a non transforming sculpture of Sideswipe that I built up from an old Countach model kit that I had laying around. This was before the internet, believe it or not, and it was way before I started collecting TF’s again. I just built him up when I was about 16 because I always loved the character. Just goes to show: kit bashing has always been a part of me!

R: What are your favorite movies//TV shows?

SB: Movies: Goodfellas; Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas; LOTR series; Caddyshack; Dark Knight; Unbreakable…I could go on forever!

TV: Mystery Science Theatre 3000; Wipeout; Americas Funniest Videos; Lost; Monsterquest; UFO Hunters/Files.

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Wooo… look at all those parts to use! My mailing address is. . . .

R: What do you consider your strengths as a kit basher are? Weaknesses?

SB: Not being discouraged by setbacks. I will keep re-working something until I feel it is right. Oddly, I feel this is one of my weaknesses too, as it has kept me from finishing some projects in a timely manner. My main weakness, however, is starting too many projects before finishing others. I could easily count over 20 WIPs that I have going right now!

R: How would you describe your work environment? (For example, do you like to have certain music going while making customs or do you have certain things set up that immediately inspire you?)

SB: I always have a movie going, but rarely watch it. I always get set up by surrounding myself with my parts bins. It keeps things at my fingertips in case I get hit by inspiration for a certain joint, or piece of armor.

R: What are your favorite things about the process of making a custom? Pet peeves?

SB: I honestly feel truly at peace when I am sculpting or bashing. I can very easily lose track of time once I get in the zone of creating something. My wife will attest to that last fact. I am sure many of us have had that “Ah-hah!” moment when something just clicks, and works out perfectly. Those are always highly enjoyable! My pet peeve is waiting for Apoxie Sculpt to set up!

R: How do you incorporate other elements outside of Transformers into your work?

SB: Parts need to meld with the TF style and aesthetic. Thankfully we have recently been blessed with quite a few unique design trends with TF’s, so that has expanded the possibilities quite a bit. I think there have been times where I had to go back and revisit stuff because it looked too “Gundam,” or too “Zoids.” However you can use parts from both toy lines to great effect in a TF custom.

R: What are things you look for as “cool” in a toy? Describe what you like/dislike in certain Transformer toys.

SB: It is hard to describe, but when you have a toy that seems like every part was “meant” to be how it is. Classics Mirage exemplifies that to me. He just seems “right.” The alt and robot mode just seem perfectly “Mirage.” His amazing articulation doesn’t hurt either. A bit of an existential answer, but it is hard to convey why a toy just clicks for me. The thing that really bothers me with Tfs, is when the design is compromised for a gimmick. The Energon and Cybertron lines suffered for this, but still managed to give us some great figs.

R: What do your non-TransFan friends say about your work?

SB: Many just stare. Most of my friends have known me long enough that it doesn’t surprise them that I have incorporated toys and sculpture into a pastime!

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Mercy. The skin on this camarosaurus looks real.

R: How has the new movie affected your customs?

SB: I REALLY enjoy repainting the toys! The details that end up popping when they are painted well are amazing. The engineering of the figures always gives new approaches to the TF line. When it comes down to it, I really look at the movies and movie figures as a new resource. I am always looking for more parts! Ha-Ha! Plus the movies have some really inspiring action sequences, and are a fun way to waste 2 hours (or more!)

R: What artwork do you do outside of Transformers customs?

SB: I like to paint and do traditional sculpting. My dinosaur sculptures are my other passion. They just tend to take a little more time, so they often take a backseat to my custom TFs.

R: What non-TF artwork heavily influences your customs work and why?

SB: Anatomical sculpture. As an artist I have always leaned towards realism as a favorite. Abstract work just seems..well, Abstract to me. I feel like it is trying to trick me! Just show me what you mean to show me! I think that is why sculpture appeals to me. It is hard to fake something in three dimensions.

R: What has been the most influential movie for you and why?

SB: For straight up great storytelling, and great visual effects: The Lord of the Rings series. Otherwise, Jaws. I don’t know why. Maybe because the Robert Shaw character reminds me of my Dad.

R: If you like to read, what are some of your favorite books and why? How does this impact your artwork?

SB: I like books by comedians (George Carlin, Lewis Black, Dennis Miller) as they tend to look at things differently than I do. I am also a huge Cryptozoology and UFO buff. I don’t believe everything I read, but I also think humans can be pretty arrogant in assuming we have found out everything about our world and universe that we are going to. The world is still a vastly unexplored resource, who knows what we are going to find next! I apply the same thought process to my art: who knows what is next!

R: When you listen to music, what do you like to listen to and why? How does this impact your artwork?

SB: This could take a while! In no particular order: Faith No More, Foo Fighters, Weezer, Rush, Black Sabbath, GWAR, Kings of Leon, AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Metallica….what can I say, metal is my lifeblood! I could go on forever. Music is huge to me, and I like a lot of different kinds, but Rock/heavy Metal is by far my fav, but I really couldn’t tell you why. ? When I work it is simply background noise!

R: What do you want people to most remember you for and why?

SB: At the end of the day there are two things that matter to me: Being a good husband and father.

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Behold, the power of cheese! Err, I mean, a head!

R: What toys besides TFs do you enjoy and why?

SB: If I were a (money) wealthy man, I would own all of the GI Joes (ARAH) figures and vehicles (old and new.) They were my second favorite toy line as a kid.

R: Boxers or briefs?

SB: The magical melding of both disciplines: Boxer Briefs!

R: What trends do you see in your own work and what do others tend to say about your customs?

SB: Recently, I have stopped trying to emulate the “toy look” in doing my customs. Originally I would always try to have my customs look like they just came out of the Hasbro box, but now I have gone back to the methods that I used in painting the old vinyl kits, and dinosaur sculptures. Radicons like Spurt Reynolds, Frenzy_Rumble, Encline, Sabsabby85, and so many others, have really raised the bar in terms of what you can do with the paint applications. Their work really opened my eyes to a huge part of what I was missing in my customs. Why not go for a realistic, battle worn paint job? It really re-fueled my tank in regards to what I wanted to do with my customs! So far the reviews have been good!

R: How has making Transformers customs impacted your life uniquely?

SB: I don’t know how unique it is, but finding the group of people in this site has really been an incredible experience. To think of all that has changed, and all the folks that have joined, asked and given input, and grown together as a group of artists is really a cool thing. The fact that we have lost a few of our really talented and ground breaking members, I think, has made a lot of us appreciate the contributions more. I just wish I had more time to give feedback and post in all of the very deserving threads out there. Just know that I am definitely looking and appreciating everyone’s work. I get my best ideas from you guys!

REDLINE: SB, I’ve known you for a long time. You showed up here in the Radicons about the same time you showed up at the now-defunct Transtopia. I’ve always been a fan of your work, even in the beginning, and it’s pretty amazing to see how much your skills have progressed from then until now. What sorts of things do you use to motivate yourself to always push your abilities towards improvement?

SB: I really look back on things that bothered me about a previous custom and try to eliminate them from the next one. I make sure I plan out as much as humanly possible, everything I want to achieve in the custom. I look at a lot of model magazines, and if I see an effect or application that I like, I will try to emulate that in my paint work. The Radicon’s forum is an exceptional motivation, and serves as an invaluable resource for ideas.

REDLINE: How do you see yourself progressing over the next four years?

SB: Continuous improvement is always the goal. As time and tools permit, I really want to start doing more scratch building. I have the three Insecticons planned out in MP form as (nearly) complete scratch builds. I also want to continue pushing myself in different directions with paint applications. I have yet to use my air brush in all but the most basic paint apps , and would love to incorporate that more.

REDLINE: How do you feel about having your name used without your permission? Transtopia set up a special section just for your head sculpts you were selling. Transtopia is now dead and gone, and Seibertron has absorbed parts of their board into their own. One of these parts still bears the name, “Bromen Studios”, even after you asked years ago to have it removed!

SB: There’s part of it that makes me sad, as I know the love and passion that helped build that site. Bill was one of the guys that really pushed me to do the head casts, and he was gracious enough to give me that forum on his site. The Devastator has worked hard to make it so that section is “shut off,” but unfortunately it can’t be removed right now. I still have a ton of fond memories of that site, and it makes me very happy when I see the familiar names pop up in the Radicons. No hard feelings, really, as I am still the only one that ever made a buck off of it.

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Something else we both love, dinos. This particular one not only inspired the awesome Snarl, but wow does it look good.

REDLINE: Do you ever see yourself re-visiting the idea of selling custom heads again? (I miss them already! ) If so, would you do anything differently?

SB: Time was truly the main reason that I had to put the brakes on the head production. I loved doing it, but just couldn’t devote the time to it that it deserved. It was very frustrating to check the site and see the P.M.s piling up, and just not having the time to respond. It made me feel like I was letting folks down, which was the exact opposite of my intentions. I am looking at re-working things, so that I can have that as a creative outlet again. I have been playing with a few CAD programs, and have researched a few places that I could export computer files to, and they could grind out a mold and cast the (now multi-part) heads on a sprue. Basically the heads would be like a model kit, with their own individual ball joints. If the head production ever comes back, this will be my goal. (Plus you guys won’t have to drill out post holes in solid resin anymore!)

REDLINE: Have you ever thought of doing collaborations with anyone? Not many people do, but they do happen. Every since you posted your first Terrorcon, I told myself that I’d just have to get with you someday to do the build-work only while I painted them up to match up with the rest of my Classics/Universe combiners (yes, I know only one of those is actually finished) to complete that part of my planned collection!

SB: Absolutely! As long as you don’t mind waiting a lifetime for me to finish my half of the project! I am sincerely hoping to free up some time to get into some more elaborate build ups soon. They do end up being very rewarding when you finally finish them!

REDLINE: Just in the nick-of-time, I see you posted some Alternators customs recently (Just minutes before sending you this interview!) How many more old projects of yours can we look forward to?

SB: I want to finish up my MP scale Dino-bots, that started back when I did Snarl. Computron is definitely coming up, and I am close to finishing the MP scale cassette characters. There are just too many NEW ideas that get in the way!

Nemesis Predaking: Your style of Kit-bashing seems to be more of an updated, down & dirty G1 style. Is this something you intended on doing from the start or did everything just kind of fall into place?

SB: Yes, I think that is where I have been more successful. When I tried to do a nice shiny finish on an Alternator, it was always a struggle. It is just counter-intuitive for me!

Nemesis Predaking: You have had great luck with your cast & custom heads. Are there any special tips or tools you would recommend for getting such high details in a project?

SB: Pick up some sculpting wax, and practice. (Google: The Compleat Sculptor -yes, misspell it- and look in their sculpting mediums) The stuff is a godsend in that it gets malleable with heat, but firms up at cooler temps. I recommend it over Sculpy, as there is virtually no waste ( I have had the same bucket of Castilene wax for 2 years, and have reused it many times,) and if you make a mistake you can fix it easily.

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Jurassic Park called, and they said; “Sorry, he looks too much like a Triceratops."” :mad

Autobotx23: What got you into sculpt work, and how did that lead to your TF commission work for heads?

SB: I have been sculpting for a long time, and it always appealed to me to have things represented in three dimensional form. It was the desire to combine that with my customs that drove me to sculpt a few custom heads for my own use. Browsing the boards, I was often reading: “ the head is the only thing that doesn’t work,” or “ I wish I could find a head that looks like_____.” It bummed me out that there were these beautifully painted pieces of work that were so close to being perfect for the person customizing them. The idea hit me that I could possibly help some folks finish their own masterpieces, by providing that service. The first set of heads was finished the next day (unfortunately they LOOK like I did them all in a day too!)

Autobotx23: Describe your painting process. What kind of Acrylics do you favor?

SB: I swear by Krylon Ultra Flat Black (Camo can) for priming all of my figures. I have not found a paint that doesn’t just snuggle up sweetly with that stuff! I use a variety of acrylics to do the base colors and detail work. Tamiya, Games Workshop, Testors, and many others grace my paint bin!

Autobotx23: You seem like a "use whatever I have" kind of ‘basher. Do you ever break that rule and buy anything specifically for bashing?

SB: Occasionally just the base figure. I did buy the Fast Lane Construction Vehicle set on sight, with the exact intention of turning it into Devastator. You hit the nail on the head with the “whatever I have” part. I am including pics of a small fraction of my parts bins, so you guys can see the massive resources that I dig through constantly to find that “perfect” part. I throw NOTHING out, and my wife curses me for it!

ALPHAMAGNUS: What is your favorite style of TF to work with?
Most recently with your gestalts it seems classic/universe style, but which would you choose to continue doing if you could only choose 1 style?

SB: The Classics series is really my favorite, as it is so much easier to modify the smaller figures. It helps a lot if there is ever a need to scratch build something! They also tend to lean more towards the characters that are near and dear to my heart.

ALPHAMAGNUS: What is one project another Radicon has made that you might want to create of your own?

SB: Anemis’ Metroplex! That thing is amazing! I really envy his scratch building skills!

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Sculpt-bot, I love you! Snarl was my first Dinobot, and as such, my favorite. An MP? *faints*

Plowking: What is it that makes you pick a certain character for your bashes?….for instance, your Terrorcons….what was the drive to recreate these guys as masterfully as you did?

SB: Really just the characters that I loved as a kid, but had lousy toys by today’s standards. I try to avoid characters that I think Hasbro is going to make, as it chaps me to have to replace a custom with a store bought figure (Classics Sideswipe is a good example.) I have avoided making a classics Tracks for this reason, as I just have a feeling Hasbro is going to whip out a beautiful classics fig of him soon (fingers crossed!)

Plowking: When sculpting new heads, what do you try to make most? Are you going for the cartoon accurate heads all the time?….or are you just making the heads that Hasbro won't?

SB: I try to mass produce the heads that I feel a lot of folks could get a use out of. I really put a lot of thought into how many molds (toys) could work for a certain head design, and if people would actually have an interest in the character. There is also a little personal preference thrown in. Sometimes Hasbro helps out by making a mold with a completely non-suitable head (Universe Blaster, Universe Roadbuster.)

Superquad7: While there have been several projects over the years we have seen sport your custom head work, do you have a few of your personal favorites?

SB: I really like how Universe Roadbuster turned out. It was a really easy fix to a nice repaint. I also am pretty proud of how the custom heads turned out on the Terrorcons. Hun-Grrr was really fun to work on!

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I’d love to see a Dinobot made of THIS guy!

Superquad7: In what ways specific to sculpting heads have you seen your work improve over the years? What were some specific methods you employed to improve upon your work?

SB: I became much more aware of size constraints, to help allow for transformation. This has also helped me in scratch building and engineering in some of the heavy modifications that I do. It makes me plan things out from start to finish now. Although I still end up throwing in some off the cuff details pretty regularly! I also continue to try to find better/easier/cheaper ways to produce the molds and castings. If I can nail that down, I will likely start production up full tilt again.

Superquad7: What are some details and design cues that you enjoy or dislike in head sculpts?

SB: One of my teachers said a looooong time ago, “The hallmark of a good character design, is being able to recognize it in a silhouette form.” My goal when designing a head is for someone to be able to look at a simple unpainted casting, and say “ Oh that looks just like ____!” Recognizing the character is really important. This is why I try to blend aspects of the cartoon, and figures so it will appeal to fans of both medias.

Superquad7: Do you have a different mindset of approaching making a new head versus working on other robot parts? If so, please explain.

SB: The heads are really the hardest part to find a suitable replacement for when doing a custom. I toyed with the idea of doing G1 accurate rifles and launchers for the Alternators line, but interest was low in them. Hound and Sideswipe were the only ones that ever even reached the prototype stage. The heads were the only thing that I ever noticed people struggling with, so it was a niche that definitely had a demand behind it.

Superquad7: What tool(s) for sculpting have you found that you absolutely must have?

SB: I have a beat up old set of dental tools that you can find at any decent hobby shop (you have to beat them up yourself though!) Apoxie Sculpt has also become quite important in my sculpting, as it helps to get a much more “machined” look that is harder to convey in Sculpy or wax. I also find a turntable and mirror useful for larger sculptures. They both help in checking proportions and balance. Seeing a sculpture in its “reverse” image helps to bring flaws to light that your eyes don’t notice in its “normal” state.

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It seems impossible that this is actually the G1 Slugslinger!