While the
likes of Sideshow and PCS still work with hand sculpting here and there it is undeniably
being substituted by digital sculpting. Let’s face it, hand sculpting is a
dying art and digital sculpting came to take it’s place. It’s easier, faster,
allows a humongous level of detail and textures; overall it is a cheaper and
more efficient way to create the figures we love. However, by being easy to
manipulate the number of new “artisans” and studios are blossoming and maybe
the market will get overcrowded by them. I think it already is. Let’s see how
it goes two years from now.
Is it a
good thing to have so many people sculpting and producing figures? Well, I
believe this will drive the market to a more brand oriented behavior. With an overpopulated
market with custom/independent pieces popping at a frantic pace, not always
with the production quality one might expect, collectors more than ever will
stick to the brands they know and trust. Not so long time ago,
custom/independent pieces costed much more than branded pieces. But as the big
brands keep on rising their prices, soon this won’t make much of a difference
anymore. In this sea of figures for the same average price where to look up for
you next piece? A unknown producer or XM or Sideshow? Of course there will be astonishing
independent sculpts as there are right now, I saw a jaw dropping Beast over a bureau
the next day that I believe is the best Beast sculpt ever made. Unfortunately,
it was an unpainted unassembled kit and I could not afford for the paint app
for this one. Painting will be a paramount differential in years to come so
much so as the sculpt itself. As prices even and more people get good on
ZBrush, the quality of painting and overall finishing will be evermore crucial
to determine the success of a piece. Again, the big brands are the places to
look at regarding these factors.
Albeit the
number of products offered will multiply in the coming years, most collectors
will feel more comfortable to play it safe and bet on the big stablished
brands. At least that’s what I believe so. I also believe that not so far from
now the maket will suffer a severe collapse, as many will jump out of the
collector’s bandwagon because they just followed a trend that is no more and
only the core collectors will remain. However, even those have a limited space
to display their figures, so one can only have so many figures before runs out
of space. Prices on secondary market will drastically fall, as people will get
rid of not so beloved pieces in order to get new ones. Not to mention those
that are trying to sell everything because are not following the trend anymore.
Until, in a more distant future… if you want to know and laugh at my face, here’s
the link…
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