A quick question on headgear...

[tin7_creations]

My cousin just came back from his first trip to Disneyland and he can't stop talking about it. So, for his birthday, I was planning to make a set of Disney minifigs for him. I've never really done customization before, and just followed the steps from reading the tutorials.

However, a problem arised. I made a Mickey Mouse head gear (similar to the official Werewolf helmet from Lego) with sculpey, but the final piece looks incredibly crude, and extremely fragile. I blame the crudeness on my lack of artistic skills, but the sculpey isn't really the type of material to use when making playable minifigs. So, I was just wondering, would it be possible to comission people like Brickforge or Arealight to make my designs with their materials? Would they be willing to create completely new molds just to make some new headgear for one customer?

Any reply is appreciated, thank you.

[Shadows]

I don't know how many characters you want to make, but if it's just Mickey and Minnie and Pluto, you could check on these.

I know nothing about custom molding and casting, sorry.

[tin7_creations]

I don't know how many characters you want to make, but if it's just Mickey and Minnie and Pluto, you could check on these.

I know nothing about custom molding and casting, sorry.

I was thinking of making them into more minifig scale. No offense, but those 3 characters are humongous.

[Shadows]

I was thinking of making them into more minifig scale. No offense, but those 3 characters are humongous.

Having grown up in the shadow of the Mouse, I can tell you... they really are huge! No, I mean the ones in the park. I'm over 6'3" and those blasted character costumes are bigger than me. It's like a giant freak show!

Still, I take your point. I expect it would be very difficult to make them, unless you found a brick based solution, and all that I can come up with goes beyond minifig scale.

Now, there is one method, but I hate to mention it, as I tend to hate it when it's done in Star Wars. Basically, you find some company that makes figures with the heads you want, decapitate them, and stick the heads on normal minifig bodies. Since you're working with cartoon characters, it might produce a tolerable result.

As I said though, I hate to even mention it.

Maybe a talented sculptor with a lack of fear of the Disney Corporation will come along and make an offer. Good luck!

[SlyOwl]

You could try silicon molding the sculpey head. I'm not entirely sure about how it works, but it works along the lines of puring stuff around the head to create a mold, and then pouring silicon in and casting it...

So, I was just wondering, would it be possible to comission people like Brickforge or Arealight to make my designs with their materials? Would they be willing to create completely new molds just to make some new headgear for one customer?

Nope, it's too expensive to make a new mold for one part and it would need designing e.t.c...

[Armothe]

So, I was just wondering, would it be possible to comission people like Brickforge or Arealight to make my designs with their materials? Would they be willing to create completely new molds just to make some new headgear for one customer?

Hey Tin,

Thanks for contacting BF. I know I already replied to your e-mail but thought some of the information regarding professional molding capabilities would be appreciated by the rest in the community. Indeed, the cost to create an individual mold can vary depending on which country you are in, but remains pretty expensive none-the-less....in the thousands. That initial investment is madeup over time by selling pieces in larger volumes. Usually, there are minimum quantity requirements that need to be considered as well. To design an entire mold ready for plastic injection around one or two pieces that will never see distribution is sort of like using a mallet to alleviate a headache.

Your best bet here is to find someone to either sculpt and cast a single piece, or draw it in CAD and send it to somewhere like Protomold.com. The latter costs around $1,000 but you will get a professional-looking piece usually free and clear of defects and air bubbles.

-A