#customizing advice

Customizing How To: Turning A Bobblehead into a "Standard" Funko POP! Vinyl Figurine

I posted this video over on my Instagram a few weeks ago. It's a quick process video of how I turn a bobblehead POP into one with a plug at the neck. (In this case, I was making Anthony Bridgerton.)

Supplies: Box window (but any thin flexible plastic should do); cyanoacrylate glue (any "super glue" should do); Apoxie Sculpt Modeling Compound; water (for smoothing); acrylic craft paint

Tools: Sharpie; scissors; cotton swab; nitrile gloves; paper towel; dulled X-acto knife

Using the box window (i.e. the clear plastic on a Funko POP box that allows you to see what's inside), trace the size of the hole at the bottom of the bobblehead POP head.

Cut a disc of the box window slightly larger than the size of the hole. You want to make sure it rests on the inside of the head, so it needs to be just slightly larger in circumference.

Fit the disc you just cut out into the hole. The spring should keep the disc in tension with the rim on the inside.

Secure the disc to the inside of the head with cyanoacrylate glue. Let dry.

After dried, mix up enough Apoxie Sculpt Modeling Compound to fit into the hole and over the disc. I wear nitrile gloves whenever handling this clay due to an allergy.

Place mixed modeling compound into the hole and smooth with water until flush with the outside of the POP's head. If you have any extra clay, scrape it away with a flat tool (like a dulled X-acto knife).

Insert the neck of the body of your custom into the still soft clay. Gently twist while pulling the body out to maintain as much of the shape of the neck hole as possible.

Smooth out any bulges in the clay with water that may have resulted after you removed the neck. Reinsert the neck for proper fit. Repeat this step until you are satisfied the neck hole will fit your custom's neck.

Wipe away any clay that ended up where you didn't want it. Especially take care to do this if you don't plan to paint the entire head of your custom, because the watery clay will dry as a noticable thin film on your finished piece.

Allow Apoxie Sculpt Modeling Compound to cure completely, at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

Paint.

Attach finished body and head at the neck with cyanoacrylate glue.

I don't think I'm that great at sculpting hair, though I have gotten a bit better.

If you're using Apoxie Sculpt Clay like I do, smooth it on while it's still really soft. Use water to smooth it as much as possible into the existing hair of the doll. Make sure it's VERY thin when it's at the vinyl.

When I'm adding clay for hair, I try to follow the furrows of the original hair as much as possible to make them look as seamless as I can. Also, don't be afraid to add clay at different heights to match as well. Even straight hair has texture and variations in thickness.

I usually use these three tools to sculpt hair. They are all like narrow spoons with sharp tips. I usually use the convex side to create furrows rather than the concave side to scrape clay away.

Use water to smooth continually as you go. It keeps the clay a little more manageable as you go and holds off the curing a little bit. You should have a good hour of really manageable time to work with it. If you're really changing tht hair significantly, mix more Apoxie as you go; it's easier than trying to work with already hardening clay.

TBH, mostly a dulled exacto knife. I’m entirely self-taught, so my methods are probably a little unorthodox.

Here are my main pieces of advice. They still hold and are mostly practical tips.

As I mentioned to someone who DM’d me earlier today, I learned the basics via online tutorials, especially THIS ONE. There are plenty of tutorials on YouTube, too. I mostly just got the lay of the land in terms of mechanics and then started playing around with materials, though.

I started with the DIY POPs. If you dig back into my archives on Tumblr, you’d probably guess the first POP customs I designed were Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr, and the Men in Blazers made from the DIY Male POPs. I’ve graduated from there to mix and match doll pieces, but it was a good starting point to learn the basics.

Don’t use Star Wars or Marvel bobbleheads unless you’re switching heads to bodies of OTHER bobbleheads. They don’t come with the head plugs. Wait until you’re more confident with clay and can make your own plugs (still among my least favorite chores in customizing).

But my main pieces of advice? 1. Take your time; 2. Think outside the box/be creative; and 3. Enjoy yourself! Even if you never start selling them like I do, it’s a fun hobby, and one that’s way better if you create your own designs.