Barbie deBarbiefied (continuously updated)

The adaptation or modification of items produced for Barbie and similar franchises for other, more realistic sixth-scale purposes is an aspect of our hobby. So it makes sense to recreate the Barbie deBarbiefied thread on this forum. Feel free to post your new finds and modifications here, or to reintroduce the ones you have already shared.

For example, this bathroom suite, where the bath tub, sink, mirror, towels, toothbrush, toothpaste, and bottles and containers were all adopted or adapted from Barbie products.















Hope you find it useful or mildly amusing, and post your own adaptations of Barbie (and similar) items for more realistic scenes; I know several of you have already done some amazing things with them.

#barbie #custom #modern #civilian #repurpose

Here is the fan that I originally started the thread with. It was pretty simple: pull apart, spray on silver paint, click back together. I'll add an electrical cord before I use it, and perhaps paint the controls black.

And it is just as beautiful as before!

BAD WOLF-787, let's keep this to Barbie (and similar) stuff, which is a genre of its own. It is sixth-scale (or almost sixth-scale) sized, but usually encumbered by unrealistic paint schemes or product shortcuts, to say the least, so requiring a measure of modification without the need for a complete overhaul.

There is already a thread about Useful items for sixth-sale environments, which might be the place for what you are suggesting (like the jewelry books and bottles):
https://onesixthfigures.forumotion.com/t3-useful-items-for-sixth-scale-environments-continuously-updated

I remember these. Nice job. About the only thing missing from that incredible bathroom is one of those shower curtain racks.

Aaaargh... Stryker, you're absolutely right... completely forgot about the splashing water (since my suds were made of cotton balls)

GubernatorFan wrote:BAD WOLF-787, let's keep this to Barbie (and similar) stuff, which is a genre of its own. It is sixth-scale (or almost sixth-scale) sized, but usually encumbered by unrealistic paint schemes or product shortcuts, to say the least, so requiring a measure of modification without the need for a complete overhaul.

There is already a thread about Useful items for sixth-sale environments, which might be the place for what you are suggesting (like the jewelry books and bottles):
https://onesixthfigures.forumotion.com/t3-useful-items-for-sixth-scale-environments-continuously-updated

Yeah, I think it's exactly right to distinguish the genre of DeBarbified stuff separate from the broader question of finding useful small items generally. There is a very specific challenge and accomplishment to "making diamonds out of coal" from Barbie or "doll" stuff. Sometimes it's like discovering that the toy designer actually did good work but it was originally undercut, by a bizarre pink/purple color or the marketplace making it undersized, etc. It's very satisfying to see this kind of item skilfully "resurrected" into something that's credible in a sophisticated diorama.

BADWOLF-787 does have a point that it might be useful to have a thread showcasing the same kind of "resurrection efforts" as applied to small items that are not "doll" in origin -- such as keychains, fridge magnets, knicknacks. That's not quite the same thing as the "Useful Items for Sixth Scale Environments" thread, because that thread features items that are useful more or less "as is," rather than inventive repaintings etc. So I'd go with Shazzdan's recommendation of another thread, giving us three "basket" threads of this kind, ie
1) "Useful Items for Sixth Scale Environments" that are useful more or less as found;
2) DeBarbiefying, for customizing Barbie and "Pink Aisle" generally, including maybe Monster High, dollar store doll items, etc;
3) "Customizing Knicknacks" or something like that -- for showing off a lot of the small inventive work that might not otherwise each get its own thread. Another difference would be that the "Useful Items" thread implicitly consists of recommending things that the reader could reasonably go out today and get from Hobby Lobby, the Dollar Store, Home Depot etc; whereas this Customizing Knicknacks could be any small non-doll thing that anyone wants to show off, even if unique. My two cents.

Moonbase Alpha Male wrote:BADWOLF-787 does have a point that it might be useful to have a thread showcasing the same kind of "resurrection efforts" as applied to small items that are not "doll" in origin -- such as keychains, fridge magnets, knicknacks.  That's not quite the same thing as the "Useful Items for Sixth Scale Environments" thread, because that thread features items that are useful more or less "as is," rather than inventive repaintings etc.  So I'd go with Shazzdan's recommendation of another thread, giving us three "basket" threads of this kind, ie
1) "Useful Items for Sixth Scale Environments" that are useful more or less as found;
2) DeBarbiefying, for customizing Barbie and "Pink Aisle" generally, including maybe Monster High, dollar store doll items, etc;
3) "Customizing Knicknacks" or something like that -- for showing off a lot of the small inventive work that might not otherwise each get its own thread.  Another difference would be that the "Useful Items" thread implicitly consists of recommending things that the reader could reasonably go out today and get from Hobby Lobby, the Dollar Store, Home Depot etc; whereas this Customizing Knicknacks could be any small non-doll thing that anyone wants to show off, even if unique.  My two cents.

I am not completely sure I follow. Of course there is no guarantee that BAD WOLF was referring to the same items (like the books and bottles repurposed from hobby store jewelry) he has showcased before. But removing a link to a keychain or earring loop is generally a very simple modification (I did that with the soccer and football balls in the Useful Items thread) and there is no need for repainting, etc. The can-based barrels that have been featured, involve putting them together with glue and repainting them. Some have repainted the "sixth-scale" boxes that otherwise can be used "as is." I am just saying that I do not see an easy divide line here.

GubernatorFan wrote: I am not completely sure I follow. Of course there is no guarantee that BAD WOLF was referring to the same items (like the books and bottles repurposed from hobby store jewelry) he has showcased before. But removing a link to a keychain or earring loop is generally a very simple modification (I did that with the soccer and football balls in the Useful Items thread) and there is no need for repainting, etc. The can-based barrels that have been featured, involve putting them together with glue and repainting them. Some have repainted the "sixth-scale" boxes that otherwise can be used "as is." I am just saying that I do not see an easy divide line here.

You're probably right. Quite a lot more customizing work generally goes into the "DeBarbified" items than the more found-object "Useful Items for One Sixth Environments." So I was thinking maybe of a Basket Thread for items that are comparable to that amount of work, but are not sourced from Barbie. No one's going to yell "off-topic" either way; but I think specific showcase threads are great for encouraging people to post things that they wouldn't necessarily create a specific thread for.

Moonbase Alpha Male wrote:You're probably right.  Quite a lot more customizing work generally goes into the "DeBarbified" items than the more found-object "Useful Items for One Sixth Environments."  So I was thinking maybe of a Basket Thread for items that are comparable to that amount of work, but are not sourced from Barbie. No one's going to yell "off-topic" either way; but I think specific showcase threads are great for encouraging people to post things that they wouldn't necessarily create a specific thread for.

But do we need a third basket? One (deBarbiefied) is about adapting items that are designed for a sixth scale environment but compromised by design (especially paint) choices aimed at specifically child-friendly and toy-based use; the other (Useful Items) is about adapting items that, whether actually sixth-scale or not, were not specifically designed for sixth-scale action figure use but lend themselves to a sixth-scale environment.

GubernatorFan wrote:

Moonbase Alpha Male wrote:You're probably right.  Quite a lot more customizing work generally goes into the "DeBarbified" items than the more found-object "Useful Items for One Sixth Environments."  So I was thinking maybe of a Basket Thread for items that are comparable to that amount of work, but are not sourced from Barbie. No one's going to yell "off-topic" either way; but I think specific showcase threads are great for encouraging people to post things that they wouldn't necessarily create a specific thread for.

But do we need a third basket? One (deBarbiefied) is about adapting items that are designed for a sixth scale environment but compromised by design (especially paint) choices aimed at specifically child-friendly and toy-based use; the other (Useful Items) is about adapting items that, whether actually sixth-scale or not, were not specifically designed for sixth-scale action figure use but lend themselves to a sixth-scale environment.

Yeah, I concede we probably don't need 3 baskets. But ideally when I saw something in the old "Things for Builds" thread, or I see something in the new "Useful Items" thread, I'd like to take for granted it's something I can just go out and buy for myself. So I was maybe thinking of a place for stuff that's more "one-off," complicated or eccentric or rare or vintage, but doesn't fit in DeBarbiefying. So that was my thinking.

There's no real De-Barbiefying on these (vintage Mattel chairs, no adaptation by me) but I wanted to show these Barbie inflatables (a flea market find) just because I love retro pieces, and because it would be pretty hard for anyone to make inflatable chairs from scratch.  I did De-Barbiefy the fax machine though -- it's from a dollar store set of parts that I bought for something else.

Weird. MBAM, your link back to OSW isn't showing up. I can see the inserted link address if I "quote" your post... but no other way.

Stryker2011 wrote:Weird. MBAM, your link back to OSW isn't showing up. I can see the inserted link address if I "quote" your post... but no other way.

OK, that's weird. I've been using the native OSW gallery ever since the Photobucket debacle, and I posted the pic there before posting it here, so I assumed it would make a good link -- and for that matter the pic shows up when I look at OSF on my desktop myself. I see lots of OSW pictures reappearing here on OSF but I guess those are stored on outside providers rather than the OSW gallery. Time to upgrade my game. Sorry, thanks.

Beautiful scene, MoonbaseAlphaMale! I love it. Both the modified and unmodified parts. Very impressive finds as always.

As for the "third basket" question, I was just not wrapping my mind around it. Of course anyone is welcome to start a new topic, but a proliferation of similar topics (that are not character- or product-specific) is bound to be inefficient and possibly ineffective. Or so it seems to me.

GubernatorFan wrote:Beautiful scene, MoonbaseAlphaMale! I love it. Both the modified and unmodified parts. Very impressive finds as always.

As for the "third basket" question, I was just not wrapping my mind around it. Of course anyone is welcome to start a new topic, but a proliferation of similar topics (that are not character- or product-specific) is bound to be inefficient and possibly ineffective. Or so it seems to me.

OK, I'm more confused. It looks like Stryker2011 can't see my OSW-hosted pic that I reproduced here, but you can? Weird. Has this come up before?

Thanks for the comments. And on balance I agree with you about the basket threads, though I'm a fan of basket threads generally for overcoming inertia and encouraging posting. Anyway, if there is any felt need for any subject area to get its own thread, it will evolve by itself and in time. The DeBarbify and the Useful Items threads are strong assets for OSF with a proven history, they're great.

Moonbase Alpha Male wrote:OK, I'm more confused.  It looks like Stryker2011 can't see my OSW-hosted pic that I reproduced here, but you can?  Weird.  Has this come up before?

Yes, check your private messages. In a nutshell, some hosting sites (including OSW and google photos) only display images to a viewer if that viewer is a member and logged in. And that is not something we can take for granted. You probably don't need advice on that, but if you're looking for free hosting, there is flickr and servimg, among others.

Moonbase Alpha Male wrote:Anyway, if there is any felt need for any subject area to get its own thread, it will evolve by itself and in time.  The DeBarbify and the Useful Items threads are strong assets for OSF with a proven history, they're great.

Agreed.

Thank you everyone for your input on my inquiry and my apologies if I caused any waves, I now have decided just to wait and
take some new photos of it when I update Ada's office someday.

BAD WOLF-787 wrote:Thank you everyone for your input on my inquiry and my apologies if I caused any waves, I now have decided just to wait and take some new photos of it when I update Ada's office someday.

I don't think any of us meant to delay your sharing. I just re-read your actual post, and I do think it could be shown in Useful Items, as others could presumably get ideas by seeing what you did with that jewelry case. On the other hand, if you want to wait until you showcase a specific scene or diorama, that's up to you.

shazzdan wrote:Now that is sorted out can someone please clean up this thread by deleting all the superfluous posts (including this one) and just leave the actual posts about Barbie modifications?

--

I kept relevant posts/replies up so others wondering what's going can read it.

The question has been addressed for all.

We now return to our regularly scheduled postings already in progress.

Oh man, I think in the fever to clean up the off-topic conversation, my on-topic comments were swept up as well.

Always one of my favorite threads, so I'm glad to see it popping up here! Although I have nothing to add right now, I love seeing people spinning treasure from these sort of finds, which often inspires me to go spend some money in the pink isle myself.

And Moonbase Alpha Male, is that the RunningPress Teeny-Tiny Turntable you had mentioned to me before? It looks perfect in scale in that photo!

And those inflatable chairs are a blast. The figure looks so indignant sitting there, like he's waiting for someone, and these were the only seats available.

ReverendSpooky wrote:Oh man, I think in the fever to clean up the off-topic conversation, my on-topic comments were swept up as well.

And Moonbase Alpha Male, is that the RunningPress Teeny-Tiny Turntable you had mentioned to me before?  It looks perfect in scale in that photo!

I think you are right, on both counts, but I will let MBAM confirm it for you, just in case I have misidentified the turntable.

Sorry for any inadvertent deletions.

Next time, please be very specific on posts. Being the janitor here, I clean up messes if and when they occur and go onto the next job.

GubernatorFan wrote:

ReverendSpooky wrote:Oh man, I think in the fever to clean up the off-topic conversation, my on-topic comments were swept up as well.

And Moonbase Alpha Male, is that the RunningPress Teeny-Tiny Turntable you had mentioned to me before?  It looks perfect in scale in that photo!

I think you are right, on both counts, but I will let MBAM confirm it for you, just in case I have misidentified the turntable.

Yeah, sorry. Yes it is. Because Reverend Spooky is totally The Man on 1/6 music subjects, and the Radio Kings rock, I wanted to give him a complete answer with a better pic of the Running Press compared side by side to a couple of other 1/6 turntables I have, that I'm trying to find in my stuff. Reverend, if that delay made it seem I was ignoring your straight-forward question, I apologize.

Moonbase Alpha Male wrote:

GubernatorFan wrote:

ReverendSpooky wrote:Oh man, I think in the fever to clean up the off-topic conversation, my on-topic comments were swept up as well.

And Moonbase Alpha Male, is that the RunningPress Teeny-Tiny Turntable you had mentioned to me before?  It looks perfect in scale in that photo!

I think you are right, on both counts, but I will let MBAM confirm it for you, just in case I have misidentified the turntable.

Yeah, sorry.  Yes it is.  Because Reverend Spooky is totally The Man on 1/6 music subjects, and the Radio Kings rock, I wanted to give him a complete answer with a better pic of the Running Press compared side by side to a couple of other 1/6 turntables I have, that I'm trying to find in my stuff.  Reverend, if that delay made it seem I was ignoring your straight-forward question, I apologize.

No apologies necessary!  Not an assumption I would ever jump to.  I know you guys have my back around here.  

I put off ordering one for a bit after the 1st time you mentioned it, planning to come back to it.  But seeing it here, with a figure, I ordered immediately.  I should have from Amazon tomorrow.  Really excited to see how it looks with one of my custom records.  

No pressure or hurry, but if you do decide to do some comparison photos with your other turntables, I'd love to see them.  And you're right, I am a fiend for anything rock and roll related.  Hoping to get some more Radio Kings action up soon.  Thanks again man!

DeltaForceChung wrote:Sorry for any inadvertent deletions.

Next time, please be very specific on posts.  Being the janitor here, I clean up messes if and when they occur and go onto the next job.

And no worries DFC! Sorry if it sounded like I was complaining. Trust me, nothing too profound was lost.