OSF Member Introductions . . .

Howdy. A few of you might recognize me from boards of old. I kinda dropped outa sight for a few years after my heart attack and retirement. I just needed some time to recovery from all the crap I went through. Finally settled into place which was much like a boulder that had rolled downhill and finally found its place at the bottom of the hill. I don't "do" much anymore. I got no "umph" to do stuff, but I like seeing what other folks are doing that remind me of stuff I used to like doing, ya know? I got too many aches and pains to list them all and you don't wanna read them anyway, but we all like our dollies and "action figures" but I say I don't think I really belong here is because GI Joe is my 1st love. The Ultimate Soldier is my 2nd Love. Dragon is my 3rd. Cy Girls, etc., I think you see where this is going. I DID buy a TBLeague Girl this very week to check out these new-fangled seamless, smooth-skinned fems. Jury is still out on her in my book, but there it is. So...I'm an old curmudgeonly grandfatherly type that still plays with dollies--take it or leave it. If ya don't like, just say so and I'll go away. Hell, I might die anytime now due to being a mean ol' bassard that well deserves to die while you kids get on with yer lives.

Oh, and one more thing- screw covid and screw the anti-vaxxers. I may be a mean ol' bassard, but my grand kids don't deserve to get sick because anti-vaxxers have screwy notions about why they can't or dont want or need shots. We wiped out polio and a great many other diseases because science works! Anti-vaxxers dont have to "believe" any damned thing. Science requires no belief. It works independent of your goofy ideas about government conspiracies and so on. Get your damned shots. It's OK if you die, but my grand kids don't deserve to yet.They need to grow up and figure out all these other problems we created for them, like plastics, pollution, climate change, etc.

Sorry if I hurt yer feelings or ruffled your feathers. I said I was a mean old bassard! I guess I really didn't mean to go all ranting and raving either. Sorry, again.

Brigadier Graemon wrote:Howdy. A few of you might recognize me from boards of old. I kinda dropped outa sight for a few years after my heart attack and retirement. I just needed some time to recovery from all the crap I went through. Finally settled into place which was much like a boulder that had rolled downhill and finally found its place at the bottom of the hill. I don't "do" much anymore. I got no "umph" to do stuff, but I like seeing what other folks are doing that remind me of stuff I used to like doing, ya know? I got too many aches and pains to list them all and you don't wanna read them anyway, but we all like our dollies and "action figures" but I say I don't think I really belong here is because GI Joe is my 1st love. The Ultimate Soldier is my 2nd Love. Dragon is my 3rd. Cy Girls, etc., I think you see where this is going. I DID buy a TBLeague Girl this very week to check out these new-fangled seamless, smooth-skinned fems. Jury is still out on her in my book, but there it is. So...I'm an old curmudgeonly grandfatherly type that still plays with dollies--take it or leave it. If ya don't like, just say so and I'll go away. Hell, I might die anytime now due to being a mean ol' bassard that well deserves to die while you kids get on with yer lives.

Welcome to the new mad house! Much like you I love the "older" figures too, 21st Century Toys/Ultimate Soldier figures are still very cool today, they did some very uncommon things brands today wouldn't dare to, CY Girls were great with the sheer variety of looks and subjects (not to mention the awesome accessories!) and some DML stuff still is amazing today (again, some of the best made weapons were done by DML).


Basically, your interests are shared here! Welcome aboard!

A belated welcome to Zamorian79! Those are some really striking display cases you have, never seen ones like that. And of course, very nice collection, they look great! :thumbsup:




And hello to Brigadier Graemon! You are certainly welcome here even if you just want to browse. 

Great too see you posting again Brig!

Hi all… Londonroadhog here…

I’ve been around on this forum for a little while, but never got around to doing the introduction. So, a little late, but here I am…

Some of you might know me from other forums, like AMMO and MWD. But for those that don’t know me, here’s a little synopsis of why I got into the hobby, and where it has taken me.

Primarily, my main hobby is/was photography. Probably still is if I am honest, but with COVID and lockdowns, the Figure Hobby has rather taken over, as I don’t have to go out in the big wide world with it. It was because of photography that my friend and I were talking about maybe making some small scale images with her son’s old Star Wars character figures. Then I started to think, “I wonder if there are any nude figures, that look more realistic than the old Action Man/Barbie dolls?” Well, you can probably guess, I stumbled onto Phicen. I bought a small 1/12 female figure, and showed my friend. She thought they looked as thought they would have potential. But we both felt it was too small…. So, back to the internet, and low and behold! They make 1/6 versions of Phicens. So I got one, an S22A. Showed my friend, and she ended up buying a couple too. We then proceeded to take images of the S22A (and a S16A I got as well), but using a posing guide I had had for some time. Well, that took about 60 or so images to complete the guide. I have posted it on MWD, AMMO and Flickr.

From that posing guide, I decided to try to make a Blacksmith and his Forge. I’ve never built a diorama before… I can honestly say, I was hooked. I still think that Blacksmith dio might still be the best one so far.

At that point, the first of the UK’s Lockdowns came into force. Well, I just had to do more posing, this time a low key nude shoot, with some shadows. Then I started to think about stories. Phicen Spy Training Camp was then born. This took me to all sorts of diorama settings. Firstly the training room, then the Accommodation area, followed closely by the Commander’s and his PA’s Offices.

Suddenly I found myself involved in a collaborative story with some people over on AMMO and MWD. So Spy Camp was involved on a mission. You can imagine what dioramas could appear.

At this time, I started learning a lot more about Photoshop too. Thus a whole new experience to the Figure Hobby could evolve.

Next came a backstory of two of the people from the crossover story/Spy camp, in order for the crossover story to continue, and to give some history to a Spy Camp character.

Following the end of my involvement in the crossover story, I then created a Photo Studio. I just had to really, with Photography so high on my hobby lists. This was also linked with Spy Camp - very tentatively, but has had more and more connections to it as the different chapters have evolved.

Most recently, Red Sonja has appeared in her own saga. First off she met Emily, the Slave. However, when starting to make Sonja’s camp, I realised it would be too big for the space I have. So, Red Sonja has been transferred to 1/12 scale from this point on. I am still working on that diorama. Actually Sonja’s Straw Hut… It is still going to be pretty big, around 18 inches in diameter. So, the whole tribe could sleep in it. Although as Sonja is the leader of the tribe, perhaps she should have the biggest hut.

So, how long have I been in the figure hobby? Well, it all started around August 2019. So, just about 2 years now. From the above, I realise, just how busy I’ve been in that short time.

Well. That’s me… Now. At some point in the very near future - like in the next few days. I suppose you are going to what to see some of my stuff… Yes? I figure, as forumotion is the hosting service here, I know from AMMO they don’t allow nude images. So some of my stuff will either be “not allowed” or I’ll have to blur out the “naughty bits” (as Kenny Everett would say - if you don’t know who he is… That’s another internet search for you). Give me a few days, and I’ll sort out some posts for you all…

Also, apologies for the long introduction. Now you have some ideas on what posts to expect… It is probably only fair to start at the beginning. So that would have to be the Phicen Female Posing Guide, then the Blacksmith (which will also include the “making of”)

Hope you enjoy my posts….. Colin.

londonroadhog wrote:
At this time, I started learning a lot more about Photoshop too. Thus a whole new experience to the Figure Hobby could evolve.

You've only been working with Photoshop for a couple of years, and have picked it up on your own in your spare time? I had no idea! Impressive work you're doing!

And yeah, the blacksmith dio is impressive, with the glowing coals in the forge!

davidd wrote:

londonroadhog wrote:
At this time, I started learning a lot more about Photoshop too. Thus a whole new experience to the Figure Hobby could evolve.

You've only been working with Photoshop for a couple of years, and have picked it up on your own in your spare time? I had no idea! Impressive work you're doing!

And yeah, the blacksmith dio is impressive, with the glowing coals in the forge!

Thanks Dave… Well, I’ve been “trying” to figure out Photoshop for some time. Mainly just used Lightroom, with a tiny bit of Photoshop. I never could really figure out Photoshop, it was too big and too much in it. None of it made any sense to me. But because of lockdown, I started to play with it more, and really try to figure it out. One day, I had that lightbulb moment. From that point on, it all sort of made sense to me, and that’s how I’ve managed to do what I have.

Good too see you getting stuck in here mate! You'll fit right in

Belated welcome, londonroadhog. Sounds like you've been busy with a lot of dios and photography (and I've seen how well you've picked up PS).

Welcome LRH!!

BAMComix wrote:Good too see you getting stuck in here mate! You'll fit right in

I got this emailed to me in message form and thought "that's a bit cheeky, I've been a member since the start! Perhaps I've been on sabbatical for too long "

Now it all makes sense! LMFAO.

BAMComix wrote:Good too see you getting stuck in here mate! You'll fit right in

Thanks Dal.

Stryker2011 wrote:Belated welcome, londonroadhog. Sounds like you've been busy with a lot of dios and photography (and I've seen how well you've picked up PS).

Thanks, Mark is it?

shovelchop81 wrote:Welcome LRH!!

BAMComix wrote:Good too see you getting stuck in here mate! You'll fit right in

I got this emailed to me in message form and thought "that's a bit cheeky, I've been a member since the start! Perhaps I've been on sabbatical for too long    "

Now it all makes sense! LMFAO.

Thanks ShovelChop - now that's a name I like....

londonroadhog wrote:

shovelchop81 wrote:Welcome LRH!!

BAMComix wrote:Good too see you getting stuck in here mate! You'll fit right in

I got this emailed to me in message form and thought "that's a bit cheeky, I've been a member since the start! Perhaps I've been on sabbatical for too long    "

Now it all makes sense! LMFAO.

Thanks ShovelChop - now that's a name I like....

Is the Hog in your username referring to H-D like mine then?

shovelchop81 wrote:

londonroadhog wrote:

shovelchop81 wrote:Welcome LRH!!

BAMComix wrote:Good too see you getting stuck in here mate! You'll fit right in

I got this emailed to me in message form and thought "that's a bit cheeky, I've been a member since the start! Perhaps I've been on sabbatical for too long    "

Now it all makes sense! LMFAO.

Thanks ShovelChop - now that's a name I like....

Is the Hog in your username referring to H-D like mine then?

I'm afraid you've lost me there with the H-D...

The history behind Roadhog, is that I am a Brit, and used to live in the US. Of course I learnt to drive on the opposite side of the road. So, I figured I'd get a custom license plate of ROADHOG, and set up an email address of London.Roadhog to go with it... I've since moved back to the UK, but have kept the moniker and the email address.

londonroadhog wrote:

shovelchop81 wrote:

londonroadhog wrote:

shovelchop81 wrote:Welcome LRH!!

BAMComix wrote:Good too see you getting stuck in here mate! You'll fit right in

I got this emailed to me in message form and thought "that's a bit cheeky, I've been a member since the start! Perhaps I've been on sabbatical for too long    "

Now it all makes sense! LMFAO.

Thanks ShovelChop - now that's a name I like....

Is the Hog in your username referring to H-D like mine then?

I'm afraid you've lost me there with the H-D...

The history behind Roadhog, is that I am a Brit, and used to live in the US. Of course I learnt to drive on the opposite side of the road. So, I figured I'd get a custom license plate of ROADHOG, and set up an email address of London.Roadhog to go with it... I've since moved back to the UK, but have kept the moniker and the email address.

I'm in the UK and used to live in Daytona Beach Florida for a few years lol. H-D is Harley Davidson and HOG stands for Harley Davidson Owners Group officially but has been slang for a Harley for much longer. Shovelchop is short for a Harley Davidson Shovelhead engine chopper (which is a custom built bike usually very long and low, mine's 8ft+ long).

shovelchop81 wrote:

londonroadhog wrote:

shovelchop81 wrote:

londonroadhog wrote:

shovelchop81 wrote:Welcome LRH!!

BAMComix wrote:Good too see you getting stuck in here mate! You'll fit right in

I got this emailed to me in message form and thought "that's a bit cheeky, I've been a member since the start! Perhaps I've been on sabbatical for too long    "

Now it all makes sense! LMFAO.

Thanks ShovelChop - now that's a name I like....

Is the Hog in your username referring to H-D like mine then?

I'm afraid you've lost me there with the H-D...

The history behind Roadhog, is that I am a Brit, and used to live in the US. Of course I learnt to drive on the opposite side of the road. So, I figured I'd get a custom license plate of ROADHOG, and set up an email address of London.Roadhog to go with it... I've since moved back to the UK, but have kept the moniker and the email address.

I'm in the UK and used to live in Daytona Beach Florida for a few years lol. H-D is Harley Davidson and HOG stands for Harley Davidson Owners Group officially but has been slang for a Harley for much longer. Shovelchop is short for a Harley Davidson Shovelhead engine chopper (which is a custom built bike usually very long and low, mine's 8ft+ long).

Ah.. Gotcha! I knew HOG was slag for Harley Davidson, but it had just slipped my mind. Unfortunately, no, I am not a Harley rider. In fact my mother caught me riding a friend's moped when I was 16, and she made me a deal... If I promised never to ride a motorbike, she'd pay for my driving lessons... I took the deal, and have never ridden a motorcycle of any form since. She was in an accident when riding a motorbike, so she didn't want the risk of something like that happening to me... Of course, I am an only child.

londonroadhog wrote:

shovelchop81 wrote:

londonroadhog wrote:

shovelchop81 wrote:

londonroadhog wrote:

shovelchop81 wrote:Welcome LRH!!

BAMComix wrote:Good too see you getting stuck in here mate! You'll fit right in

I got this emailed to me in message form and thought "that's a bit cheeky, I've been a member since the start! Perhaps I've been on sabbatical for too long    "

Now it all makes sense! LMFAO.

Thanks ShovelChop - now that's a name I like....

Is the Hog in your username referring to H-D like mine then?

I'm afraid you've lost me there with the H-D...

The history behind Roadhog, is that I am a Brit, and used to live in the US. Of course I learnt to drive on the opposite side of the road. So, I figured I'd get a custom license plate of ROADHOG, and set up an email address of London.Roadhog to go with it... I've since moved back to the UK, but have kept the moniker and the email address.

I'm in the UK and used to live in Daytona Beach Florida for a few years lol. H-D is Harley Davidson and HOG stands for Harley Davidson Owners Group officially but has been slang for a Harley for much longer. Shovelchop is short for a Harley Davidson Shovelhead engine chopper (which is a custom built bike usually very long and low, mine's 8ft+ long).

Ah.. Gotcha!  I knew HOG was slag for Harley Davidson, but it had just slipped my mind. Unfortunately, no, I am not a Harley rider. In fact my mother caught me riding a friend's moped when I was 16, and she made me a deal... If I promised never to ride a motorbike, she'd pay for my driving lessons... I took the deal, and have never ridden a motorcycle of any form since. She was in an accident when riding a motorbike, so she didn't want the risk of something like that happening to me...  Of course, I am an only child.

I'll have to take your word on being a child lol! I started ridding motorcycles in Greece where I grew up at around 10 years old, large bikes when I was 15 I think. Sure I've crashed a lot and broken a leg but was usually my fault and would manage it all on my own being plastered! Landed in a tree once...

shovelchop81 wrote:

londonroadhog wrote:

shovelchop81 wrote:

londonroadhog wrote:

shovelchop81 wrote:

londonroadhog wrote:

shovelchop81 wrote:Welcome LRH!!

BAMComix wrote:Good too see you getting stuck in here mate! You'll fit right in

I got this emailed to me in message form and thought "that's a bit cheeky, I've been a member since the start! Perhaps I've been on sabbatical for too long    "

Now it all makes sense! LMFAO.

Thanks ShovelChop - now that's a name I like....

Is the Hog in your username referring to H-D like mine then?

I'm afraid you've lost me there with the H-D...

The history behind Roadhog, is that I am a Brit, and used to live in the US. Of course I learnt to drive on the opposite side of the road. So, I figured I'd get a custom license plate of ROADHOG, and set up an email address of London.Roadhog to go with it... I've since moved back to the UK, but have kept the moniker and the email address.

I'm in the UK and used to live in Daytona Beach Florida for a few years lol. H-D is Harley Davidson and HOG stands for Harley Davidson Owners Group officially but has been slang for a Harley for much longer. Shovelchop is short for a Harley Davidson Shovelhead engine chopper (which is a custom built bike usually very long and low, mine's 8ft+ long).

Ah.. Gotcha!  I knew HOG was slag for Harley Davidson, but it had just slipped my mind. Unfortunately, no, I am not a Harley rider. In fact my mother caught me riding a friend's moped when I was 16, and she made me a deal... If I promised never to ride a motorbike, she'd pay for my driving lessons... I took the deal, and have never ridden a motorcycle of any form since. She was in an accident when riding a motorbike, so she didn't want the risk of something like that happening to me...  Of course, I am an only child.

I'll have to take your word on being a child lol! I started ridding motorcycles in Greece where I grew up at around 10 years old, large bikes when I was 15 I think. Sure I've crashed a lot and broken a leg but was usually my fault and would manage it all on my own being plastered! Landed in a tree once...

LOL.. I think that's exactly what my mother was trying to avoid. Of course, instead I have a desire for fast cars instead... Not that I can afford most of them.

londonroadhog wrote:

Stryker2011 wrote:Belated welcome, londonroadhog. Sounds like you've been busy with a lot of dios and photography (and I've seen how well you've picked up PS).

Thanks, Mark is it?

Yes, indeed.

Realized I never introduced myself. Can't say it's my favorite thing to do as shy, anxious person, and the pandemic making a mess of things⁠—especially for a hobby that relies heavily on small Chinese upstarts⁠—definitely didn't help. Pretty much put 1/6 anything on hold for almost a year.

Dolls and action figures were always my favorite growing up. As an adult, this culminated into my love for ball-jointed dolls, a hobby I've been involved in for 13... 14 years? I don't own many (currently six), but the few I do are very dear to me, each one heavily customized to represent original characters from my writing.

Anyway, I only recently started to take note of 1/6 action dolls again a few years ago. Seamless bodies, a much wider array of female sculpts (though there's still a lot of work to be done when it comes to ethnic diversity...), and fantastical themes after so many decades of the same ol' Allies vs. Axis military shenanigans all made for a breath of fresh air.

I don't have much, and none of it is particularly special, I suppose; two shelves worth of fullsets, unofficial kits, custom bashes that never seem finished... whatever appeals to me, or pops in my head. 1/6 does a great job filling in the few tiny gaps where BJDs tends to be more limited, while still being quite detailed, making both very enjoyable for me on multiple spectrums.

Welcome aboard, couturiervite (albeit late). I’m looking forward to seeing your custom figures based on your writing. It’s always cool to see such things.

Welcome!

Hello all! Excited to find another 1/6th-oriented board. I'm 23 years old and have been collecting since my early teen years, beginning with some 12" GI Joes from the revival era (90s-00s), although I've only recently made the dive into 1/6 modeling and kitbashing, partly for cost reasons, and partly because, as a non-crafty person with pathetically weak motor skills, the labor side (well, I call it labor anyways) of figure building intimidated me a fair bit. Military and Star Wars are my primary focuses in this scale, and I hope to share some of my work soon, after I get done marveling at everybody else's stuff!

Elvis2500 wrote:Hello all! Excited to find another 1/6th-oriented board. I'm 23 years old and have been collecting since my early teen years, beginning with some 12" GI Joes from the revival era (90s-00s), although I've only recently made the dive into 1/6 modeling and kitbashing, partly for cost reasons, and partly because, as a non-crafty person with pathetically weak motor skills. the labor side (well, I call it labor anyways) of figure building intimidated me a fair bit. Military and Star Wars are my primary focuses in this scale, and I hope to share some of my work soon, after I get done marveling at everybody else's stuff!

welcome! please do share your stuff, great to see everyones collections

Looking forward to it, Elvis. Nice to have another Star Wars guy aboard.

Welcome aboard, Elvis. Please share what and when you can. And, don’t get intimidated, or feel you have to be “as good as the best among us” — anyone who makes custom/kitbashed figures was a beginner at some point, and it takes years for many to become skilled at it. Don’t sweat the small stuff— this is supposed to be a fun hobby, though costs can make us all a bit short-tempered and resentful. Look around, enjoy what you see, and don’t be afraid to ask questions — there are many different experience levels here, and plenty of collected knowledge.

jaztermareal wrote:

Elvis2500 wrote:Hello all! Excited to find another 1/6th-oriented board. I'm 23 years old and have been collecting since my early teen years, beginning with some 12" GI Joes from the revival era (90s-00s), although I've only recently made the dive into 1/6 modeling and kitbashing, partly for cost reasons, and partly because, as a non-crafty person with pathetically weak motor skills. the labor side (well, I call it labor anyways) of figure building intimidated me a fair bit. Military and Star Wars are my primary focuses in this scale, and I hope to share some of my work soon, after I get done marveling at everybody else's stuff!

welcome! please do share your stuff, great to see everyones collections

Thanks for the welcome! As much as I enjoy making and building my own figures, seeing what everyone else puts out is what really does it for me.

GubernatorFan wrote:Looking forward to it, Elvis. Nice to have another Star Wars guy aboard.

Star Wars is definitely my main bag for collecting in general. Your Imperial Mechanical Crew figure post on OSW is actually what drove me over to this site!

Stryker2011 wrote:Welcome aboard, Elvis. Please share what and when you can. And, don’t get intimidated, or feel you have to be “as good as the best among us” — anyone who makes custom/kitbashed figures was a beginner at some point, and it takes years for many to become skilled at it. Don’t sweat the small stuff— this is supposed to be a fun hobby, though costs can make us all a bit short-tempered and resentful. Look around, enjoy what you see, and don’t be afraid to ask questions — there are many different experience levels here, and plenty of collected knowledge.

Thanks for the welcome and words of encouragement. What I enjoy most about boards such as these is the opportunities they afford for learning from other hobbyists, will definitely take advantage of that here!

Elvis2500 wrote:

GubernatorFan wrote:Looking forward to it, Elvis. Nice to have another Star Wars guy aboard.

Star Wars is definitely my main bag for collecting in general. Your Imperial Mechanical Crew figure post on OSW is actually what drove me over to this site!

Thank very much you for the kind words. You'll find more of that -- and other derivative silliness -- over here. Much of it in the Photo Stories section.