Over the years I have heard an awful lot about "Mini-Me" type figures. About a year ago, Fubar IV asked me to help him with a Mini-Me type project that he was doing for his wife's step-father. The step-father was a cop and Fubar already had a figure selected that had a similar look. He also pretty much had the uniform and the gear completed as well. What he wanted me to help him with was making a box to put the figure in. I thought it sounded like an interesting project. He provided a Joe box, which we would cover with a new "skin" and I set out trying to determine the parts I would need to create. Here is a picture of the final figure in the box.
The step-father's first name is Mac, so we decided to do a play-off of Action Man and call it an "Action Mac" figure. I asked Fubar to provide me with some pictures of the picture and he took some great action shots that we could use for the box art. He also provided an image of the Glendale Police Patch. The first thing I did was measure the box and create the shapes that I would need to cover the old box art. Once I had a template I begin to work on some ideas of what I would do with my various art pieces. I looked up Glendale, Ohio Police up on the internet and was also able to get some additional images that I would be able to use on the back of the box. By sampling color from the figure pictures and other available art, I was able to create a pallet of color that I would use on the box for backgrounds, type, etc.
This was the final art for the Box Front - Top and Box Top, Bottom and Box Bottom. The design has an Action Man feel to it with the logo and the large cut out of the figure in the lower right corner, but the addition of the figure picture on the right of the box top and bottom feels like early Dragon boxes. I really had a good time playing with the various pieces.
The back contained three pictures from the town of Glendale, including the old brick Police Station. I decided that I wanted to include that brick building in my large image of the figure. So I posterized it to achieve an artwork look. It also got a gradient fade and some other effects and the figure itself received the same treatment so that it would resemble one of the beautiful artwork type boxes that Hasbro was so good at (too bad their figures often didn't live up to the quality of the artwork).
The sides had a diecut with rounded corners that had to match up perfectly to the actual diecut of the box. This was probably the most difficult part of the project. On one side with had the "artwork" figure once again and on the other side the figure in a smaller size in three action poses, a throwback to the old Hasbro boxes of the sixties. I really liked the way this particular feature turned out. The large patch artwork in the center was to be used on the interior of the box.
Below another shot of the completed box with the figure inside.
Below another shot of the completed box with the figure inside.
The final pdfs were fairly large and had to be taken to a copy center that could do large format printing from pdfs. A semi-gloss type paper was used. The pieces were attached to the box with Spray Mount. We couldn't believe how well it fit and how much it looked like a real mass produced figure when we were done.
Here's a close up of some of the accessories inside the box. They have all been tied in place by Fubar, like the old Hasbro boxes. Check out the Cupcakes (a favorite dessert of Mac's). And you though donuts were the only thing that the boys from Glendale would eat.
It was a real fun project. I would like to try another one sometime, I really had a good time working up the art and the result was well worth it. I would like to do a figure of myself sometime, but I am pretty sure that there is not a ready made sculpt out there and I don't think I am going to be sculpting one. Anyone else out there ever do a Mini-Me or a figure of a Father, brother, etc? Love to hear about it and see a picture or two.
That's all for tonight, until next time, have a good one!
That's all for tonight, until next time, have a good one!
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