Reading – Pop Sculpture

If you have ever dreamed of sculpting your own toys — whether designer toys or action figures — you can stop reading now and run out and buy a copy of Pop Sculpture: How to Create Action Figures and Collectible Statues*. It’s worth the $30 no matter if you want to get a job as a professional toy sculptor or if you want to dive into your garage and start creating resin toys. And that’s it for this reading post.

What? More?

Okay, seriously. This book is one I wish I would have owned last year when I first took a stab at creating a resin toy. There’s tons of info in here on sculpting — including suggestions and advice on wax, clay, tools, and even building your workstation — as well as advice on making molds, casting resin, painting . . . everything you need to know to get started with building your own resin toys is hiding between the covers of this 272-page book. And if you want an idea of just how the book is presented see this Flickr set where I’ve posted 39 photos of the book. It’s got step-by-step instructions to different stages of toy design and just reading the book once has already given me ideas on how to improve.

Written by Tim Bruckner, Zach Oat, and Ruben Procopio, Pop Sculpture* is presented simply and with a conversational tone that makes reading and absorbing the information easy. And there’s even a Pop Sculpture blog which does a pretty good idea of showing how the book is written.

The Book Won’t Make You a Pro

No, it won’t. There’s no magic trick to automatically becoming a successful toy artist, but this book will no doubt become required reading for anyone who wants to get into toy sculpting and design. Inside the authors design both a statue and an action figure, and we get to see the two pieces come together from sketches to finished, painted works. It’s inspirational and fun.

Closing Thoughts

I’m pressed for time today so we’re keeping this short, but that in no way means that Pop Sculpture: How to Create Action Figures and Collectible Statues* isn’t highly recommended . . . especially for any of you who have been thinking of crafting a resin toy. The hints and tips on moldmaking and resin casting (I now know why my smaller resin bits don’t always cure quickly) are invaluable and I’m extremely happy I grabbed this book when I spotted it on Sunday.

Visit the Pop Sculpture blog, take a look at all of the photos I’ve posted at Flickr, and then get out there and find yourself a copy! You’ll be happy that you did the minute you attempt sculpting a toy that can be successfully molded and as soon as you try resin casting. The advice on painting and becoming a pro are icing. (Tasty, but icing after everything else in the book.)