Ultimate Commando Snake-Eyes

If you've seen my profile picture or my screen name, you know I'm a big fan of the G.I. Joe character Snake-Eyes. So as you might expect, when I do a custom piece based on him, I put even more into him than usual. This piece was inspired by the character's original "commando" look, the famous "silent" issue of the original Marvel comic series, and a more practical real world commando's gear.








I completely sculpted his mask to match his appearance in the comic and added the "patches" on the shoulders of his sweater to make it look like a real military commando sweater. I also dyed the entire figure black so there would be no "paint rub" issues on joints. (More about dying in a future post.) I painted his visor a gun metal metallic mixed with glossy black and added a very light dry brush of a medium gray to make all the sculpted details really pop.



His accessories include an Arashikage short sword for easy carrying and concealment, his signature uzi, and a bag of explosives.


Nothing more dangerous than a cornered Snake...

This Blog...

This blog is my home for what most people are now calling "customs" but I call my "Ultimate Action Figure Art."

Why?

First, I put a lot of thought into each piece trying to hone the character down to the essential ingredients that make them unique and memorable. So if I make Snake-Eyes, he's going to be the "Ultimate Snake-Eyes" that is the culmination of everything I like about the character from various media whether it be comics, package art, the vintage figure, movies, or cartoons. In this case, it also means the piece includes a second "scarred face" head.

Second, while yes, these do start out as toys, I consider each piece to be a work of art. I sculpt, dremel, glue, paint, and deco each to a degree that you will never see anywhere else. And I never make the exact same figure more than once so each one is unique. Those that own one or more of my customs know that I also "sign" each piece so they know it's authentic.

So without further adieu, here are the goals for this blog....

1) Show off my work whether it be my latest custom figure piece or tease my latest top secret project.

2) Give you some insights into my thought process behind each of my custom pieces.

3) Give customizers new and old some insights into the techniques and tricks that I use to make my custom action figures. (My years making prototypes for the big guys have taught me many things that go a long way to making a piece look "real.")

If you haven't read my bio, my name is Eric LeFeber and I am a professional toy and game designer, product development guru, and marketer. I've worked for many of the biggest toy companies in the world and have personally created and led teams to create entire lines of products, presented them to retail, and even produced the commercials. I've worked on everything from die-cast cars to consumer electronics to girls toys with web components. (Check out www.MySecretCircle.com for one of my latest products.) I've also written and illustrated comic books and children's books.

I'm currently looking for new career opportunities, so if you like what you see here, this is just a taste of what I can do. Check out my professional profile at LinkedIn.

Finally, I do take commissions from time to time so if you see something you like or have something in mind, send me an email.

I hope you enjoy!

Eric LeFeber

"The Insidious One"