This newsletter is to announce the official start of the next custom figure design contest!
This one is a bit different, as it is a "Virtual" design contest. That is, the figure customs will be drawn over the FREE downloadable Alpha Blanx templates found here...TEMPLATES
No actual physical figure custom involved!
The rules, and prizes can be seen HERE!
Professional drawing skills NOT needed! Just have fun!
Michael
This update adds some new customs to the Figures Gallery. On page four we have added a Storm Shadow from GI Joe, a Soft Master also from GI Joe by our friend Chad Lucasclones Hitchcock, Mercenary (barbarian type warrior) and Dude. This last figure, simply called "Dude" was specifically done as an example of how versatile the Alpha Blanx figure can be. The Alpha body was altered by adding material to the hips area, and removing material from the shoulder area. This gives a much more realistic human proportioned figure, allowing for a much wider range of customizing options beyond the "superhero" body type.
This newsletter will also serve to you subscribers as an early bird announcement of the next upcoming custom contest! So you all get a head start if you want to participate! The official announcement to all will be very soon. This contest will be a bit different than the usual custom action figure contest. It is going to be a "Virtual" contest, on the computer! However, the prizes will be real! Prizes will be assortments of 1/ 18th scale figures, as well as Blanx Alphas.
For this contest, you will need to go to the "Templates" page of the gonativetoys.com website, and download any one of the free images of the Alpha Blanx figure. These images can then be opened in any drawing or painting program like Photoshop, Illustrator or the like. They can also be printed out, and drawn directly over or traced over. Design your figure any way you see fit.
The contest theme is open, meaning any design at all from any category, movie, comic, tv show, or your own imagination is acceptable! When you are happy with the design, (and by the contest deadline, of course which is still to be announced) email the image back to... info@gonativetoys.com
If you printed the image out, you will need to scan it back into the computer to email it to us. Only emailed submissions accepted. Enter as often as you like! Contest entries will be posted in the Design Gallery... And winners will be announced at the end of the contest.
There will shortly be a few more Alpha images added to the Templates page as well. Feel free to alter the background in any way you like, but remember the custom will be judged on the figure design only. Your "virtual" custom will be judged based on a combination of the coolness of the concept, design, and drawing ability, NOT just the drawing ability alone. So if you're not too confident in your drawing skills, don't worry! Do your best! You have the same chance as anyone! Good luck and have a great time!
Michael
With this update, we have added several new custom figures. The gallery pages are also now numbered for easier navigating. The custom figure gallery is increasing so this was a much needed addition.
On page three of the figures gallery, there are pictures of a unique business card holder made with the Alpha figures. This is an example of how the figures can be used in unusual ways, for different purposes other than just custom toys!
On page four of the gallery are quite a few new customs, most of which were shown at the "Son of Monsterpalooza" show in Burbank, CA. There is a Zombie out for a late walk, and an Orc in the style of Warhammer or World of Warcraft. Both drastic modifications of the Alpha body. Then there are finished and differing versions of previously shown Van Helsing, and Gray Alien figures. There is also a Zombie Knight! Have a look!
We are still planning on the "Alpha Adventurer" experiment. We are still gauging interest in this project. For more info on this, see the November 8, newsletter on the "News" page.
The "Design" and "Video" galleries have far fewer images then the regular custom figure gallery. Send in your design drawings and make some videos of your Alpha customs, and send them in!
There are even more custom figures being added again soon, so there will be another newsletter shortly!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
We have added two new very cool customs to the figures gallery, both by Mike Wade. He has done two unique and interesting versions of the Borg from Star Trek. Have a look here...
We are also thinking of doing a new and ongoing project with the Alpha Blanx figure.
Alpha is an adventurer. He wants to start a very big adventure! If you have heard of Flat Stanley, it is a similar idea. I want to send an Alpha figure to a collector/customizer. This person will take a photo of him in front of their action figure collection, or custom collection, or workstation where they do their customizing, anything like that, and ALSO a pic of him in front of some local landmark, interesting setting, scenic landscape or the like. These pics will be sent to the Go Native Toys website, and then the figure would be sent in the mail on to the next recipient. The images will be posted on the site with a caption of the location, and whatever text the sender would like to provide about their customs, or collection, or methods or whatever.
The next person receiving him could be someone on a list of interested parties or some acquaintance of the person sending. As long as they would be interested in the idea and send him on to the next destination. I know we probably all know a few people who would do this. It is less than 2 dollars to send one figure anywhere in the US, and not much more to send it overseas (I'm hoping a few people would spring for that, it would provide for some great shots and stories!). I think it would be quite an interesting project.
What do you all think? Any interest in participating? Send us an email if so!
Hello All,
Today we have a couple of cool new additions to the website!
First, we have added an entirely new gallery... In the "Videos" gallery, there are short turn around videos of the Alpha figure in various poses. These show the figure from all angles, the range of motion he is capable of, and some of the many dynamic poses he can achieve. In the future there will also be turn around videos of custom figures added, as well as more videos of Alpha in other poses.
Second, in the "design" gallery, there are newly posted design drawings of a "Marvin the Martian" custom figure from the Looney Tunes cartoons! On the "Templates" page, you can download images of the Alpha figure and do your own draw overs in any digital drawing program (the Marvin the Martian was done in Photoshop), or print them out and draw over them the old fashioned way! Send in pics of the drawings you do and they will be posted on the site!
In the next update coming very soon, there will be more fantastic custom figures posted from one of our previous contest winners, Mike Wade! He's done another couple of great ones!
Hello All,
The August 2012 Alpha Blanx custom contest has drawn to a close, the winners have been chosen, and their customs have been added to the gallery on the website.
First place went to April Walker, for her Rielus, from World of Warcraft. Great character, awesome sculpting, paintwork, and fabric work. She even created a weapon and shield for him, as well as a case! Her custom is on the FRONT PAGE of the Go Native Toys website! ...
Second place was taken by Mike Wade, for his very cool Borg Drone, from Star Trek. Very nice model building over the Alpha.
Third place is Ryan Browne, for his Rayek, from Elfquest. Very creative and unusual use of the Alpha. Interesting way to use the Alpha for a differently scaled character!
AND... As a last minute added on 4th PLACE prize JUST for his entry... Luke Pleban, for his Ringwraith, from Lord of the Rings. Luke is only 10 years old and already on his way to becoming a great action figure customizer. For his efforts, his fourth place prize is a GI Joe figure, a Marvel Universe figure, and 4 Alpha Blanx, to continue to make more cool customs!
Congratulations to all our winners. We hope to see many more customs from them soon! Head over to the gallery pages and check out their AWESOME winning customs!!!
In the meantime, send your pics of Alpha customs so we can show them off on the site with these ones!
Hi All,
There are a few new pictures added to the concept art/ design gallery. A new image has been added to the Joker drawings, a couple of alien and werewolf drawings and also an Ultraman! Design Gallery link... These are all drawn over the Alpha "Template" images. The template images can be downloaded, saved onto your computer, printed and drawn over, or opened in Photoshop or other drawing programs. Send in your own designs, even if you don't make an actual custom figure of it, and they will be posted!
There are a few short turnaround videos of the Blanx Alpha figure posted on YouTube. They show him rotating in a few different poses.Have a look!....
If you haven't listened to them already, Go Native Toys and the Alpha Blanx figures are featured in a couple of recent podcasts... Have a listen! Custom Action Figure News... and Moderately Geeky...
Lastly, the Alpha Blanx custom contest has just over a month left before the submission deadline. There is still time to enter and win some action figure prizes! Click here for details... Contest Details...
Hello again everyone,
Another quick newsletter announcement close on the heels of the last one!
First, there are a couple of new custom figures posted in the gallery. There is a very cool original design Alien Soldier, and a Boba Fett!
Second, the figures that have accompanying design drawings done over the templates now have links to each other on the gallery pages. So you can go to a gallery page of one and jump directly to the other. Some of the figures with corresponding design drawings are Aquaman, Black Spy, and Superman. Have a look!
Third, Go Native Toys and the Alpha Blanx figures are featured in a recent podcast... Moderatelygeeky.com Have a listen!
And finally, the Alpha Blanx custom contest is underway. We are hoping to see many creative customs for it! Still plenty of time to enter and win some action figure prizes! Click here for details... Contest Details...
Hello All,
We have a few exciting news items to announce today!
First, we have added a new gallery feature. When you click on the "Galleries" tab, you will see a page that has "Figures" and "Designs" click on the image below "Figures" and you will be taken to the original custom figure gallery. Click on the image below "Design" and you will go to the newly added gallery showing design/ concept drawings of figures done over the Alpha "Template" images. Soon there will also be links on the pages that will take you to the completed figures that were based on the design drawings. Not all of the design drawings have had figures done of them, and that is fine! If you would like to just do design drawings and not the actual figure custom, that is great! That is what the Templates are for! Send in your images of the design drawings you do, whether you do a figure with them or not!
Next, we would like to announce that Alpha Blanx are now being carried by Big Bad Toy Store, Guru Planet, and Kokomo Toys!
And finally, we are happy to announce the very first Alpha Blanx custom action figure contest! On the website, in the upper left corner, you can click on the "Blanx Custom Figure Contest!" for the rules and pictures of prizes!
Or, you can just click here... CONTEST INFO!
This is a contest for actual customs, not drawings done over the templates. If we have enough interest, we might also have seperate contests for "virtual" customs done over the templates!
What do you all think?
Hello all,
The Go Native Toys website has been updated with a new Featured Custom (s). Have a look! These customs come from Ray in the UK. He did an unusual and very cool combination of Star Wars, and the Centurions. The Centurions are a lesser known and unfortunately underrated toy line, and cartoon from the 1980s. Really cool job Ray!
There have been another couple of customs added to the gallery as well.
On the "Templates" page, a couple of new Alpha photos have been added. These images can be used to print out, and draw over, or be saved to your computer to be drawn over with Photoshop or other drawing/painting programs. This way, you can work out designs you would like to do before getting into doing it on the actual figure. We are also considering adding a seperate custom gallery for "virtual" customs! Email your digital paintings and drawings of your Alpha customs, and maybe this can become a new website feature! This will be especially cool if you send a drawing, and then follow it up with photos of the actual custom done from the design drawing! What do you guys think? Here is an example... Attached to this email is a Photoshop drawing of Superman done over an Alpha photo. The actual custom is shown in the gallery, page 3, on the website. Some slight changes were made from the drawing stage to the physical stage, but it's fun to see the progression and evolution!
Don't you think?