Looking for TINY customizable action figures

[JanetT]

I'm working on a new 1/6 scale photo-story, and assembling the cast -- but there's a particular series of props the story demands (they are important to the plot), and I'm trying to think of the best way to approach making them.

I need to create or find marionettes or poseable figures that are in-scale for a 1/6 scale puppeteer. This means poseable figures averaging between 2-3 inches in height, that can be customized to resemble specific characters. (One of the characters in the story is a maker of marionettes, and he creates a marionette to resemble every person in the story. This includes their clothing and hairstyles, at least close enough so you can tell at a glance who they're supposed to be. In the original story, they were extraordinarily good likenesses, but given the scale I'm working in, I'll settle for crude but recognizable... )

I have a feeling I'm going to end up having to make them from scratch -- I've been toying with using wooden beads strung on twine or wire, pipe cleaners, or building pieces out of sculpey or epoxy and stringing those together like beads. I've been debating whether I need to have faces on them or whether I will be better off adding facial details in photoshop (given that I have trouble doing faces even on 1/6 scale, I suspect that may be the way I have to go). I can use either saran (I have plenty) or embroidery floss for hair (I've done that before). I can glue or stitch tiny scraps of costumes together.

But I thought I'd throw this out there, because there might be some other option out there I just don't know about, that would make this easier -- I do recall sometime in the past seeing photos of very small action figures that were somewhat customizable, but I think that was on the 13dolls site that died....

These are the criteria:
-- approximately 2-3 inches in height, no more than 3 inches, given the puppeteer is only 23cm himself.
-- customizable -- so I can make them at least crudely resemble members of the cast.
-- free-standing and poseable. Mostly they appear either as strung marionettes, or as limp dolls in someone's hands, but there are two that get up and run around and have to be actual characters, at least for part of the story. So posing has to be an option. (And this may mean free-standing with hidden wires or strings supporting them, I realize...)
-- not too terribly expensive, as I need at least a dozen or two, even if most of them don't do very much but hang around like good little props usually do.

Anybody got any ideas or suggestions? Thanks for your help!

--Janet

[richila]

The only jointed figures 3inches and under are Itty Bitty Hittys-they are hand carved jointed wooden dolls that are between 2-3 inches tall.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260732675173+ They are probably pricier than you want to deal with.
This artist also makes 2 inch tall peg wooden dolls. http://www.gailwilsondesigns.com/catalog/hitty.html
Less realistic but with some joints are Legos figures-they are 2 inches tall
http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-LOOSE-Figure-Slave/dp/B001B6G2QS/ref=sr_1_5?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1304963066&sr=1-5

[DollyKim]

Cheapest way to make a hoard would be felt dolls with pipe cleaners inside for posing.

[maywong]

I was going to suggest this but it might be too big for you. I'll keep asking around for you.
http://www.fineartstore.com/Catalog/tab ... 2cUnitCost

[Wardah]

What about Mini Lalaloopsies? The legs on them flop really nice.

[Kd_Bunchanumbers]

I was just thinking of the microman figures. They're about the right size and come in a series of blank colours from black to pink to even flesh and they come with option hands, though I don't know where you'd be able to get them asides from FleeBay...

[maywong]

I was just thinking of the microman figures. They're about the right size and come in a series of blank colours from black to pink to even flesh and they come with option hands, though I don't know where you'd be able to get them asides from FleeBay...

Oooo, I forgot about the microman figures. They might work for you.

[Iwa_Hoshi]

Left to right
23cm Nekomimi is holding a Microman Chun Li who stands at 3 inches
25cm Gretel Yuri is holding a GI Joe Chun Li who's roughly the same size
25cm Gretel Kula is holding a Revultech which is slightly taller by a head
And Luka the Figma is about 4inches

[maywong]

Someone had suggested Lego mini figures.

http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_from=R40&_ ... Categories

[JanetT]

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone!

The microman figures were the ones I had remembered -- but since they are bright-colored plastic (and apparently are usually anime/game characters), that won't work -- nor will Legos (though they're so damned cute). Setting is still Renaissance Italy.

The itty-bitty Hittys are gorgeous but too expensive.

A friend pointed me to mini-artist models on Amazon.com -- they come as small as 4.5 inches. I ordered one, just to see what they look like.

I think I'm going with the felt-and-pipe cleaner route -- with some perhaps being strung beads or something. Heads are sculpey, very crude -- not sure if I will paint them, try very fine-tipped sharpies, or just add the features digitally in photoshop. Here's the first attempts:


New arrival (Pan-Lucas) examines the first not-entirely-clothed poppet....


"Wait a minute. This doesn't look a THING like me!"
It's not FINISHED yet, Bryan! (And you haven't been cast for sure, so don't annoy the director...!)

Will keep you posted. This is kinda fun, SUCH a tiny scale...! So far the prototypes are just about 3 inches or a little over.