Custom Star Trek TNG Figures

[thecapn]

Ok guys, I know I've been teasing this for a while...I was hoping to get a better camera, but I'm stuck with just my iPhone for now. I took pics in natural light and artificial (so keep that in mind!).

When I saw the Dragon figures, I saw that the bodies would probably be bad, and the sculpts were awful. But I hoped the uniforms would be decent, and went ahead and ordered a set of the great Geometrics 12" model kits from the 90's. I picked up a set of Picard, Riker, Worf, Data, Geordi, and Troi, and decided to make all of them into 12" figures. Here are the results!

Captain Jean-Luc Picard

Recipe:

Body - Hot Toys TrueType Narrow (Gambit head)
Head - cut off from Geometrics model kit
Uniform, accessories - Dragon
Left "pointing" hand - Enterbay Mr. Bean

Notes: I'm not completely happy with the "pointing" hand, it's a little on the small side. I'm thinking of maybe trying to convert the model kit hand into one that will work with this body.

 

[thecapn]

Commander William T. Riker

Recipe:

Body - Hot Toys TrueType Regular (Tom Cruise head)
Head - cut off from Geometrics model kit
Neck - Bruce Wayne "Long" TrueType Neck from Hot Toys Dark Knight Batman v1
Uniform, accessories - Dragon

Notes: Probably my least favorite. The sculpt isn't great, and I could only do so much to bring out more Riker with the paint. The long neck helped with height issues, and I filled in the boots with putty to make the legs longer as well. He's still not as tall as Worf, but that's because the scale is off on the model kits...putting Riker's head on a body similar to Worf's looked laughably wrong.

 

[thecapn]

Lt. Commander Data

Recipe:

Body - Hot Toys TrueType Narrow (Gambit head)
Head - cut off from Geometrics model kit
Neck - Hot Toys TrueType Slim (Prince Edward head)
Uniform, accessories - Dragon

Notes: This was FUN to paint! I wanted to get it looking like Brent Spiner wearing Data makeup, and I think I succeeded. I mixed in either gold or silver with whites and yellows to paint him up. Unfortunately, when I applied the clearcoat it got rid of some of the sparkle. Oh well. I had to use the thinner neck adapter, since the head is a little on the small side.

 

[thecapn]

Lt. Commander Geordi LaForge

Recipe:

Body - Hot Toys TrueType Slim, Black (Terrance Howard head)
Head - cut off from Geometrics model kit
Uniform, accessories - Dragon

Notes: The Slim bond makes for a shorter Geordi, which fits. The VISOR was a pain to paint, because the clearcoat dulled the metallic to gray, so I had to repaint it. Live and learn, I suppose! I'd love to get a removable VISOR, but right now this will do.

 

[thecapn]

Counselor Troi

Recipe:

Body - Hot Toys TrueType Female, White
Head - cut off from Geometrics model kit
Uniform - Playmates
Shoes - Shoe City (Random white boots I found on Legends' website)

Notes: This was definitely the hardest one! The hair was designed to be connected to the body of the model kit, so I had to fill it in and sculpt the back behind the uniform. The body works well, but of course the Playmates uniform had to be taken in...a LOT. I repainted the shoes, and the badge came from an extra Data Dragon figure I had (I ripped his jacket...sigh!). This was my first female paint job too, so that was a little bit of a challenge.

 

[thecapn]

Lt. Worf

Recipe:

Body - DC Direct Dr. Manhattan
Head, sash - cut off from Geometrics model kit
Uniform top, boots, accessories - Dragon
Pants - DC Direct Dr. Manhattan

Notes: I stumbled across this idea by accident when I bought a cheap Dr. Manhattan off Amazon to go with my Hot Toys Comedian and custom Rorschach, and I thought it was just the right build to fit my Worf head. The uniform jacket was WAY too small, so I made some mods to the body (there are some ridiculous lower back muscles on that body that no one would actually have). The jacket, unfortunately, still wouldn't zip, so I had to glue it shut. The sash was carved - carefully! - off of the Geometrics kit. I painted up the head and Manhattan's hands, used his black suit pants, and voila! Worf. This was DEFINITELY my favorite of the bunch, I LOVE how he came out!

 

[Reinhardt]

Not too shabby! Worf looks great. Good use of the Manhattan body.

 

[dragonsleeper]

Fantastic STTNG figures...Those kits have really awesome sculpts

 

[Mooncat]

Fantastic work really like the end result

 

[chromedome]

Great work! I really liked Picard, Worf and Data. I just think Riker could gain a couple of pounds to be more screen accurate, lol.

 

[thecapn]

Great work! I really liked Picard, Worf and Data. I just think Riker could gain a couple of pounds to be more screen accurate, lol.

I didn't think about that! I'll do that when I get back

 

[Natrix]

Notes: I'm not completely happy with the "pointing" hand, it's a little on the small side. I'm thinking of maybe trying to convert the model kit hand into one that will work with this body.

The pointing hand reminds me of this SNL skit.

 

[thecapn]

The perspective's a lil bit off in that pic, but man, that skit gives me the creeps every time!

 

[joebiwan]

Really nice work! Although Dr. Beverly Crusher is conspicuously missing...
Just curious what are you doing with the Dragon heads you replaced? Any chance you will offer them for sale?
Again, nice figures !!!

 

[MANDO]

These look great! Seems the Dragon suits are actually pretty nice. I especially love the paint on Data, you really nailed his android make-up. Great choice of body on Worf as well.

As for the pointing hand on Picard, I've had luck with repositioning HT fingers by sticking pins through them. Worth a shot.

 

[abake]

DiD has sculpted hands with pointing fingers, you might wanna look those up.

 

[samueljd]

I'd recommend putting Troi on one of the new Triad Toys bodies. The proportions would look better.

 

[thecapn]

Really nice work! Although Dr. Beverly Crusher is conspicuously missing...
Just curious what are you doing with the Dragon heads you replaced? Any chance you will offer them for sale?
Again, nice figures !!!

Ugh...yeah, but I would have no idea where to begin on her. I'd need a head (Geometric never made one), plus a uniform (Playmates never made one, neither did Dragon)! And I'm no sculpter or seamstress, unfortunately!

I have 2 naked of each of the Dragons (Picard, Data, Worf). I'm willing to sell them...send me a PM with an offer

Also, thanks for the note on the pins, that's a great idea! I don't think the DiD hands play well with HT bodies, though, if I recall.

Why would the triad body look better? Thoughts? is it um...squatter? lol

 

[Hirogen]

Those look real nice! Makes me wish we could get more Trek figures. I would love a Klingon and Sisko in the Season 7 uniform.

 

[ChibiSchmoo]

Just wanted to bump this thread to thank thecapn for the inspiration and show my completed crew (so far). I just finished Riker last night so took a quick picture.

I was originally going to go the Geometrics route for the heads, even got all the models, but ended up not using them except for Geordi (so I've got them if anyone else wants to try this). I went with casts of the Playmates Insurrection figures instead. I'd always intended to use Playmates for Picard, but I decided I preferred their Riker and Data too. Geometrics made a better Worf, but it was ridiculously oversized, so I was left with no choice on that one.

Eventually, I'll try Troi and Locutus once I acquire the right parts.

Need to make them some Star Trek themed stands now...