If you’re looking to make a personal impact on your collection of Funko Pops, then you’ve come to the right place. With a few simple tools, you can design and create your own custom Funko Pop – one that’s limited only by your imagination!
All you need to do is dive in and find out how. You can be the creator of your very own collectible Funko Pop toy!
Introduction to Funko Pop and Its Popularity
Funko Pops are stylized vinyl figures of popular characters from TV shows, movies, comic books, cartoons, celebrities, sports teams and more that have exploded in popularity especially in recent years. As a result of their quickly exploding popularity and commercial success, it’s no surprise that many people want to know what it takes to make their own Funko Pop!
For starters, it’s important to understand the complexity involved in creating these pop culture collectibles. While they may look simple at first glance – with their distinct large-headed designs – each one is intricately crafted from start to finish by talented sculptors and artists. Several stages go into bringing these figures to life before ever being molded into those signature vinyl shapes:
- Sketching out ideas for the character’s facial features or the correct posture for them after a thorough study of various source materials and references.
- Painstakingly crafting small parts from scratch such as eyes and accessories.
- Adding depth with casting and details like textures.
- Sculpting of the actual figure.
- Painting vibrant colors on the vinyl figure by hand.
- Completing each character with a signature style called “wrap” which blends paint drawn on top with textured details built up beneath.
The creative team behind bringing each character to life certainly don’t skimp on the work they do!
What You Need to Make Your Own Funko Pop
Making your own Funko Pop is easier than you might think. With a few supplies and some creativity, you’ll be able to design and create your very own vinyl figure. To get started, here’s what you’ll need:
- Vinyl Figure Blanks: These are the plastic figures onto which you will build your own custom Funko Pop. They typically come in multiple sizes – from 2-inches to 6-inches – and in a variety of colors.
- Paint: Acrylic paints work well on vinyl figures and can help you realize the vision for your custom Funko Pop design.
- Paint brushes: A variety of brush sizes is essential when creating a detailed design on the figure’s surface. Select both thin and medium brushes for outlining details as well as larger brushes for broad strokes such as painting backgrounds or eyes.
- Other crafting supplies: Be sure to have other crafting items on hand – things like glue, craft paper, scissors, etc., make all the difference when creating custom designs on vinyl figures.
Now that you know what supplies are necessary for making your own Funko Pop toy, it’s time to start designing! Once each step is complete, from brainstorming a concept to finishing with the final details,you can display your very own collectible creation with pride!
Or, if you want to really have your own Funko pop made for you, you can visit the Funko website where you can “Pop Yourself” and choose a character, skin color, hair, hats, eye patches and moar!
Choosing Your Design
Every great Funko Pop starts with choosing an awesome design, something that you’ll love looking at and showing off. You can bring your own creativity to the table with your design ideas or take inspiration from some of the already existing Pop figures you know and love.
Since a Funko Pop is meant to be a miniature representation of people, animals, organisms, things, and/or even icons like movie characters, video game characters and more––it’s important to decide on something that works well in a three-dimensional art form and keeps the character recognizable despite its small size. What theme will your custom Funkos be? Will they look exclusively like iconic figures from Disney classics or superheroes from Marvel and DC? Are you designing special family members?
- Keep in mind that one body type works well for most pops so don’t go too overboard!
- Also make sure that your custom Funkos only include materials considered safe for use as collectible toys for children and pet households.
Preparing the Materials
If you want to make your own adorable Funko Pop figures, you’ll need the right materials. Start by gathering the necessary equipment. You’ll need plastic resin, a silicone mold, a mixing cup and stirrer, as well as paint and details for decorating. It’s also useful to have a few goggles and gloves for safety.
Once you’ve got all your items together, it’s time to prepare your work area. Cover your workspace with newspaper or polythene paper to make sure any spills don’t damage the surface of the table or floor. Make sure you have good ventilation too; it can get quite smelly when you’re working with resin! Place all of your tools within easy reach on top of the protective sheeting.
Next up is measuring out your plastic resin. Plastic resin is available in various sizes and densities depending on what kind of dolls or figurines you want to construct – larger dolls will require more material than smaller figures such as classic vinyl pop toys. Use scales or measuring cups to get an accurate measure according to how much resin is needed for your design.
Crafting Your Funko Pop
Making your own Funko Pop is simple and fun! This collectible toy is a great piece to add to your display case or carry on travels. Here are the steps to creating your custom Funko Pop:
- Pick out a figure – Start off by thinking of the character you want to bring to life with your Funko Pop. It can be anyone – from Pikachu and Wonder Woman, to Darth Vader and Harry Potter.
- Gather the supplies – You will need a semi-hard material such as Crayola Model Magic Clay, some acrylic paint in assorted colors, safety scissors, and a hobby knife for precision detailed work. Additionally, you’ll want some glue for fastening pieces together (such as UHU or Loctite Super Glue.)
- Make an initial sculp of your Pop – Using the non-toxic clay material, start adding texture around what will become the neckline if needed; this part of the figure will become molded or attached later on with glue for deeper detail into its design when fabricating it in plastic form later down the line when melted in heated containers at specific temperatures depending on softer/harder types of plastics used.
- Add features – Carefully add eyes and any other facial details (brows, smiles etc.), nose and collars if wanted using your colour paints like marker pens/acrylics ( use newspaper/ scrap paper as well as q-tips to help brush on details thinly while carefully wiping away any edges).
- Finally finish off your piece with small arms, legs etc then allow it enough time (longer drying times are preferable) before trying out any gluing procedures that have been suggested in Step #3 above based on type of plastics used during modeling process such as ABS plastic “Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene” on most 3D printed pops due its strength properties & comparative price in comparison other types materials available online (polylactic acid/ PLA).
Finishing Touches
Once you have created the basic shape of your Funko Pop, it’s time to add some finishing touches. You can give your Funko Pop character individualized details such as facial expressions and accessories using a variety of materials and methods.
To add facial features to your figure, use a craft knife or sharp scissors to create basic openings for eyes and a mouth. You can then fill the openings with miniature plastic beads, buttons, or even coated chocolates to create eyes and teeth. For more detailed facial features, use modeling clay that is close in shade to the color of your figure’s head-piece. To add a unique hairstyle, attach strands of mohair or other fine yarns over the clay before baking it in an oven at 275 degrees Farenheit for fifteen minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on it during baking time to avoid over-browning.
You can also use modeling clay for fashion accents such as hats, bags and other accessories suitable for your Funko Pop character’s personality. Or you may opt for more sophisticated details such as vibrant clothing made from fabric pieces cut from scraps of cloth glued on with fabric glue or E-6000 adhesive once the figure is completed wrapped in a sealant like Mod Podge. Decorative jewelry like jewelry findings can be added using strong glue for embellishment but be careful not to break delicate parts when handling the thoughtful design when finished product has been created!
Showcasing Your Creation
Sharing your work with the world round is one of the most satisfying feelings for a creative individual. When it comes to your custom Funko Pop, showcasing your own creation can lead to exciting opportunities and experiences you never thought were possible.
You have a range of options once you’ve made your own Pop. You can show off your design online through websites or social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter and Flickr. If you’ve made a particularly unique design, why not enter it into an art contest? You might even be able to win some money with enough creativity and skill!
Speaking of money, did you know that if your work is good enough it’s possible for other people to purchase it? Creating custom items can be a profitable venture depending on the quality of what you make, so it’s worth considering for those looking for an alternate source of income or even as a creative hobby!
Showing off your custom Funko Pops also serves as great advertising for yourself as an artist. Many people will appreciate any recognition received and whether or not you gain monetary compensation from what you make is secondary in comparison. After all, many artistic endeavors begin out of love rather than financial reasons; if it works out the way wanted then bonus! Being able to create something that stands out amongst the crowd is testament enough that in-depth learning pays off in the long run.
Final Thoughts on Making Your Own Funko Pop
Making your own Funko Pop is a fun and creative way to get involved in the world of collecting. It can be an exciting hobby that allows you to express your own unique style or simply add an extra level of customization to an existing collection.
Whether you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind piece or something to give as a gift, the possibilities are endless when it comes to designing and creating your very own Funko Pop. Regardless of what type of figure you choose, remember to plan ahead and take your time in the development process so the final product is something that speaks directly to you.
Whenever possible, look for reputable suppliers that offer quality materials at reasonable prices so you can keep costs down while ensuring the best overall look of your Funko Pop character. Finally, don’t be afraid to experiment – let your imagination run wild! You never know what amazing combination might come out when merging different colors or features together. So go ahead and give it a try – all it takes is some creativity and patience, and soon enough you could find yourself creating some seriously awesome customized collectible Funko pop toys!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How can I make my own Funko Pop toy?
A: Making your own Funko Pop is a fun and creative way to show off your favorite characters or designs. You can use a variety of materials such as clay, paper mache, and even 3D printing to create your own collectible Funko Pop toy.
Q: How do I design a Funko Pop?
A: Designing your own Funko Pop is easy and fun. Start by finding a character or design that you want to make and then create a model of it using the materials of your choice. Once the model is complete, you can add details and paint it to make your own unique Funko Pop.
Q: What materials can I use to make my own Funko Pop?
A: You can use a variety of materials to make your own Funko Pop. Popular materials include clay, paper mache, 3D printing, and even fabric. Each material has its own unique benefits, so choose the one that works best for your design.