If your gonna nit pick words and try to look for anything you can to make what I say look bad its cool.

hillsy nails it on the head again

um... are we still talking about motherfuckintoys?

Nevermind. I'm ok with being the proverbial turd in the punchbowl.

Lash quite hating on Living Dead's thumbs up, this is his moment now just let him shine for crying out loud.

Props LD, you deserve it, don't let the haters get you down.

Yes, and how motherfucking original Japanese toys are getting spraypainted by "customizers". Spraypainting a toy doesn't make one an artist. Or make the toy become art.

So toys getting painted in a factory are considered art ?

And who here uses spray paint on toys ?

Thanks for pointing out the definition of conceited and then putting it in to practice by demonstration.

Perhaps you should devote some more of your time on dictionary.com?

art·ist /ˈɑrtɪst/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[ahr-tist] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun 1. a person who produces works in any of the arts that are primarily subject to aesthetic criteria.
2. a person who practices one of the fine arts, esp. a painter or sculptor.
3. a person whose trade or profession requires a knowledge of design, drawing, painting, etc.: a commercial artist.

Doesn't say anything about the quality of the work

one can get in an argument all day as to what is considered art... someone sold a can of shit as art recently. i think it takes a good amount of skill to "customize" one of these toys and have it look cool... however, it does require a lot more planning and skill to make an cool original design on one of those DIY toys. i personally think it is cool to see customs on this board because someone thought "I really like this toy... it would be cool if they released it in this colorway", and then they do it

Nice work, Lash! Congrats!

Just stating a point of view.

The [expletive deleted]/munny blanks I suppose are more of a blank canvas than Japanese toys. Artists (meaning Biskup and others) reinvent or riff on the shape. Ears become eyes on stalks etc. The figure is abstract enough to allow reinvention/reinterpretation.

But even then, it's kinda debatable if they're really art.

A less abstract piece with clearly defined parts (eyes belt buckle etc) just seems to become a paint by number, in my view, with infinite colourways but nothing else really changing.

Fine for toys and those who collect them, but not original art in my view.

Then again, I saw an exhibit with a huge step pyramid with vinyl toys covering each step and this was considered an art piece. Endless debate.

Just curious but have you ever tried your hand at painting ??

Wow, I can't believe this is still going on - and getting more personal.
I think the debate is fine, and a good one to have. But I don't think this was the right place to start it. Lash got props from someone he admires - that's awesome!

There are going to be people that disagree with customizing. I completely understand this - especially when it comes to painting over rare figures. So all I have to say to Lash is that you, as a collector, need to understand that what you're doing is going to rub some people the wrong way. And I think you do understand this. A thumbs-up from the creator isn't going to change peoples feelings.

But to the collectors that disagree with customizing - you're not going to be able to stop it. Especially if you start making the debate personal. I would encourage the debate to start anew in its own thread. I think Lash and PK and the other customizers should be involved in the debate along with those who are opposed to customs. Maybe something good would come of it. But let Lash get his props and feel good about his achievment in the thread he started.

I did a double major in college, one of which was Studio Art.

So yes, I have been involved in painting (oils, acrylics, watercolour) not airbrush.
But my eventual focus was sculpture for which I took the sculpture prize in my senior year.