[GoodGuy9]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DFender

I think the render IS the sculpt. It's the sculpt with color and printing applied.

Ok you're on to something, I think the confusion is...do they still hand-sculpt heads like in the old days? I'm visualizing them hand-sculpting the heads, scanning them, then using the render to decide on coloring.

Or it's possible, the heads get 3D sculpted entirely, in which the mold is produced from the computer render

[captain mal]

There is no hand-sculpting nowadays. Zero. Only 'clean up' of the 3D prints of the digital model. It works like this:

Lenny - He's the 'designer'. The main man in charge. He 'runs' the whole operation. Will design a sketch of the character. Probably a combination of hand-drawn and digital manipulation.

3D Sculptors - freelancers like Fred Aczon. They will be supplied the sketch and probably a PDF of reference materials for the particular character. They will create the digital sculpt of the figure. Preliminary renders will be shared with Lenny and Hasbro - and they will go back-and-forth to refine details and look, movement and construction, and overall accessories. I'd guess it's usually a 3 or 4 time process of refinement.

3D Renders - there is probably always some level of coloring attached to the renders. Grayscale renders are probably produced to be able to really see the detail the best that they can. Colors are most likely tweaked and refined many times as things move along.

3D Print is made in house at Hasbro. (Cory I believe) This print will be hand-painted. These are usually the first figures we see in livestreams.

Prototypes from factories - a hand-painted 3D print is probably shipped off to the factory - along with color specs. The factory uses this to produce the mold and create their own factory-in-house prototypes. These are shipped back to Lenny for approval.

Once approved - things get scheduled for production, packaging, shipping, etc. It's a long process.