Action Figure Test Shots- first photos!
about 9 years ago – Wed, Mar 15, 2017 at 09:50:29 PM

Test Shot Figures Update

Now that the tooling is finishing up for the Raptor series, the factory is now producing the first sets of functional, plastic action figures using the brand new molds. These are commonly referred to as 'first shots' or 'test shots'. Recently, I had requested a few photos of the completed test shot figures and I really like what I'm seeing so far.

The two photos above were my very first look at the Beasts of the Mesozoic Raptor series in plastic form. Since this my first time creating my own line of toys, it goes without saying that this was quite an exciting moment!

So now a test shot is being made for each figure and piece in the line and the process will take several weeks. They are scheduled to have concluded all test shots by March 24th.

Once completed, the test shots will be sent to me for approval. The purpose of these test shots are to debug articulation and construction. Once everything looks good, I'll give them the green light to send the tooling molds on to the production factory where the mass producing and figure painting can begin.

Now before anyone asks, the colors here do not represent the final product in any way. When creating test shots, they normally use whatever extra plastic they have on hand to inject the new molds with, which is why the colors are mismatched and random.

These first test shot figures will likely be requested by the production factory to produce early paint samples.

Something you may have noticed is that there are hardly any visible pins now, a change I am very happy about. Assuming the stability isn't comprised by the alteration, these will remain the way you see here.

 Some of the poses in the photos below seem to have a few mis-positioned feet and tails and in a few pics the toe claws are off, but that is subject to whomever poses the figures and does not represent the final look.

Here's an interesting pose. I think they're supposed to be fighting, but maybe they just really like each other.

 Very happy to see some shots of the Mircoraptor and Nestling figures as well. They're looking great so far!

 And then it's all brought together. Check out the modular functionality of how the bases can be fit together. Very cool for a multiple figure diorama display!

 At this point in the photos, you can also see the egg clutch and tiny hatchling.

  That's all of the photos I was sent so far and these really have me looking forward to the rest of the line. I'll be adding these to my Creative Beast Studio Facebook page soon so you all can view higher res versions.

Velociraptor osmolskae quantity update

In other BotM news, I do want to say that there are still a few red variant Velociraptor osmolskae figures left  for pre-order as well as a very small quantity left now (less than 20) of the blue version for you Kickstarter backers. If you'd like to add to your existing order, please message me.

That's all for now. Before I go though, I just want to say that there are still 47 Kickstarter backers left who need to submit their survey info (please check your spam folder if you think this may be you.) And there are also 9 people with declined credit cards. Please be sure to fix these issues as soon as possible to guarantee your order. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

As usual, be sure to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for all of the latest news and updates on this project and more. And please tell your friends about the Backerkit Preorder store if you haven't already.

Be good and until next time- take care everyone!

Velociraptor osmolskae red variant available now on BackerKit
about 9 years ago – Mon, Feb 27, 2017 at 07:46:09 PM

The Final Raptor

For those following me on social media, you may have already heard... there's one more raptor left, and he's a bit late to the party. 

Since beginning this campaign last April, there have been many welcome surprises, and this one is no exception. In an effort to utilize the remaining Kickstarter Exclusive blue Velociraptor osmolskae stock, I contacted the production factory to see if it would be possible to make a running-change to the figure run, basically trading the blue for red and changing the eye color while still using the same paint masks and patterning. Thankfully, they are willing to accommodate the change and just like that, we have one more raptor to add to the flock! Now even those who discovered this project after the Kickstarter campaign can collect each of the twelve raptor species.

Here's a look at the new prototype for the Velociraptor osmolskae red variant.

Since this is a variant, quantities are more limited than usual (less than 300 units) so I don't expect it to be available for too long. This can be ordered separately or added to your existing order.

The pre-order price is $35 (add $1 US or $3 INT for combined shipping). If you would like to add on to your existing order, please message me. Funds can be added with Paypal if preferred (a small fee may apply). I have been getting many messages about this figure already, so please allow about 24 hrs or so for me to get back to you. However in most cases it shouldn't take that long.

On a similar note, for those here with multiple orders, I can combine them for you, but this will be done by request only- it is not automatic. Also, there are still 50 unanswered surveys, so if you think you may be one of them, please check to make sure your order is completed. I can send you a link to your order if needed.

The Velociraptor osmolskae red variant is up on the BackerKit pre-order store now.

And in other news...

Post cards now shipping

Print orders have all been fulfilled and now the post cards-only orders are currently shipping. If you ordered any post cards without a print or a calendar, please be sure to check your address to make sure it's up to date. There are a lot of post card orders so I ask that you please be patient. These will be going out over the course of the next several weeks.

 And on a final note-

Figure production is going well right now as the parts continue to be tooled. This process will likely take a few more weeks due to the high parts count. Once they are completed, I will be receiving the first unpainted test shot samples from the factory which will be very exciting! I will keep you all posted on the progress, in the meantime keep an eye on my Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts for regular updates.

Until next time!

Beasts of the Mesozoic: Raptor Series is now available at Big Bad Toy Store
over 9 years ago – Tue, Jan 31, 2017 at 09:29:04 PM

I am very happy to announce that in addition to the BackerKit pre-order store, you can now pre-order the Beasts of the Mesozoic:Raptor Series figures at Big Bad Toy Store!

 

The full product listing can be found here.

I wanted to let everyone know about this because in addition to credit cards, BigBad also accepts Paypal and will not charge cards until the products are ready to ship. International shipping is also available. For those who already frequent the store, you could take advantage of their 'Pile of Loot' feature to save on shipping as well. The prices are a little bit more than on BackerKit, but I understand that it may be a more convenient option for some of you.

And a quick note on production- the factory workers are currently away for Chinese New Year, but they will return to work on Feb. 5th and tooling is expected to begin shortly there after. More updates on that as they become available.

Until then- take care everyone!

Fine Cut Review Video and Ceratopsians tease
over 9 years ago – Wed, Jan 18, 2017 at 11:50:39 PM

Hi All,

Just wanted to post a quick update. For those of you that follow me on Facebook, you may have seen this video already, but I wanted to include it in an update here for those who may have missed it.

If you caught my previous update, you not only know what a 'fine cut' is but you saw a pictorial review of the parts I received from China. In addition to the photos, I also shot a short video showing off the articulation of the figures. So if you haven't seen it already, please take a look:

I mention in the video that I plan to have the shoulder movement improved- here is an update on that:

 I was hesitant to use the disc joint on the larger raptors for fear of losing too much detail, but they maintained the detail quite well- and look at that range of motion! This method will also allow for much more dynamic poses with the smaller raptors.

The last revisions to the fine cuts are being done now at the factory and the tooling process should begin within the next few days.

Meanwhile...

Still in the planning stages for the Ceratopsian series. There are MANY species I want to try to cover. If I plan it correctly, I should be able to do most (maybe all?) of them. The line is not limited to this reference, nor will all of these necessarily be included, but these skeletal drawings are in scale and the 4" GI Joe figure there  gives you an idea of the size. Aside from the Protoceratopsids being in 1/6th scale (like the raptors), I have decided to keep the rest of the line at 1/18th scale. It'll be a big undertaking, but I'm up for it! I'm planning to begin sculpting later this month.

Other items

Shipping Now

The 'Raptors at Dawn' prints are currently shipping. I'm beginning with those that only ordered the print and will then ship the print+ postcard orders. Then next month the post card-only orders will go out. As always, if you'd like to know the status of your order, please contact me.

Combining Orders

Refund/ Recharge- Many people have been requesting to add additional items to their order. The most common way to do this is I add the items on to your order, then refund the old add-on (BackerKit) charge, and then recharge for the new updated add-on total. Since the refund for the old charge takes a few days to process, you will see a double charge on your account at first, but the initial charge will go back to your card within 2-3 business days so no need to worry.

Paypal- An alternative is to add funds via Paypal and then I use that additional credit to cover newly added items. If you can use this method I would suggest it as it seems to be a simpler process. For those unfamiliar with how to add funds to your order via Paypal, you can follow these instructions provided to me by BackerKit:

'you can use this URL (you need to be logged in to BackerKit first): https://beasts-of-the-mesozoic-raptor-series-action-figure.backerkit.com/backer/paypal_pledges

Specify the amount you want to increase your pledge payment. Once you check out from PayPal, you will be redirected to BackerKit with the new amount applied to your existing order. '

Please feel free to contact me if you need assistance.

That will do it for now. Please keep an eye on my progress at Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

And the Beast of the Mesozoic pre-order store can be found HERE.

Until next time!

BackerKit Pre-Order Store is Now Back! Here are the details.
over 9 years ago – Mon, Jan 09, 2017 at 10:42:35 PM

The Beasts of the Mesozoic: Raptor Series pre-order store is now LIVE! Click here!

You may notice that it's mostly the same as before, but with a few differences. I'll briefly run through the changes that have been made since the previous pre-order store.

What's Different?

One of the most notable differences are a few of the prices. As many of you know, the original proposed concepts for the Accessory Packs and Nestlings were much more modest than what I ended up creating. The Accessory Packs became larger and more elaborate while the Nestlings were given articulation and interchangeable parts. Thus, it's no surprise that production costs for these items were a bit higher than I'd estimated for and thus an increase in the price has unfortunately become necessary. The new prices are as follows:

Accessory Packs- $40

Nestlings- $25

If you have already ordered any of these items, you're locked in for the old prices and this will not effect your total. But from this point on, these are now the standard prices for those items. All other item pricing remains the same as before.

Printed Materials

For the sake of simplicity, I have removed the printed materials from the store this time around. The calendars are sold out, but there are still post cards and a limited number of 'Raptors at Dawn' prints available. I will be putting the post cards up on my website, creative-beast.com,  for purchase later this month. Kickstarter backers, please contact me if you'd like to add the print to your existing order.

Shipping

I have adjusted the shipping fee structure to better accommodate smaller orders as well as large ones.

US base shipping fee is now $11 (down from $15) with each item adding an additional $1 to the shipping total. If you have an existing pre-order, you may notice a credit of $4 on your BackerKit profile. This is due to the reduction in the base shipping fee on BackerKit.

Likewise, the International base shipping fee is now $22 (down from $25) with each item adding an additional $3 to the shipping total. Those with an existing international pre-order will see a $3 credit.

Adding to an Existing Order

Although your surveys have been locked, you can still add to your existing order by placing a pre-order and then contacting me, or by simply letting me know what you would like to add. By your request, I can combine the new order with your existing order to save on shipping costs and to ensure that all items ship together. But please know that this will not be done automatically- you will need to message me or email me about combining your order.

Exclusives (Kickstarter backers)

Kickstarter backers will not be able to see the Exclusive items in the store, but if you would like to add either the Velociraptor osmolskae or the signed 'Raptors at Dawn' art print by Mark Schultz, there are still more available. I can add those to your order by request, so again, please contact me if you would like to add either of these items to your existing order.

Estimated shipping date 

You will also notice that the estimated shipping date is now July 2017 instead of May 2017. Don't worry- we haven't hit any production delays so far (fingers crossed), but this was changed due to the amount of orders that will need fulfilling up to this point. If shipping begins in May as planned beginning with the Kickstarter orders, then it would likely not be any sooner than July that new orders could be fulfilled. So the shipping date is more for the new backers and not intended for those with existing orders.

Lock down?

There is no lock down date this time around. Since all of the items are completed and shown, the new pre-order store will work like a regular store. Cards will be charged within 24 hours of each order.

Also keep in mind that this time around the quantities are limited. Anything left over will be available on my website later this summer. The pre-order store will be up until fulfillment shipping begins. After that the items will be available at creative-beast.com.

As always, if you have an questions along the way, just let me know.

 

Expect some more news on production soon, but in the meantime, enjoy the store and please be sure to tell your friends!