Exclu Archive | Volume 07

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EXCLU The Exclu Collective Issue 7 - November 2018 Editor / Creative Director Jack Sturman - @exclucollective Creative Team Jason Yang - @workmoreorless Spencer Witt - @swittpics Isaiah Takahashi - @blksrs Trevor Williams - onesix_shooter Tham Ying Keet - @yingkeet0675 Patrick Pchalek - @wonderbunk Shahzad Bhiwandiwala - sbphotographs1 Dan Leonard - @tinyepicphotos Mark Walker - @markwalkerphoto Matt Heywood - @heywoodpop

KEEP CONNECTED Instagram

@exclucollective Facebook

/theexclucollective Website

EXCLUCOLLECTIVE.COM The material seen here-in may not be replicated or reproduced without the express permission of Exclu Media Ltd and this includes the material presented by our featured artists. Exclu Media Ltd is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or retailers seen here-in. All rights reserved.

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EXCLU Photographic Features Tom DiGrazia - @eyeofuatu Andika Fikri - @af_toys Kyleigh Grace Parker - @captaindangerous Kenichiro - @cgerock Paul Tresadern - @red_dog_5 Zack Williams - @sna_toyz Terry Prayoga - @terry_prayoga

Columns The Squared Circle - Matt Goldberg The Black Series - Matt Soulos One6 - Alex Brooks

Special Features How To : Diorama - Jason Yang Follow My Lead - Isaiah Takashashi

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06 Tom DiGrazia @eyeofuatu

34 Kyleigh Grace Parker @captaindangerous

56 Zack Williams @sna_toyz

78 Terry Prayoga @terry_prayoga

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Andika Fikri @af_toys

42 Kenichiro @cgerock

64 Paul Tresadern @red_dog_5

86 Jason Yang @workmoreorless

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Alex Brooks @bg_toyart

50 Matt Soulos @starwarstheblackseries

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THE SQUARED CIRCLE +

Matt Goldberg @mbg1211

96 Isaiah Takahashi @blksrs

With additional supporting column material from Tham Ying Keet , Spencer Witt & Jason Yang.

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TOM UNDER THE WATCHFUL EYE OF UATU.

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COVER ARTIST

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Tom DiGrazia EXCLU @Eyeofuatu

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e’ve been keeping abreast of Tom’s work for quite some time now and coupled with the great respect that the community has for all of his work, he was the perfect choice for our cover artist.

Right / Below: Hot Toys Boba Fett (ESB Deluxe)

Tom DiGrazia @Eyeofuatu

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ome could say that I’m a little bit obsessed with the pop culture world; comics, video games, movies, anime, pretty much you name it. But if you ask me, it’s not an obsession, it’s a passion. I love the characters, the stories, the way these worlds can capture the imagination and whisk you out of this turbulent society we find ourselves in and more into a place where the fantastical is the norm. My collecting spun out from this idea as a way to bring that imaginative world into my everyday life.

The photography thing kind of just... happened.

I had always been into photography from a very young age, but I never really did anything with it outside of the occasional family gatherings and taking countless pictures of my dogs, haha. As a lot of the people that follow my EyeOfUatu account probably know (as I say it a bunch), the idea for that account was never intended to be for toy photography- it was really just a way to share pictures of things I liked, sometimes my own collection, just to start a conversation with like-minded people across the world.

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Tom DiGrazia EXCLU @Eyeofuatu

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Spread: Hot Toys Thor :Ragnarok Gladiator Hulk

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Top / Right: Marvel Knights Showdown - Hot Toys Netflix Daredevil & Hot Toys 2016 Exclusive Ghost Rider.

Tom DiGrazia EXCLU @Eyeofuatu

The toy photography aspect is something I really owe the community for. I started getting more and more positive feedback on the pictures I’d take of my collection, invitations to community events like the sessions or special Funko themed days. Eventually one thing led to another and I became immersed in another almost fantasy-like world, one full of creativity, elaborate setups in various scales and sizes full of figures made of plastic, amazing people and friendships that would connect me to people from all across the globe!

Now -a- days I use toy photography as my main creative outlet. I spend pretty much 100% of my free time either hunting through my neighborhood or the city beyond looking for little nooks and crannies that might help me tell the story with my figures I’m looking to shoot, or editing the photos on my iPad Pro, attempting to breathe life into the characters through techniques I picked up throughout the years as a graphic artist.

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THE DEVIL OF HELLS KITCHEN 13

Tom DiGrazia EXCLU @Eyeofuatu

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Spread: Sideshow Collectibles 1/6 Wolverine & Hasbro Icons Colossus.

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Tom DiGrazia EXCLU @Eyeofuatu

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My main focuses with the imagery I like to create is balanced composition, unique angle with an emphasis on light and shadow, and rich, but soft, color. If I had to guess, my method for injecting color into my work by using color overlays on the original imagery is probably what I’m most known for, and actually perhaps what I spend the most time working on. And while I’m probably most associated with shooting Hot Toys, I love all of my figures and collectibles equally and try to give them equal love with my work, from SH Figuarts to Funko pops, and Mezco One:12 to Nendoroids- if it’s a character I love, you can bet I’ll want to put it in front of my lens!

I really can’t thank Jack and the Exclu team nearly enough for this incredible opportunity. When I was contacted and asked to be in issue 7 (and given the chance to shoot the cover no less!!), this overwhelming feeling of achievement washed over me.

Joining the pantheon of greats that work here and those that have been featured here before me, truly is a milestone for me.

It’s something I was striving to achieve from the time I first started seeing the level of quality Exclu brings to this hobby. It inspires, it teaches, and it promotes our fellow artists in a way that I can only admire- it’s done from a place of such respect for the art form and with a sophistication and class in terms of its presentation, as an artist I truly can’t appreciate nearly enough. It is just an honor to be found within its pages.

A huge thank you goes out to Tom for a stellar set as part of his Cover feature here in Issue 7. You can follow Tom’s work over on his Instagram account via his handle @eyeofuatu.

Left: Android 16, Android 17, Android 18 & Cell SHFiguarts from Bandai Tamashii Nations .

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ANDIKA + + EVER-DEPENDABLE.

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Andika Fikri EXCLU @af_toys

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e’ve had the pleasure of working with Andika on several occasions throughout 2017 with his dynamic style of photography leaving us wanting more.

Andika Fikri @af_toys Top Bandai Tamashii Nations Iron Man (Iron Man 3). Right : Bandai Banpresto Grandista Naruto.

y name is Andika. 23 Years Old, currently living in Bekasi, Indonesia. I go with @af_toys on Instagram. When I was growing up, I would watch Anime shows every Sunday morning on TV, plus love to watch superhero movie on weekend. Furthermore, I’m a big fan of Digital Painting, and like to see artworks on Pinterest during my leisure time. I followed amazing toy photographers on Instagram such as @ hot.kenobi and @plasticaction, always inspired by them to shoot better. I think they both great at telling a story through photography. Also, there are lots of action figures released with a character that I like, that makes me like toy photography even more.

It’s almost 4 years since the first time I started this hobby. Before doing this, I started as an event photographer on High School and also tried to be Travel Photographers during College. But at some time, I felt bored and decided to find something new to shoot. I stumble upon a toy photograph on Instagram, after that there is this feeling that maybe I can do cool things with toys.

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Andika Fikri EXCLU @af_toys

“MAGIC.”

“MORE MAGIC.”

Spread: Bandai Tamashii Nations Avengers : Infinity War Iron Spider .

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IRON SPIDER

Later on, I bought my first action figure which is the Nendoroid Toon Link. I shot it with my phone and uploaded it on Instagram. I’ve loved it ever since. You can still see my first post on my page, it was shot in 2015.

I think you’d be surprised if you see it because the image quality is bad and I haven’t learned much about photo editing back then.

My styles of toy photography are kind of mix of different techniques. I like to add visual effects on Photoshop, and trying practical effects with firecrackers, smoke balls, air duster (still learning how to do it better). Sometimes I also do mashup of figures (switching figure part), and crossover between superhero universe. Mostly I shot 1/12 figures, but sometimes I combine it with 1/6 and other small figures. As time goes by, I started learning a lot from the toy community to improve my photography skills. My ideas mainly come from my head, artworks from internet, movie scene, and other toy photographers works. Nowadays I try to write the photo idea before the shooting process.

Surprisingly it helps me to achieve better photos. For example, before I shot all these photos for this magazine, I made a checklist of all ideas on my note.

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Andika Fikri EXCLU @af_toys

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Left: Mezco One:12 Collective Flash

Since some my followers asked me on how I did the editing on lightsabers/sparks effects, I decided to make a YouTube account “AF Toys” to share some of my photography tricks and Photoshop tutorials. On December 6, 2016, I uploaded my first video which is the Lightsaber Effect Tutorial, surprisingly it got a good feedback from my followers, afterwards I start gaining subscribers. Although I do not upload video regularly, I’m trying to create a professional video that easy to follow. I think this is another chance to improve both my photography and videography skills.

What I enjoy about doing this hobby is that, it can give me a room for experimenting with my thoughts through shooting toys, besides it gives me the opportunity to grow as a better photographer. My plan for the future is to get better at developing my photography style, and to upload more tutorial videos on my channel. I hope this community will continue to develop and become more popular. I would like to thank Jack and the entire Exclu team for this opportunity. Really grateful to be featured and I look forward to working with you guys in the future!

Be sure to catch more of Andika’s work by following him on social media via @af_toys.

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// SCALED BACK COLUMN WITH ALEX BROOKS.

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INFINITY WAR, HOT TOYS & ME.

Alex Brooks @bg_toyart Right: Hot Toys Avengers : Infinity War Thor

i! I’m Alex (aka @bg_toyart) and I’ve been an official Hot Toys photo blogger for a couple of years now.

Some of you may remember that I collaborated with Exclu way back in issue 2. Although I haven’t contributed since, I do like to keep abreast of all the great work appearing on Exclu via Instagram. Well I’ve been kindly invited back to write a column focusing on Hot Toys and I’m delighted to give you all a little insight into what I do as well as talking about some of the latest figures I’ve been working with.

#HOTTOYS

So what is a Hot Toys photo blogger? For those who don’t know, there are maybe 5 or 6 of us in the world who get our hands on the very latest Hot Toys figures before general release. The purpose of which is to take photos of the final product so Hot Toys can use these to announce the arrival of said figure and drum up some hype etc. on social media. We aren’t paid but we get to keep every figure we shoot, unless it’s a prototype. Sounds great doesn’t it? But let me tell you it is very hard work with a lot of late nights! Generally I will have maybe 5 to 10 days, if I’m lucky, to turn around 20-30 finished photographs.

My style mainly consists of compositing figures into backgrounds - so this will involve cutting out the f igure(s), creating backdrops and compositing FX in Photoshop. To give you an idea, each finished shot can take anywhere up to 4hrs so that’s roughly 60 hours (ish) for 30 pictures. Anybody thinking it’s an easy gig for free figures – think again!

I’m sometimes provided with instructions on what I can and can’t do with the figures as some Licensors are very particular about their intellectual property (even down to how they’re lit). For certain releases I have to send my RAW shots to HT for approval prior to any editing. I find that as long as the figure is well showcased you can use more artistic license on 1 or 2 of the final shots.

Alex 28 Brooks @bg_toyart

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Alex 30 Brooks @bg_toyart

So what figures have I gotten my hands on lately? Well at the time of writing I am currently working on what has to be my favourite figure of this year so far…

INFINITY WAR

THOR

What has made this even cooler is the fact I have my name as a credit on the box artwork – something I am hugely proud of (I apologise for blowing my own trumpet!). I shot the prototype of this guy a good few months back, hence the credit. But that’s not why it’s my favourite.

It’s my favourite because it’s an amazing sculpt, has two interchangeable looks (two sets of arms), two eye patches, stormbreaker and the piéce de résistance – light up chest plates and UV painted lightning effects and eyes.

The prototype didn’t have the light up feature so when I first installed the three batteries into his back and flicked the switch I couldn’t help but smile! Unfortunately he doesn’t come bundled with a UV light but if you’re getting him, please please do yourself a favour and purchase one. I bought a UV LED torch off of amazon for a tenner and the effect is unreal. With the main lights dimmed in my makeshift garage studio, seeing Thor UV lit is a sight to behold! His eyes and the plastic lightning effects illuminate brilliantly. At first I wasn’t sure if my camera would capture it but after a few tests I was very chuffed with how it looked – no Photoshop required!

I don’t display my figures so not sure how you’d display him with UV light but for photography I can see people having a lot of fun with this!

Poseability is similar to most Thor releases so if you own one already you’ll know what you’re getting, especially if you have the Ragnarok version. As with any figure with

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Alex 32 Brooks @bg_toyart

The lightning effect chest plates are very delicate but if you handle them with care they should be fine, they have little forgiving ‘flex’ if you accidentally catch them. Stormbreaker is amazingly detailed but be very careful with the single leaf attached to the handle.

I slid Thor’s hand along, during posing, and took the little blighter off! It’s a slight challenge to get Thor’s hands over the handle but if you confidently open his grip it’ll be fine.The cape isn’t poseable but if that bothers you I’m sure you could insert a wire with a bit of DIY. Lastly, the eye patches work great – they’re just magnetic. I would warn against displaying him with an eye patch as the booklet mentions the possibility of paint transfer over time.All in all, this is a definite keeper and future classic. If you don’t own a Thor and are tempted I’d say this is one to get before the scalpers take hold!

That’s it from me for now, I hope you enjoyed the insight and I look forward to catching up again soon to focus on more new releases.

“ YOU GUYS ARE SO

SCREWED

NOW!”

Alex is always active on his social media feed’s where you can catch his latest Hot Toys work so be sure to follow @bg_toyart and check back next issue for his next column.

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KYLEIGH EVERGREEN

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Kyleigh Grace Parker EXCLU @captaindangerous

PATCH

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here’s an unmistakable tone to Kyleigh’s work that always make us stop and take notice each time we scroll through our feed and we’re excited to debut a new shoot just for Issue 7.

Kyleigh Grace Parker @captaindangerous

am a photographer living in Ohio with my husband and 3 fur babies. I am 24 years old but will always remain a kid at heart. I started toy photography in 2014 but I’ve been collecting toys and action figures for over 15 years. My art has led me to work with large video game companies such as Nintendo, Square Enix, Pokémon, and more. My passion to bring toys to life and give them a voice of their own is driven by the smiles I get from people viewing my work. I strive to reach new heights and new people through my photography as I build and perfect my craft.

Left: Yotsuba Revoltech 2nd Generation Super Poseable Action Figure Yotsuba Koiwai with self made props.

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Kyleigh Grace Parker EXCLU @captaindangerous

SPRUNG

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Kyleigh Grace Parker EXCLU @captaindangerous

MIDWINTER At first, I wasn’t sure what theme to go with when I was approached for this piece. But after sitting on my front porch enjoying the cool Fall breeze the idea struck me. Seasons. Living in the Midwest, we get all kinds of weather and the seasonal changes here can be quite extreme. But I enjoy every moment of it. From the chilly rains of Spring, to the toasty afternoons of Summer, each season brings new life and beauty. Windy Fall evenings enjoying pumpkins and the changing colors on the trees, to Winter nights filled with snowfall and ice. Enjoy each passing season in nature, and in your everyday life.

Keep up-to-date on all of Kyleigh’s toy projects by following her across social media via her handle @captaindangerous.

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KENICHIRO

>> ROCK SOLID.

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Kenichiro EXCLU @cgerock

AVENGER

Kenichiro @cgerock

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e’ve been hoping to work with Kenichiro for a while now after some amazing Weekly Theme material and his E7 set completely raises his own bar.

ello everyone. My name is Kenichiro but you know me by @cgeRock over on Instagram and I reside here in Japan. I’ve liked heroes ever since I was a child and I was impressed with the potential of photography figures out in the open even now as an adult.

Once on a shoot I simply added some sand into the mix and suddenly the feeling of dynamism was born and the picture came alive so I also try to shoot outside to recapture this feeling. Sunlight, sand, fog, grass, stone, water, flames - all these effects add a feeling of dynamism to the figures I shoot and I always try to incorporate at-least one. The angle of the sun’s light changes with time and the facial expressions of the figures change as a result. I find that my best work usually happens in the lowering light of the Japanese evenings. Living here we notice 4 distinct seasons each with their own climate and I thoroughly enjoy changing up my style depending on the season around me.

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Kenichiro EXCLU @cgerock

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Left: Bandai Tamashii Nations Black Panther SHF & Hasbro Marvel Legends Erik Killmonger.

The shaping of these two figures is simply wonderful with the SHF Black Panther being the product of more advanced digital technology that has come about in recent years with a crazy amount of surface detail.

This even carries over to the Hasbro Erik Killmonger figure with the golden detailing and muscular appearance.

SINS OF THE FATHER The heads too are really well done with the Killmonger figure deriving from the 2-pack with Everett Ross that released earlier this year. For the shot I set up in a river bed and blew water about with a vaccum type pipe cleaner with the final product bringing in elemtns of the river, the rocks and the forest. Its also a pretty well matched shot capturing not only T’chala Vs Killmonger but also Bandai Vs Hasbro. and was a real joy to shoot outside in Stay up-to-date with all of Kenichiro’s work by following his Instagram portfolio via @cgerock.

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Kenichiro EXCLU @cgerock

Left to Right (Captain America): Bandai Tamashii Nations Avengers: Infinity War SHF, Civil War SHF & Meisho Manga Realization .

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Left to Right (Iron Man): Bandai Tamashii Nations Avengers: Infinity War SHF, Civil War SHF & Meisho Manga Realization .

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COLUMN

Images by Jason Yang

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SWTBS << BLACK SERIES TALK WITH MATT SOULOS.

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SWTBS PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE. irst and foremost I am a Star Wars fan boy, I have been since my earliest memories and like many of you, so much of my love for the Star Wars universe goes beyond the films and straight to the toys!

Everyday I get to live my passion for Star Wars toys, specifically the Star Wars The Black Series 6-inch line, through my Instagram account @starwarstheblackseries. This allows me to not only cover the latest news and reveals out of the Comic-Con events (most recently the New York Comic-Con) but also share some really great Toy Photography.

Those of you follow my account will already know that I focus on the positives of this line that I love, while acknowledging where problems exist. I understand that some you won’t agree, however I believe that we ‘the collector’, have never had it as good as we have it right now when it comes to The Black Series.

I have shared over 11k posts on @starwarstheblackseries and in some shape or form I been sharing my opinions on an almost daily basis for nearly 4 years. I have seen the ups, the downs

and over the last year a return to a promise that was made by then Hasbro President for Boys Marketing Derryl DePriest back in January 2013 when The Black Series 6-inch line was first announced. DePriest said “we consider them (TBS) to be the best figures that Hasbro’s ever produced for Star Wars that meets the sensibilities of romancing that character as well as the playability and poseability that fans can really appreciate.”

In fact I would say not only have The Black Series returned to their former glory, they have exceeded it. The new ‘Photo Real’ technique that was first introduced with the Rey (Journey Island) and Captain Rex figures late last year has proven what I have had been saying for a few years, the sculpt is there!

In fact it always was, however we the collectors were relying on incredibly talented people like Oldboy CTTS to make our figures look their best.

We need to also give credit to Hasbro as they have delivered this new technique without passing the cost onto the consumer. Distribution for The Black Series has always been a major issue for Hasbro, which

is somewhat baffling given they called this line at last month’s New York Comic-Con, their ‘bread and butter’. In the dark days of 2014 the entire Second (Blue) Phase of figures never made it to Australian shelves. I had to resort to eBay for the majority of my figures, after being burnt by exorbitant shipping charges from one of the bigger online retailers.

Fast forward to now, even with Toys R Us having closed, it does seem as though Hasbro have stepped up their focus on specialty online retailers, or as they referrer to them ‘fan specialty stores’. Earlier this year Admiral Piett was announced and released through said online stores, making that exclusive effectively available to the entire world.

Matt Soulos @starwarstheblackseries

#STARWARSTHEBLACKSERIES Matt 52 Solous @starwarstheblackseries

Above Left to Right: Hasbro Star Wars The Black Series Island Journey Rey , Captain Rex & General Leia with Oldboy CTTS custom head.

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Spread: Hasbro Star Wars The Black Series 4-LOM.

Matt 54 Solous @starwarstheblackseries

WONKY EYES OR

RANDOM EYEBROWS

Hasbro also discussed at SDCC in July that they are looking to address their issues with distribution, indicating that in 2019 less ‘Waves’ will be released but gone too will be the repacks. The ‘Photo Real’ development also allows collectors to more confidently pre-order and purchase figures online without fear of wonky eyes (Poe Dameron – Pilot) or random eyebrows (Jango Fett).

Leaving out characters of the Star Wars EU (now Legends), if you were to ask collectors what figures they wanted 2 years ago the top of the list would include General Grievous, Gamorrean Guard, Lando Calrissian (Bespin & Skiff Guard), Dengar, 4-LOM, Zuckuss, Qui Gon, Princess Leia (Hoth & Bespin) and Captain Rex. I know this because I have asked this question a lot and we now have those figures. We also know that before the end of the 2018 there will be more Prequel characters announced for next year, which also happens to be the 20th Anniversary of The Phantom Menace.

We are now in the period of interesting possibilities, I think both Admiral Piett and General Veers illustrate just how lucky we are as Black Series Collectors. When Hasbro announce these

more obscure releases I am no longer reading complaints from fans about where’s Dengar or Lando or General Grievous. People are either happy with the announcement or happy to move to figures they want.

It is no coincidence that with the announcement of the Dengar, 4-LOM and Zuckuss, we now have The Black Series Archive line launching in early 2019. Which again I am not cynical about, everyone will have the opportunity to own all six of the ‘Bounty Hunters’ from The Empire Strikes Back.

You can start collecting tomorrow and

by February 2019 you can own all six figures for a recommended retail price of US$19.99 each. The price of all six figures is the same as one Boba Fett, or one Bossk or one IG-88 and the secondary market.

Although I have read a lot of criticism about the Archive line I think it is a good thing. Something that brings more collectors into our community only brings strength to something we all love.

Knowing that a variant ‘Trash Compactor’ Luke Skywalker in Stormtrooper disguise is coming to The Black Series collection only reinforces for me personally, how far we have come and good we have it right now.

Matt is constantly active on his Instagram page @starwarstheblackseries featuring work from across the community so be sure to head over and keep yourself up-to-date.

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ZACK - GUESS WHOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BACK.

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Zack Williams EXCLU @sna_toyz

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ack has been featured with us across social media and our site numerous times as his work continues to grow and impress so a feature here in E7 was always just a matter of time.

photography for me, in a sense, is like living Tlemsoyanother life. It helps me escape my daily problike work and school, and Im sure many others

can relate and it may sound cliché. After the ARMY, I was pretty lost and bored, and I really didn’t have a hobby. I went out one day to Walmart and saw some Star Wars Black Series 6 Inch Shock Troopers sitting on the shelf and thought to myself,” How cool would it be to have some of these just to display.”

Zack Williams @sna_toyz Right : Hasbro Star Wars The Black Series Princess Leia (Bespin Escape).

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After a while my collection grew bigger and bigger, but it didn’t quite fill the void I was missing. A week went by, and I was scrolling through Instagram and ran across my good friend Cody Voss’s page (@twisted_toys_92) and saw him turning his collection into works of art through photography. Immediately, I contacted him and we begin chatting about different figures and how he does his pictures, I was hooked.

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Zack Williams EXCLU @sna_toyz

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SIMPLE

At the time my only means of taking a picture was through my crappy little Iphone SE, but that didn’t stop me! With each passing day I tried different techniques with what I could achieve with a phone camera, such as simple lighting, and the occasional special effects app (which I still use to this day). I have since then upgraded to a Canon Rebel T6, with a basic kit lens, a 300mm, and a 50mm.This hobby grew into something more for me, it turned into a passion, and drove away my depression. Since then I have had my ups and downs as a toy photographer, selling my collections, being without a camera, losing a grasp on reality.

what I consider to be a photographer and if I had any advice for the new guys coming onto the stage and under the spotlight, it would be to make this hobby your own. Make a name for yourself with your own style of pictures. My personal theme for this piece was “Simple”, and without setting that I would have overwhelmed myself more than what I already was.

Keeping your shots simple and clean gives your viewers a sense of curiosity, and wonder, and doesn’t overwhelm them as much with so many different things going on in one image.

Spread : Mezco One:12 Collective Michael Myers.

People wouldn’t believe it but it does happen, we get sucked in easily, not to mention I came onto the Instagram stage during a really weird time. Since my pages debut, I’ve seen myself grow from an amateur to

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Go over certain ideas with figures in your mind over a few days, and have things planned out in advance. The worst part of going into a photo shoot blind is not being able to come through with the shot. I cannot begin to explain how many times this has happened and still happens. Don’t stress yourself out if it doesn’t work, take a break and come back to it at another day or week.

Taking breaks are KEY in this hobby. Everything I use to edit my shots comes from free apps on my phone. When it comes down to it, you don’t need fancy special effects, the most expensive figure, nicest camera, or nicest computer to be a toy photographer, all you need is a little simple imagination.

Zack keep’s all of his followers up-to-date over on Instagram via his handle @sna_toyz.

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PAUL A NIGHT AT THE DRIVE IN.

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Paul Tresadern EXCLU @red_dog_5

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e’ve been able to link up with Paul a few times previously with some fantastic results coming from a themed shoot and a prize gallery too but his E7 set tops the lot.

Paul Tresadern @red_dog_5

ello my name is Paul Tresadern also known as red_dog_5 here on Instagram I emigrated from England to States in 2008. I’ve been actively involved in Toy Photography since 2015 I started out on Flickr, however I was encouraged by the Great Chevy2who ( Colin) to join Instagram in 2016 and I haven’t looked back since.

I had no idea on the size and scale and diversity of the Toy photography world I was entering. I went about my business took my photos,unaware there was a whole Community out there. I used no hashtags and didn’t really understand the whole Instagram thing. Next thing I knew I started receiving kind and encouraging comments from a few members of this community in which I’m still friends with today incidentally , they told me my work was interesting and I should keep it up, at that point that made me feel good.

I started to explore the larger accounts so I could see what kind of photography was considered the benchmark of toy photography like many others then you start to open your eyes and realize the potential and the fun you can have within this particular style of photography. As I progressed through my first months I was approached by Dan the White Boba Fett account to do a interview about my work shortly after I was mentioned in the boys with toys podcast about how I destroyed my black series Sand Troopers with fire and dirt and water they loved the fact I would go all out to get the picture at the expense of my toy they thought that was hilarious.

What was uncanny is they said: bearing in mind that they had never spoken to me. “wouldn’t it be cool if a toy company saw this guy and sent him some toys to destroy so we didn’t have to pay for him himself.”

Feature: Hasbro Star Wars The Black Series Han Solo & Qi’ra with NECA Jason Voorhees.

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STRANDED AT THE DRIVE IN

A few months later I was approached by the marketing team that work for Hasbro and asked would I be interested in creating some photographs for the San Diego Comic-Con 2017 of course I was delighted and said yes this was for the Guardians of the Galaxy movie and the figures that related to it. I had six pictures featured that year and I was proud to be alongside the likes of SGT.Bananas.

At this point I was building momentum and was getting featured on the Toy Community feature accounts, one of my favorite accounts and the one I most enjoy being featured on, is of course Star Wars the Black Series( Matt ) who runs that excellent page.

As I shoot mainly Black Series Star Wars figures itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always a joy, to be on there with other artists that create such amazing work and of course with him having a larger amount of followers you get some great exposure and it helps in building your own account.

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Paul Tresadern EXCLU @red_dog_5

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Also in the early months of the Exclu account I had a lovely feature about word of the month that was a great honor and I really enjoyed doing that exclusive content it was fun.

I’ve been steadily building a style and I am constantly learning and I am trying to always improve I am self taught and a lean on my 30 years of wedding photography experience however toy photography is its own animal and brings me some difficult challenges which I enjoy, I’m sure you’re all aware of those.

2018 was a great year for me I was featured again at San Diego Comic-Con on the Hasbro Marvel Legends Area, also had the honor of being on with the Star Wars (Han Solo figure through the years), at the Hasbro booth with some great artists who have become friends too the likes of Zay (blks)and Spencer (swittpics).

Anyway enough about me what I really like about this community is the fantastic array of artists on here and their ability to come up with countless new scenarios with all the different types of toys ,different lines & different ideas and it’s so enjoyable watching all the different accounts and how they grow. Also the information they give out to the community is full of all kinds of avenues and basically you just pick the things you like and follow as you so choose. You’re bound to find friends too once you start chatting in comments and direct messages, as we all have a common goal.

I really like that about this Instagram experience there are really good people on here and it does make you feel a lot better about yourself that your not doing something weird in the sense that we are all in this together albeit at different levels of experience and enthusiasm/passion long may it continue. Thanks for the support it means a great deal. Cheers Paul.

You can follow all of Paul’s toy projects over his Instagram page via his handle @red_dog_5.

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COLUMN

Images by Jason Yang

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[[ WRESTLING FIGURE TALK WITH MATT GOLDBERG.

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THE SQUARED CIRCLE Wrestling figures for the artists. ey guys, for those of you not familiar with me I’m a popular wrestling figure animator and photographer in the wrestling figure community for 10+ years whom has worked with the likes of WWE and Mattel to name a few. I’ve been passionate about wrestling figures majority of my life, becoming an influencer over the years and the hobby has honestly changed my life, such as allowing me to chat with you today thanks to my column here in E7.

Wrestling action figures have evolved so much over the years. As a kid I grew up with the LJN style figures with zero articulation to then the rubber Bone Crunching Action figures to the Titan Tron Live ones with the chip in their foot that played their entrance music on the Entrance Stage Playset. Now that was pretty innovative for its time as Jakks Pacific really set the bar. Then of course they kept gaining more and more articulation as they evolved over the years, like the wonderful Classic Superstars line to now Mattel’s Elite line and the way that series has evolved in itself.

poses, just to name a few. Some will even have swappable heads, either representing a different expression or a different look they had with the same outfit.

They are also using new face scanning technology to capture their likenesses as well as provide much higher attention to detail for their head scans, making the figures that much better. Nonetheless, these figures were made for the artists, such as myself. Being an official #WWEEliteSquad ambassador I’m happy Mattel has paid close attention to the community, especially us artists, and seen/ heard our desires to make these figures that much better for us moving forward. Whether you’re a photographer or animator, or both like me, these are the ultimate figures we’ve wanted since the old days. We can now capture the emotion of the wrestlers that much more with all these fantastic additions! Can’t wait to see what they have planned for the future of the line!

Well, the evolution continues now as in 2019 Mattel unveiled almost every Elite figure will have swappable hands. They could be fists or hands that represent their unique pose during their entrance, such as John Cena having open hands for his “You Can’t See Me” schtick or Shinsuke Nakamura doing his crazy hand Matthew Goldberg @mbg1211 Right: Mattel WWE Doink The Clown & Gamestop Exclusive Retrofest Macho Man.

Matt 74 Goldberg @mbg1211

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“WE CAN NOW CAPTURE THE EMOTION OF THE WRESTLERS THAT MUCH MORE..”

Matt 76 Goldberg @mbg1211

Left: WWE Mattel Elite 50 Shane McMahon. Right : WWE Mattel Gamestop Exclusive RetroFest Shawn Michaels.

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TERRY DYNAMIC MASTERY.

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Terry Prayoga EXCLU @terry_prayoga

Terry Prayoga @terry_prayoga

T

he great thing about our community is that its a constant hub of activity and you are always bound to meet new people as we have recently acquainted ourselves with Terry’s work across multiple Weekly Theme’s but his E7 set has really opened our eyes to the dynamic nature of his work.

Right: MAFEX Justice League Tactical Suit Batman.

My name is Terry Prayoga and I’m from Jakarta, Indonesia. I remember it was the beginning of 2017 when I started my journey in toy photography. I can say that my friends, Barton (@barton_ltm) and Dery (@dery. adirama), were the ones who opened the door and showed me what toy photography is like. I was in awe when I saw their works in toy photography. I mean, how on earth could those figures look so alive in pictures. I decided to try it soon after. To my surprise, I liked it a lot.

Since then, I have been experimenting with the figures I have.

I started with outdoor photography, but soon I began to invest more time in indoor shoots. With indoor photography, I can shoot day or night scenes as long as I have my diorama, figures, and equipment with me.

Up to now, diorama settings and lightings are still my number one go to in channeling my emotions through the figures I have. As for the gear, I use a Sony A6000 with its 16-50mm lens kit or 35mm Canon lens supported by simple equipment such as various colored LCDs.

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Terry Prayoga EXCLU @terry_prayoga

Spread: Hasbro Marvel Legends Deadpool.

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Terry Prayoga EXCLU @terry_prayoga

Left to Right: Bandai Tamashii Nations Avengers : Infinity War Iron Spider SHF & Revoltech Amazing Yamaguchi Venom.

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DRAMATIC VIBES Mostly I use light painting techniques as I can easily adjust the lights and directly preview it through the viewfinder. And of course, vape smoke always helps to add dramatic vibes needed. I mainly use 6-inch figures from Mafex and SHFiguarts with Batman and Spider-Man as my favorites until now. I got the lightings inspirations from Justice League movies. They have this dark yet vivid lightings signature style that I try to recreate in my shots. Posing the figures in a way that creates some kind of emotion is always my goal.

I edit the images in Snapseed or Photoshop although I do not edit that much as most of the time I only remove some stands or wires and adjust the colors.

Back when I first started, I didn’t realize that there were toy photography communities around. I thought there were only a few people doing this. I’ve met so many cool dudes and dudettes in these communities and their works always inspire me and push me to my boundaries. I don’t know what the future holds for me, but right now this is what I’m doing every day and I enjoy it. I think that’s all I can share with you right now. Godspeed!

Terry is easy to find over on Instagram thans to his namesake handle @terry_prayoga so be sure to head over and check out more of his work.

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HOW TO : ++ AN EXCLU TUTORIAL BY JASON YANG.

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HOW TO: f you’re reading this, then chances are you’re probably a toy photographer. If you’re a toy photographer, chances are that you’re familiar with dioramas and maybe even have made your own. If neither of these apply, you still might find this...well...constructive.

Jason Yang @workmoreorless

I’ve always been the crafty, creative type, so trying my hand at diorama building wasn’t as intimidating as it might be for some. Honestly though, that shouldn’t keep you from trying it out yourself. Constructing is relatively easy, inexpensive, and I personally find it to be therapeutic.

Tackling a diorama also means you can build to suit your own needs for photography and/or display. I was in need of a multipurpose wall to incorporate into my photos so I decided to go the urban route with red brick and stone masonry for my first attempt.

Taking the extra time to plan always pays off in the end!

Before you start scoring and distressing, I highly recommend sketching your design on paper to help visualize your build. You’ll want to determine your scale and ensure you purchase enough material to cover - I hate making multiple trips to the store.

Here is a short shopping list of items I’ll be using: • • • • • • •

Jason 88 Yang @workmoreorless

Foamular Insulation Board - 1 in. x 2 ft. x 2 ft.

Snap Blade knife and/or Xacto knife Mechanical Pencil Ruler Screwdriver Rock (just roll with it) Craft Acrylic paint (flat) and brushes

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GETTING STARTED. Now that you have your materials, let’s start making.

For my wall, I chose the 1:12 scale which is commonly referred to as “6-inch”. Instead of using the 2 ft. x 2 ft. foam board as is, I chose cut it in half to give me a tall and narrow wall. To stay within scale of my 1:12 figures, I chose to make my bricks .75” wide by .25” tall. Use a ruler to mark every .25” until you reach your desired height.

I made the bottom section 8” tall, leaving .75” above as a stone ledge before continuing my brick rows upward to the second floor and so on - there really aren’t any right or wrong dimensions.

Using a mechanical pencil (and exacto when needed), start scribing your lines horizontally using enough pressure to create a nice groove across the foam surface. I find that deeper grooves help later on during the painting and weathering process. Consider varying your pressure and placement of lines to create a more handmade look to your wall. After your horizontal lines are finished, finish defining your bricks with short vertical lines every .75” apart, offsetting every other row. Don’t forget to continue around to the sides of your foam board to complete the illusion of how real bricks are set on corners. This step is generally the most tedious but yields great results if you’re patient.

After your bricks are blocked in, use your small rock to press into the foam where you created your brickwork, distressing in a random fashion. The flat head of the screw driver can be used to press into individual bricks to break up the flat surface and provide some non uniformity. Distress until you achieve the desired effect. Remember that imperfection is what you should strive for to get a realistic look.

Jason 90 Yang @workmoreorless

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Jason 92 Yang @workmoreorless

PAINT & WEATHER. This stage is my favorite, as all your hard work and time investment begins to pay off. The first thing to do is cover the foam with a gray base coat. I prefer using flat matte acrylic paint and adding a clear coat later if I want a sheen or gloss surface. All the paints I picked up at Walmart for about $1 per bottle - you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to spend a lot of money to get great results!

After painting the gray base coat, I start with my darkest color and work up to my lightest. In this case I use a mixture of dark red, brown and a little black. Apply liberally, leaving some of the gray exposed in the cracks to resemble mortar. For variation, periodically add a tiny drop of gray or brown on your mixing palette and dry brush it in random sections of your brick work.

Mix a lighter brick color using red, brown as your base and add a drop of orange, gray, yellow, etc. as desired.

This application layer will be the basic color of your final wall before adding a black wash for weather. I recommend adding paint to your brush, dabbing any excess onto a paper towel and using a dry brush technique to apply the paint to the wall as you slowly build up your layers.

Finish using another dry brush application with a lighter mix of red and gray. This final color layer should be used sparingly as to not cover the previous layers completely.

The dry brushing technique will highlight the edges of bricks and provide contrast against the darker recessed sections that wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t receive this layer of paint. The last stage is to add a thinned out layer of black and brown paint to give some age and weathering to the wall. Mix the dark colors and dilute it liberally with water. Prop up the wall, apply the wash at the top, and let it drip down into all the nooks and crannies. Dab any excess wash with a dry paper towel and repeat as desired.

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PUT IT TO GOOD USE. Now that you have your own scratch built wall, you can use it for photos and display! I used mine for a few separate photo sessions and I couldn’t be more pleased with the results. As I mentioned before, there is not right or wrong way to create your own diorama props, so have fun and enjoy the process. If you end up trying it out yourself, be sure to share your results with us here at Exclu!

Resources •

Diotribe

Inspiration • • • • • • • • • • •

@reko_ch @halcion_werkz @henry715 @sagejdg @terrafoamer @tom_tastic @oilers_workshop @joshuasmith_streetartist @clo4k4ndd4gger @kadio_diorama @budfutu

Jason keeps us all up-to-date over on his Instagram via @workmoreorless and head over to Exclucollective.com for more tutorials and guides from both Jason and further members of our toy community.

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FOLLOW hen setting out to create a vehicle shot for Issue 7, Kylo Renâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s TIE Silencer immediately stuck out to me. I absolutely loved the design of this ship! The Last Jedi scene where he is tearing up the Raddus was one of my favorites! This shot was inspired by that scene and uses a screenshot from the movie as a background.

Isaiah Takahashi @blksrs Spread: Fantasy Flight Games Tie Silencer.

Isaiah Takahashi @blksrs

I used the X-Wing Miniatures Game TIE Silencer by Fantasy Flight Games for this shot. This line of ships has quickly become my favorite! They are tiny little ships, but extremely detailed and fun to shoot. Doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hurt that the game is incredibly fun to play as well!

This shot was taken using 4-5 layers of lighting composited together, then cutout to pop off the backdrop. I really hope you enjoy it, and thank you again to Exclu for the opportunity!

Isaiah has a stacked plate but he always finds the time to share more incredible new projects right here across the Exclu platform and also over on his main Instagram handle @blksrs.

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EXCLU KEEP CONNECTED Instagram

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EXCLUCOLLECTIVE.COM The material seen here-in may not be replicated or reproduced without the express permission of Exclu Media Ltd and this includes the material presented by our featured artists. Exclu Media Ltd is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or retailers seen here-in. All rights reserved.

This publication is self published by Exclu Media Ltd. and was first published in November 2018.

GET IN TOUCH We alwayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enjoy taking the time to get to know our community of passionate creatives & collectors so feel free to get in-touch either by social media direct messages or via email.

jack@exclucollective.com If you are a member of the Toy Industry and wish to advertise and promote on any instance of our platforms then email our Marketing strategist at the address below and ask for our media & services kit.

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