1sixthjay
…on building custom models.
Written by Alex Bamforth
There’s a certain child-like wonder that hits when looking through the work of model builder 1sixthjay. Jay builds models of Star Wars characters and sometimes Marvel characters, often reimagining them in ways that capture the imagination of anyone who loves these franchises as he does. It’s hard to look at his models and not be enthralled, not only by the sheer amount of effort that goes into their creation, but the playful ways in which Jay brings these characters to life his own way.
When I speak with Jay about his work, he explains that he must find time for it around his full time work in the ambulance service. ‘I tend to try and make at least 2/3 days of the week for my commissions and custom work, I only tend to do around 3 hours a night though so I don’t burn myself out.’ In order to create his models he must go through his well thought out process, ‘I started into the customising world by sketching my ideas up until I found one that I thought would work. Once my idea was sketched I would research the materials needed, then sizing and 3D filing would be next. I also use this process for my time scales for my clients, so that I can correctly charge them a fair price for both them and my time.’
There is no better way to pay homage to a person’s love of something than owning a physical representation of it. Jay's work offers something wholly unique to collectors, a one-off that isn’t owned by anyone else. His models are built by a fan for other fans to, not only own, but also admire from afar. ‘I’ve always been a massive Star Wars fan but I found that the models out there were only ever ones we have seen on the big screen. Being a Star Wars fan I loved the films, games, books, everything which included a lot of the KOTOR (knights of the old republic) my favourite era. So I wanted to try making figures like Bane, Revan, etc.’ What started as a hobby for Jay has become a collectors dream.
Jay's main work is his Mythos line. Which are ‘...alternate versions of Star Wars characters, for example - Obi wan Kenobi as a Sith, Vader as a Jedi, Ashoka Tano as a Sith, Qui Gon as a Sith, Han Solo alternate Endor costume, etc.’ In order to create his models he has created a set up that suits him. ‘I now use the Elegoo Mars pro 2 printer (x2) and an Elegoo Mercury Resin Curer. I also use an airbrushing kit, Vallejo paints, and lots of different materials like cotton, wool, linen, etc. This has always been my main set up.’ It is this mixture of 3D printing, painting, airbrushing and collecting the right materials which plays into the time consuming task of meticulously building his models.
As for the future Jay says, ‘I don’t really have a plan, I’m just taking each day as it comes. I’m more of an open minded customiser and I do what I do for my community, making a little bit on the side just helps with material costs and is a nice little extra for my time.’ To take a closer look at Jay's process you can visit his Tik Tok and to keep up to date with his latest work you can follow him on Instagram and Facebook.
