2019 Toy Story Theme

[Braveit1]

Started making my cutouts for this years ToyStory theme. I've got them all drawn and cut but working on the painting process. Here are the completed ones.

 

[jchuchla]

Those look great. You could get a side job as an imagineer!

What do you do with those cutouts every year? Do you have a big pile of them in your shed, or do you give them away or something?

 

[Braveit1]

I really dont have room to store them in the shed so they sit outside all year and just eventually fall apart. Since I do a new theme each year I dont coat them to preserve them.

 

[jchuchla]

That's a shame. They're beautiful. There's gotta be a school or daycare or something like that near you that would love them as decorations.

 

[Dkelly0802]

I agree with Jon those look great. It’s a shame to see that talent go to waste. You should donate or sell them off at the end of the season.

 

[Braveit1]

I don't sell them because of 2 issues. Licensing of the characters is one. They aren't mass produced so it is somewhat of a grey area. They look like the real characters but I don't think any one would assume they are offical studio work but I don't want to be responsible if they do. Fan art is a thing but leagally, fan art is still a copywrite infringement. If I make it an keep it for myself it isn't an infringement.
The otherside is that it is difficult to sell the complete sets for what they cost. Most people that have made me offers usually only want to buy one or two characters and not a set. $30 for a sheet of sanded plywood, $20 for paints and brushes, and then about 3-4 hours of work per character can add up.
The first 7 years or so I made them on OSB because it was cheap. I think before the housing market boom OSB was $5 for a 4x8 sheet. Then OSB increased in price at the height of the building bubnlentonalmost $15 a sheet. I tried birch one year. It worked great for painting because it was smooth but it didnt last very long outside. After a few months in Florida the layers pulled apart. Unfinished plywood is rough to draw on and usually contains a lot of knots, but it is cheaper than finished plywood. Usually about $20 a sheet. Sometime I watch the Home Depot bins for 70% deals. If I can work in areas around the blemish it saves me some money.
At least in an enjoy them in my backyard for two or three years before they get so bad I need to dispose of them. I think the pest control company gets a kick out of them when they spray the lawn and house. Seems like they bring a 'new guy' too often.

 

[yosemite]

I used to make Christmas characters before I went Blinky-Flashy. I found that if you take a waterproof wood glue like Titebond II and run it around the edges
of the cutout they won't delaminate for 3 to 5 yrs. Then you can leave them in the front yard all year!

 

[Braveit1]

I may try that. I do have pixels in my display as well as traditional incidencent items. This year I'm attempting to convert most everything to pixels but it is getting expensive. I've also made a lot of 3d printed display objects. I like my display to be entertaining in daight as well as night. This was last year.

 

[yosemite]

The display looks great! you're way more artistic then I am!

 

[Macboy]

I don't sell them because of 2 issues. Licensing of the characters is one. They aren't mass produced so it is somewhat of a grey area. They look like the real characters but I don't think any one would assume they are offical studio work but I don't want to be responsible if they do. Fan art is a thing but leagally, fan art is still a copywrite infringement. If I make it an keep it for myself it isn't an infringement.

I wish more of the world had the same respect for copyright. Good karma to you my friend!

 

[Braveit1]

Additional characters completed.