Custom Mighty Muggs - DC Universe, Marvel, Star Wars

Custom Urban vinyl figures are designed primarily by musicians, DJs, illustrators, and graffiti artists from urban areas in Asia (especially Japan and Hong Kong), North America (especially the United States), and Europe.

An offshoot of hip hop and youth-oriented popular culture, urban vinyl often depicts real-life figures from Asian and American culture, particularly artists who perform in a hip-hop or related styles. Noteworthy examples are Lau's depiction of the LMF rappers from Hong Kong, and figures based on the members of the virtual electronic band Gorillaz, produced by Jamie Hewlett and made by Kidrobot.

A toy may be designed entirely by a single artist, including the body, clothing, accessories, and paint applications, or one artist may create a sculpt for a figure and another artist may apply paint and other finishing details. Some pieces are a collaborative effort, with as many as 12 different artists contributing to the final design.

Urban vinyl is commonly designated as either Eastern Vinyl, including anything designed and produced in Asia or Australia, or Western Vinyl, encompassing pieces which are designed and produced in North America, South America, or Europe. Urban vinyl figures have become highly collectible. Rare pieces may sell for hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

Now enter the realm of Custom Mighty Muggs, which are usually created, traded and offered by passionate fans. These works of art come in a variety of styles and are truly unique to themselves. Some of the works may not be "up to par" to many, but rest assured, there are some custom mighty muggs which are extremely well done. Every fan of Star Wars, Marvel legends and other "pop cultural groups" should pay attention to these, as you may just find a little gem to add to your collection.

Outside of collecting Mighty Muggs, Urban Vinyl Figures are so highly popular that many people are starting to get into the business of creating their own Custom Mighty Muggs and selling them on eBay. You can too and I'll show you how to get started.

REQUIRED SUPPLIES
Mighty Muggs Blank Figure
Krylon Fusion Spray Paint for Plastic (or Acrylic Paints)
Masking Tape
Sandpaper (super fine grit, 360-600 grit)
Pencil, Pen, or Sharpie-style Marker

OPTIONAL SUPPLIES
X-Acto Knife (optional)
Gesso Primer Paint (optional)
Elmer's Wood Glue (optional)
Sculpey (optional)

Step 1
Start by purchasing a blank Mighty Muggs. The standard Mighty Muggs urban vinyl figure size is 6" tall and is available in white or black.

Step 2
Take the Mighty Mugg out of its box and wash it with soap and water to remove any excess oils. While this is an optional step, many artists lightly sand the surface to assure that there are no rough spots, particularly in design areas that will be painted. Another optional step that some artists take is to apply Gesso primer paint to the doll's surface as another safety measure, and this is a step I highly recommend as well.

Step 3
Sketch the design on the Mugg with a pencil, pen, or Sharpie-style marker. I prefer mechanical pens or pencils, as it's the easiest to erase if you make a mistake.

Step 4
Prep your Mighty Mugg for painting with Masking tape. Use masking tape to prevent painting over certain parts of your character's design.

Step 5
Spray Krylon Fusion Paint for Plastic (or brush on acrylic paint) in designated areas on your Mighty Mugg. Which is better? That depends on the level of detail. In my opinion, Spray paint looks the best because it leaves a cleaner, finer, more polished look. However, it is also more difficult to control when painting heavily detailed areas whereas a brush is much more suitable. Overall though, I normally would use spray paint.

Step 6
Use an X-Acto blade if you plan on cutting into your Mighty Mugg. Obviously, this is optional, as is using Sculpey bake-on clay as an add-on element. If you plan on adding wood pieces to your Mighty Mugg, Elmer's wood glue may come in handy.

Step 7
When everything is done, you should use a clear coat fixative to prevent paint, ink, and other applied media from smearing.

Blank White Mighty Muggs - Custom
Amazon Price: $19.95

PRODUCT FEATURES
* Product Dimensions: Ht. 6 inches
* Shipping Weight: 1 pound
* Recommended Age: 5 years

Blank Black Mighty Muggs For Sale
Average Ebay Price: $14.95

PRODUCT FEATURES
* Product Dimensions: Ht. 6 inches
* Shipping Weight: 1 pound
* Recommended Age: 5 years

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