Custom pop culture pieces from your favourite worlds made 3D by Fanboy Collectibles.
Stories stay with us; whether it’s a movie you enjoyed, a video game that really tested your patience, or a series that felt bittersweet to finish. The characters and their experiences come to life for us, resonating with some personal accounts we have as we join them on their journey. Like any great adventure, you can collect and keep souvenirs that will remind you of these stories and characters who made an impact on you. As pop culture enthusiasts, the team at Fanboy Collectibles could relate to wanting to have keepsakes from your favourite medium of entertainment. So, they endeavoured to locally create these mementos for the fans.
More specifically, they 3D print and hand-paint figurines of pop culture-inspired characters, from comic books and movies to video games, anime, and more. Fanboy Collectibles also does wall art, hand-illustrated or printed posters, canvas prints, wall scrolls, and wearable merch such as T-shirts. Since 2022, inspired by the skill that goes into animated art, especially, they wanted to show appreciation for this art form. “We always found animation and comic art to be an art form that many people don’t give recognition to,” they explain. Seeing the increasing interest and potential in 3D printing, they invested in a machine, essentially bringing their passion into a tangible 3D format.
The process for making these models begins with finding and buying the digital models. “We then scale or modify them with 3D slicing software where needed. Once happy, we print, prepare the models for painting, and hand-paint them.” Getting the colours, textures, and shadows as close to the original art as possible, they are constantly trying different painting techniques, which also makes them unique. Years of learning to illustrate by hand and digitally, and painting, eventually became second nature asFanboy Collectibles continued to get better with every rendition. “It is a huge compliment when people ask where we import them from; we have to correct them and tell them it was made in our home office studio!”
Seeing the interest in pop culture grow, as someone who enjoys different types of media, it’s been awesome to know we have local people who are creating these for those who enjoy it and see the positive reception from the immediate and outlying communities. “The business has grown since 2022, with repeat customers,” they say. Although it is still considered a niche interest, Fanboy Collectibles has been busy with orders, custom projects, and requests for existing pieces. “We have couriered custom orders locally in South Africa, with some pieces going to Mozambique and further overseas.”
Expanding their offering, apart from coming up with new models on a weekly basis,Fanboy Collectibles have started a model car range for car enthusiasts, which could also be a great Christmas gift. Staying local yet reaching out of KZN, they have just started a studio in Johannesburg with another artist joining the ranks, ready to grow the market for custom collectables in another province!
Looking for a miniature Ghostface, Goku, Volkswagen Beetle, or a custom piece of you and your furry family member? Proudly local, Fanboy Collectibles are crafting memories and fandoms, one hand-painted model at a time.
WORDS: CRISTINA GOVENDER
