14 DAY TRIAL // Toys tend to look less and less refined the smaller they are, which can become quite troublesome for, say, Transformers action figures. The Dark Knight has been just as problematic, but GeeWhiz has the answer to the prayers of all Batman fans: 3D printing technology.
Complex toys with moving and detachable parts can't be made all in one go, and they need to accurately portray the character if you're a toy maker with high standards.
GeeWhiz is a particularly well-known maker of custom-tailored characters, and the most recent of its creations might just be the best ever.
Or the second best, according to the People’s Choice Custom Figure Contest at the One Sixth Republic x Pinoy One Sixth Kolecktores (OSR x POSK) held at the TOYCONPH 2014 in the Philippines. Still, even second place is a great honor.
The Dark Knight is made at a scale of 1/6 compared to the Batman from the Batman: Arkham video game series.
The GeeWhiz team used Maya (a 3D design software) to create the head, feet, armor and utility belt of the caped crusader, which they then printed with a high-resolution 3D printer. Once the printing was complete, they trimmed and patched the various components by hand. Also, they sanded them, for smoothness.
Once done, the parts were used as molds, for casting the actual toy parts from rubber or ABS plastic. That done, they proceeded to paint each piece with a small paintbrush, and via airbrush masking where appropriate, emulating the carbon fiber effect that the games have made so famous. Depth and sheen were added thanks to an automotive topcoat of acrylic paints.
Moreover, GeeWhiz made custom-tailored clothing, like a tight undersuit made of tulle, netting, spandex, and faux leather. And the team made sure to scrap any clothes that did not perfectly fit.
Bleau Aquino of GeeWhiz did or supervised most of these steps, like he did for many other projects in the past, which involved toy photography, custom-built figures and specially-tailored garments.
All in all, there was much trial and error to go through, since not only did the size of the parts and clothes have to be rendered in the 1/6 scale, but the material thickness had to be reduced by the same proportion as well. The result, however, was totally worth it, as you can see in the picture above. The cape looks especially realistic, insofar as a comic book character turned game star can be realistic anyhow.