Have you ever noticed those sponsored ads that randomly pop up on your social media feeds? They just happen to be a product that was exactly of your interest and for a great price too (of course), so you just have to click on it, right? No?... Just me?
 |
| Photo of the product from Google |
Well I have, it was and yes...I did. The product was a Body Kun, articulated sketch
model...translated: a glorified, overpriced, cheaply made naked action figure.
I had seen these things on and off over the years, but never really had given it
too much thought until a few months ago. I was working on a project (another
one I can't share yet) that had a lot of humans in it. I couldn't find the poses in the povs I needed and my only available models were either
canine, feline or humans that were always too busy to pose for me.
After endless hours of less than fruitful Google searching,
I succumbed to the pressure of one of the pop-ups from "The Best Deals"
(of course it would be named that) and clicked on the ad. I almost choked on
the price, despite the "One time only, 50% off sale!!" (said in your
best, loudly exaggerated, tv-salesman voice ). But, it truly seemed to be the answer
to my situation and it came with really cool, extra miniature body parts and accessories
to draw, so I bit the bullet, ignored the soft voice in my ear whispering
"suckerrrr" and pressed "place order".
 |
| Tiny accessories - yes, that's a dime! |
Ok...so after a couple of weeks, my brain had somehow justified the
purchase of not one but two (a male and female version) and I was actually
excited by the time my shipment arrived. I set up my sketching supplies and opened
the box and there they were!! They were a lot tinier than they appeared on my screen, but no biggie.
I was going to set them up and photograph them so, I'd be able to enlarge it later.
I opened up the package with the woman first. She was in
pieces...teeny, tiny, little pieces that didn't want to go back together no
matter how many hours I tried. No problem, I'm adaptable, if anything... I would
use the guy for both, for now. Fortunately that one was intact...till I tried
to gently pose it, at which point I snapped the little dude in half. This one went
back together easier than the female, until I tried to pose him again. After a
few more times of performing micro surgery to put him back together (not to
mention that the voice in my ear was now repeatedly screaming the word sucker) , I decided to email for a full refund.
Fortunately, their customer service was pretty good and they
got back to me right away. They were also excellent salespeople too, ugh. Shortly after, I received two, free of charge, brand new, male and female action figurines in
the mail, that were actually intact...even after I touched them! I immediately
set up my photo shoots and was able to draw the poses I was after. Yay, a happy
ending...sort of.
 |
| Photo Shoot Set Up |
So, the bottom line
review on this product...
I think the initial idea was a good one, because there is a true need
for an articulated figure of this nature, but the product itself is really poor
quality! For what it's worth, I give it a 1.5 to 2 out of 5 stars for quality
and pricing, and a 4.5 for usefulness.
They are very cheaply made and questionably priced ( I've
noticed that whatever the sale, they are always the same cost in the end, hmmm...).
But, if you can get past fumbling with a
defective stand and figurine, tiny parts that you need tweezers and a magnifying glass to
see, pick up and put together, and the fact that the figurines are still a tad on the
fragile side (understatement!), they
actually are super handy for getting that exact pose, in the exact point of
view that you're looking for!
 |
| Photo Shoot |
But buyer
beware, for sure!!
Website: www.deborahcuneoillustration.com
Blog: Creating Out Loud deborahcuneo.blogspot.com
Facebook: Deborah Cuneo Illustration
Twitter: @debcuneoart
Instagram: @ataleof2studios
