3D Printable Action Figures with Character Creator & ZBrush

Character Creation Character Creator Concept Art ZBrush

Esteban Cifuentes – 3D Sculptor/ Toy Entrepreneur

My name is Esteban Cifuentes, better known as Donman Art and I am a 3D sculptor with more than three years of experience specializing in action figures. Thanks to my skills in social media and marketing, I have managed to stand out globally and participate in renowned events such as San Diego Comic Con and Wonder Con. Two years ago, I established a partnership with a toy factory to create FIST, the first figures of action of Colombia. With this project, we not only seek to promote an innovative product, but also put Colombia on the map as a producer of toys and collectibles.

Currently, a significant portion of my income comes from selling 3D printing files focused on action figures. Through platforms such as Patreon, CGtrader and Cults, I have managed to generate income that far exceeds the industry average.

In addition to this, I give talks at universities and participate in international events sharing my experience and teaching how to monetize the art of 3D sculpture. My goal is to continue contributing to the growth and recognition of the design industry in Colombia and globally.

I start my workflow by gathering references from 80s and 90s movies, video games, and classic toys. After listing the character’s traits, I sculpt in ZBrush and pose with Character Creator 4, leveraging skills learned in a Master Course at Libel Academy. Using Character Creator, I saved months of work by effortlessly rigging and posing high-poly characters, transforming my ZBrush sculpts into posable, and playable 3D print toys.

“What used to take me almost a week, now I can do in a few hours. Character Creator is very effective for ‘action figures’, as it works very well for viewing certain poses. It has helped me a lot with hand poses and making some decisions regarding joints.”
Esteban Cifuentes – 3D Sculptor/ Toy Entrepreneur / Action Figure Creator

FIST - the first action figures made in Colombia — FIST – the first action figures made in Colombia

Miniature 3D printed action figures made with Character Creator — FIST – the first action figures made in Colombia

Workflow: When I started this it was initially as a hobby, so I didn’t have the best computer or the best tools, so I got used to sculpting with a mouse. And so I generated my own workflow.

Esteban Cifuentes action figures and workstation

My workflow always starts by looking for references of what I want to create, movies from the 80’s and 90’s, video games, classic toys and a lot of the history of my country. There I make a list of characteristics of the character I want to create, from physical aspects to qualities and defects.

From there I look again for some visual references, and with this I start the sculpture in ZBrush, once I have the piece in a standard pose and accessories. My great help has been Character Creator 4 (CC4), to make fluid poses that tell a story.

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A post shared by FIST Figuras de Acción hechas en Colombia 🇨🇴 (@fist.colombia)

With the help of Character Creator, I can transform ZBrush sculpts into posable ones in just a few clicks. Its ideal for character artists and 3D print designers. I can effortlessly rig and pose high poly, multi-subtool characters with precision, even at millions of polygons.

Sculpting action figures in ZBrush to later pose them with Character Creator

What used to take me almost a week, now I can do in a few hours. Then when I am clear about the pose I want, I move on to detail and add more accessories. Finally I do the printing test.

Although some believe that the Character Creator program isn’t very effective for “action figures,” it actually works very well for viewing certain poses. It has helped me a lot with hand poses and making some decisions regarding joints.

Posing ZBrush created action figures with Character Creator

Check out Esteban’s interview on Libel Academy where he shares on how he discovered Character Creator through a Master Course at Libel Academy.com, which would eventually help him produce the very first action figures made in Colombia 🇨🇴 .

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“My name is Esteban Cifuentes, the creator of the first action figures made entirely in Colombia. If you ask yourself how was the process?

Well, it all started after ending the pandemic as my passion was always about action figures and toys. So I started creating some for myself and my own collection. So how did I go from my personal use, to my own business?

Publishing on social media, I started making 3D prints that led to international contacts reaching out to me. This led to North American companies contracting me to design them action figures and a couple of other things.

And all this led to brands wanting to produce in different regions other than China. And that is how Colombia came to the point of producing its own action figures.

But that is just one part; as I needed to learn all the areas of hair sculpting, and hand sculpting, That is where Libel Academy came in and it introduced me a tool that saved my life. Which was Character Creator where I could make poses.

For something that would take me almost a month of work, now with Character Creator I could do it in just hours. And with that I could be more effective, which allowed me to charge more, to have a better life and develop my own projects.”
Esteban Cifuentes – 3D Sculptor/ Toy Entrepreneur / Action Figure Creator