Reactor-88’s Custom Corner — Southerndrawl

Welcome to Reactor-88's Custom Corner. To kick off 2013, we're highlighting long-time customizer Southerndrawl. SD is originally from Texas (hence the name) but calls New Jersey home. He's got a non art-related day job, so to get his creative fix he toils away at his craft during the wee hours of the night. Before entering into the realm of customizing toys, SD was carving his own wooden toys and figures. One day he hopes to return to wood carving, but for now it's just about the vinyl toys.

One of my favorite things about Southerndrawl's work is his style of meshing the mechanical with the organic. He focuses on animals for his subject matter, giving them a real-world feel- they're weathered and worn as if they've really been living out in the wild for years. While the majority of SD's work revolves around this style, a few years back he totally changed things up and created a set of old-time circus characters- to this day those are still some of my favorite mini customs. In case you were wondering he does take commissions, although he tends to shy away from Mad*Ls and 3-inch Dunnys (but loves Teddy Troopers.) To see more of Southerndrawl's work, check out the pics below. If that doesn't satisfy you or you'd like to contact him for a commission, head over to the Southerndrawl blog or Flickr page.