For a little bit of a departure from our normal reviews, today, Dan's ToyBox is discussing this amazing diorama commissioned from Brandon Aubert with Left Hook Custom Figures. I saw some of his work in the Dan's ToyBox Facebook group when another member posted pix. I have to admit, I was absolutely blown away by what I saw. You can check him out on Instagram at LeftHookCustomFigs.
Brandon and I started to chat, and he asked what I had in mind. I sent him a very rudimentary sketch of a rooftop corner piece, with a small gargoyle and a couple of windows.
What happened next was nothing short of awesome! Brandon was looking for a specific set of figures to trade for a dio and I had no issues at all with getting them to work the trade out. What really surprised me was how quickly he jumped on the project. Please enjoy the process laid out in pictures from beginning to end before I discuss my thoughts.
Brandon had the structure laid out in little over a weekend, which blew my mind. Within just a few days he went from the photos above to the product below.
The pictures with the Spider-Men figures are mine, taken after the diorama arrived at my home. A further surprise awaited me, when Brandon told me that the window frames could pop out so that I could add my own scenic backgrounds.
I cannot say enough about the quality of this piece. I've seen several photos of his other projects, and they are all equally amazing. If you are looking to commission a diorama, Brandon Aubert at Left Hook Custom Figures is the guy to talk with. He is reasonably priced. Yes, mine ended up being a trade, but what he told me he generally charges is very affordable. The craftmanship that went into my piece is absolutely remarkable and his eye for design is absolutely spot on. Again, I'm just floored by what now exists from such a fundamental rough sketch. What excites me most is having this as a background option for figure photography and reviews moving forward.
As if the quality of the work wasn't enough, Brandon is a genuinely nice guy to talk with. We had some fun interactions back and forth on Messenger through the process. He's an honest, straightforward guy that expects to be treated with the same degree of respect he gives you. We agreed on the terms of our transaction and agreed to send one another the shipping tracking numbers when each item was sent out. I told him that if he finished the dio before I received the order from Hasbro, he could wait until I was able to send the figures before shipping the dio. As it turned out, the HISS team arrived fairly quickly, and we were able to ship within a day of each other. Working with Brandon to get this Diorama was one of the easiest, most pleasant experiences I've had and I'm hoping that this helps get his name out and generates more followers and more orders for him.
Brandon, thank you for this amazing Diorama... it easily earns a solid:
10 out of 10 ToyBoxes
I'm having a blast posing figures with this and can't wait to share more photos! Until next time... GEEK OUT!!!