Works from Os Gemeos on trucks in New York City.

Erick Scarecrow and ourselves teamed up to bring you a customisable SOOPA and Shiitake. A member by the name of 'Fransisco' responded with a custom called 'Hoodie'. Fransisco has been producing some really interesting customs with a heavy cartoon influence. We were able to get hold of some work in progress shots as well as a few words from the artist.

"I look to take an object in it's original form and transform it into something very different. This means I look for familiar shapes and silhouettes to work an idea around. For example, the first feature of the SOOPA that caught my eye was the slanted sides and sunken center panel, I began to see a hooded figure with super short legs. Once my eye latches on to something like that it's like a dog with a bone and I'll push the idea through as far as it will go."

The hand surrounding the baseball was improvised and probably the most tricky surface to work with. I sketched out the basic lines first, then adding in the color. Towards the end it was easy for me to keep uploading, previewing in 3D, going back to the template and refining before repeating the process until I was finally happy to submit the last draft."

- Francisco

• See the Hoodie in 3D for yourself.

Click the images below for bigger versions:

Simplicity is paramount in the early stages of a site like this and we had been debating as to whether 'Gangs' was a level of detail too far. It was argued that the gang concept only acted as a distraction from the core principle of customisation. Finally it was decided that for now, starting, joining and the gang vs. gang features would be shelved. This is not to say that the competitive element has been stripped out, far from it, custom designs are still rated and points given to those most grabbed by users and displayed in their personal collections. We will also be running some awesome competitions in the very near future with some equally awesome prizes. Watch this space.

Apologies if this has caused any gang related inconvenience ;)

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Not only does Erick Scarecrow design plush, plastic and custom toys but also runs his own company ESC-Toy LTD. Under ESC Erick Scarecrow has brought us creations including the Mousey Micci, Muraida, SOOPA Coin Up Bros., Shiitakes and many, many more. Renowned artist's have put their mark and given their particular take on his work over the years, and so with Erick's passion for customisation in mind we recently approached him to see if he'd be interested in collaborating. Safe to say he was excited to have the chance to give artists and a new audience out there the chance to try their hand at some ESC-Toy style digital DIY.

PI3D: It's been said that one of your main influences is Asian culture, what have you been inspired by most recently?

Erick: Very good question. I have to say listening to 70's music and reading UFO phenomenon have been sugaring my creativity.

PI3D: Many of your characters appear designed with a strong story behind them. Do you feel it's important you start out with a theme/story in mind or is producing a figure in the beginning just what takes your fancy at the time?

Erick: I have to admit I don't have stories at the time when I produce characters. Its actually in reverse, first I create the characters then the story grows from it. If I am required to work from an existing story I can develop the designs this way as well. I was recently asked to contribute designs for a film. I couldn't review the script due to confidentials but the basic story was expressed to me which I understood and helped me develop the designs.

PI3D: Do you find dreaming up new ideas comes naturally, or is it a lot of hard research and development?

Erick: Developing new ideas is very easy for me. I'm blessed this way but my problem is I get bored easily. Every artist has a pattern of how they create whether they know it or not. Over the years I've come to understand my creative patterns and control them so this way I don't get bored as much :)

PI3D: Do you ever feel the pressure to come up with the goods?

Erick: Sometimes I feel the pressure. I feel like my job is never done and that is always something to do. The pressure is good in many ways though. It keeps me hard at work and distracted. I play a lot of video games so if I wasn't releasing new material every month I'd be playing more and more games on a weekly basis.

PI3D: There are many custom variations by artists on your vinyl figures, do you have any favourite version out there?

Erick: This is a very hard question to answer because I'm still in awe and grateful at the fact someone took their time to customize my material. Its very inspiring because their artistic perspectives are so different. Now with the new online collab I have with Pimpit3D I am seeing more renditions from digital artists. Its very humbling because I can't wait to see what they do next.

PI3D: What's up ahead in the near future for Erick Scarecrow and ESC-TOY? (Any SDCC news?)

Erick: The future is exciting. I'm working on new releases at ESC and with other artists/companies for their own projects. Among the different groups that I'm working with is Sony. I can't give away too much right now but I'm very happy about it.

Thanks to Erick for that great insight into his world. If you think you'd like to get customising an ESC toy for yourself, and make your own mark, templates are available for download now (see the links below).

• Checkout and customise the SOOPA.
• Checkout and customise the Shiitake.
• Erick Scarecrow's Blog

Click the images below for bigger versions: Just thought I'd bring to your attention the work of Brian Castleforte. Some great inspiration for your own custom artwork. Brilliant body of paper-craft work; turning simple cut geometry into fantastically appealing eye-candy. Check him out here.

In collaboration with Dolly Oblong we are excited to announce this unique dual function creation for your customisation. Designed by Dolly O herself, Gami has a download-able template that's not only customisable for online 3D, but also ready to cut-out and buld into paper-toys. Take a look at the template here.

"Gami means paper in Japanese and also refers to spirit, by designing a skin every designer can put their own spirit onto this chap :) - Dolly O.

Pimp the Gami online to your heart's content, print out the designs you like best, build them and feel free to send us your photos.

• Dolly Oblong's blog.
• Checkout and customise the Gami on Pimp It 3D.
• Download the PSD template for the Gami now. Pimp it and print it

Click the images below for bigger versions: The U.S. Air Force is Pimp'in stuff too! They have unveiled a customised, stealth-looking Dodge Challenger Vapor and a clean white Mustang concept called the X-1. This particular mean machine featured in the photo here sports a radar absorbing matte black paint job and even requires "biometric verification to enter the cockpit via gull wing doors." More pictures and video over at carbodydesign.com.

• Ffffound via Car Body Design.

Click the images below for bigger versions: On Ebay now, if your a car collector with a spare $99,995 you could bag a unique 1998 Chevrolet Camaro LT5 concept. Love the 90's, Hotwheels paint job. be sure to checkout the rest of the photos on the auction page here.

• Click here for the auction page.

Click the images below for bigger versions: This was a 2003 Porsche Boxster S until it was pimped with a body kit to become a Carrera GT replica. Most impressive of all, it boasts the same exact dimensions as a real GT, thanks "to the 12 inch stretch performed." It's also a massive price drop on the real thing too; you can purchase this for $60,000 on ebay at the moment.

• Click here for the auction page.

This technique will be right up your alley if you are looking to inject a bit of humour into your templates. Very easliy you'll be able to achieve some surprisingly stunning results.

Claes Oldenburg sculpted everyday objects in unfamiliar materials. He took hard, rigid bodied items and transformed them into something soft and plump. Checkout this drum kit piece.

The pimped object on the right-hand side is an example of a great faked material. Get clever with your customs and transform the way the object is perceived. This particular design by Dr.Pimp especially plays on the egg silhouette and uses the suggestion of chocolate wrapped foil to contradict the original physical vinyl toy's properties. Checkout the original un-pimped object here.

The easiest and most effective method to use when faking a material is to find photos of actual surfaces (metal, wood, fabric, etc) and work those into your templates. To get you started take a look at these great free cardboard textures. You'll be able to have a ton of easy fun turning everything cardboard on Pimp It 3D.

• FREE CARDBOARD!!! (textures).

Click the images below for bigger versions: This bog standard Chrysler Prowler was pimped in 2005 and became a one-of-a-kind Limousine. It's now on Ebay currently at $33,100. Comes equipped with all the luxuries you'd expect from any limo including bar facilities and a 33,000 WATT surround sound system.

• Click here for the auction page.

Click the images below for bigger versions: The Kanye West for Louis Vuitton Footwear collection will release a new line of it's kicks June 2009 and is a collaborative effort between Kanye Tudda and Louis Vuitton designer, Fabrizio Vitti. The photos documenting the designers in action are a great insight as to how they all came together.

• Lots more pics here.
• Ffffound via Kicks On Fire.

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This GMC Ice Cream wagon has been pimped with the low-rider treatment. Las Vegas' Fat Daddy's Ice Cream gave it a creamsicle orange paint job with classic white wall tires, and four-way hydraulic control. They also serve all kinds novelty ice creams, so. excuse me Mr. Fat Daddy, pimp my ice cream!

• Ffffound via Roadside Pictures @ flickr.

Click the images below for bigger versions: If a Citroen 2CV could mate with a Ferrari F355 then this is what you'd get. The car was pimped by a group of crazy Italians who essentially lowered the body of the 2 CV over the stripped chassis of a Ferrari and stitched everything together. Checkout the widened body and air-intakes; just some of the many custom modifications put in during the 1,500 man hours of work it took to complete.

• See a video documenting the pimp'in process.