Just a quick note to say thanks for everyone taking the time to comment. I really appreciate everyone's thoughts. The main consensus seems to be 'do whatever you like', so I shall! 😉Onwards and upwards...!

I personally like your current format and find them informative, relaxing and just cool to watch you do your thing. But at the same time it'd be nice to see what other ideas you've got. You come across as comfortable, genuine and natural on video and not just another one of those fake KZread personalities a lot of people seem to adopt. So it's be awesome to see more of you. It's great that your taking the time to ask your audience for feedback and I think that if you're asking these questions then it's clear that you've got new ideas and you're ready for your channel to grow.. Either way, I'd bet most of us will be sticking around for the ride.

@creativecomposites6193

2 жыл бұрын

Exactly, nicely said!

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks dude, that's very kind and I'm glad the videos are useful and enjoyable :) I'm thinking of doing the intros/outros to camera and leaving the main part of the video as is. But also doing a few additional videos which are direct to video on other topics in between projects. Thanks for watching! :)

Good stuff as always, Joe. I would totally enjoy sitting through a handful of classes on various subjects of sculpt and mold making. I recently employed your "injection" mold idea into a project I'm working on and, after a few trial and error attempts, created an injection mold that worked brilliantly. I was amazed by the quality of the casting without having to place the piece into the pressure pot. Alas! Keep up the great work. Cheers!

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Hey Christopher, ah that's great, I'm glad that video proved useful. I've found it a really useful technique and you're right, the quality is very surprising. I think it's because that type of mould actively forces air out of the cavities instead of relying on gravity to do the trick. Cheers!

Remember It's your channel first and foremost. Don't try to follow trends. You are unique in your own way. I like that you are trying to engage more with the community that you have developed through your excellent videos. How about a live build where people can ask questions? Had you thought about making one of your mecha's at half the scale and as a simple resin kit to sell for others to build and paint?

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks dude. Yeah those are good ideas and I've definitely been thinking about developing some kind of mech kit :) Thanks for watching!

I love the format as it focuses on the work however sometimes explaining and pointing out things in real time can also be very helpful

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, I'm hoping to get a good balance :)

@ClaysCosplays

2 жыл бұрын

@@thedarkpower will be great to see how the Chanel evolves

Love ur normal format like u said I like when makers just focus on the art instead of them but u do u man I love ur work and I'm sure I won't stop watching if I can see more of u

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Jesse I appreciate it :)

I like watching your videos because they motivate me for my own projects. Make your videos the way you see fit. I will continue to watch no matter how you set them up :)

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Philipp, I'm glad the videos help :)

I love that you share your thoughts on your projects and explain the choices you make. It is the kind of insight that makes the pieces more fulfilling to see. For me personally it helps me as an artist/creative type examine my projects with newer insights. I think your ideas for growing the channel are great. A lot of my favorite channels do feature a person discussing what they are making. Especially a lot of mini painting channels. not quite a "cult of personality" situation but people sharing their passion for painting tiny monster men.

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Scott that's good to hear. I'm definitely going to keep it down to earth, so there won't be a cult of personality going on. I do like tiny monster men though ;)

I can really relate to the "initial burst of enthusiasm", a quick glance at my work room and history is littered with part projects. Some I go back to periodically and eventually finish, others languish and eventually get disposed of. Interesting how you used youtube to combat this, I don't think I could go that route but I have 2-3 projects specifically in mind that I do need to add some kind of incentive and pressure to finish. As for the channel, I think makers often worry to much about "what the viewers want" and often at the expense of what THEY want. There's no point me telling you I'd love you to start doing X but if you don't want to it will show, it will kill the enthusiasm and the vibe. That said I don't make youtube videos so probably shouldn't be the one offering advice.

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Christopher. Yes I can relate. Even with the channel I still tend to flit back and forth between projects, but I've certainly learnt some discipline and the videos have helped. Yeah it's true, I've always made sure I do this because I enjoy it. If it becomes a chore then it's time to stop, but it is interesting to know what people think and a load of people have commented on this vid that I've not seen comment before. So it seems I have plenty of silent viewers, as it were. The main take home from everyone is 'do what you want' though, so that's cool.

Good to see ya man and best of luck with the new developments!

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Arthur, hope you're well :)

Best of luck with the skull sculpting shop, I think you're right there is a market for that kind of thing beyond the other stuff you do! Also I really like the videos you've put up so far, and I think changing it up to include more thoughts about art itself and your approach to it sounds awesome. I look forward to it all.

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Chris, I really appreciate it. I'm looking forward to doing a few vids that are a little different. Cheers!

You were one of the first channels I found when I got started and always come back to see your current creations. Absolutely love the way talk through the steps and educate. Wether that be those new to sculpting or a more experienced individual looking for a different approach. Probably one of the biggest things I’ve noticed separates you between other channels. It’s fantastic. I’ll tell you this much, if you did a Patreon page I’d gladly pay to support you as I think you’ve done through your videos to all your subscribers. Appreciate it and looking forward to your next creation 🤘🏼

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks dude I really appreciate it and I'm glad the videos are interesting. I find the details of how this stuff goes together interesting, so I'm glad you do too. Thanks, I plan to put together some vids for the patreon before launching it so there's some content. Appreciate the support! :)

@beezlebubz5428

2 жыл бұрын

@@thedarkpower Looking forward to it!

The odd tutorial would be fine by me. Materials and tools are always of interest too. Great channel that can only get better expanding your horizons. 👍

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks David! That all sounds good to me. Thanks for watching! :)

I think that whatever you do will be interesting. I for one will be watching them all, best of luck Joe!

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks very much Danny! :)

I think you have a good presence on camera and that is a gift. Do what’s good for you but I will say it does add to the video putting a face to the voice. Love your work by the way wish I was that talented and imaginative.

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks very much! Yes the main view seems to be 'do what you want', so that's cool. I'm glad you think the new approach adds something. Thanks for watching!

An enjoyable vid mate and nice to properly put a face to a voice. I do love your channel and appreciate all the efforts you go to in filming / editing your projects. Great Midnight Mass poster too.

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks dude, I appreciate it. And yep, I loved Midnight Mass :)

Just wanted to say thanks,my Pinhead got here yesterday and it is fantastic,passed your store on to some friends,think a few will order from you.

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Hey Andy, ah that's fantastic thanks for letting me know and I'm glad it got to you OK. Thanks for spreading the word! :)

All the best, cant wait to see your future vids

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks very much! :)

Great video and enjoyed watching your new ideas..been dropping in and out your channel for a while( I bought the pressure tank you have based on your review video :D)...i sell my sculptures online and have plans for different genres of sculpture for the future and it's great you are being open with your plans for the future too..cheers :)

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks! Ah that's cool, glad the vid was useful. It's a great piece of kit alright. Thanks for watching :)

Well, I think it's great to put a face to the voice... also, you look like a wizard! :D If you were to ever make a bust of a Sorayama inspired cyborg for sale, I'd be all over that. :D

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Haha thanks, I forgot to wear my hat ;) Cool, I'll take a look, not heard of Sorayama.

I regularly watch your stuff and I'm totally cool with this type of format. I'd suggest keeping the face captures short to keep people's attention, perhaps. Or have intro/outros in this manner. Either way it's a good thing for the channel because what I'm definitely certain about is that people are curious about the person behind the art, especially when a channel is growing. But do whatever is comfortable for you!

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Cheers dude. Yeah I think that was really what I was thinking - do the intros/outros to camera and leave the main part of the video as is. Thanks for watching! :)

I like your current format, and I'm sure I'd like any changes to it. The important thing is that _you_ feel comfortable, and that any changes are changes you're comfortable with! I guess everything needs to be kept fresh, so if you feel extra inspired by changes to the format, then go for it!

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Mark! Yep that seems to be the overriding view from everyone - do what feels right. I really appreciate you taking the time to comment and thanks for watching! :)

@MarkMichalowski

2 жыл бұрын

@@thedarkpower Not at all - I love your stuff and your style: thoughtful, considered, well-filmed, interesting, creative etc LOL!

I like your current format personally but it may help you grow to focus more on sculpting which is what I enjoy most myself, and having the opportunity to collect a piece from you would be great 😁👌

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks David, I'll never move away from the sculpture don't worry ;)

Much better than wondering who the Wizard of Dark is… nice.

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Haha, cheers! ;)

Great update Joe! I'm really pleased to hear you are looking at expanding the channel through various platforms. If you do start a Patreon I'd happily support it, you have a wealth of knowledge and it would be a privilege to learn from you via Patreon. Something I'm sure you've considered but I'll throw it in the ring anyway... What about making garage kits? Your sculpting is seriously incredible and I have no doubt there would be plenty hobbyists who'd like to own some of your work to build and paint themselves. You already have the casting down. What are your thoughts on this? I suppose it would be similar to your skulls but they'd come as resin model kits. Wishing you the best of success with everything and will happily spread the word and promote what you decide to do.

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Kamm! Yeah I've definitely been thinking about doing some kits. I've even been thinking about making my OMC entry for this year something I can mould and cast. Kill two birds with one stone ;) Either way it's definitely something I want to explore. It's alot of work to get something into a position where you can sell it (I've certainly found that with the skulls!). But the skulls have been abit of a learning experience, so I feel I'm in the position to have a go at it now.

The more I do my own on camera bits, the better I get at it and you will find the same. I found it very awkward at the beginning. I would much rather do everything in Voice Over, but I find that it helps to have a face to go with the content. You make fantastic content and any direction that you choose to go, I'm here for it.

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Gregg. After a couple of false starts I actually found it abit easier than I thought. I think being able to see myself in the phone screen really helped. Speaking into a mic looking at the video I'm editing seems to be a little more difficult. They do say that having a face to focus on makes it easier, so maybe that's the trick. Cheers!

Hey, there’s The Dark Power - in the flesh! There’s actually a human head attached to those talking hands, eh? Ha. Well, I completely get the note about motivation. I’m about 3 months into a complicated project right now and feel the space between each subsequent step in the process slipping a bit as my brain starts grappling with some tricky technical puzzles. Stick with it. That’s normal and a good thing. Something I’ve learned about that experience is that if the project is solid, where you’re really innovating or expanding into new territory then it will almost always inevitably land in that same sort of tough/challenging/frustrating territory. Thats where the real magic sauce happens. It’s also a sign that you should make that final push and see it through to the end. Sometimes I’ll sit things aside when it gets to that point and return after my subconscious has had some time to iron out the details and settle on a solution. For me, sometimes it’s a month and sometimes I’ll sit a project aside for several years but either way I do think there are significant rewards for pushing through to the end (or near completion) because that’s when you’re really putting your skills to the test. Anyway, I like the idea of using video to generate motivation. That kind of falls on the idea of building a creative community or a place where the exchange of ideas, feedback and input flows in multiple directions. That certainly has interesting benefits for everyone, the content creator and the audience. As my mentor says, “… if there’s something you want to do, my advice is to do it”. Simple and effective. 🤘💀👍

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Hey dude, hope you're well. Haha, yep more than a pair of hands. Yeah I know what you mean, some projects just flow and challenges that come up lead to interesting solutions. Others tend to fade away and never recover. It might say something about the strength of the idea in the first place perhaps. If I do find myself putting some to the side, it is useful to have a half completed project to pick up again. It can take a while to figure out though, so I know what you mean, it's something to do with the subconscious figuring it out. It's weird sometimes how our brains work!

I'm sure the etsy and patreon routes will help grow the channel. I particularly like the alien skull, kinda a stylized version of the alien. Is it 1/6 scale? As a predator trophy wall is something I have seen another artist start to develop with various sized jurassic looking alien skulls. You cant go wrong with skulls of any kind as it appeals to many. I liked the alien eggs you made and again think they will appeal to quite a few if they were for sale but would have to be priced accordingly depending on materials used time and paint etc. Selling key chains skulls or a channel badge, might be an idea. Small and cheaper to produce/pack, /post, spreads your name and is affordable for say a tenner posted. Putting a face to the voice helps people interact more, but is something I"m not comfortable with and takes getting used to. Sometimes growth is uncomfortable but I wish you every success as you got me started in tinkering and basic sculpting and casting and your work is always inspiring.

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Cheers dude, I didn't really measure the alien skull up when I was making it, but I think it is around 1/6 - it doesn't look out of place next to my hot toys aliens figs. All good ideas, I may have to borrow some of those ;) I didn't realise you had a channel - now subscribed :)

Love your channel and I’ve said so before. If you want to change things up then do so it’s your channel. Personally I’d have “face to camera” shots to a minimum - intro/outro/“this went wrong here” type of moments, and I know it’s more work to do but maybe keep on the same schedule of making vids but add a video to discuss peripheral issues on another day on a non routine basis when you think they would fit in? Just some thoughts I’m well up for backing a Patreon you’d create or maybe an in person workshop/masterclass if you were to do that

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Ash. Yeah I think that was really what I was thinking - do the intros/outros to camera and leave the main part of the video as is. But also do a few additional videos which are direct to video on other topics in between projects. Thanks for watching! :)

I would sign up for a Patreon version as long as it is only a couple of dollars a month.

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Mark! :)

Nice to put a face to the voice.

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks! :)

You seem very comfortable talking on camera these days, don't know how you used to be, but you seem quite fluent!

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks. I've got better at it, but alot is hidden by editing ;)

You do YOU man. However you feel like doing your videos is up to you. If it ever feels tedious or uncomfortable or like a chore or even a second job...I would have to really look at what I'm doing and consider if it is worth the time and effort I put into it. If you genuinely feel a need to make it more digestable for your fans and viewers, then do that. It's all about what YOU want though. Don't ever let someone else's needs supercede your own (unless it's your wife/husband/partner or your kids). That's just my opinion.

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks dude. Yeah I've always tried to stick to the fact that I do this because I enjoy it, not for a job. So I do feel abit conflicted given I'd like to try and do this in a more professional fashion. I think a right balance can be found though :)

Fuck yeah, do your thing, have fun. Can't wait to see what you'll do next. It's always cool to hear you, but seeing you is even better. You actually got me into building junk bots and now sculpting with plastiline. I think you could earn quite a good coin with lessons and comissions, to be honest. I know a lot of people in my school that would be interested in that. Also don't forget to take breaks, youtube can be a real meat grinder, sometimes, take care of your mental health.

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Laura! Yeah I definitely want to expand things abit. People on KZread have generally been really nice ;)

How is your Etsy store doing - if that's not a rude question!? Because obviously if that's doing well, it makes sense to at least keep it in mind when coming up with projects. Not, obviously, that this hasn't already occurred to you :)

@thedarkpower

2 жыл бұрын

No that's fine - yeah not too bad. I've had some orders, which is a good start! It's only been open a week or so, so early days. I want to strike the right balance of marketing the store but not turning the channel into a money making endeavour, if you see what I mean.

@MarkMichalowski

2 жыл бұрын

@@thedarkpower I do exactly. I guess it's one of those balancing acts that you fine-tune as you go, if you'll excuse the mixed metaphor!.