I'm wondering how everyone sets up their displays. Do you display your collection by year released, line, year + line, faction, character, another way or some combination of ways?
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I'm wondering how everyone sets up their displays. Do you display your collection by year released, line, year + line, faction, character, another way or some combination of ways?
I tend to display mine according to the line/universe they are from, for eg:
- TFPrime
- Generations/Classics
- Masterpiece
- IDW
- WfC/FoC
- TF Movie
- RotF
- DotM
- AoE
- 3rd party - wherever they fit best amongst the other lines.
Click on the link in my signature. :)
I only collect Optimus so be default I display "by character" but my 8 year old son displays his Transformers by "faction" then by character. So the Autobots display together, normally with all the Optimus' from all lines in one area, Bumblebee's in another. The Dinobots have their own "area" with Grimlocks taking prominence. The Decepticons have their own area below the Autobots and then stuff he doesn't quite think fits either due to size or individuality - eg Predaking he displays separately on top of one of his display cabinets. He's only 8 but he's quite particular about where his figures are placed and takes great pride in his display.
I display my TFs as lines on my shelf, which usually take up one shelf, but for my bigger lines (ie movies) I have a seperate Autobot and Decepticon one.
For me it's by faction, as I really only collect classics-verse releases, plus thise I can shoehorn in as pseudo-classics. I do have small sections for WFC/FOC and Movie releases, but my table top is classics only
I have the better known characters displayed together if I have at least a dozen of that particular bot. So I have 26 Grimlocks, 20 Soundwaves, countless Screamers, Bbees, Megs and Optimus''. In fact if I can recall the characters I have displayed with their Multiverse counterparts are:
Optimus/Orion
Megatron/Galvatron
Starscream
Bumblebee/Goldbug
Ultra Magnus
Hot Rod/imus
Grimlock
Soundwave/Soundblaster
Shockwave
Prowl
Jazz
Sideswipe
Jetfire
Then I have mulitiverse subgroups together:
Constructicins
Stunticons
Combaticons
Soundwaves minions
Seekers
Dinobots
After that I have the rest of them sorted by toy genre (G1, Unicron Wars, movies etc)
I guess I can count it as other, but mine are by Universe. Classicsverse (mainly) includes the bulk of my figures. I put the IDW/FOC figures that aren't in my classics already to the side with each other. For example, I have FOC Starscream and IDW Thundercracker next to Generations Rattrap and Waspinator.
Mostly by line, except where I dont.
Tetris style. Getting boxes to line up on a shelf with minimal empty spaces takes some effort.
I display mine mostly by line. I try to limit my collecting to a number of distinct collections which is how they're displayed; Masterpiece (which are also separated by faction), CHUG (by faction for '84/85 represented characters then a shelf of 86 characters), G1, WSTs, Legend Class representations of G1 characters, Movieverse Legends (includes Legends and Cyberverse), Kreons and Robot Heroes are each displayed by faction.
I then have a collection of matching line and size class Optimuses and Starscreams so guess they're displayed by character.
I used to display MOSC generations in one single line but the addition of Asia GDOs gave me a headache with Voyagers and Leaders so I just have to line up all deluxes from Generations WFC Optimus to the GDO Wheelie and continued with the FOC deluxes to IDW up to wave 2 Thundercracker (i stopped there because I started the MPs)
Now came the MPs and I just arranged all cars by numbers separating the those redecos with letters after the numbers..other big boxes, well stack em for now :)
By line, but I'd consider things like the various Classics lines as one, and then by allegiance, 'bots to one side, 'cons to the other.
I voted by line, but really by faction, and then basically whatever I feel like. Lines like Animated and AEC, where I don't really have enough toys to make a full shelf, tend to get put with the CHUG figures, making the longest and most ridiculous acronym ever. Similarly, all movie figures get grouped together.
If anything, I differentiate more by scale than by line. I know that sounds nuts for a TF collector given how loose TF scale is, but I tend to assume robot mode scale, at least, is consistent (apart from outliers such as Metroplex) and represents the actual relative size of the bot. Thus, Masterpiece and Alternators group together pretty well, as do most mainlines and CHUG. Then you have Cyberverse/pre-2012 Legends class figures who are the smallest. Modern Legends get put with their line because they are more like basics than Legends class toys.
Primarily by line, but there's been blurred lines in my collection plus Ive got some displays that are of just one character and also some figures that I "reassigned"to another line (Chugur) because I think they fit in there better than what they were released from originally (Bayverse). So, I voted Combination.
I have two shelves. One for the autobots and one for the decepticons.
I only collect the Generations/Classics/Universe G1 Cartoon deluxe figures.
The autobots are led by G1 Optimus Prime though. Decepticons now have the new CW Megatron who towers above the rest! G1 reissue soundwave does sit with this bunch and g1 Sixshot.
I do have the 2Oth annivesary prime who stands alone as he is massive, i will probably put the combiner wars guys next to him.
As for the rest of my g1 original toys, they are still packed up in a couple of boxes :P
I display by colour.
I only have a small collection (almost entirely movieverse) of around 60 bots. They're on three shelves on which I've tried to place them in sweeping colour changes from one side to the other. I position them based on their major colour and minor highlights so as to try to get an overall cohesive look. That's the idea anyway.
The purpose behind my method is to try and make the display overall the least aesthetically un-pleasing as possible. The thing about Transformers is that they're frankly an eyesore to the non-fan when they're on the shelf. They're such a jumble of different sizes and shapes so it's not easy to get them to not look like an awful jumbled mess. Colour seemed really the only possible organising principle for a visually appealing display.
If they're not going to be something my girfriend wants to look at, I can at least limit how much of an eyesore they are in our home.
http://i.imgur.com/56ljHaJ.jpg
That's cool. I've wondered for a while what a collection sorted by colour would look like, and I like it. It works well. :cool:
Thanks mate! I've always wondered if anyone else does it! haha :pQuote:
Originally Posted by Paulbot
I've not encountered any case of a collector organising by colour. It seems like the natural inclination of the TF fan is begin to organise by faction until you have too many and then you start grouping them by line or character or whatever. It seems like the aesthetic value of the collection overall is always well behind classification considerations (which obviously makes perfect sense as a collector).
Ever considered arranging the colours in the order of the visible light spectrum? :p :p </cheek>
That's definitely something for you to try Gok. I don't think I really have enough to cover the full spectrum. I'm sure you could do it though! All it would take is maybe a month of full-time rearranging. :p
My way is: Whichever figures I'm interested in looking at & playing with right now are on my desk and nearby shelves. Everything else is in a couple of plastic tubs. :)
I've reorganised my collection a little, now it's as follows:
Top shelf is my neo-G1(ish) collection - mostly Classics-verse mix of Hasbro & Takara - whichever deco I think is superior, with a few others mixed in, a couple of movie, TAV, and the occasional 3P that I feel fits in - i.e. Movie Lockdown as IDW Lockdown, TAV Roadblock as his mould fits in.
Below I've got a cube for Classics-verse "extras" - characters that are duplicated/replaced by those on the top shelf - i.e. Henkei Skyfire (replaced by Gen. Jetfire) and Gen. Kup (replaced by Hasbro Asia Excl. Kup)
Next cube along I've set aside for "other" continuities - This is where I'm going to stash my neo-Armada (Armada Megs/Starscream) and the neo-G2 collection I'm trying to build - trying to collect as many classics-verse G2 characters as possible
Third is my Prime/Movie-verse characters - put these together as they take up about the right amount of space to fill the cube.
Final cube is my WFC/FOC collection - mostly Takara versions, as my Hasbro versions have been put away to make room for the neo-G2 group.
Next to this shelving unit, I've got a table for my "Big Guys" - Metroplex, Green Giant, the three CW combiners so far, Hexatron and CW Prime/Cyclonus as I've got no where else for them atm.
By lines, or things that kinda belong together. With the exception of CHUG, that's broken up into 1984-85 for Autobots, then 86 plus new IDW and other Autobots, then Decepticons, then seekers on separate shelf, so 4 shelves total. After that I have Combiners from all series on an Auto shelf then Dec shelf. The rest is by toyline.
Newer stuff replaces older stuff, so once I have the denesity a line gets its own shelf, it there are lots of characters then they get split into Auto/Dec, so at the moment I've got an Autobot AoE Shelf and Galv/Lockdown are in storage. They might come off soon for Robots in Disguise stuff ... Need a more display shelves ... I've now got two massive tubs full of transformers and I'll need to get a third soon ...
I went with 'other'. I'm only just starting out with the whole 'display' thing after buying my first cabinet recently. Before they (the ones I've opened and played a bit with) were just out on a desk around the computer and then when we moved back they were on my clothes chest.
I've got 1 ikea detolf with metroplex standing on top, my 'big' MPs grimlock, YOTH prime and ultra magnus on the top shelf, the autobot car MPs on the next shelf with the trailer (and some supernatural phenomenon investigators at the moment) on the next, then my decepticons then autobot generations.
So it's kind of by size, line and faction all at once :)
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...0/IMG_4251.jpg
it looks pretty full now, and i've got more waiting in boxes and tubs to go somewhere haha :/
Just changed around my collection. I now have an Optimus Shelf, a Bumblebee Shelf, a Megatron/Galvatron Shelf, a Starscream and Soundwave (+ minions), two Dinobot Shelves, 2 Other Autobot Shelves and 2 Other Decepticon Shelves, so I guess its changed to 'by character'?
Mostly by faction and line
by line and numerbered MP1 2 3 4 5 6 - 24 etc
Every display is based on a scene which is most times fan fiction or self imagined, where other lines interact and mix and are made up totally new with no real concept of transformers law in general with any idea being plausible. With alternate universes and other dimensions any continuity is realistic and the reason for this is it is fiction, yes fiction, though I do like to follow basic rules I feel with ones imagination and true fan passion the hobby is more enjoyable when taking into consideration what toys look good together, scale well, character combinations, brand styles and many other factors such as themes and changing of characters names/bios to be used as authentically new bots as in the case with troop building and even more so when customizing.
Over the years I have changed to what I previously couldn't stand. :p
Originally it was year to year and line with factions separated, but as I have evolved to now, it's a massive combination of what I am calling "It makes sense to me"
I have character displays like Jetfire, OP and Megs, then I have a type display like all G1 gestalts, then I have Japanese exclusive display, then I have a minibot display and so on and so on and .....................
It's interesting thinking about how I displayed my Transformers as a kid vs. how I displayed them now. As a kid, my idea of "organising" my display was keeping the Transformers together via sub groups; but never bothered sorting by faction or series etc.
The way that I displayed my TFs as a kid was similar to the kid in the Lego Movie -- just put different TFs from different series together. The way that I display them now is more like the dad. Although I do certainly play my toy most liberally. The idea of only keeping them as static displays feels somewhat Lord Business. ;)
Havent got the space to have the whole collection out. Mainly got MP's on show as well as the new combiner stuff. Takara Jetwing Prime and Cybertron Leader Prime are on show. And then any recent purchases stay out for a while
All the alternators, alternity, classics, generations and movie toys are in 2 big tubs.
How many people are maintain 'series segregation' in their display?
My toys are displayed on separate shelves according to their series, e.g. 1984 Autobots, 1984 Decepticons, 1985 Autobots and so on. I do mix in reissues and retroactive toys onto those shelves though, e.g. my New Year Special Convoy is on my '84 Autobot shelf, and Magnificus is on my '85 Decepticon shelf etc. Does anyone else do this?
Then I think back to how I used to display my toys. As a kid, I maintained sub-group apartheid, but not restricted to chronology as I do now. e.g. I would have all Pretenders grouped together; both 1988 and '89 etc. I experimented with more stringent forms of segregation when I was temporarily living away from home as a uni student, but then I moved back to complete my post-grad studies, and things got crammed into my old bedroom. :o It wasn't until I started working full time and permanently moved out of home that I began segregating my toys in a manner that's more similar to how I display them now. :)
I don't maintain segregation by year of release that way, but I do, where possible, group by fictional connection - for example the right-hand side of my Classics-verse shelf is all crew of the Lost Light. I've also got a few of the Wreckers together, Seekers together and up until recently I had Shockwave's Dark Cybertron "rebels" I guess together on the shelf.
So how's everyone organising CHUG characters? I've rearranged my displays and I have more shelf space now but can't settle on how to display CHUG characters. I've ruled out some type of IDW organisation because it seems like everyone has shown up in IDW at some point.
Over the past few months, I've more and more been using the tiered kitchen stands with the rubber bases from K-Mart. They don't eliminate the problem of shelves being over-crowded but they help a lot. The issue I have with them, if I could be said to have one, is that they eliminate the possibility of doing battle scenes really well. But they do make everything look nicely organised. I hope I'm not getting too Lord Business with it!
I sort of do it by association w/i the IDW timeline, one end of my bench is the Lost Light crew, Shockwave was displayed next to Waspinator,Jhiaxus & Dreadwing, Lockdown w/ Lugnut & Vehicons, Wreckers together (Springer, Sandstorm, Roadbuster, with Kup in front), Fembots together and other characters wherever there's space, and next to another use of the same mould (i.e. the Nissan brothers are all together, as are the Seekers, Inferno/Grapple etcQuote:
Originally Posted by DELTAprime