Creating custom LPS Bobbleheads is a creative way to turn Littlest Pet Shop figures into unique characters, mascots, or gifts. By combining safe head swaps, sculpting, repainting, and optional 3D techniques, you can transform standard LPS toys into oneofakind Bobbleheads with personality and professional-looking details.

How To Create A Custom Lps Bobbleheads

What Are LPS Bobbleheads?

Littlest Pet Shop (LPS) figures often use a simple bobble system in which the head sits on a peg or spring so it can wobble when moved. Custom LPS Bobbleheads take this basic structure and then modify or rebuild the head, body, and paint to create new designs. These Bobbleheads can range from simple recolors to full fantasy creatures or branded mascots based on the LPS format.

Custom LPS Bobbleheads can be made by reusing official LPS bases, or by building entirely new parts that copy the proportions and joint style of the original toys. Both approaches rely on similar steps: planning, disassembly, sculpting, painting, and reassembling the bobble mechanism.

Tools and Materials You Will Need

Before starting on LPS Bobbleheads, gather a basic toolkit so you can work safely and consistently:

- Base Littlest Pet Shop figures with bobble heads

- Hair dryer or bowl of hot (not boiling) water for softening plastic

- Craft knife, small scissors, and tweezers

- Sculpting tools and toothpicks

- Polymer clay and/or twopart epoxy clay

- Fine sandpaper or nail file; optional nail drill for advanced shaping

- Acrylic paints, fine brushes, palette, and water cup

- Clear matte or satin varnish/sealer

- Optional: jewelry wire, small pins, super glue, and a small metal spring if you rebuild the bobble

If you want to experiment with digital methods for LPSstyle Bobbleheads, you may also use 3D sculpting software and a 3D printer, but this is optional rather than required.

Step 1: Plan Your Custom LPS Bobbleheads Design

Start with a clear idea of what your custom LPS Bobbleheads should look like. This saves time and reduces mistakes later.

- Decide on species or theme: realistic pet, fantasy creature, mascot, or brand character.

- Choose a base LPS mold whose general shape fits your plan (for example, a cat base for a feline Bobbleheads design).

- Sketch front and side views, marking special features such as horns, long ears, unusual tails, clothing, or accessories.

- Pick a color palette that matches the personality or branding you want your LPS Bobbleheads to express.

For corporate or team projects, you might align your LPS Bobbleheads design with company colors, logos on the base, or safety gear and uniforms that represent your industry.

Step 2: Safely Remove and Swap LPS Heads

Head swapping is at the heart of many custom LPS Bobbleheads projects, because it lets you mix body and head styles or repair broken bobble mechanisms.

1. Soften the plastic

- Warm the neck area with a hair dryer for several seconds, or dip the figure's head and neck into hot water for a short time.

- Soft plastic bends instead of cracking, which is essential when working with LPS Bobbleheads.

2. Gently remove the head

- Hold the body firmly and twist the head slowly while pulling upward.

- Avoid jerking; a slow, steady motion reduces the chance of snapping the neck peg.

3. Check the neck plug and bobble part

- Inspect the peg or plug inside the head and the socket in the body.

- If necessary, you can slightly widen the socket with a craft knife or nail drill to fit different LPS Bobbleheads heads and bodies together.

At this stage, some creators simply swap heads between two figures to get a new silhouette for their LPS Bobbleheads before they even start sculpting.

Step 3: Repair or Rebuild the Bobble Mechanism

If your base LPS Bobbleheads figure has a damaged neck plug or you want a stronger bobble:

- Clean broken areas and remove loose bits.

- Insert a small metal or plastic pin into the body as a new core, secured with epoxy clay or strong glue.

- Build up a new plug around that pin with epoxy clay and shape it to match typical LPS Bobbleheads plugs.

- Allow it to cure fully before testfitting the head.

The goal is to restore the original wobble or even improve it, while keeping the head stable enough that it does not tilt permanently to one side.

Step 4: Sculpt Custom Features on LPS Bobbleheads

Now you can give your LPS Bobbleheads the unique features that distinguish them from stock toys.

Choosing the Right Clay

- Polymer clay

- Great for very fine work: hair strands, eyelashes, tiny accessories.

- Must be baked at low temperatures, so you either remove pieces before baking or protect the plastic carefully.

- Epoxy clay

- Twopart material that cures at room temperature.

- Ideal for large changes like new tails, wings, or armor plates on LPS Bobbleheads.

- Bonds strongly to plastic and can be sanded and carved after curing.

Many artists use both: epoxy as the structural base, polymer on top for fine details.

Building the Shapes

To create stable structures on LPS Bobbleheads:

- Insert jewelry wire or small pins into the body where big additions (long ears, tails, wings) will go, forming a simple armature.

- Wrap or press clay around the armature, gradually building to your planned shape.

- Work in layers, allowing each layer to cure or bake before adding more clay, which reduces cracking and sagging.

Take your time to sculpt mirrored features, such as ears or horns, so they match when your LPS Bobbleheads are viewed from any angle.

Smoothing and Refining

After the clay is fully cured:

- Sand gently with fine sandpaper to blend edges and remove ridges.

- Use a craft knife or nail drill for sharper edges, creases, and carved fur textures.

- Fill any pinholes or gaps with a thin layer of epoxy or modelling paste and sand again when dry.

Good surface preparation is one of the main differences between beginner and professionallooking LPS Bobbleheads.

LPS Custom Figure Bobblehead

Step 5: Prime and Paint Your Custom LPS Bobbleheads

Surface Preparation

Before painting custom LPS Bobbleheads:

- Wash the figure in mild soapy water and let dry to remove handling oils.

- If the plastic is very shiny, lightly scuff with a fine abrasive for better paint adhesion.

- Apply a thin primer coat suitable for plastics and resin so paints adhere evenly.

Painting Strategy

Use acrylic paints for flexibility and ease of cleanup:

- Work with thin layers rather than one thick coat; multiple passes build color without obscuring detail on LPS Bobbleheads.

- Start with base colors for fur, skin, or main outfit areas.

- Add shading in creases and under edges, then highlight raised areas to give volume and depth.

- Paint eyes and facial features last using very fine brushes or paint pens, as these define the personality of your LPS Bobbleheads.

For brandoriented LPS Bobbleheads, match Pantone or corporate colors as closely as possible and leave clean areas where logos will be added.

Sealing for Durability

When the paint is completely dry:

- Apply one or more coats of clear matte or satin varnish.

- Let each coat dry fully before adding the next.

- Avoid heavy gloss unless you intentionally want a shiny effect on parts of the LPS Bobbleheads, like eyes or accessories.

Sealing protects paint from scratches and light rubbing, which is important when LPS Bobbleheads are handled or moved frequently.

Step 6: Advanced Option – 3D Printed LPSStyle Bobbleheads

If you want to reproduce the same custom design many times, or create forms that are difficult to sculpt by hand, 3D printing can help.

Designing the Model

- Use a 3D sculpting program to model an LPSinspired head and body with exaggerated features similar to classic LPS Bobbleheads.

- Include a hollow cavity in the head and a matching cavity or peg hole in the body for the spring or peg.

- Make sure wall thickness is strong enough for printing and rough handling.

Printing and Finishing

- Print in resin or filament at high resolution.

- Remove supports, wash (for resin), and fully cure.

- Sand and prime before painting as you would with a claybased custom.

- Install the spring or plug between head and body so the new LPSstyle Bobbleheads can wobble.

This digital pipeline is useful if you are building a small production run for events, brand mascots, or limited series LPS Bobbleheads.

Step 7: Protecting and Displaying Custom LPS Bobbleheads

Once your custom LPS Bobbleheads are finished:

- Display them on stable shelves away from strong, direct sunlight to avoid discoloration.

- Keep them out of highhumidity environments to reduce the risk of varnish clouding or adhesives weakening.

- Dust lightly with a soft makeup brush or microfiber cloth; avoid alcoholbased cleaners.

- For highvalue or commissioned LPS Bobbleheads, use clear acrylic display boxes or domes.

Proper care ensures that your LPS Bobbleheads remain vivid and intact for years, whether they live in a collector's cabinet or in a corporate office.

Conclusion

Creating custom LPS Bobbleheads blends toy engineering, sculpture, painting, and sometimes 3D technology into a single, satisfying craft. By carefully planning the character, safely swapping or rebuilding heads, sculpting new features, painting with attention to detail, and preserving the bobble mechanism, you can transform standard Littlest Pet Shop figures into highly personalized LPS Bobbleheads.

For hobbyists, this process opens endless creative possibilities—fantasy pets, mascots, or characters inspired by friends and family. For businesses, adapting these techniques into a more standardized workflow can produce memorable LPSstyle Bobbleheads that strengthen branding and engagement. With each project, your skills improve, and your collection of unique, wobbling characters grows.

LPS Bobblehead Customization

FAQ

1. Do I have to use official LPS figures to make custom LPS Bobbleheads?

No. Many creators start from official LPS toys, but you can also build LPSinspired Bobbleheads from generic figures or fully 3Dprinted bodies. The key is keeping similar proportions and a working bobble mechanism.

2. What is the safest way to remove an LPS head for customizing?

The safest method is to soften the plastic with a hair dryer or hot water, then gently twist and pull the head off the peg. Never force a cold, rigid neck, because that is when pegs on LPS Bobbleheads are most likely to snap.

3. Which paints work best on custom LPS Bobbleheads?

Highquality acrylic paints work best because they adhere well to primed plastic, dry quickly, and remain slightly flexible. Combined with a good primer and clear varnish, they are ideal for LPS Bobbleheads customization.

4. Can beginners make goodlooking LPS Bobbleheads without advanced tools?

Yes. With patience, basic tools, and careful stepbystep work, beginners can achieve impressive results. Advanced tools like nail drills and airbrushes help, but they are not required for attractive custom LPS Bobbleheads.

5. How can I turn LPS Bobbleheads into a small business or brand tool?

You can offer custom commissions to collectors or design branded LPSstyle Bobbleheads as mascots for companies, channels, or events. Standardizing a body style and workflow allows you to reproduce similar LPS Bobbleheads efficiently while still personalizing colors, logos, or small features.