Breathing color into a childhood passion

The quality of Li's paint jobs speaks for itself-the average toy model costs about 2,000 yuan ($284), while the larger and more elaborate pieces can cost up to 10,000 yuan.

Although the studio's reputation for producing vivid creations grew steadily over the first two years, only toy enthusiasts knew about it. Business then boomed in 2011, after Li was invited to participate in Happy Camp, one of the most TV famous variety shows in the nation. Business has been brisk since. There are times when he can sell more than 30 toys in a month.

"Several years ago, such toys were not popular at all, but they have since become mainstream in the market. The main reason for this is that people now care more about indulging in their interests and childhood memories. Our customers today are not limited to those from the younger generations-many of them are over 30 or 40 years old," Li says.

Besides paint jobs for Transformer toys, Sang Zhong Studio now also offers their self-designed kits and helps production houses craft film props.

"This is not an easy job. We sometimes need to stay up late to finish the orders and think about the designs. You have to be passionate and maintain a childlike innocence to do this work," says Li.

"In the future, I would like to encourage younger generations to understand more about this profession and teach the kids who love Transformer toys how to conceptualize their designs and craft the product themselves. I believe more experts in toy painting will eventually emerge."