Art toys

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Dunny vinyl figure, part of a series produced by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which portrays a dragon embroidered on a silk brocade door valance and side panels (Chinese, 17th-18th century) in the collection of the museum Dunny vinyl figure which portrays a dragon embroidered on a silk brocade door valance and side panels (Chinese, 17th-18th century) in The MET collection.jpg
Dunny vinyl figure, part of a series produced by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which portrays a dragon embroidered on a silk brocade door valance and side panels (Chinese, 17th-18th century) in the collection of the museum

Art toys, also called designer toys, are toys and collectibles created by artists and designers that are either self-produced or made by small, independent toy companies, [1] typically in very limited editions. Artists use a variety of materials, such as ABS plastic, vinyl, wood, metal, latex, plush, and resin. Creators often have backgrounds in graphic design, illustration, or fine art, but many accomplished toy artists are self-taught. The first art toys appeared in the 1990s in Hong Kong and Japan. [2] By the early 2000s, the majority of art toys were based upon characters created by popular Lowbrow artists, linking the two movements. [3]

Contents

In his book Vinyl Will Kill!, illustrator Jeremyville, in Sydney, claims that the cultural phenomenon of designer toys began when Hong Kong–based artist Michael Lau took his customized G.I. Joe figures to a local toy show. He had reworked them "into urban hip-hop characters, wearing cool streetwear labels and accessories." Initially known as "urban vinyl", the accepted term soon became "designer toys". [4]

Overview

A typical example of designer toys are the Qee series, produced in Hong Kong by Toy2R. The standard size of Qee figures is 2" high, but 8" and 16" figures are also produced. Qees vary in their design, usually with the same basic body type, but with head sculpts that may be of a bear, a cat, a dog, a monkey, or a rabbit. Variations of the Qee are the Toyer with a head that resembles a cartoon skull; the Knuckle Bear, which was created by Japanese character designer Touma, and resembles a graffiti-style caricature of an anthropomorphized bear; and the Qee Egg, a bird's egg with arms and legs. Blank Qees are produced in 2" and 8" sizes; these figures may be of any Qee sculpt, but are packaged unpainted, as do-it-yourself pieces. Each piece is designed by an artist and carries its own aesthetic theme. Each 2" figure is packaged with an optional keychain attachment.

Another example of designer toys is the Dunny series, produced by the American company Kidrobot. Dunny figures may be considered the Western counterpart of the Chinese Qee and the Japanese Bearbrick. Dunny are a series of figures that resemble anthropomorphized rabbits in a cartoon style (a design originally illustrated by graffiti, stencil, and comic artists) which are produced as 3", 8", and 20" figures. There is a variation of the Dunny figure called a Munny, which resembles a monkey, and is only sold as an unpainted do-it-yourself piece. Some creators of designer toys are Hong Kong–based Michael Lau, credited with the establishment of the Urban Vinyl movement; Devilrobots, a five-person design team from Japan, known for their television character named TO-FU Oyako; [5] Mexican artists Carlos & Ernesto East "The Beast Brothers" which are known for their Dia de muertos and Aztec influences; American concert poster artist Frank Kozik's Mongers series and Labbit character; and British illustrator James Jarvis's cast of characters, produced as vinyl figures of varying sizes.

Most vinyl toys are produced in factories in China, though some designers have shifted production to Japan where higher quality materials such as clear vinyl are used. Designer toys are rarely produced in the United States due to environmental restrictions on vinyl production; some exceptions are resin and plush toys.

Urban vinyl

Urban vinyl is a type of designer toy, featuring action figures in particular which are usually made of vinyl. Although the term is sometimes used interchangeably with the term designer toy, [6] it is more accurately used as a modifier: not all designer toys can be considered urban vinyl, while urban vinyl figures are necessarily designer toys, by virtue of how they are produced. Like designer toys in general, urban vinyl figures feature original designs, small production numbers, and are marketed to collectors, predominantly adults. [7]

What sets "urban" designer toys apart from general "designer" or "art" toys, is the subject matter. Anything dealing with graffiti, hip-hop, rap or other subjects typically tied to an urban environment.

The urban vinyl trend was initiated by artist Eric So & Michael Lau, who first created urban vinyl figures in Hong Kong in the late 1990s. [8] [9] Early designer toy creators include New York artist Ron English. [10] Other creators of urban vinyl figures are Japanese artist and designer Takashi Murakami whose work has been exhibited in the Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Australian designer Nathan Jurevicius's Scarygirl, based on characters from his comic of the same name, and produced in conjunction with Hong Kong company Flyingcat, and former graffiti artist KAWS. [11]

Urban vinyl figures are designed primarily by illustrators, graffiti artists, musicians and DJs from urban areas in Asia (especially Japan and Hong Kong), North America (especially the United States), and Europe.

An offshoot of hip hop and youth-oriented popular culture, urban vinyl often depicts real-life figures from Asian and American culture, particularly artists who perform in a hip-hop or related styles. Two examples are Lau's depiction of the LMF rappers from Hong Kong, and figures based on the members of the virtual electronic band Gorillaz, produced by Jamie Hewlett and made by Kidrobot.

Urban vinyl is commonly designated as either Eastern Vinyl, including anything designed and produced in Asia or Australia, or Western Vinyl, encompassing pieces which are designed and produced in North America, South America, or Europe. Urban vinyl figures have become collectible items. Rare pieces may sell for hundreds or even thousands of dollars. [12]

Resin toys

Some artists create their toys using synthetic resin material and resin casting. After casting the resin toy receives adjustments in its details, sometimes being superficially cast on some parts. The toy can be finished using automotive paint by aerosol and sometimes receives a varnished layer above the dry painting.

The process of making resin toys is more labor-intensive and time-consuming than industrialized vinyl toy production, which in most of cases are made identical and in large quantities. But resin casting allows artists to produce toys in small numbers. Most vinyl factories will only produce toys in large series. Resin toys have become a way for less established artists to produce a toy without the large financial investment required to produce a vinyl toy. Unlike most vinyl toys, resin toys are usually sculpted, cast, and painted by a single artist as shown in the book "We are indie Toys" by HarperCollins ISBN   9780062293435. [13]

Designer plush

Designer plush, a subcategory of designer toys, are soft, stuffed dolls created in limited quantities by artists and designers. Common designs include anthropomorphized animals or fantastic human likenesses, although designer plush dolls often feature entirely unique character designs. Designer plush dolls are usually given names and personas, with their distinctive personalities described on their tags or in booklets included in their packaging.

One producer of designer plush is Friends With You, a commercial art and design collective based in Miami, Florida. Their work is characterized by a cute yet bizarre aesthetic, and exhibits a hand-made quality, even in pieces that are machine-made. In addition to their plush dolls, Friends With You also create modular wood toys, and motion graphics for companies such as Sony, MTV, Nike, and Columbia Records.

Another type of designer plush are Uglydolls, created by independent toy designers David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim under the label Pretty Ugly. Their first products were 12" plush dolls based on drawings by David Horvath, and handmade by Sun-Min Kim. Pretty Ugly has also produced 7" versions of their character designs, called Little Uglys, 24" versions called Giant Uglys, 4" miniatures intended for use as keychains, and in a departure from the plush medium, 7" Vinyl Uglys. Ugly Dolls have been featured in motion pictures like Zarthura and in major specialty stores. [14]

Designer consumer electronics

A recent addition to the world of vinyl toys, designer consumer electronics is a subcategory started by mimoco, whose mimobot Art Toy Flash Drives proved that there was a market for Urban Vinyl products with a purpose. Like other platform art toys, there have been mimobot designs by a wide variety of artists, including Mori Chack, Sket One and Jon Burgerman. The appeal of designer consumer electronics in flash memory form tends to be the addition of a digital canvas, allowing affiliated artists to create much more in-depth characters, complete with animations, music, etc.

Designer consumer electronics are not limited to mimobots; in 2007, Medicom brought out a Be@rbrick USB flash drive.

See also

Related Research Articles

Michael Lau is an artist from Hong Kong who is known for his painting, sculpture and designer toy figures. Lau is widely credited as the founder of the urban vinyl style within the designer toy movement. His work has had a significant effect on toy manufacturers, as well as street culture, including artists and musicians, throughout the world. His style is particularly influential to Asian and American hip-hop and skateboarding culture. Lau has won several awards for his work, including four from the Hong Kong-based Philippe Charriol Foundation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Kozik</span> American graphic artist (1962–2023)

Frank Kozik was an American graphic artist best known for his posters for alternative rock bands. With his prolific output and connections in the music industry, Kozik helped revitalize rock poster art in the late 1980s and 1990s, and was a founder of the modern art print scene. His album cover work included the bands Queens of the Stone Age and the Offspring. With his artistic versatility, he was also a pioneer in the designer toy movement, and later became the creative director of Kidrobot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SOTA Toys</span> American toy company

SOTA Toys, or State Of The Art Toys, is a developer, manufacturer, and wholesaler of collectibles based on licensed properties from companies such as Capcom and Universal. Formed in 2000 by Jerry Macaluso, they have created and manufactured numerous licensed products based on the characters from popular films, TV shows, hit video games, and literary works, as well as legendary musicians and pop stars. Aside from being a developer and manufacturer, SOTA Toys also serves as fabricator and prototyper for the motion picture, toys/collectibles, and video game industry.

Qee are a collection of designer toys created by Hong Kong-based company Toy2R, which was founded by Raymond Choy in 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ball-jointed doll</span> Type of articulated doll most commonly purchased by adult collectors

A ball-jointed doll is any doll that is articulated with ball and socket joints. In contemporary usage when referring to modern dolls, and particularly when using the acronyms BJD or ABJD, it usually refers to modern Asian ball-jointed dolls. These are cast in polyurethane synthetic resin, a hard, dense plastic, and the parts strung together with a thick elastic. They are predominantly produced in Japan, South Korea and China. The BJD style has been described as both realistic and influenced by anime. They commonly range in size from about 60 centimetres (24 in) for the larger dolls, 40 cm (15.5 in) for the mini dolls, and down to 10 cm (4 in) for the very smallest BJDs. BJDs are primarily intended for adult collectors and customizers. They are made to be easy to customize, by painting, changing the eyes and wig, and so forth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kidrobot</span> American art toy company

Kidrobot is a producer and retailer of designer toys, vinyl art toys, and collectibles founded in 2002 by entrepreneur Paul Budnitz. The company was one of the earliest creators of designer art toys in America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Horvath</span> American writer

David Z. Horvath is an American illustrator, comics artist, toy designer and author best known for creating the popular Uglydoll characters as well as the world they inhabit, The Uglyverse, with his wife, Sun-Min Kim. The toy line began in 2001 with a single plush toy called Wage, hand sewn by his sweetheart and creative partner, Sun-Min Kim for David as a gift, and grew into the brand.

Toy2R is a designer toy company based in Hong Kong that was founded by Prof. Raymond Choy M.H. in 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Treeson</span> Fictional character created by Hong Kong illustrator, Bubi Au Yeung

Treeson is a fictional character created by Hong Kong illustrator, Bubi Au Yeung. A web comic, vinyl toy, and book have been made about Treeson.

Mark Gee, better known professionally as Huck Gee, is a contemporary artist, illustrator, toy maker, and designer best known by toy enthusiasts for his iconic "Skullhead" character. Since the early 1990s he works and lives in San Francisco, California.

Brian Donnelly, known professionally as Kaws, is an American artist and designer. His work includes repeated use of a cast of figurative characters and motifs, some dating back to the beginning of his career in the 1990s, initially painted in 2D and later realized in 3D. Some of his characters are his own creations while others are reworked versions of existing icons.

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Nathan Jurevicius is a Canadian/Australian illustrator, director, toy designer, author, and fine artist whose diverse range of work has appeared in numerous publications, advertising campaigns, festivals, and galleries around the world.

Vinylmation is a brand of 1.5", 3", and 9" vinyl collectible toys sold at Disney theme parks, select Disney Stores, and the online Disney Store. The name Vinylmation is a combination of the word Animation and Vinyl. Most figures are all shaped with the body of Mickey Mouse but have different themed markings, colors, and patterns. This means that all figures have round mouse ears, whether or not the painted character has them. This is accommodated by painting the ears with backgrounds - stars, stripes, rainbows - to match the painted character. The series exception is the Park Starz series which does not resemble Mickey at all, and more closely resembles iconic figures from the parks. Vinylmation was first introduced in July 2008, and the first figures were introduced in November 2008.

Joe Ledbetter is an American artist and art toy designer from Los Angeles. He is considered part of the Pop Surrealism, Lowbrow Art Movement and Art and Designer Toys movement.

Sket One is an American artist. He was raised in New Haven, Connecticut. He started off his artistic career as an American graffiti artist in the 1990s he created and ran Unitee Clothing, a shirt design company, while looking for full-time work as a designer. He eventually landed a position as Creative Director for the Silverman Group.

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Tristan Eaton is an American artist. Primarily known for his toy designs and street art murals, Eaton is also a graphic designer and illustrator. In total, Eaton has painted about 100 murals around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jesse Hernandez (artist)</span> American tattoo artist and graphic designer

Jesse Hernandez is an American tattoo artist and graphic designer for video games and collectible toys. He was a part of the urban vinyl art movement of the 2010s. He was also the lead character and prop designer on United Front Games' ModNation Racers. His designs have been featured on Kidrobot's Dunny toys, including one owned by singer-songwriter Usher.

References

  1. JEREMYville, ed. (2004). Vinyl Will Kill. IdN. pp. 5–6.
  2. Robert Klanten; Matthias Hubner, eds. (2006). Dot Dot Dash: Designer Toys, Action Figures And Character Art. Die Gestalten Verlag. pp. 6–7.
  3. Robert Klanten; Matthias Hubner, eds. (2006). Dot Dot Dash: Designer Toys, Action Figures And Character Art. Die Gestalten Verlag. pp. 4–5.
  4. Zeegen, Lawrence (2007). Secrets of Digital Illustration - a master class in commercial image-making. RotoVision. p. 102. ISBN   978-2-940361-56-4.
  5. Wong, Amos. "Design Style". Newtype USA6 (11) 142143. November 2007. ISSN   1541-4817.
  6. "15 of the Most Important Vinyl Toys That Are Not "Toys"". Everpress. 1 February 2018. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  7. Schmidt, Gregory (29 March 2017). "Is It a Toy? Is It Art? Everyone Agrees It's a Collectible". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  8. Lubow, Arthur (15 August 2004). "Cult Figure". The New York Times .
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  10. "Ron English Unveils Silver 'Temper Tot' Sculpture". HYPEBEAST. 14 March 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
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  13. Bou, Louis (February 2014), "We Are Indie Toys", HarperCollins
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  15. "KAWS: An Interview – YangGallery" . Retrieved 16 August 2022.