A model figure is a scale model representing a human, monster or other creature. Human figures may be either a generic figure of a type, a historical personage, or a fictional character.
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.
Madballs is a series of toy foam balls originally created by AmToy, a subsidiary company of American Greetings in the mid-1980s, later being revived by Art Asylum (2007–2008) and Just Play, Inc. (2017–2019). The balls incorporated gross-out humor and each was given a character synopsis and an odd name. The toyline expanded into a franchise with comic books, direct-to-video cartoons, and a video game for the ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, and Commodore 64.
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, 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. By the early 2000s, the majority of art toys were based upon characters created by popular Lowbrow artists, linking the two movements.
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.
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.
Bearbrick is a brand of collectible designer toys designed and produced by the Japanese company MediCom Toy Incorporated. The name is derived from the fact that the figure is a cartoon-style representation of a bear and that it is a variation of MediCom's Kubrick design. The at sign in the place of the letter a is a visual device that is a part of the Bearbrick brand, and as such, a trademark of MediCom Toy.
TJ Norris is an American interdisciplinary artist known for his urban, conceptual photography and installation projects. Hailing from New England, Norris is also a celebrated curator and freelance writer based in Texas.
Mark Gee, better known as Huck Gee, is a contemporary artist, illustrator, toy maker, and designer best known by toy enthusiasts for his iconic "Skullhead" character. He works and lives in San Francisco, California.
Paul Budnitz is an American entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of global entertainment brand, Superplastic. He is the founder of retailer Kidrobot, and the social network Ello. He also owns Budnitz Bicycles in Burlington, Vermont.
Shocker Toys was a company that manufactured limited-release toys and products based on comic book and cartoon characters, as well as original creations. Founded in 1998, the company was run by Geoff Beckett Jr., Lance Buttiglieri, and Bill Roshia and was based in Ridgewood, New Jersey.
Onell Design is an independent toy company and artist collective. They produce the Glyos System Series featuring the characters Pheyden, Exellis, Crayboth, Argen, Gobon, Armodoc, Armorvor, Noboto, Buildman, Skeleden, and various others. The toys are made of interchangeable parts, and hearken back to the durable, small-scale action figures of the 1980s, such as Adventure People. The figures can be described as a cross between an Action figure and Lego. Onell Design toy figures are primarily sold directly by the manufacturer, although on occasion a release may be made available where a specially decorated figure is available elsewhere.
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.
Andrew Bell is a British-born American artist and founder of Dead Zebra Inc. He specializes in creating collectible designer toys. Bell also works in a variety of other mediums from illustrations and paintings to sculptures. Much of his work is brought together by a sense of humor that often belies a more serious and sombre message. His company and toys have been featured in publications such as the New York Times. In addition to his extensive toy and art catalog, he has also published three books of drawings.
David P. Flores is an American artist, muralist and product designer.
Jermaine Rogers born on October 14, 1972, in Houston, Texas, is an artist and designer known for his contributions to modern rock/pop poster art, often referred to as 'gigposter' art. He has also made significant contributions to serigraph and fine art production. Rogers emerged as a prominent figure in the Texas poster-art scene of the 1990s, alongside renowned artists such as Frank Kozik, Uncle Charlie, and Lindsey Kuhn. His work has garnered recognition and acclaim in the field of poster art and beyond. Since 1995, Rogers has designed posters for a wide variety of musical acts, including Queens Of The Stone Age, David Bowie, Tool, Foo Fighters, Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails, Childish Gambino, The Cure, Run The Jewels, Public Enemy, Soundgarden, and many others. His work is viewed as influential in the modern resurgence of the art form, "continuously crafting images that push boundaries, whether social, cultural, or aesthetic". His work is cataloged among the permanent collections of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio as well as the Experience Music Project in Seattle, Washington. His work has been featured in various media, including print, television, and feature film. Rogers currently resides in Houston, TX. USA.
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.
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.
