[DESIGNER VINYLS] Hot or Not?

0415121649b by MicroBry, on Flickr

Just sayin'.

OH snap! How'd you do that, Bry? Looks like some wedges and switch pins, of course, but I can't tell how you constructed those legs. More! More!

I actually got a bunch of ZED parts in, myself, and I'm gonna try and recreate the "Big Rig" I posted a while back. I love seeing weird constructs made of these vinyl parts. I should really pop over to October Toys to see what those guys are making from these latest bits of Glyos goodness...

Some more pics here: [www.flickr.com]

It's pretty much the same formula as Matt's own "Angle Rig" but I put the legs and pelvis both together slightly differently. :)

I'll get some better angles later along with some new pics I need to take of a mod I did to the Armodoc... :)

Killer! I need me some ZED Glyans to go with my Rig...hope to pick a few up at the drop next week...

Hey...quick/dumb question for y'all. I have a friend who wants to make a small run of toys based on his drawings. Anyone know a manufacturing shop he can contact to start the conversation?

Hmmm...well, if he wants to get them made outta Japanese vinyl, it may be pretty tough. It's totally possible since tons of 'mericans are getting their stuff sculpted and cast by Japanese vinyl makers...but you need the contacts to get your foot in the door, y'know?

Chinese vinyl is an option...but that's only really appropriate of huge runs (think Glyos toys).

For super-small run stuff, keeping it local might be the best idea. But that essentially means resin- or rubber-casting instead of vinyl (or even CAD-to-3D-print...like us jokers). I'm a big fan of what folks are doing in rubber domestically these days. Just as razor-sharp as resin...but bouncy and indestructible!

Gotcha. Got any leads on a domestic one-stop-shop for rubber? I think his stuff might work pretty well with that.

Here's some "Urban Vinyl" for ya. Not even close to finished but the general bulk of it is up. We got a 5k grant to build this thing for Burningman.

That's a big shampoo bottle.

---------------------------------
[pgaijin.blogspot.com]

The arms were orginally full of chutney. Not kidding.

Mmm...my girl showed me this simple way to make omelets with diced jalapenos and tamarind-date chutney on top. Fucking divine.

Anyway, other folks probably know better than I do, but here are two options I was discussing with Ben and lil b:

EP1150 from [www.eagerpolymers.com]
Don't know much about it, but this guy uses it.

[www.polytek.com]
This stuff seems to be the shit. The two top rubber casters in the MUSCLE world right now (Eric Nilla and "Musclethings" Alec) swear by this stuff...and I have a bunch of their toys to prove it. It's killer.

Cool. Yeah, pretty nice stuff for DIY. Thanks man!

Congrats on completing it!

That Burning Man piece is so cool.

Been busy with:
New car
New boss
New job
New weight
New residence

all within the period of four weeks.
Been recovering since.

But interested in checking out what I missed.

Really depressed about the current vinyl scene.
Just seems dead or ugly or none of the 2006 excitement.
Sad.

edit: eight weeks



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/16/2012 12:47AM by liquidsky.

"New weight...recovering"? Hope things are okay, man. We missed you at the Summit...and then again at FOE!

Yeah, well, you're not gonna hear me singing too many praises about non-licensed vinyl these days...HOWEVER...I did get one of those new Skullheadbutt figures that are (were) all the rage (a month ago)...

"Astro Kong" (jcat's pic, not mine):


I'm a sucker for toys like this because it depicts with surprising accuracy "Ro-Man Extension XJ-2" from the miserable b-movie, Robot Monster:



...Even though they ultimately toned him down quite a bit from the movie poster design, and gave him a lumpy, amorphous face in the actual film:



In my opinion, VERY hot...and I don't say that about much non-licensed stuff these days!

^^ That's my favorite figure of the group or series. But it seems like the maker is flooding with so many variations and such. But what else is new?

Not very original (to like this) but I really like this guy:



but crazy stupid to track down and way overpriced. May in a couple years when hipsters sells things off.

Sorry I missed things. Weight is ok, just lost 15 pounds during the move which is a good thing. Now back to toys...

No worries...there'll be more stuff to attend!

Anyway, the pic in your post above is 404ing me. Whazzit? (You can attach pics to posts here, by the way.)

But whatever it is, if it's hot today, I'm sure you'll only have to wait a few months to take advantage of the sell-offs. No need to wait years! ;)

...

Oh, so in other news (and since I mentioned FOE earlier), I scored this:



Mock Bat by Paul Kaiju. Cast in Japanese vinyl, originally sculpted by him, and hand-dyed and painted himself. I assume those little things erupting from his belly are interchangeable (I haven't actually handled one to verify).

I like a lot of Paul's toys--despite them being fuck-damn hard to get!--because you can tell they truly come from him. Like, he really, *REALLY* knows his shit when it comes to classic toys. He's been in the game since forever...and you can tell all that knowledge informs the toys and art he makes now.

The toy has a real Bullmark feel to its size and proportions, but it's clearly totally fucking weird...like something only Paul would make! So it's nice to see a synthesis of HIM and his own inimitable style blended nicely with that classic Bullmark format. Not all of his toys "speak to me", but this one definitely does. Anyway, just my two cents on this particular figure--not trying to dick-ride! ;) LOL

Yeah, when it comes to designer vinyl, there are definitely diamonds in the rough. It's just SUCH a fucking pain in the ass to sift through the shit to find them. I mostly feel it's not worth the effort these days... :/

k

[page9.auctions.yahoo.co.jp]

Heh...Ed mentioned this to me earlier this morning. Fucking terrible. F'errible, if you will.

But whatever...in five years, it'll be worthless. Of course, if you have that much to throw down on modern stuff, I'm sure he doesn't care!

Dessert crew, live and on location in the freezer. I love these little guys, and now I want more cute food-based figures, but most of the ones I look at are totally disappointing. I do have a standard-color Donyatsu on the way, though I don't believe that's vinyl...



-Paul Segal

"Oh, the anger is never far, never far." -SteveH



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/14/2012 09:31PM by asterphage.

-Ginrai
Golden Gate Riot on dead trees at: [www.destroyallcomics.com]

THAT'S NOT CUTE. THAT'S NOT CUTE AT ALL

-Paul Segal

"Oh, the anger is never far, never far." -SteveH

Ha! I definitely prefer the Food Fighters guys. I never had 'em, but I remember digging them when they came out way back then. Those ice cream sofubi figures do absolutely nothing for me...but then again, very little "cute" stuff appeals to me. But anyway, I see those and I think "western" or "urban" vinyl...but it's funny because the distinction is all but useless now. Westerners have represented so much of the modern sofubi market that I guess it was just inevitable that they start designing so much of it... :/

Oh, and for some reason, the image from liquidsky's August 16th post is now visible on my screen: the so-called "MG2", as in "MechGorilla 2" (what's funny is that Ed keeps referring to that fucking thing as "MG2"...when THIS is obviously "MG2"!). Anyway, I definitely don't hate that thing...I sure wouldn't kick it outta bed. I guess I just don't see the need for it when there's already a Bullmark Mechanikong, y'know? I like the chunky proportions and I wouldn't mind owning one...but I'm guessing the pricetag is something I'll roll my eyes at...

Quote
Sanjeev
But anyway, I see those and I think "western" or "urban" vinyl...but it's funny because the distinction is all but useless now. Westerners have represented so much of the modern sofubi market that I guess it was just inevitable that they start designing so much of it... :/

When can I get a vinyl of THIS awesome western design??? [instagram.com]

-Paul Segal

"Oh, the anger is never far, never far." -SteveH

Hey, don't joke! There's definitely a precedence for Japanese vinyls made of advertising mascots.

I'd break all my rules and buy a toy of the Waffle King from San Diego's Waffle Spot:

OMG King Waffle Lot!!!!!!!
-Mason

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Matthewalt "I actually kinda LIKE that approach! You know: let's make a TOY. Remember those? Products designed to be played with without breaking? DO YOU REMEMBER, LOVE?!"

I love product mascots... some of the weirder ones from the mid 20th century absolutely prefigure cartooning styles that came much later. I can't remember the company, orange juice mascot that's a cartoon girl with an orange for a head, one big lash-y eye and a leaf falling over the other one, that almost looks like a Junko Mizuno design.

-Paul Segal

"Oh, the anger is never far, never far." -SteveH

YES! And toys of the entire Waffle kingdom's cast would be greatly appreciated. Someone get right on that!

Quote
asterphage
I can't remember the company, orange juice mascot that's a cartoon girl with an orange for a head, one big lash-y eye and a leaf falling over the other one, that almost looks like a Junko Mizuno design.

^^Useless without pics. Though I almost fear what you describe...

Quote
asterphage
THAT'S NOT CUTE. THAT'S NOT CUTE AT ALL

Keeping with Super7 theres also Fenton.. who reminds me of a candy wrapper


and Patty Power

Okay, not food-related at all...but certainly a classic advertising icon of sorts:

Max Headroom:


I'm not exactly sure how one could pull off a toy of this guy...but I'd sure kill for one!

Quote
Sanjeev
^^Useless without pics. Though I almost fear what you describe...

I was worried I would have to dig up my copy of the gorgeous little Meet Mr. Product and scan it, but I found the image in Amazon's "look inside" feature!

Quote
eitlobsaboo
Keeping with Super7 theres also Fenton.. who reminds me of a candy wrapper

It's not my favorite of Brian Flynn's designs, but now that I have the tan Foster and Milton, I'd like a copy of her in this caramel color.

-Paul Segal

"Oh, the anger is never far, never far." -SteveH



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/18/2012 07:31PM by asterphage.

can you explain to me the appeal of that cheeseburger with feet toy?

it blows my mind that people buy those.

Quote
ed
can you explain to me the appeal of that cheeseburger with feet toy?

it blows my mind that people buy those.

And that's funny since it's the only thing on this particular page I'd consider buying. ;)

More serious than thou

Quote
ed
can you explain to me the appeal of that cheeseburger with feet toy?

it blows my mind that people buy those.

You can apply that to pretty much the whole designer toy scene.
There are some seriously ugly toys out there.. like for me Nags. I just don't get the appeal or the hype. But people do. So I just shrug and don't worry about it. At least Patty Power isn't ludicrously priced.

Quote
eitlobsaboo
At least Patty Power isn't ludicrously priced.

True...I was gonna mention something along those lines. Don't get me wrong: I think it's no more or less creatively bankrupt as a Nag, and I'll be fuck-damned to have either in my home...but at least the talking cheeseburger doesn't sell for a grand on eBay...

Marmit's Kappa in translucent sparkly green! Marmit has been making a lot of random, cool stuff like this lately -- you can get the inside scoop by following the president on Facebook (Kazumitsu Akamatsu).





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/07/2012 07:50PM by MattAlt.

Yeah, Marmit's fantastic. Their great kaiju character stuff always gets top-billing, but there's just SO much crazy off-beat stuff that they put out that goes under lots of folks' radars...especially under their non-Marmit labels.

This Donyatsu is what got me buying cute dessert item figures in the first place, and now that I've finally got my hands on it I couldn't be more pleased.

-Paul Segal

"Oh, the anger is never far, never far." -SteveH

Mo' yo' kai: Marmit's latest Yokai Tengoku figure, the Kami-Kiri ("Haircutter")



Based on:





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/21/2012 10:12PM by MattAlt.