Vinyl Toy Research

I thought before we could begin designing for mine and Meryem's collaboration it would be important to do some initial research. I looked into what shapes where most popular within the vinyl toy community, and the vast difference between the models. I drew a variety of the shapes, scans of which can be found below.

I also thought it would be important to carry out some research into the different ways in which vinyl toy illustrations can be spread across a range of different mediums. I came across the book 'Jeremyville Sessions' and found it very useful for this area. Below are a few scans from the book that proved useful, most of the pages show the different forms of distribution, packaging layouts and fun playful imagery. This book will serve as a constant resource that I will continue to look back at and draw inspiration from.

Bibliography: Artoyz, Brief One

Budnitz, P. (2006) 'I Am Plastic'; Abrams, New York.

A great book for discovering the basics of vinyl toy design. Large amounts of detailed imagery, show ranges in existence. Great for listing the variety of vinyl toy shapes. Also really good for theme possibilities and colour schemes.

Mair, M. (2007) 'Jeremyville Sessions'; Systems Design Limited, Hong Kong.

Takes the concept of vinyl toy design and goes a step further. Details great examples of how illustrations found on the toys can be distributed across other mediums. Will be useful when thinking about packaging and promotion.

Templin Brink Design (2004) '2 Colour Graphics: Unlimited Design Solutions'; Rockport Publishers, Massachusetts.

Not a book directly related to vinyl toys, but instead lists memorable pieces of design that consist of only two colours. This is something I think we should do with our project. It will make the designs more vibrant, but only if we pick the right combination. This book will help with those decisions.

Design Strategy Presentation, Level 06

Killjoy Dunny; 20 inch

This is beautiful. The use of colour, the traditional Mexican influence, and how the aesthetics have been applied to packaging. Everything about this is just perfect. Besides from the fact that I now want one, I would love to create something just an ounce as spectacular as this. Now to brainstorm possible subject areas. 

Kid Robot

Perhaps the most prolific distributors of both plain and personalised vinyl toys, Kid Robot is an incredibly influential business that now has products sold all over the world; from New York to London. Their most famous ranges would without a doubt be 'Dunny's' and 'Munny's'. In this blog post I will detail a few examples of each vinyl shape.

Munny

Dunny

Below are images of just one of the many KidRobot series based around a popular culture theme. This particular one focuses on the characters from cult animation series 'Futurama'. Others include: TV shows South Park, Family Guy and The Simpsons, NBA Legends, Comic Superheroes and video game 'Street Fighter'.

On a personal note, out of all the personalised Munny's I found online, the image to the left is without doubt my favourite. It's an interpretation of a character found in the pages of many of the 'Tank Girl' graphic novels. This proves to me just how much fun and versatility can be created with a single figure, paint and a little bit of imagination. I also admire how the little prop beer can has been crafted and certain appendages have been added seamlessly to the figure itself, such as the ears and the eyebrows. They really help bring the idea to a well rounded conclusion. This single image has re-enforced just how keen I am to undertake this particular brief.

Artoyz: Creatoyz

After having a discussion with Meryem about our possible collaboration we came to the conclusion that undertaking a live brief based on illustration would be the best move. Meryem presented to me a range of briefs that she would enjoy undertaking, and would lend themselves to collaborative resolutions. The one that stood out the most to me was the 'Creatoyz' brief created by French vinyl toy distributors 'Artoyz'. It was first established last year, and has the potential to be repeated again some time in the future. Nevertheless we intend to adapt the brief slightly, and focus on a subject area of our choosing, but stick to the basic principles of character design and supporting packaging and promotional material. The prospect is very exciting and definitely something I am ready to sink my teeth into. The image to the left is my favorite entry from last years short list of winners. More examples are below.

Mr. Yeah by Julien Renault:

Jumble by WMK:

Kuma by Cuypi:

Design Practice 3 Rationale

Below are the forms I have filled in in relation to my intentions for the year. I have tried to be as direct as possible and use as few 'fluff' words as possible. I struggled slightly with the second set of forms, and no doubt realise I will have to go back and revise them in the future.

Rationale Workshop: September 23rd

Today we carried on from the previous workshop and took the time to really craft an appropriate rationale or 'umbrella statement'. At first I intended to use the phrase 'a subject driven investigation into promotional print and packaging with a focus on colour and composition', however I soon realised it wasn't quite appropriate. It became obvious the statement itself was a way of avoiding clear and concise terminology, because when asked what 'subject driven' meant I could not provide a specific answer. So I revised the original rationale and came to the conclusion I needed something that was both vague in parts, so as not to confine me creatively, but also specific enough so as not to confuse an outsider, not versed in my design process. The image to the left shows the exact statement I settled on.

"A PRINT BASED INVESTIGATION INTO POPULAR CULTURE 

WITH A FOCUS ON PACKAGING AND PROMOTION"

This is obviously something I will be referring back to over the duration of the next year, and will constantly have to ask myself if it is still appropriate? Do the briefs in my portfolio fit within these constraints? Or have I completely changed direction? At this point in time I don't know the answers to these questions. I will just have to wait and see, and make note if I seem to be veering off. I will also have to consider being more specific with the term 'popular culture', after it came to my attention I tend to pick subject matters that are not so 'popular' but instead more of a 'cult' persuasion. It's clear in my head what I mean, and what I want to create over the next year. Now I just have to communicate that successfully to my peers.

For the rest of the session we had to discuss the briefs that we wish to take forward for our Design Practice. Out of the ten I had composed over the summer there were a few that stood out to me still. For example I would really like to undertake a brief based on the films of Pedro Almodovar. I feel it would greatly benefit my dissertation and keep me motivated throughout the entire duration of the module. However after being informed that the name 'Pedro Almodovar' was not a well known one, and that it does not fit within the realms of pop culture I began to doubt my intentions. Then I realised I am not personally responsible for the interests of others and came to the conclusion Almodovar is an incredibly influential director and, if his work interests me and others then there is in fact an audience for my intended product. The other brief choices have yet to be made and will be something to consider in the immediate future.

Studio Workshop: September 22nd

Today was the first real day back in the studio. We were presented with the idea of communicating our aspirations for the year ahead of us. We were told to do this through the use of large pieces of A2 paper and simply writing down what we were thinking. The first task we where set was to split our page in half and state what we want to 'do' and what we want to 'achieve'. At first I thought these two strands were pretty similar but after thinking about it briefly I began to realise they where really different.


The image to the left shows what I assigned to each column, with key entries in the 'do' column being: screenprinting, use of colour and freelance work, and key entries in the 'achieve' column being confidence, communication and working to a professional standard.


The second task we where told to undertake was to split the page into three and accommodate each column one of the following three headings: themes, contexts or products. I found this particular objective easy to complete, probably because I feel confident in the direction I wish to take  my work in the third year. I filled the themes and products columns speedily, although hesitated slightly over the 'contexts'. Nevertheless I managed to note down key terms that will prove useful in the near future. It is obvious that I will be using these pieces of paper as references to inform my level 06 work.


With our last piece of A2 we had to make the distinction between what we 'want' to do and what we 'need' to do. This again wasn't as easy as I thought, but after completing the task came to the conclusion that everything I 'want' to do is in fact essential and needs to be done as well. The images show what each individual column featured on each piece of A2.

We where then asked to create five statements that best represent our intentions for the last year of the course. We where assigned a template to use so that the task didn't seem so daunting, and all we had to do was allocate our preferred subjects/methods of production/tone of voice etc. in the appropriate position. Below are the range of statements I noted down, some a lot more successful at communicating my intentions than others. The one particular statement that I feel works the best at this specific moment in time has to be: 'A subject driven investigation into promotional print and packaging with a focus on colour and composition'. Whether or not this statement will alter in the near future is yet to be seen. 

Brief: “Our goal was to capture the raw immediacy of SNL’s writing process and live performances, which we achieved through hand-drawn illustrations of legendary characters and catchphrases. The package also communicates the fun of playing the game itself, which combines trivia, improv, and quick-fire team play.”

This is what I want to be doing. The subject matter, the production methods, even the bold use of colour. I wish I had created something as beautiful and intelligent as this.