Toy Art Gallery's unfortunate run-in with unfortunate toy art.

This post has been fluttering around in my head being mentally written and rewritten since the opening, and judging, of Toy Art Gallery's "first annual" juried, open call, custom resin toy show. With witty post titles such as, "WTF was that?", "TAG: Toys that Aren't Good", and my personal favorite "I give up", the words and criticism flowed easily and intensely. But as I sit here now, calmer, and without the unbridled negativity at the forefront of my mind, I find it difficult to articulate what it was exactly that came very close to offending me about the show as a whole.

I think what I would like to do rather than focus on all the pieces in the show that simply had no business being there, or drawing attention to the incredible lack of basic casting skill that a good percentage of the submitting artists displayed, I'd rather talk about the flawed idea of the show itself and what the prospect of it being an annual event says about the scene going forward. In short, fans of good resin are screwed. Is that statement hyperbolic and an over exhageration? Youbetcha. But if you were standing in that room, surrounded by an uncomfortable amount of this:

or this:

you would likely feel the same. Guess how much this last piece was listed for. Go ahead, I'll wait. Wrong. $120. Starting to see where the rage and fear is coming from? Believe it or not, there was defense of this piece among the visitors to the show. There were people saying, with a straight face, that it was "supposed to look like it was made by someone who didn't know how to sculpt." 

Done laughing?

While that does sound like a crap excuse for crap work, there are very good examples of this justification being true and used to great effect. The Sucklord, who also had a couple of pieces in the show, is a great example of a resin artist whose product is intentionally jaggy in ways that give the pieces charm and are clearly key to his style. The Sucklord piece below is a fair example of that. He's a master of using jank as a calling card.

It's at this point that I'll get back on track and continue with one simple question that I believe will go a long way to helping you understand where I'm coming from: Are there more than one person in the world who would want to pay money and own and display any of the four pieces shown above? If your answer is no, then you must agree with me that they did not belong in the show. That they did not warrant being molded and they did not warrant the waste of resin they were cast in. All four of these (and believe me, there were many more that fall in this category) would have been just fine painted up Super Sculpey figures given to grandma but by molding and casting them you are saying to the world that your piece is so good that multiple people will want, no, need to own it. And that is fairly simply not the case here. 

Maybe my understanding of the show itself is off, it wouldn't be the first time, but the problems evident were twofold:

 1) With the venue: If you are going to have a juried show, where you would like established, legitimate artists to submit quality work, you cannot also have the contest open to little Billy and the rest of his second grade classmates to submit their art period projects. There is no special honor or recognition in simply having a piece in an open call show. You weren't asked. No one called out to you and said hey, Billy, saw that father's day mug you made in ceramics with your mom. Want to make a "toy" next? No. Little Billy's greatest accomplishment was packing his piece securely in a cardboard box and managing to write out the mailing address correctly. Congratulations, you're in an art show. 

 2) With the artist: I had the opportunity to speak with a known voice in this scene "off the record" (and so who shall remain nameless though I think, quite honestly, he's being pretty cowardly to request that), about the quality of the work in the show. While we agreed that some of it was of a higher quality than others, he refused to go as far as to say that anything was actually bad. His argument was that he believed artists know when their work is bad and if it was bad, they wouldn't have submitted it to the show. The faults in that logic rival the Grand Canyon as I'm sure you can see by the four pieces above. The problem is that people all too often do not have the ability to be honest about their own product. Hell, I think this is the greatest blog ever. I mean, it is, right? But seriously, he was not willing to be openly judgmental about the pieces in a juried art show. You get the craziness of that position too I hope.

If you're going to put your work into a show that was devised under the premise of judgment, then you'd better be ready to hear that your work is bad if it is. Likewise, if it's good then you should by all means be praised to the high heavens to make sure you get the motivation to keep producing. The two artists at the top of this post will learn nothing by remaining sheltered from criticism. They had to have, they should have, known that quality artists would be submitting pieces and to have the balls to think something like those above could compete is asinine and an insult to the craft, and to the people out there who make it their life's work to produce amazing art. Why the likes of Arbito (who placed first) or Paul Kaiju (placed second) would even want their work associated with schlock is beyond me. I guess gift cards are hard to come by these days. 

So I'm going to leave you now with a few pictures of the pieces from the show that did belong, that did show some skill in their creation, and that I could see more than one person wanting to own. Grandma included. These aren't all of the good stuff, in fact I'm not even posting a picture of the one pice that I bought. This is just a taste. If you'd like to see more of the less-than-stellar stuff I highly recommend you hit up Jeremy Brautman and Spanky Stokes to look over the preview shots from the show. I couldn't bring myself to post them here. I'm sure both of those guys will be (if they haven't already) doing their own posts about the show as both of them were judges, along with Ayleen and George Gaspar (of October Toys and Toy Break fame), and the super-star sculptress and resin slinger, Julie B (of LA's own Pretty In Plastic). All in all I had a really great night. Good art or bad art, it is always wonderful to be around creative people and while not many of the participating artists were in attendance, I was honored to spend a good amount of time with the group of judges and the amount of knowledge, skill, and passion they all have is infectious and an absolute joy to be around.

You'll notice that there aren't any names attached to these pictures. So sue me, I don't do this professionally, I do this for giggles. You want facts check out the links on the right, I don't deal in those annoyances. Now, sit back, and sock in the art. 

With the above picture you also get a nice, sneaky-peek of Spanky ass. You're welcome.

The above was my favorite piece of the show. Beautiful, clean sculpt and great paint. 

And here are some random pictures from the evening. Great people and great times.

Yeah, that's Julie and Jeremy both pimping official (and acquired mere minutes before hand) judging hats. Gavels were also involved, though not pictured here. Clearly Ayleen felt it better to block their silliness from her gaze. There was important work to be done!

And then there was food. 

And feisty rebellion.

Designer Con, prepare to be Pinionated.

It is with great honor and excitement that I'm able to announce that ToyPinionated will be present and accounted for at Designer Con 2011, this November 5th. But don't worry, don't be scared, when you come by the booth you will not be greeted by a surrly hateful guy sitting under a pink banner and cursing at passersby. I thought about how much fun that would be but decided instead to treat the con and its visitors to a special treat by playing host to two amazing artists.

Please, put your hands together and help me welcome Yosiell Lorenzo and Troy Stith to the ToyPinionated booth at Designer Con 2011! Each spectacular artists in their own right, together their very different styles will come together and be roommates if only for one, glorious day. This will be something you will not want to miss as it's a rare pleasure to see each of their highly detailed customs in person. Troy's mixed media pieces and Yosiell's sticky, sweet monsters need to be seen to be believed. 

If you aren't already familiar with these guys go hit up their links to the right, check out their wares, and get as excited as I am to have all that awesomeness under one banner. Designer Con was already going to be a spectacular show and I'm stoked to be able to join forces with a couple great guys and be a part of the festivities. 

Over the next few months I will be posting most details and more surprises for the show but this was just too much fun to keep quiet about any longer. I can't thank Designer Con and its organizers enough for putting together a show where this kind of thing is possible. I'm just a regular guy, a fan of the scene, and for it to be possible for me to bring together two of my custom toy idols is a wonderful and fantastic thing. It truly is a show by fans for the fans and the ToyPinionated booth featuring the great Troy Stith and Yosiell Lorenzo, is perfect evidence of that. 

Thanks everyone. More soon. 

Don't be MAD. Flippin' ain't easy.

Okay, so maybe it is.

I guess the real question isn’t whether it’s difficult or easy to do but rather if it’s okay and ethical. To both I say hell yeah it is. Why wouldn’t it be? The term has taken on such a dirty and deplorable meaning that to even be considered a flipper of toys/art is up there with punching puppies and poisoning Halloween candy. But why? Does anyone really have a good deffinition of what flipping is or evidence of how it hurts the scene or artists specifically? 

Recently MAD voiced some frustrations via Twitter about a person who had purchased a set of three custom MADL figures he had done for Sanrio's 50th anniversary show, which was held in LA back in November of 2010. The figures did not sell at the show and in fact didn’t sell at all until they were put on sale through his web store. And there is the crux of his argument and frustration with the buyer. The guy who bought the set of three figures (for hundreds of dollars, mind you) went on to post them for sale on eBay a month later. This upset MAD and prompted him to tweet not only the eBay auction number but also a warning to all his followers that the seller was a “flipper”, implying that no one should buy from him, and that he would forever be banned from purchasing future customs. All well within his rights to do, but was it the best thing to do?

In the tweets above he specifically calls out that the seller has the items listed for $400 higher than what he (MAD) sold them to the guy for, on sale. Did you catch that? On sale. Meaning that in order to move the product he had to lower the price. And now because someone else was trying to get a price that the artist couldn’t himself get, he goes on the attack? I also think it's important to point out that the figures didn’t sell on eBay, at least not during the original listing. I don’t know if he re-listed and sold or not. For all I know he’s waiting for the dust to settle before he tries again.

But what right does any artist in this position have to be… mad? You sold it. You chose your price. No one forced you to put the item(s) on sale. If the person who bought it is now able to ask, and receive, a higher price from another buyer, where is the wrong in that? You could have asked that same price but you didn’t or if you did, you weren’t able to get anyone to pull the trigger. Nobody likes sour grapes. 

Let me be clear, I’m talking very specifically about a piece that was done for a show over six months ago, that did not sell until recently. This is not a case where a guy waited in line at a new figure release party or convention, bought five of them signed and doodled, then posts them all on eBay for inflated rates. That, I would agree, is wrong, or at the very least in more of a gray area than what happened in MAD’s case.

And I don’t want to appear to be piling on MAD or calling him out for anything other than what appears to be the popularly accepted response and he was just voicing frustrations. But this does make for an excellent, recent example with twitter evidence, of an opinion and feeling that I think is shortsighted and ignores the reality of how comerce works in a small and selfcontained ecosystem like ours. Go watch the recently released on DVD, The Vinyl Frontier, in which you’ll find a whole section of the film dedicated to the subject of flipping. Not surprisingly, I guess, many artists fell on the side of the act being akin to murder of the arts, while pragmatic stalwarts of the scene like Frank Kozik and Ron English see it for what it is: a means of assigning a real world value to an artist and their work while simultaneously making it available to a larger audience.

So stop complaining when a piece of yours sells for a price higher than you asked yourself. That’s the way it goes. Would you rather your work be worth less than you yourself appraised it? Pick your battles. Seems to me that appreciation in value is generally a good thing. 

Another side to this arguement would be to ask what is the allowable time table to own something before it's "OK" to sell it? And are you, the artist, the person who gets to make that decision for me? If I buy something (first of all, it becomes my property and no longer yours to have any say on one way or the other), and don't like it, I have every right to then get rid of it. In the case discussed here, the buyer waited a month to resell the figures. Would it have been "OK" if he had waited six months? A year? At what point does it become acceptable and no longer considered flipping? I think my thoughts are clear but I'd love to hear yours! Be Heard!

Oh look, a pile! JUMP!

Throughout the day Twitter has been on fire with criticism and angst over the recently begun nomination process and progress for Clutter Magazine's first annual Designer Toy Awards. And if you know anything about me, follow me on Twitter, or have ever heard me yelling from where I live to wherever you live, you probably know that I love a good fight and will jump at any and every opportunity to throw my two-cent piece into the fray. But this time it just feels wrong, like slapping a baby for drooling, why waste the time? You'll just get your hand wet! I say this because I've already made my thoughts on the awards themselves known on my Twitter feed and don't see the need to rehash them here because the awards aren't the problem. 

What I'd like to focus on instead is what these awards have brought out of SOME of us, as the fans, writers, and the artists that make up the very community these awards were designed (presumably) to serve. Whether anyone wants to admit it or not, there are a lot of people involved in the art that hold themselves in much higher regard than the people around them do. And guess what? I think that's a good thing! If you don't value yourself or what you put out there in the world then why the hell should I or anyone else? 

The problem isn't that these folks don't deserve to win awards or be nominated to win awards but that maybe we, as a group, just aren’t mature enough to do this without getting butt-hurt when three days pass and we aren't publicly, and formally patted on the back for being awesome. Don't get me wrong (too late?) I think the majority of people involved in this scene are great men and women who are extremely hard working and passionate about what they do. I know this is a second or third or fourth job for a lot of the smaller artists and they deserve to be recognized for their product just as much as the big guys who get the big, major production releases. But if it's been a week since nominations started and you're tweeting, complaining, because you don't see your name yet then we've got a bigger problem. 

If you’re nominating yourself because either you were told to by the organizers (obvious problem is obvious) or because you think that highly of yourself (douchebaggery is douchbaggery), then right here and now I declare you not worthy of winning anything.

I make no apology for harping on that one specific subject because I think it speaks to the very heart of why these awards have been as contentious as they have been. An award you give yourself is meaningless. It’s petty. Much like the majority of my complaining. Difference being that I write just to read my own writing whereas you nominate yourself as self-promotion and to congratulate yourself for being important. That’s what your fans are for, if you have any. And if you don’t, you don’t deserve the nomination in the first place.

There, I said it.

If the awards aren’t worth handling like adults and with integrity throughout the process, including nominations, then what value do they really hold? Who cares at that point? I’d be happy to make up the Toypinionated.com awards and give them all to myself and my dog but what would be the point in that? I think all the petty use of the awards as self-promotion by a few has only served to dishonor the many who are absolutely deserving of the spotlight they’re finally receiving.

Is the system set up by Clutter ideal? No, it’s fairly flawed and is a big part of why things have been as ugly as they have been with some. But I don’t want to pile on that complaint because they are actively changing things around in an effort to smooth out the wrinkles and I give them a lot of credit for wanting to recognize the talent and efforts of a group of people who are largely ignored in the art world. I have no doubt that next year, if the bitching-at-large doesn’t deter them from doing it again, that the kinks will be ironed out and we’ll all be happier campers. These are just growing pains and I am willing to give them a pass.

It’s people like me that need to do some growing and mellowing out over the next year so we don’t find ourselves in the same boat again. If your counterargument to me is that I'm taking this too seriously then I question why Clutter is bothering to go through all this trouble in the first place. If it isn't worth being serious about, it isn't worth doing. An award or recognition of any kind is only as valuable as the decision making process behind it in its entirety. Disagree with that and, again, I'd wonder why you want the award at all. 

Stand by your... lunar rover? Yes. Yes. Stand by your lunar rover.

Earlier this month Jeremyriad wrote up a really great piece on the value of the grassroots fundraising site, Kickstarter, and how it's being used in the art-toy world to make releases possible when they otherwise may not. I won't rehash what he said or reuse any of the great, amazing, terrific quotes that he published (::cough:: he quoted me ::cough::) so give him a visit to read it yourself. 

I bring this up not to send him more traffic or inflate his ego any more than his hair can handle, but because Jeremy has now teamed up with artist Sergey Safonov to put together a Kickstarter project to help fund Sergey's latest release. Luno, the moon rover, is a good natured, three-wheelin' guy just looking to rove some moon. But there is more to this Sergey than simply his toys. This is the man behind the site I, and I hope all of you, have come to love and depend on that is Rotocasted.com. Rotocasted is a library of production and custom art toys from around the world. The site allows you to tag the toys you own, create wishlists for toys you want, and have great conversations with the other users on any toy in the library. Have a toy that isn't already there? Add it! 

The way I see it, while this particular Kickstarter campain is speicifically for his new and amazing Luno release which I'm already proud to sponser, I can't help but keep in the back of my mind that this guy has done a lot for the community as a whole outside of just his stable of past toy releases, and that's someone I can't help but get behind. I suggest you hit up this link and drop a buck, or two, or a thousand his way. 

How can you say no to this face?

Be Heard!

I promised, earlier this week to my Twitter friends, that this would be a two-post week for Toypinionated. And as I'm trying my damndest to turn over a new leaf and not be a liar, here we are. But I thought I'd try something a little different. Rather than me rant and rave to you kind readers on a (semi-)regular basis, I'd really like to hear what you have to say. 

By their very nature opinions are controversial. Mine is likely not the same as yours just like yours is probably different than the bulk of your friends, at least about some things. So it's time for you, too, to Be Heard. 

Here's how it will work. Once a week I am going to post a new topic of conversation. You'll find it up under the "Be Heard" link at the top of the page. All I ask from you is your honest opinionated response to my question. If it doesn't strike your fancy this week, don't feel the need to respond. But if one week, down the line, a topic comes up that's been on your mind too, then you owe it to yourself and the community to speak up and get it out. 

To help keep things easy and the lines of communication open, I've removed all requirements to join or register or otherwise give away your identity so you should really feel free to be honest. In addition I've opened up topic creation to anyone who has something to get off their chest, just be ready to get some conversation from other readers in return. 

I reserve the right to delete any thread or comment that i deam to be socially dickish or out of line, so keep that in mind. I don't care if you tell the world how you're really feeling but if it's obscene or racially offensive, it WILL be deleted. I wan't this to be a community, don't ruin that for everyone else by being a jerk. That right is reserved for me. 

So please, hop on over to Be Heard and get your type on. The first topic is there and I am really interested to see what you have to say; what experiences you've had. Don't leave me hanging! I'll look like a fool if there aren't any replies so lets get this going. Enjoy!

If I wanted smoke blown up my ass I would have stayed married

The goal of this piece is to try and state an opinion, one I think a lot of people share but may be too bashful to express, but to do so with a delicacy that I'm not exactly known for. This will be a tough one. Here goes.

The state of toy-art "journalism" today is a joke. Every niche has a media that covers it for the fans and members of that niche. Whether it is the gaming press, movie sites like SlashFilm, or skateboarding magazines and sites. The list goes on, but you get the idea. But what do we get? We get blog rolls of regurgitated PR materials. We get release notes where, shockingly, every new figure is amazing, or rad, or sure to be a quick one to sell out! But that's all gutless and pointless and doesn't serve to inform the reader of anything beyond what the scanned and posted flyer tells us at first glance. 

Where are the mainstream sites that actually dare to give a critical opinion? To take an editorial stand about a new toy or an artist? Sure, there are a few posts here and there but even in those cases the moments of clarity and honesty are few and far between and typically stop short of saying anything that may put the writer in bad standing with the subject. I've got to call bullshit on that. I get it, I know I'm not trying to make money off of this blog and if I were maybe I'd think differently but that right there is the problem. As soon as your blog strives to make money off of the very thing you're covering, you have to make a choice. Are you going to stand up and continue to have a unique and opinionated voice? Or are you going to become a yes-man (or woman) and spit out whatever PR you're fed with a smile and an "Awesome!", "Super stoked for this release", etc?

Its fine, by the way, to be genuinely excited about the scene that you cover. Why else would you be covering it? But if at some point you are no longer able to give an honest, potentially negative opinion about something publicly, what good are you? No one needs another site to visit and read the same thing we're seeing on every other toy site. It's opinion and thought that makes a blog unique and worth our time as readers and fans. You're also not serving any useful purpose to the scene or the artists you "cover". These days with Twitter and Facebook their message about an upcoming release will be heard loud and clear by those fans who would typically spend the money on them anyway. All without you. I follow the artists I like and give my money to so I hear about their work from them. Artists they are wowed by, they retweet and I learn about them too. Social media is making the same-same blog rolls irrelevant.

So in summation, positive thinking is great, it's fine, but the fans of this scene deserve more than another PR voice telling us what's coming out and what shows are coming up. All of this information we get from dozens of other places, and from where the unbridled enthusiasm is expected and tolerable. From our "news" sources we need something more. And before anyone gives me the argument that site traffic is up and growing, I don't care. If you are resting on those laurals you're clearly missing the point. We visit these sites to look at pretty pictures, win contests, and generally see if in the off chance there might be something worth reading (usually not). Try giving a voice of constructive criticism to your site and I bet readership would climb even higher. Just like in the art we love, the personality and opinions of those who create it play a huge factor. Same goes for the blogs we like to read.

I don't think I did such a hot job of being nice about this. For what its worth, I think the people behind the more popular sites are really wonderful and put their heart and soul into what is, no doubt, a time consuming and hard task. But I'm also reminded of the really nice, sweet, and well intentioned dude that used to work alongside me until he was laid off because being really nice, sweet, and well intentioned doesn't mean you're doing your job right. 

Kidrobot: The attempted smothering of independent creativity *UPDATED*

I'm a hater. I'll admit that. I have issues following along with the status quo quietly when I see inconsistencies or problems. My mouth doesn't know how to stay shut. And while usually it flaps only to hear myself talk and for no real useful purpose, tonight I write with true furry and anger as I watch a relative goliath try, once again, to suck every ounce of ingenuity, creativity, and genuine artistry out of a culture that I've grown to love and feel a part of.

Kidrobot has a history of taking what other creators have started and applying their stable of predictable artists to it, making it something vaguely their own, and turning it into something the mass market can palate. There is nothing original about the Dunny. There is nothing creative about series after series of the same shape, with largely the same group of artists producing much the same work on said same shapes. What Kidrobot does is co-opt what is relevant to the participants of this underground, urban art culture and turns it into something bubble-gum and profitable and marketable to Target and Wal-Mart shoppers.

There is nothing wrong with being mass market, there is nothing ultimately wrong with wanting to be popular and make money. What is wrong is using the very culture you pretend to be a part of as a sort of farm from which to cultivate genuinely creative and artistic ideas to exploit for your own benefit, with no consideration for the legitimate creator. 

Today I read a post on Spankystokes.com that brought to my soul such a rage that I had to get this out. Soon Kidrobot, in a joint venture with Swatch, will be releasing a wave of artist watches. Isn't that a great idea? Wouldn't it be wonderful to be able to have the art of someone you respect and admire on your wrist, with you, all day every day? Amazing! Those bastards at Kidrobot sure are thoughtful of their fan's desires! 

But wait, I've had this really cool Huck Gee watch on my wrist for a while now, and I know I've seen pictures of other folks with watches with the art of truly amazing artists like Chris Ryniak, Buff Monster, Travis Lampe, Ragnar, Thomas Han, and others. But where have I seen that before? 

Vannen Watches has been producing exactly this product for awhile and with amazing artists since day one. Vannen is a small company, a one-man company that is as part of the scene as the artists he works with on a daily basis. Does Kidrobot think that we as a group, as true fans and members of this culture, will forget that? Will forget what Vannen stands for and how artist centric they are? 

Competition is fine, I get the need for it and I understand it and I'm not worried for Dave (@vannenwatches). I know the fans will stand by him and that those who care will continue to support his company because they know by doing so they're really supporting the artists that they love. But I do worry about what this blatant abduction of an idea says about what Kidrobot thinks of their customers and that we continue to buy into it, and fall for it, and prove them right. We justify their shitty actions every time we stand in line to buy one of their "limited" products. Myself included.

But no more. I will no longer support Kidrobot releases. I choose to put my support behind the small, independent artists and designers and business owners that are the basis of what this scene is all about. This motley crew of people was brought together under the flag of creativity and variety. Everyone is an active member of this huge family, artists and fans alike. When a bully starts to mess with someone in my family, I'm going to stand up to them with as much might as I have and so should you.

Dave will be fine because his product is pure, his intent and drive and connection with the artists he serves and the customers he serves, comes from a true love of the art around him. That watch you buy from him pays the bills of the artists he works with in a much more direct and meaningful way than you probably realize. That's the kind of creativity and heart in this community that we owe it to ourselves to support. Kidrobot only sees that initiative as a great, quick idea to take and profit from. Nothing more. A cry to stay relevant in an art scene that every day strives to out grow them. Don't let the bully win. 

I have no dog in this race: I own no company, I sell no art, and I've only had the pleasure of meeting Dave a handful of times. But I am a member of this big art world family and I look out for my own. I think we all do, that's why we're here. We're fans of those who bring something new and fantastic to the table. We need to come together to reject and push back on those who make no bones about hijacking what we love and calling it their own. We know better. Lets prove it.

*UPDATE*

After a really great conversation with SpankyStokes and an, as usual, insightful comment from Gary Ham I'd like to own up to what was clearly a quick and emotional response to what I honestly see as a negative move by a (relatively speaking) large company against one of our own (whether intentional or out of complete ignorance, and I'm not sure which is worse). What I did not initially take into consideration was how my proposed action would affect the retailers I love and rely on. I don't want to see any of the many great toy shops who make their living, and keep doors open, by selling KR stuff suffer. Without them, we'd truly be up a creek without a paddle.

My feelings about KR are clear and while brash and maybe to some of you wrong, they are my feelings. I see a lot wrong with the way they do business and while they are (by all accounts) great to their limited stable of artists, I don't think they're good, ultimately, for the scene. Am I an overdramatic baby? To a large extent yes. But how you could look at the release discussed in this post, recognize that their only real alteration to what is already actively being marketed is the addition of a matching Dunny (the toy-world's version of crack), and I don't see how you could be anything other than appalled at the action. 

Let there be contributors!

I've made this offer out on my twitter feed, and I sincerily hope people take me up on this, that I am making this site available to any artist or trusted fan/friend who would like to make a statement about the scene, culture, or anything else toy related while doing so annonmously. In a community as small and close-knit as ours is I uderstand how difficult it can be for those deeply involved to be able to speak openly and honestly about other artists, other pieces of art, or the fanbase without fear of consiquences. All this does is keep valuable opinions and thoughts trapped in where they don't do anyone any good. Everyone deserves to have their voice heard and grevinces aired without consequence.

Toypinionated is here for you, people! If you're interested in becoming a contributing editor to this site if only to write one blog post about an irritating aspect of one thing, contact me. This isn't a comitment, this is an open door that anyone is welcome to come knocking on any time you've got something you want to say. 

Welcome to your safe house.

REVIEW: Hermees by Gary Ham

If you’re anything like me, first off I’m sorry, you are growing tired of the same toys, the same styles, the same boring releases from the same stale companies week after week. I’ve ranted about many things already on this site and on Twitter but what I can’t complain enough about is the overwhelming sense of sameness that is taking over the designer toy scene over the last year or so. We’ve reached a point where a few artists have become so big, so fast (relatively speaking) that what they became popular for is exactly where their growth has stopped along with their apparent desire to do something different. Speaking as a collector and not as a creative type myself, take this with a grain of salt, but if you as an artist are happy releasing the same vinyl toy again and again then you sir are as creative and artistic as my doxie Gromit. Maybe less.

That being said, I received in the mail today a toy that challenged this way of thinking for me. A few days ago I was lucky enough to be one of the few who were able to secure an early release of Gary Ham’s Hermees the bat vinyl toy. If you’ve ever seen Gary at a convention like San Diego Comic Con or Designer Con, then you’ve seen and will know his iconic wood figures. And here is where my point of view on sameness was challenged. Hermees is a 12” wide, 8” tall version of Gary's larger, and much more expensive (for good reason) wood bat figure.

The fact that this vinyl release is priced at only $45 makes it a great way for us tighter budgeted fans of Gary’s woodwork and character design to own a piece of his art. If you can afford one of the larger wood figures I would say put your money there, you will not be sorry, but as a less expensive alternative this toy gives you all the look and feel of wood in a slightly smaller and lighter package.

So following my own logic from earlier, I should hate this toy. It’s just a smaller version of the same thing he’s done before, right? Nothing new here; nothing to get excited about. Wrong. What’s so interesting and special about this figure is the very fact that it is vinyl. Strange coming from a rabid vinyl collector, right? Unlike other artists who paint their vinyl to look like wood, Amanda V. I’m looking at you, Gary actually used a wood model of Hermees when casting the mold. Using the wood figure ensured that all of the natural grain and imperfections of the original piece translated through to the vinyl. The end result is a vinyl figure that you have to pick up and look at closely to tell it is vinyl at all: a huge feat and one that was accomplished to great effect. 

The figure isn’t perfect though. The plug on the underside of the head is very noticeable and there are, on my figure at least, noticeable touch ups on both wings but neither of these issues are enough to detract from what is otherwise a really cool and visually interesting piece. So while there are things I’d like to see done a little cleaner on the manufacturing side, as a self-produced and released figure I don’t know what more could reasonably be asked. It’s a great piece that I’m proud to add to my collection as my first large scale Gary Ham. But perhaps its greatest feat of all is giving me a sudden and burning need to pick up at least one of the other colorways yet to be released.

What? When was the last time you saw just one bat?

The bottom line is that if you are a fan of Gary’s work you owe it to yourself to pick up the Hermees Vinyl figure when it has its full release in January 2011. In a scene overrun by more of the same, do your collection a favor and pick up what is a really wonderful crossover piece that brings the warmth and texture of a wood toy for the cost of vinyl.

Oh, and he has butt crack! That's an automatic A+ in my score-book.