FINAL

It is 5AM on the morning of handing this in and in the end, i really, really enjoyed this project.. doing something i'm not familiar with or particularly skilled in has been realy rewarding and i am pleased with my final outcome. The finished vinyl version is not made yet, but below are images of the model i have made, as well as the packaging. Th model is ready to scan with a nifty 3D scanner at the RCA and shouldn't take long to produce. I know that my project is really a product design project, but i have really appreciated the chance to explore other areas of design.

Final plush model packaging.


Model packaging.


Final prototype.

the latest...

prototypes and packaging designs (INITIAL packaging designs, may i add).... still in talks with the RCA to get things rolling on a proper vinyl figure. its all VERY exciting!

Side


Front


Back


Box idea for Plush version with display window.

I LOVE learning new things...

CHECK OUT MY FIRST EVER GIF.... This is a proud moment for me, although i know it is a bit cack...




CLICK THE THUMBNAIL...

So i have done a plush version of myself and now i have moved on to a wireframe/clay version...


Wireframe


Unfinished clay model

CH-CH-CHECK IT OUT!!

With the help of my fantastic sister, the artist/graphic designer/seamstress extraordinaire. (sorry sonia.) We spent like 10 hours creating the Cuddley Sam you see below! It is a prototype of a plush toy of myself:- "Typical Designer Toy Collector #1" Accessories are also being designed and made as we speak!


The VERY rare "Huggable" version of, "Sam, The Design Student" doll.


Myself and I

1st draft figure design

Sam Harris figure design, very first draft. PLEASE GIVE ME ADVICE!!!

my ideas and thought processes

After a lot of thinking and drawing and working around my ideas of familiarity and comforting feelings that i get from the act of collecting toys and figures, i think i am going to make a toy of myself... now i KNOW everyone is going to think thats a bit of a sell out idea, but hear me out. My aim for this project is to create a toy/figure/collectible that created a sense of happiness or evoked the feelings or emotions that came from buying toys when we were children. The toys/collectibles/designer figures that are available are and innovative method of informing a wider audience. The fact that they are toys means that people young and old buy them because toys are friendly, welcoming vessels. I am using myself as a model because i am part of the target audiences that designer toys are marketed at. and I aim to produce a set of designs that depict the "average toy collectors." I also think that this may be my one any only chance to have a figure of myself made. After talking to a two very helpful 3rd years, i have been in touch with a couple places to see if i can get my final design manufactured or if i am going to have to make it myself. I have been FRANTICALLY sketching self portraits and drawings of myself and trying to work out the best method and the best light to portray myself.... Dont worry though, i am still keeping popular influences such as robots, monkeys and accesories heavily in mind..

likes and influences.

here are some images from the book which i bought off Amazon.. (for an amazing deal. way to go Amazon!) and a very very small part of my vast collection of toys. each toy i look at i get more of an idea of aspects that i definately want to include in my own design. I really want to make a capsule/random toy... like a Kinder Egg! or many of the collectibles on the market at the moment.. I also would love to make something flocked... i really love that. I am still not sure WHAT the figure will be but i would quite like it to have a personal theme, such as graphic design tools or toy buyers themselves... not sure yet... also, like i said before... robots and cyborgs are always cool...


ASTRO BOY!!!!! one of my favourites...your average adorable, flying, japanese robot boy!!!


Silas range by James Jarvis.


A drop in the ocean when it comes to my collection, but here we have: Stay Puft, Robocop, Aladdin Kubrick, Raisin Bran Sun Kubrick, Roger Rabbit Kubrick, Miniture Eames Chair, Cutie Pie Baby Doll, Character from the "In Crowd" by Jarvis. I have chosen these onces because they all illustrate different aspects of toys. and different manufacturing techniques which i want to look at.


Cant remember where i got this or what its from, but i have had it for YEARS and its the coolest toy ever.... LOOK how many small parts there are! not for young children! thats for sure!

1st post

Who would have thought a year has come and gone already and soon i will be embarking on the great adventure that is "3rd year." It's so hard to start off on a self directed project, but i decided to look at something that i have always loved, but have never utilised within my work before, which is my insane obsession with toys. particularly toys that have been emerging in the last few years that have been aimed at older people/adults and designers and artists especially. The term "Urban Vinyl" will mean nothing to some, but it refers to toys and figures released by artists and fesigners such as James Jarvis' In Crowd. Munnys, Dunnys, Kubricks and Capsule toys such are all things that i love. My aim for this project is to use my passion and knowledge to make a toy. a bold and possibly impossible task, since i have enormous expectations to how wicked awesome i want my toy to be. also need to work on the design of packaging and whatnot, so... LOTS to do! below are a couple of things that interest me about the love of toys. i think it is the feeling of connection you get from playing with toys that makes them SUCH and invaluable way to promote your work and gain recognition.

Link to one of my sister's friend's Flickr site, Joshua Ellingson is an artist/illustrator who has been called upon to do paint jobs on Munnys and Dunnys for companies such as KidRobot:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/josh1/collections/72157600012668002/

ENORMOUS Qee Bear:



Personalised Figures:



Crazy, strange looking Blythe Dolls: