Vinyl Toys: Invasion of the Color Snatchers

People that have been in love with toys have likely been in love with them for a long time. That is the heart of many of today's premier vinyl designers, which may be the reason for the bold statements they make in both design and color. For those of you unfamiliar with this popular trend, you may be startled to find what an intense source of color and beauty the designer vinyl toy universe can offer.

by delarge

Designer vinyl started to pop up around 1990. It was coming from radically different sources: Some designers were classically trained in art and design, while others were self taught. My own personal discovery of designer vinyl started with Toy2r's Qee bears, around 1997. The 2" bear shaped toy with Mickey Mouse ears quickly became a ubiquitous symbol of designer vinyl, not to mention a great inspiration for artists everywhere. By taking something as simple as a toy and projecting art onto it, a new creation was born -- a highly accessible art form to people of all ages and backgrounds.

by Andy Woo

The look quickly caught on and spread to other forms of toy art. "Designer plush" was true to the same artistic ideals as designer vinyl, but made use of the medium to make its own unique statement. One of the most popular plush designers is Friends with You, a Miami based company that is heavily inspired by Miami's strong design aesthetic. These toys have also become highly collectible and much sought after, making it cool to have a shelf of "stuffed animals" in the house again.

by revlimit

The vinyl toy culture is flourishing more strongly than ever today, with popular websites such as Vinyl Pulse keeping fans up to date on the latest releases. The culture has also spawned a rabid custom fanbase, as many of the sculpts are sold in plain white and encourage you to customize to your heart's content. The creativity with use of color simply explodes here -- one can't help but feel as if this is the very core of the trend itself. It's exciting to see a culture fueled with such a passion for art and creativity, but the consistent use of vivid color is perhaps the most inspiring part of all.

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Title by Subkernel.