7th Annual Designer Toy Awards - NOMINATIONS OPEN!
It is that time again people!!!! The 7th Annual Designer Toy Awards are taking Nominations! So if you find that anything that I did last year deserves a DTA then please head on over to the DTA's and throw in a little nomination for me.
Below I've put together my top 6 customs of last year. I did make allot more, but these are the ones I think deserve a nomination and they are the ones I am most proud of.
#1. "Reborn" - Custom Bear Head - Luke Chueh
This is my number one by far. This bear head took allot of patience and allot of media. Yeah I used over 1 lb of sculpey just on the wood.... Not only that but it tested my skills in so many ways and made me into a better customizer. I dare to do bigger things now and I dare to take risks. It was hard to send this head off, I just wanted to keep it. It ended up weighing roughly 1.7 kilos!
#2. "Ori" - Custom Bode Broad - Mark Bode
I think 2016 was the year where I did my biggest customs and when I decided that there is nothing that can stand in the way of me wanting things to look a certain way. I cut this poor Bode Broad to pieces and then sculpted her back together again. This was another custom that put my sculpting skills to the test and I really questioned my decision of cutting her drape off. It turned out great though and yet again I grew as an artist and so did my confidence. Now she's my second fave of 2016.
#3. "The Warden" - 8" Dunny - Kidrobot
I never got to say much about The Warden and I never got to show you many photos of him either. I made him for ToyCon UK last year and with all the stress I never had the chance to photograph him properly. He was my favorite custom that I brought to ToyCon UK and he also sold there. It was the first time I got to work on an 8" Dunny, and the 8" Platform is now one of my favorite ones to work on. He also came with two flying Labbits and those little vials in the log and around his neck are filled with real seeds.
#4. "The Toketsu Snow Hare" - 5" Dunny - Kidrobot
Here is another one that I didn't really get the chance to mention properly. I was in such a rush to get things ready for NYCC last year and being part of the DTA Dunny show was obviously a dream come true and one of my proudest moments! He ended up as one of my best customs of last year as well and I am still so super proud of him.
#5. Nousagi & Kitsune - Kidzilla/Gamera Girl - Yoii
Yes, I know, there's two. But these two came as a couple and they will always be as one! It was the first time I customized resin toys. These two obviously had allot of sculpt to them already and I found it terribly hard to look beyond that and see my own design on them. But I spent allot of time sketching and finally I could see what they could become. They are very different from what you would normally see from me, and I think that is why I love them so much. They had me think outside the box and I really had to challenge my brain and imagination here.
#6. "Water Elemental" - 3" Dunny Custom - Kidrobot
This one might come as a bit of a surprise. It did to me because sometimes I over-look how much work I've put in to something and then I can't really appreciate it until I look back at it a few months later. This was a private commission as well and what I love about some commissions is that the customer have such a clear idea of what they want and it has me making something I'd never have thought of myself. The first thing that popped into my mind when the customer asked for a water elemental was the amazing looking elementals from World of Warcraft (where I spent most of my early twenties) and so I found my inspiration there. I think that is just one of the reasons as to why I appreciate this custom so much. It brought back some good old memories.
That's it for me! If you find that something else appealed to you more than my top 6 then feel free to nominate whatever you'd like. I'd feel so proud to make it to the finals again! But without you guys that would be impossible! Thank you for your continued support! Love you all!!!!!