HSIN-WEI'S BLOGGER: RESEARCH PAPER 2ND DRAFT

HSIN-WEI'S RESEARCH PAPER

Art Toys Evolution

Vinyl (??) Toys Are Not Immature And Rough Anymore (Good, but keep working on a better title.)

This research paper focus on one part of subcultureal phenomena which about toys.(For a starter of research papers, it is too boring.) Toys recently have been becoming artworks. Not only their function changing, but also their status. Many toy designers now are like artists, and toys can have their exhibitions in art museums. (Hsin-Wei-to make this argument stronger, you need to provide citations.) Now, they also called Art Toys or Design Toys. Carlo McCormick (2006) (APA STYLE, McCormick (2006) reports that ...)reported that "Vinyl figures might be trivialized as toys, but by lineage and legacy this is actually the kind of subgenre that belongs to the species of artists' multiples". Many people like to collect toys, and for them, they are artwork. In some paintings or drawings, artists use toys' images to present their idea. Besides, (awkward) this reserch paper can(don't use this expression in the future. If you can't, we won't read your papers at all!) introduce the new conception to people who do not understand it. (What is this? Explain about this sentence more)This phenomenon has been happening for five years, so it is still a new topic. The discussion will focus on the changing both of toy design and consumers.(Hey, this is a good try! However, you need to organize your thoughts more clearly. Let's work on this introduction again. Can you revise it tonight so we can work together tomorrow?)

Acroding to one studying (Jim Crawford, 2005), Art Toys have been popular since the early 2000. This phenomenon is a part of a subculture trend which includsd urban art, street fashion, alternative comics, music and contemporary art and design. Art Toys appreaded in Tokyo and Hong Kong first, then they becam popular throughout all the world. In 2000, some Japanese streetwear stores creadted their original toys as promotional items for their apparel labels. At the same time, a group of toys collectors and shop owners in Hong Kong hold toy conventions to show their wares. Some toys designers influenced by what was happening in Japan, and created their own original Art Toys.

The design between previous toys and Art Toys is different. In the previous toys, most of them are made for children. The design is focus on the safety and educational development. Also, the materials use cheaper and crude plastic or metal. Besides, the price is cheaper, because of the low coast materials and most parents would not like to buy costly toys for children. However, Art Toys or Design Toys are made not only for childre, but also adults. In stead of safety and educational function, they need unique design and delicately detail. The materials are also important, because better materials can make toys have better quality. The price of Art Toys is high, because they are artistic and valuable.

It is ture that design is based on function. The function between previous toys and Art Toys is different. It is clear that Art Toys are not have to be safe and have developmental functions, because they are not made only for children. Some of Art Toys are like statues, they are not movable. Even some Art Toys have arthrosis or joints, they are not totally moveable, and the propose of them is to make some specific poses. Also, Art Toys can be decorations which have the same function as artwork. If toys are not playable, the safety and educational function are not necessary. The designs of Art Toys are focus on the special shape, beautiful colors and details. The way that toys designers make toys is like the way that artists make artwork. They creat shapes, poses, colors and characteristics on toys. Some famous toys designers even show their own style on their toys which make people can discriminate them easily, just like when you see Van Gogh's unique touch, you can tell it is Van Gogh's painting.

Art Toys are more delicated than previous toys. Comparing with the outlooking, size and weight are different. Previous toys usually have small size and light weight, because most of the users are children. In Art Toys, size and weight have no limit, it all depand on the designer's idea. A big Art Toys could be 72cm high, and the weight is about 9 kg. Also, Art Toys have more delicately details than previous toys. In Art Toys, colors are painted carefully, even the edge between two colors is very specific. Some of them have many samll replacement components, which can change the toy's appearance or pose.

The materials are also changing. The common material is vinyl, PVC and ABS, which are kinds of plastic, and they are still popular toy's materials until now. Some old toys are made by tin or superalloy, but at that time, the thchnic was not good, so the toy's shape and movement were limited. However, with the developing of toy's making technic, these problems have seloved. The mold making skill improves, too. Now, the common PVC or ABS plastic toys can have very delicated detials and can have many joints. Although Art Toys are more beautiful amd valuable, they are not stable. Comparing with previous toys, Art Toys are more weak. Having many delicated delitals and components lead to Art Toys cannot suffer impact. Previous toys are very strong, because the users are children, and they need endurable toys. Also, some Art Toys combine different materials together. They use the vinjl for making the main body, than use superalloy for the apparels. Some real action figures' apparels even made by real leather, silk and jeans.

The changing of consumers is also a reason of Art Toys developing. Before Art Toys appeared, the toys' main user is children. However, after Art Toys created a trend to all the world, toys are not only for children anymore. Young people and adults purchase or collect toys. Accroding to one study (Woodrow Phoenix, 2006), Art Toys creat a new conception for toys. Toys, which are commercial objects are transformed into art. Some art toys are made depand on comic , movie or animation characters, these toys can make young people and adults have nastagic feeling. Through collecting these toys, people can feel satisfied. Also, art toys have another reason that attract people, they can make fantasy become true (chap. 2, "Character Merchandising and Mascots"). Art Toys can satisfied with young people and adults' imagination, they can make monsters, super heros, robots and animation characters become object which can be touched and exhibited.

Art Toys have wide connection with subcultures, suck as movies, animations and street fashions. Many companies have cooperation with toys companies, which produce the limited edition for attracting customers. People who addict to these subculture stuff may have a lot of oppoutunities to involved in Art Toys. Recently, even some famous exclusive brands have been cooperating with toys company, for example, in June 2007, CHANEL(Figure 1), CARTIER(Figure 2), COACH(Figure 3) and some famous brands had special plane with Medicom Toys Company. They made different 1000% BE@RBRICK toys for charity bazaar.

Michael Lau

Michael Lau(Figure 4) is a famous toy designer from Hong Kong. He was one of the originators of art toys. He created his first art toys in 1999, the "Gardeners", twelve-inch vinyl figures dressed in urban fashions with tattoos, had great success. His art toys included art, toys and fashion, which made collectors saw a new styles of toys and art lovers saw a new mdeium for art representation.

Kaws (US)

Kaws designs many unique toy figures which contain his special style. In 1999, he released his first vinyl toy, "Companion"(Figure 5), in partnership with Tokyo's Bounty Hunter. That established his position as a founding figure in the art toy movement.

MEDICOM TOY (JP)

MEDICOM TOY is a toy making company which established in 1996, located in Shibuya, Tokyo. It makes many unique and creative toys that creats a new Art Toys trend throughout the world. Also, MEDICOM TOY involves in fine art, fasion design and urban culture stuff. Cooperating with artists from different fields is the distinguishing feature of MEDICOM TOY.

Art Toys have been developed only for 7 years, they are still new issues. It seems reasonable that Art Toys connect art and fun together, they provide people have an oppiortunity to own a piece of art. In the future, Art Toys could play an important role in culture, also, be an essential medium for art.

Reference List

You need to work on this list according to APA style. Read and reply to your classmates' posts.

McCormick, C. (2006). Vinyl rules: surrogate sculptures and the manufacture of ldentity. Full

Vinyl: The Subcersive Art of Designer Toys, 118-125

Crawford, J. (2005). Introduction: Toys New Desugns from the Art Toy Revolution.

Phoenix, W. (2006). Character Merchandising and Mascots. Plastic Culture: How Japanese Toys

Conquered the World, 27-29

Figure 1. Coach 1000% Be@rbrick, http://www.hypebeast.com/2007/05/berbrick-charity-auction-

event

Figure 2. Chanel 1000% Be@rbrick, http://www.hypebeast.com/2007/05/berbrick-charity-auction-

event

Figure 3. Cartier 1000% Be@rbrick, http://www.hypebeast.com/2007/05/berbrick-charity-auction-