Custom: IDOL'S IDOL

 'IDOL'S IDOL' by Shane Haddy

I was invited to be part of the 4th Annual Blamo Toys exhibition held at Toy Art Gallery. I really love the work by Blamo Toys and have remotely viewed their exhibitions each year. I am excited to be participating!

Recap video of the Blamo Toys custom show last year.

45mm tall Hug sits in my hand

This year, the piece chosen to be the main attraction is a 45mm resin Hug figure. Hug is small, he is very small; It is the smallest piece I have ever customised. You would think being smaller would make it easier but in many ways, it was harder than a 'normal' 4-7" piece to customise.

I had sketched on paper many ideas, I had chosen one but in the end I didn't follow through. I pulled out some clay and made a 3D sketch model, I think this is becoming my favourite way to work.

I wish I had more WIP images to show you, poor form on my behalf. Yet, I am happy with how he turned out. Here he is~~

IDOL'S IDOL
custom Hug by Shane Haddy

You may recognise the golden 'cat head'. It is a Meowf, a really neat original sculpt by TOVI. Sadly the Meowf project has been put aside but it was really nice to use Meowf for this custom. I also had a bit of fun trying get the Meowf head to look like roughly cast 'ancient statue' gold.

I am really happy with the final result, I feel the form worked out really well. 

Toy Art Gallery
7571 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles CA 90046

Opening reception:
7-10pm 15th of December.

Exhibition:
15th of December through to the 30th of January.

To idolise, to be idolised.

Project: Arrived in Japan

Hello from Japan!

As I mentioned in my last post, I have spent the first week in Okayama visiting my brother, it was fantastic! I am currently in Tokyo for my second night and I am almost settled in. Time to recap my first week!

Adventure to Japan

I had a great flight, even with the annoying transfers. I started in Adelaide with a brief stop in Melbourne. then a 3 hour stopover in Hong Kong, followed by a 3 hour flight to Tokyo. The plane had very cool HD touch screens but sadly I had seen 90% of the films on the system. I did however enjoy watching  'Painted Skin 2 : the Resurrection'. The hardest thing about the flight was the HK transfer at midnight, flying back out at 4am. This is prime sleeping time! I planed ahead and had a good sleep between 7-11pm.

I made it to Tokyo

I arrived at Narita airport at 6am in the morning. Got all my belongings and made it through customs. First thing was to have a shower! I love public showers in Japan, so clean and nice. I have to say though, the shower facilities at Osaka airport are much nicer. Showed, clean and in fresh clothes, I made my way to meet up with César Zanardi.

I was only in Tokyo for a few hours before catching the Shinkansen to Okayama, so I was really happy we managed to meet up! Not having much time, César suggested we go to Asakusa. I haven't been there so thought it would be fun. 

First time seeing Sensōj, it was packed with tourists!

Waniphant with the Sky Tree and the Asahi 'golden poo' by Philippe Starck

I have always held back calling Waniphant a 'kaiju' directly but when an old drunk Japanese man walks by and yells out 'AHHHH KAIIIIIJUUUU' I think it is safe to say Waniphant is a kaiju.

 

We did take some photos of Cerrito and Waniphant together but it was of a special Cerrito that César will reveal later. Lucky for us, TOVI did a really cool sketch to celebrate Waniphant and Cerrito meeting.

Yeeehaaaa ~~ Love this sketch by TOVI

After taking some photos, it was lunch time! This was an important occasion as it will be my first meal in Japan! With so many choices, it is always hard to decide. It doesn't help that I am shocking when it comes to deciding where to eat. Interestingly, for my first meal in Japan, I had Indian curry!!!

 

Look at that spread! It was really yummy!

 

Toy shopping

After lunch we went to Ueno to check out Yamashiroya, a single toy store with the lot! With not much time before I had to leave, it was a perfect choice. It was my first time there and seeing so many toys was overwhelming but I loved it. 

 

 

 "6 levels of happiness" - César Zanardi

 

 The store is amazing! Full of big licensed series, character merchandise and independent sofubi makers. Trying to keep my budget in check, I only got myself one toy. Originally I wasn't going to get any but I have to thank César for the little 'push'. 

 

"Shocker is the organization that spred of world allu with the clique and very fierce and horrible. Their evil purpose what to change the humanbeing and subordinate mankind to them and conquer the world." - word for word Engrish text on the box.

Time to head to Okayama

3 handsome gentlemen; César, Wanihpant and Shane. 

 

With my time up, I had to say goodbye. César is a great guy and we had a great time, especially talking about Australian rock music! Tired and exhausted, I still wanted a photo to remember the occasion. 

Considering I have only covered the first few hours of my time in Japan, I will leave it there for tonight and continue the story next time. Thanks for reading!

Meowf Head - Keyring/phonestrap prototype

All ready to be customised by TOVI

New toy sculpted by TOVI – Intended to be a full size toy, which will be announced later in the year. TOVI sent me the unfinished sculpt for my opinion. I loved it and suggested we make keychains from its head.

Each one is hand casted, cleaned, then painted with Monster Kolor paints by Shane Haddy. Selected few have been further customised by TOVI.

Custom heads hand drawn by TOVI

Only a limited amount of these prototypes will be avalible at the launch event which will be followed by a production release.

Production of the Meowf heads will begin in the coming months and by using a pressured pot it will produce a smoother surface and allow for a faster production at lower cost.

So derpy

What is a TOVI? pt.2

This following post was written by TOVI

Continued from Part 1

_____________________________________________

LADY BARRELMON

After the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami occurred, I saw that Troy Stith had set up the KAIJU FOR JAPAN fundraiser - which I really wanted to participate in.

Japan holds a very dear place in my heart - it was the place I pretty much became an adult (being a young whelp who led a sheltered life and travelling alone for the first time). I got lost on my first day there because I was distracted by cute toys and turned down too many side streets. Again, nothing attractive about a missy sitting on the kerb sobbing her eyes out in the rain (this was the time before googlemaps)

Also, my dear friend Emiko-chan lives there, so I felt obligated to do something on my part.

So I had the idea of doing a KAIJU GALS! preliminary piece based on our first Kaiju – Barrelmon.

Here are some production pics of LADY BARRELMON for your entertainment. I've never really taken WIP pictures before, so this is a new fun thing for me too. I don't draw nearly fast enough for videos - you'd be sitting there all day if I tried that.

Initial quick sketch - whilst I was studying the difference between small and large bowel obstructions...

Re-do of the original sketch with small changes here and there - and use the feather light touch technique!



Initial work up with COPIC multiliner - using sizes 0.5, 0.1, and 0.05... this is the part where tremors occur



BEWB TIME!!!! this is also the point where I came down with pneumonia.... *coughs up sputum*



Fast-forward 5 weeks recovery period and we start working out what colour to make her -I went for green :o3



Finished the body! now to figure out the hair.... hmmmmzzzz...... *scratches head*



Blue hair using 6 different COPICs..ughh!!! so annoying. each stroke requires the blender tone. Painstaking :oS



Final touch up with DERWENT pencil and trace over COPIC multiliner... and we are done! <3 KAIJU FOR JAPAN <3

I also want to take this opportunity to say that I get awful embarrassed when I draw stuff like this. Contrary to belief, I am not a pervert (don't believe anything Shane says). It's really difficult to be able to draw stuff like this without blushing beet red each time you do it.

That and many of my friends don't really know what I draw - I only show them the PG-rated ones... I have a number of conservative friends and I’d be mortified if they thought I was some closet-pervert-steal-your-panties-type of person…

I guess, that's my secret - and you Kaiju fans out there are the ones to know this side of TOVI.

Anyway, during the last 6 months I became overworked and acutely ill. With my 3rd year medical degree + research project for points in order to apply for SET CardioThoracic Surgery Training + extra brown-nosing to consultants so they can be referees on my CV, I have come to terms that I will have to put my extracurricular activities on hiatus until the next summer holidays or my studies will suffer.

I'd like to thank everyone for their support and allowing me to practice my art - something that I haven't been able to do for a long time.

Please keep watch for new projects from Shane/Hints & Spices this year.

And at the end of the year - watch out for my projects! (particularly the KAIJU GALS! sexy project with various Kaiju designers).

_____________________________________________

Just to note: TOVI is a closet-pervert-steal-your-panties-type of person :P teheheheh

Also, I am the VERY lucky owner of the Lady Barrelmon art work! I am ecstatically happy with it! The tones are just fantastic and its a pervy picture I am proud to hang ;P

There are only a few things left in the KAIJU FOR JAPAN store. Get in fast! It's only on till the 6th of MAY '11

I wish TOVI all the best with her studies and look forward to more artwork from her. Especially more Kaiju work, I think Mark Nagata and myself are slowly converting her!


Fallacious ?

What is a TOVI? pt.1

This following post was written by TOVI

_____________________________________________

Hello everyone!

Shane has asked me to write an entry on his blog telling you a little about TOVI.

So buckle up and enjoy the ride??!!

The last 6 months has been quite interesting for me, as well as completely off tangent to what I normally do...

It pretty much all started with Mark Nagata's EYEZON. I'll be honest... I'm not a big fan of Kaiju. It's just that they... well... they're pretty ugly... sorry to say. They’re monsters…

I'm into cute and pretty things. Like Rilakkuma. He is my GOD.

Anyway, Shane absolutely ADORES Eyezon and asked me to draw pictures of him riding this beast. This kaiju is fun to draw, but those damn polygons on his body….. *RAGES*

Shane riding Eyezon

Enter Mr. Mark Nagata - via Twitter.

I didn't have a Twitter before this either - I don't understand the concept of it... and as you can see by my rants, I still don't. I sort of use it like a chat box (much to the annoyance of my followers).

After viewing some of my art work, I was invited to participate in MAX TOY 5th ANNIVERSARY over the summer break.

Of course I said yes... even though I didn't feel I was up to standard. I’ve never even conversed with a person in the arty-farty business before, so I was quite apprehensive.

Hence I drew 5 different pieces – as I wasn’t sure what kind of artwork he wanted… that and I had loads of ideas of where I wanted to go but wasn’t sure which one would work.

Here are the pieces for the MAX TOY 5^th ANNIVERSARY – which was on show in Japan and US earlier this month! If you go on the Double Punch website you can still purchase them and help fund me through medical school…*just joking* (^_^)

Chibi Lady Maxx

This one was quite arduous – I drew each kaiju separately and then rearranged them and re-drew them again…

Nerdy Lady Maxx

I have a soft spot for girls that wear specs… mainly because I do too.

Lady Maxx – Glove Seduction

This was the hardest one to draw – mainly because I couldn’t get her body right at all.

Lady Maxx – Special Ver. CORN DOG

(Note: I have an unhealthy obsession with CORN DOGS ever since I was little… which was re-awakened when watching Man Vs. Food and that COZYDOG… oh my goodness… *salivates*)

Lady Maxx – Omake Ver. LADY RILAKKUMAXX

As mentioned earlier, I also have an unhealthy obsession with Rilakkuma

I've never done anything arty before (except for random entries into art competitions at anime conventions). But during this time, I did a lot of cel-painting and hadn’t really used COPICs before.

My parents did not allow me to practice my art skills during my school years.

If I drew, it was in secret (mainly in between my maths books and stuff).

I've never had any formal training, and what I have learnt, I did through observation and making MANY mistakes (>_<"). My inspiration comes from CLAMP and Kaoru Mori – all are female artists and also have obsessions with pretty things.

Anyhoo, to continue the story.

It was at the same time that Shane and I decided to make our first Kaiju. You've all seen the photos of it, so I won't bore you of the details. I've only ever used LaDoll before, so it was really weird to use something that you had to bake... And of course, I'd have a tray of fries in the oven as well (my theory behind this was to kill two birds with one stone).

There’s something very unattractive about sitting cross-legged on the floor with clay and chips in your lap whilst watching TV... Oh well.

I had to go back to school in January, so I pretty much packed up all my art stuff to bring with me. At that time, I hadn't started colouring the MAX TOY stuff, so I was pretty behind. I think working full-time over summer didn’t leave much spare time for me anyway.

In any case, I was quite relieved to have finished them in time for Mark and sent them away in a postal tube (or fallopian tube, as one of my medical colleagues described).

À Bientôt
TOVI

_____________________________________________

TOVI's art is currently on display at Double Punch, San Francisco till the 14th of May.

I have all the post cards and they look wild! Yet, the original art work has so much more depth that the prints were not able to capture! So if you get a chance, go check it out and all the other artists work at the Max Toy co 5th year!

If you are lucky, you can still get some of TOVIs original artwork or postcards on the Double Punch - Max Toy co 5th year anniversary page -
http://doublepunch.bigcartel.com/category/max-5th-anniversary

Continued in Part 2

The act of being random beyond all human capacity