Crazy4Vinyl just keeps putting out more Vinylmation for his Pop Culture Series. Here are his latest creations.
Crazy4Vinyls from Chatham, IL is our newest spotlight subject. He decided to take his first crack at custom Vinylmation, or really artwork of anykind, buy making a delicious set of famous candy.
DV: Destination Vinylmation: Do you collect Disney’s Vinylmation?
Crazy4Vinyls: Yes I do collect, and my wife calls it my obsession. I started back when Park 2 came out. When we went to WDW for a trip we started buying them. I was able to get 8 of them and I remember my wife saying we need to stop because we spent enough on them. Oh how I wish I would have bought more, maybe I could have got Pongo. I didn’t buy anymore until our last trip in Feb of this year. I came home with about 40 more and now I am hovering near 200 of them.
DV: What is your favorite Disney Vinylmation figure?
Crazy4Vinyls: My favorite by far was the first blind box that I bought which was the little green man from Toy Story. I just love that character in the movie. I don’t know how many times I have quoted him and my son telling me to stop.
DV: What is your personal favorite custom that you have done?
Crazy4Vinyls: Well I have only done the set of 4 M & M guys, but I do have a favorite. I really like how the orange one turned out. The look on his face makes me think that someone is going to eat him. I really like the worried look!
DV: How did you come up with the idea for the M&Ms?
Crazy4Vinyls: I was trying to create customs that I had never seen before and I wanted to include something with pop culture because I think those characters/logos are instantly recognizable. I also thought they would look great on the mickey mold and not too many details for a first timer.
DV: Are M&Ms your favorite candy?
Crazy4Vinyls: M & M’s are one of my favorites, love the peanut ones!
DV: What have you learned from creating your customs that you can pass onto other custom artists?
Crazy4Vinyls: Well I have only done the 4, so I don’t think I can tell anyone else any secrets that I have found. I will say that I was worried about creating the “m” on the front of each one. So what I did was trace an “m” out on painter’s tape, then I cut it out. I stuck it on the vinyl and painted over it with my coats. When it was dry, I carefully removed the “m” and then filled it in with white paint.
DV: What’s next?
Crazy4Vinyls: Well I am calling my series of customs pop culture vinylmations. I even created a logo and included on the back of the collector’s cards. So without giving anything away, let’s just say I grew up in the 80’s and I am inspired by that era. I also like to create works that I have never seen before. So as soon as I can get my hands on some white CYO’s (those are hard to find) I will get busy on my next set.
DV: Thank you for sharing your work with our audience.
Crazy4Vinyls: Thanks for doing this spotlight on me.
Your mouth watered over his first set of M&M Vinylmation, now Crazy4Vinyls is back to continue his Pop Culture series with a set Pac-Man customs.
The set comes with Pac-Man and four different colored ghosts. It is available on eBay right now.
Crazy4Vinyls even makes his own artist cards to accompany his creations. Here is a peak “behind the scenes” at the making of this set.
Look for more of Crazy4Vinyls customs on his Facebook page.
Looks like I missed a big development off the pin board at the last WDW Trade Night…
Vinylnation posted the above picture of some open window Vinylmation magnets that are on the release slate for later this year. This display shows us 3 we knew about and 3 we did not from the upcoming Disney Characters as Star Wars set. No real surprise in the use of characters. They mimic what we usually see in other merchandise and at the park.
Stitch takes the role as Yoda. Much suited for this role he is. I will say I was a little underwhelmed with the Yoda out of Star Wars 1, so I hope this vinyl pulls it off. By the look of this magnet, I do like the direction the artist took.
Pete as Boba Fett didn’t come along until Series 4 of the action figures, but it looks like we will not have to wait long to get him in Vinylmation form. Another Pete is always welcome in Vinylmation. The facial features look great, and we hope the costume design stands up to the magnificent Star Wars 1 figure.
The one surprise is actually Goofy. Not in using Goofy as Darth Vader, but I suspected the artist would take a more Characters at the Parks approach. Meaning, I thought we would see Goofy in his Mickey boxers as he appears during Star Wars Weekends…
Instead they seemed to go straight forward Vader. I honestly would have rather had the comical version above. Probably because it would mean more for me with that connection to the Star Wars Weekends I so enjoy attending. However, the actual designs used do not disappoint and I anticipate the release of this set above all others on the horizon. We hope to see the vinyls around Star Wars Weekends in May.
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Ep. 062 Cursive |
Update 3/4/12 Two updates below. Alex Maher actually had a hand in the Snow White Jr designs along with Thomas Scott. Also, Billy Davis is freelance, not a Disney Cast Member.
We had a ton of fun and learned a lot last night. Including many, MANY, release dates!!! Take a look…
As usual, the line exploded about 40 minutes from the doors opening. Also as usual, much pre-show trading took place.
Then the scramble for tables began. These shows have been incredibly packed lately. Pin and Vinylmation traders alike claimed their space and hunkered down for 3 hours. But the highlight of any WDW Trade Night (sorry DLR traders) are the displays of upcoming figures… and we got to see a few new ones!
Alice in Wonderland LE Flowers Set
Thomas Scott
LE 2000
April 20th
Four 3″ figures make up this set. It was a great little surprise to see a yet to be revealed Alice LE set and a lot of excitement surrounded this one.
Alice in Wonderland LE Cheshire Cat Set
Thomas Scott
April 13th
Also on display were the two 3″ figures from the Cheshire Cat set. This one we knew about for quite a while, but were happy to get a release date on it. What we couldn’t get a release date on however was the 9″ LE Alice set we have had sneaks of on the Vinylmation blog.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Jr 6
Thomas Scott and Alex Maher
April 20th
This of course is the next Jr. mystery box set of 18. We have seen a lot of dwarfs, but finally all 7 together. Now Thomas alluded to Snow being in this set… and come on, what would the set be without here, but we saw her in all her tiny glory last night.
I’m a big fan of Snow and in Jr form, she is captured wonderfully. Right along side Aurora from Villains 2, the Princesses look good on the miniature canvas.
Robots 2
Billy Davis (entire set)
April 13th
With the first Robots set put in the hands of the Disney Store artists, it was a mild surprise to see the second series designed by artist Billy Davis. Billy, has given us Sea Creatures and even the Urban 8 Robot. That Robot was sure a pre-cursor to what we will see in Robots 2. Billy certainly took a different angle on the look of the Robots for this series and so far, I think I like it better than the first series. Shielded from view (guess they were not supposed to be on display last night) were two other Robots, and one had a big bubble (think Buzz) giving a 50’s sci-fi movie robot feel. Since I just dined in the Sci-Fi diner, I recognized the style.
9″/3″ Animation 2 Price Phillip and Maleficent Dragon
Casey Jones
LE 1200
April 6th
Honestly, the Maleficent dragon doesn’t do much for me. I enjoy the Villains 2 Maleficent better. However, the Price Phillip looks absolutely spectacular! Not to say the dragon isn’t expertly designed, just a matter of personal taste. I don’t like how I’d have to buy the combo to get him. (anyone want to set up a split?) This is a solid LE addition to Animation 2.
9″ Park 8 Mickey Mouse Revue
LE 1500
March 30th
Paris got it first, but our time is coming soon. The first in a line of Park 8 LEs. I wasn’t really into this design… that is, until I saw the back last night. Breathtaking and super creative.
9″ Animation 2 Roger Rabbit
Maria Clapsis
LE ?
July 13th
OK, this one is cheating. We didn’t see it at the trade event. But sometime after this weary eyed trader went to sleep last night, the Vinylmation Blog updated with a release date and turnaround of the great 9″ Roger Rabbit.
Meanwhile at D-Street….
The store was lit up with the new 7″ Night Lights.
Green, Red, Purple and White are available for $24.95 each and they come with batteries.
You can test them out in the store, so I’m not sure how much juice those batteries will have left once you get it home.
The USB drives were also available.
Urban 1 Oopsy, Cast Exclusive Mickey and Cutesters 1 Owl where the chosen designs.
Probably due to the $65 price tag, these where kept behind the counter where guests had to ask for them.
Update: Check out WDW Trade Night Wrap Up for more complete info and better pics!
Release date April 20
Update: Check out WDW Trade Night Wrap Up for more complete info and better pics!
Snow White Jr series release date: April 20.
Update: Check out WDW Trade Night Wrap Up for more complete info and better pics!
Vinylmation artist Eric Caszatt (@bigcrazy1) twetted this today:
Robots 2? Maybe, although I figured that would be a Disney Store product and I wouldn’t think Eric would be tweeting it… maybe we will see tonight at the WDW Trade Event? I sure hope we see some good stuff there like Park 8 LEs… but this will do. Look at the light on his head! This bot is fantastic.
