Spotlight On: Aaralyn’s Weird Girl and Steamboat Willie Mickey

WDWNT on January 9, 2013

Two more pieces from custom artist Aaralyn showed up on the internet this week. We spoke to her about her first two gray scale projects. Plus, check out a contest she’s running for the next two days.

“I’ve always said that I love doing commissions because many push my boundaries and help me grow as an artist. My latest two commissions included aspects I have never done before, which was quite exciting.

The first custom is 3″ Weird Girl with a Junior Mr. Whiskers from the movie Frankenweenie, done in the style of Tim Burton. The two figures also include Mr. Whiskers’ psychic gift from the litter box.

Before this commission, I had never painted a custom in gray-scale, or used shading in a custom. This project was also the first time I’ve painted a junior, which was an interesting challenge on the small mold. While this project was very different from my normal style, I enjoyed it immensely and hope to continue to experiment with different styles in the future.

The second commission I have recently completed is a 3″ Steamboat Willie with a sculpted accessory hat also done in gray-scale. The hardest part of this custom was the sculpting of his hat. While I have done quite a few Mickey designs, it was fun to do an older design of the character.

I have also painted a vinylmation pin which features my Lovestruck Mickey design and am giving it away on my Facebook page! The giveaway end Monday, February 11, 2013 at 9 pm CST. Thanks for reading and good luck!

For more information my work:
“Like” my art page on Facebook for customs, giveaways and more at facebook.com/artworksbyaaralyn
Follow my on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest: @ArtistAaralyn
Visit my website for customs, Disney photography and more at artworksbyaaralyn.com“

Thanks Aaralyn! We look forward to seeing more from your in the future.

A Figment of Noah’s Imagination

WDWNT on January 9, 2013

Update 3/6/13 Here are a few facts from Disney:

  • Each piece is hand-painted in a purple pearl finish, which shines to show off Figment’s smiling face, along with planets and stars
  • Hand-signed by the artist on foot
  • Includes acrylic stand with printed Noah Figment graphic on cut-out number “30” backdrop
  • Produced on demand up to 30 pieces
  • Inspired by Epcot’s Journey Into Your Imagination with Figment attraction
  • Commemorating Epcot’s 30th Anniversary (Epcot� Center opened to the public October 1, 1982)
  • Exclusive to DisneyParks.com/store
  • Note: Custom hand-crafted works typically display unique texture and paint handling. Coloring may vary. No two are the same!
  • Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery due to the custom nature of this product.
  • Please Note: Each Guest will be limited to ordering a maximum of 2 of this item per order.
  • Please Note: Due to the unique nature of this item, there are no refunds, exchanges or returns.
  • Sorry! Express shipping not available for this item.

Artist Noah has released his latest 9″ Vinylmation creation titled “Dream Dragon.” It features Figment from Epcot’s Imagination Pavilion and celebrates the 30th anniversary of the theme park.

There will be 30 of these made and are for sale right now exclusively at Disney’s Vinylmation Facebook Store for $750. This custom continues Noah’s style of an airbrushed figure on a stand with a painted back. I really like the Figment that is featured on the stand as well as the cut on “30.”

Artist Brian Shapiro Supports Urban Film Kickstarter

WDWNT on January 9, 2013

Brian Shapiro has begun a new series he titles “Incognito.” The first in the series is called “Put on a Happy Face” and features Donald with a Mickey mask on.

This is a brilliant and very well executed idea. It is very smart because Brian found a way to make a Donald custom and not have to try to paint that annoying beak! (I know from experience that duck beaks are a little tricky) The other exciting thing about this custom, is it is up for auction at the Vinylmation Bid Wars Facebook page and all proceeds will go to the Kickstarter for the Urban Vinyl film that is trying to get made.

Jared Flores Previews Upcoming Custom Bug’s Life Series

WDWNT on January 9, 2013

Here is a message from custom Vinylmation artist Jared Flores:

Hello all,
I am currently working a custom series I’d like to let you know about. The blind box series is to be a 13 figure series (containing 1 mystery Chaser) featuring beloved characters from Pixar’s A Bug’s Life. The series will include a range of villains and heroes from Pixar’s 2nd movie. All of the figures are painted to a higher standard than I have ever done before. The level of detail in both the painting and modeling (for some in the set) added many extra hours of work that my normal designs don’t require. I have always had a soft spot for A Bug’s Life and wanted to do it justice, so I made sure to get each character just right.

Currently the series is halfway complete,  but I consistently post updates on my page at jaredcirusbear.tumblr.com, as well as on http://www.facebook.com/groups/VECustoms/ More information about pricing as well as detailed photos will follow as soon as the series is complete in full. I’m having a lot of fun with these characters, and hope you will enjoy the final results.

Thanks- Jared Circusbear
jared_circusbear@yahoo.com

Artist Roman Rodriguez’s Custom Vinyl Giveaway!

WDWNT on January 9, 2013

FREE GIVE AWAY… ENTER NOW!!!!

(above image is NOT the giveaway piece)

For a chance to win a 3” Roman Rodriguez Art Custom One of a kind.

SO HOW DO I WIN???:

1. Visit the Roman Rodriguez Art Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/romanrodriguezart

2. “Like” the page by clicking the Like button at the top right.

3. Comment on this posting that is pinned at the top of the page and saying that you want to enter and win the giveaway. Leave a comment saying what character you would like to win.

4. If you share the post on your wall by clicking the share option below this picture, you will get one additional entry. Please mark the share as PUBLIC at the top of the share popup window so I could see it and count it.

5. People that have bought Vinylmation from me in the past or before March 8th will get one additional entry.

6. On Friday March 15, 2013 at 7PM Eastern Standard Time (EST) I will gather all the comments and shares and using a random number generator I will pick the winner. If I get to 300 likes I will give two Vinylmation away.

Good Luck!!!!!!

Spotlight On: Custom Vinylmation Artist Ryan Marella

WDWNT on December 31, 2012

While at the D23 Expo in August, I was mesmerized by all the upcoming Disney Vinylmation on display. But M.C.’s attention was caught by many of the non-Disney created figures at the show. One custom artist in particular had some unforgettable pieces on display. Ryan Marella is a custom artist from California and you are in for a treat with today’s spotlight.

Destination Vinylmation: What got you into the art world?

Ryan: Art, I guess, runs in my family. My dad has an artistic talent and so does my twin brother. I was always amazed at the different aspects of art… so many possibilities, and so many awesome artists. I suppose what really inspired me was reading comic books. The art work is just amazing. Artists like Jim Lee, Rob Lifield, Todd Mcfarlaine and so many more.

DV: Have you ever taken an art class?

Ryan: I did try to take as many art classes in High school as I could. I took some in college but never really could focus on one type of art.

DV: Do you collect the Vinylmation created by Disney artists?

Ryan: I do collect Vinylmations with my two other brothers. I find it a lot easier to share a collection. The Disney artists do an amazing job.

DV: What’s your favorite figure?

Ryan: I like the urban 1 three eyed monster, it was alot of fun trying to find some one to trade for it.

DV: How long have you been creating custom Vinylmation?

DV: I never even thought I would be painting Vinylmation. A friend asked me to make him one during a trip to Walt Disney World in January 2011. My first custom was very rough, but the more I painted the more I got better at it. It’s fun creating different characters, you never know what you’re capable of unless you try. I have now created over 130 customs.

DV: Wow! Can you pick a favorite?

Ryan: My favorite would have to be Captain Jack Sparrow.

DV: How did you come up with the idea of the Manny Pacquiao piece?

Ryan: Manny Pacquiao is Awesome and I watch all his fights, so one day after the Pacquaio/Mosley fight I decided to make a Vinylmation of him. He had to be on a 9″.

DV: How much work went into creating Manny?

Ryan: Creating MP took a lot of work. I first had to research all his pics from the last fight. I had to find different angles of MP to get  the right detail. Then I sketched his face on the vinyl. During the time I create any vinyl, I try to watch videos about them. It helps with the creative process. Finally painting and clear coating it, that took some time.

DV: What is your favorite aspect of it?

When I finally finished, I was very happy at the end result. I guess my favorite aspect of it is MP’s facial expression, I think it shows his personality really well.

DV: How about the hardest part?

Ryan: The hardest part is the face, getting the right expression takes some work.

DV: Where can people go to find out more about your customs and even purchase one from you?

Ryan: I do have a website, www.ryactiv.sketchlab7.com. And, if you trade Vinylmation, I do trade at Downtown Disney outside D-Street Anaheim.

Spotlight On: Custom Vinylmation Artist Annemarie

WDWNT on December 31, 2012

Annemarie is back with her latest custom, Locke from the TV show Lost.

Destination Vinylmation: Were you a fan of the Lost TV series?
Annemarie: I was (and still am) a HUGE fan of the series. It’s scary, actually. I’m a bit crazy about it.

DV: Why Locke? Was he your favorite character or just the most fun to design a custom based on?
AM: This was actually a custom order, so I didn’t choose the character. I was always more of a Jack fan. 🙂 But Locke lent himself well to the vinylmation form, he’s got the perfect round-shaped bald head for it.

DV: Tell us about some of the details on this figure.
AM: The figure was created for a fan, so I wanted to include as many details as I could on the figure. I knew I’d include the Smoke Monster (since SPOILER ALERT Locke eventually became the smoke monster) but I decided to take it a step further and design it in a way that would indicate sort of the “bad Locke” on the back. So I painted the countdown clock in the hatch on one of the ears, and the same clock on the back but in a more dire consequence (after the button fails to get pushed. Non Lost-fans, bear with me; I know you’re terribly confused already.) To make it more ominous, I made the Smoke Monster a bit bigger and closer to Locke, as if it’s part of him. Throw in a compass and Locke’s ever-important, trusty knife, and he was done!

Spotlight On: Custom Vinylmation Artist Ryan Marella

WDWNT on December 31, 2012

To have your custom work spotlighted, please send an email to DestinationVinylmation@gmail.com
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Destination Vinylmation: This time around we are featuring you Barnabas Collins figure (Johnny Depp’s character in the new movie Dark Shadows) and also Michone from The Walking Dead.
Ryan Marella: Johnny Depp as Barnabas Collins from DARK SHADOWS  was fun to create, I’ve worked on some other customs of  Johnny Depp movie characters before, I’ve had some practice on his face which made it easier. Faces are a challenge, getting the right expression can be difficult,but once you’ve started, it’s hard not to finish.DSCN7692 is from the WALKING DEAD,her name is Michone accompanied by two armless walking dead who are supposed to be her boyfriend and friend, in the show she has them in chains and she walks around with them to hide her scent from other walking dead.

DV: Is there a greater challenge when painting the faces of real people as opposed to cartoon characters?
RM: Creating cartoon characters is easier because they have  a simple look about them, not too much detail. Now creating real people requires the expressions and look for that character they portray, some people are harder than others.

DV: You can view more of Ryan’s work at his website: www.ryactiv.sketchlab7.com

Spotlight On: Custom Artist Project Sidekickz Artist Brian Shapiro

WDWNT on December 31, 2012

The Custom Artist Project is a group of 11 of the best custom Vinylmation artists in the world who have come together to make their own blind box series. Series 1 is called “Sidekickz” and is a mix of different Disney sidekicks from films or TV. It will be released on October 6th. Each day leading up to the release, we will spotlight a different artist from the series. Today we spotlight custom artist Brian Shapiro.

Hometown:  
Philadelphia, PA

Website:
Http://www.Facebook.com/BRInylmation
Http://www.BRInylmation.com

What Disney Sidekick did you choose?
I chose Creeper from Disney’s movie, The Black Cauldron, which was released in 1985.

Why did you choose that sidekick?
Sadly, The Black Cauldron was not much of a hit for Disney, but I really enjoyed it as a kid.  It’s based on a great series of books by Lloyd Alexander.  Because the film is not as popular as some of Disney’s biggest hits, there is very little merchandising.  When there is merchandise, commonly pins, it usually features the visually striking villain, the Horned King, or the lovable heroic sidekick, Gurgi.  In fact, these two appeared together in a Vinylmation 9″/3″ combo set a few years ago for the movie’s 25th Anniversary.  That’s actually when I got the idea to do the Horned King’s sidekick, Creeper.  Creeper is a hilarious, goblin-like underling with a mix of Igor and Gollum in him.  He is horribly abused by his master, and you can’t help but sympathize for the guy, even though he’s evil.  I think he has the most humorous moment at the end of the movie (SPOILER ALERT) when he realizes the Horned King is gone forever.  At first he laments that his master is gone, and then realizes that hey, he is GONE, and starts laughing and celebrating!  Going back to the set released by Disney, I thought it was amazing, but I thought Creeper should have been in there with the Horned King.  When I was invited to participate in the Custom Artist Project, I immediately wanted to do Creeper as my Sidekick!  I also thought it would be cool to make a Black Cauldron accessory to accompany him!

Favorite Disney Movie?
That is tough!! My favorite animated film is Beauty and the Beast, and my favorite live action film has to be a tie between TRON and The Black Hole.

Favorite Disney Theme Park Attraction?
The Haunted Mansion is my all time favorite.

Favorite aspect of working on the Mickey shaped canvas?
After three years of doing Vinylmation customs, I really have come to appreciate just how adaptable the Mickey shaped canvas is for creating just about any character.  If you design it right, you can make tall, short, thin, or chubby characters fit by playing with their wardrobe and accessories.  You can also give the illusion of flatter faces or snouts.  As for the ears, I used to find them the most perplexing part of the mold, but now, I consider them the best.  The ears can be used to place eyes, pointed ears, and antennae, or they can be used to set the scene by providing a sense of the background environment.

Thank you, as always, for your generous spotlight of my Vinylmation work!

More info on the Custom Artist Project:


Website: http://www.facebook.com/groups/ArtistProject/


How to purchase: The price of one blind box is $65, including shipping within the US. We’re looking into international shipping right now, but it will probably be another $5-10 if it works out.Paypal is going to be the accepted payment. It is limited to one household per blind box.


What you get: You will get one blind box (yes, I’m actually making boxes) with one of 24 different figures. Some figures come with accessories. You will also get 11 different cards, 1 from each artist.

Spotlight On: Custom Artist Project Sidekickz Artist Josh Edwards

WDWNT on December 31, 2012

The Custom Artist Project is a group of 11 of the best custom Vinylmation artists in the world who have come together to make their own blind box series. Series 1 is called “Sidekickz” and is a mix of different Disney sidekicks from films or TV. It will be released on October 6th. Each day leading up to the release, we will spotlight a different artist from the series. Today we spotlight custom artist Josh Edwards.

Hometown:
Chatham, IL

Website:
You can visit me on my facebook page: Crazy4Vinyls Customs

What Disney Sidekick did you choose?
I chose Iago as my Disney sidekick.

Why did you choose that sidekick?
I chose him because I know he is a popular character from Aladdin and there is already and Aladdin and Jafar vinylmation so I thought he would fit in great.

Favorite Disney Movie?
Favorite Disney movie, such a hard decision.  I am a big fan of all of the Pixar movies but my favorite would have to be Finding Nemo.

Favorite Disney Theme Park Attraction?
Favorite attraction, another hard question.  There are so many. Can I pick one per park?  Magic Kingdom Space Mountain.  Epcot Soarin’ Animal Kingdom Expedition Everest   Disney Studios Toy Story Mania

Favorite aspect of working on the Mickey shaped canvas?
My favorite part of working on the mickey canvas is really the whole process from beginning to end. I love watching an idea come to life as I am creating it. The best part is almost toward the end as the final touches are being added and the piece seems to come to life!

More info on the Custom Artist Project:


Website: http://www.facebook.com/groups/ArtistProject/


How to purchase: The price of one blind box is $65, including shipping within the US. We’re looking into international shipping right now, but it will probably be another $5-10 if it works out.Paypal is going to be the accepted payment. It is limited to one household per blind box.


What you get: You will get one blind box (yes, I’m actually making boxes) with one of 24 different figures. Some figures come with accessories. You will also get 11 different cards, 1 from each artist.