Spotlight On: Chris Chapman of the Disney Design Group

WDWNT on March 12, 2011


We recently sat down with Chris Chapman 
of the Disney Design Group to talk Vinylmation and more. 
You can find the complete audio interview on the upcoming 
Episode 13 of our podcast.

In his role with Disney Design Group, Chris Chapman has designed and illustrated toys, logos, print, Vinylmation, pins, clothing, packaging, candy and more.  His work can be found at Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort, Disney Cruise Line, Hong Kong Disneyland and World of Disney Stores.

Chris Chapman is also the artist behind the new Disney Afternoons series of Vinylmation.

He calls this series his best work at Disney. Why? “I have such an incredible passion around Disney Afternoons. Because of that I was going to put in the extra hours and fight for it. I always like to find, I call it the Disney rarities. The things that don’t get the coverage, but people have huge passion around these guys.”

Before Disney Afternoons, Chris created a one-of-a-kind piece for Trade City in 2010.
This Steampunk inspired figure, named Dr. Frumberlockle, was auctioned off at the event
Moai was a cancelled Chris Chapman figure that never made it into a series. 
It too went up for auction at Trade City 2010
9″ Park 5 Mad Hatter, designed by Christopher Chapman

What did Chris think of Vinylmation when it was presented to him? “The skys the limit. That mickey shape is a blank canvas for us, no different than a flat canvas, but obviously the difficulty is in the three dimensional form. We had to learn what worked and what didn’t. You have submit to the form and think three dimensional.”

We also asked Chris about the balance between 
Disney’s creative and business sides.
“You have to balance that right brain creative blue sky ideation 
and the left brain analytical. Letting both of those 
work together is vital to success. 
And Walt Disney was a master at this.”
Some of the pins Chris designed for a 2009 Haunted Mansion event
“Mayor Mickey” is a work Chris created for Trade City 2010

There was much, much more from Chris. He also gave us a sneek peak at the Florida Project merchandise and what other Vinylmation he has in the works. Listen to the full interview on the upcoming Episdode 13 of out podcast.

Spotlight On: Cesar Diaz

WDWNT on February 21, 2011

Last week, Cesar Diaz from Reseda, CA sent us pictures of his custom Vinylmation LOST set. Check it out here if you missed it. Impressed by this set, we asked Cesar a few questions about his artwork.

Destination Vinylmation: How long have you been creating custom Vinylmation?

Cesar: I’ve been doing customs for about a year now. Only recently has it become more serious.

DV: How many pieces have you created?

Cesar: I’ve done about a total of 25 vinylmation customs. I started off with Munny customs. But once Vinylmations were introduced there was no turning back.

DV: What’s your favorite creation?

Cesar: My favorite so far is Lilo. That was the first custom I added clothes to.

DV: What other art-forms do you create?

Cesar: I do illustrations and cartoon/comic drawings.

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

Cesar: Of course I do! I only collect the ones I like though.

DV: What is your favorite Disney Vinylmation figure?

Cesar: My favorite is Stitch (Park 5), although Buzz Lightyear is great as well.
DV: Can you describe the creation process of the LOST figures?

Cesar: The origin of the LOST customs came from an idea my cousin Steve Zaragoza and I had. We started to talk one day about how cool it would be if Disney would make a LOST series. But we realized that probably would never happen. So I decided to make my own. The first one I did was Locke. My cousin Steve sent me a sketch of Locke. Once I get the sketch I modify it to make it work on a vinyl. Steve designed Locke, Hurley and Kate.
The others were designed myself. I always knew I wanted to do a series of 12 vinyls. Some days I would make 1 per day, others it was 3 per day. As far as the clothing, I wanted to put them in the clothes they wore the day of the crash. None of them were really hard to do, just a lot of fun to make.
DV: Some artists struggle, but you made good use of the ears. Was painting the island on the ears your plan from the start?
Cesar: Your so right! The ears are always a challenge. When my cousin Steve sent me the first sketch of Locke he put the island on the ears, which I thought was brilliant. It wasn’t until I had a couple of vinyls made that I decided to make a part of the island in the ears, so when you put them together it completes the island.
DV: Which one of the Lost figures you created is your favorite?

Cesar: I don’t really have a favorite. I love them all. I did have a lot of fun designing Charlie, his shoes especially.
DV: Where you happy with the LOST finale?

Cesar: At first I was a bit disappointed. Not many things got answered about the island. But as time went by, I re-watched the finale and I get it now. It was never really about the island. It was always about the people. So I’m happy with the ending. LOST will always be a big part of my life.

DV: Will we see a LOST Series 2 from you?

Cesar: Most definitely! I’m already thinking about the characters. One thing’s for sure, Series 2 will be the Dharma edition. I’m really looking forward to creating Desmond and Ben.

DV: Do you have any for sale?

Cesar: All the vinyls I create are for sale. I also do special requests.

DV: How can people contact you?

Cesar: If people are interested in any customs, they can email me at darthcees@gmail.com also they can add the facebook group “My Customations”.

DV: Any tips for people who want to begin creating custom Vinylmation?

Cesar: The only tip I can give is to have fun with it! Oh, and try to get your work seen. It’s always good for people to review your stuff.

Spotlight On: Maria Clapsis artist of the Cutesters Too series

WDWNT on February 6, 2011

Maria Clapsis is the artist who designed the great looking Vinylmation Cutesters Too series. Recently, we asked her what her favorite piece from the set is.

“The 2 chasers are my faves. They’re based on art I did for my blog, so they’re special.
The Donut too. Hard to choose” – Maria Clapsis
Um, two chasers??? She then clarified that there is a variant to the chaser in Cutesters Too. So I checked out her blog at mclapsis.blogspot.com/ to search for her inspiration for the chasers.

****SPOILER ALERT****

Pictures of Cutesters Too chaser after the jump!

Read More about Spotlight On: Maria Clapsis artist of the Cutesters Too series

Spotlight On: Custom Vinylmation Artist Lindsey Branch

WDWNT on January 1, 1970

Hi, I’m Lindsey from the U.K. I would just like to say that I think the Podcast is fantastic and I look forward to every week and I love the site it gives me my Vinylmation fix. LOL!! I’m an amateur artist and I make CYO’s as a hobby. All my CYO’s have a personal meaning to my husband and I. I had been waiting for ages to get a 9″ CYO and when i finally did I knew straight away what I was going to do.

Donald’s Miss Daisy

Donald’s Miss Daisy boat could be found, until recently, in Toontown at WDW.

Photo from WDWinfo

First I created 3 separate stages, Bottom (Red), Middle (White), Top (Yellow). Then added the wood detail, and the pink wings. I used acrylic paint and brushed it on very fine with a few coats. Daisy was the hardest to create as she has fine detail, but I am pleased with her result. I studied the boat itself and chose different bits from it that I liked most to put on to the ears. I added the tubes at the back then finally I painted the top blue for Donald’s hat.

Donald’s Miss Daisy

For my customs I chose things that have meaning to me. I have also created some resort customs (in which we spent our honeymoon) Alligator Ben to join Hippo, Archimedes to join Merlin, and a Boo to you Parade (we attended on our honeymoon).

My favorite character is Donald and my Dad’s was Daisy. It has taken me about 2 weeks to finish her but she is done and I dedicate her to my Dad. I finished on the 1st Anniversary of my Dad’s death and I know he would have loved it. As Donald built Miss Daisy for someone he loves, I re-created Miss Daisy for someone I love and miss dearly.

Donald’s Miss Daisy

My husband and I visited WDW last year on our Honeymoon and I stood for along time looking at Miss Daisy. It’s a shame she is no longer there, but will have a place in my heart and in my home forever.

Now that I have Miss Daisy and I have Goofy’s Barnstormer, I may attempt to make one for Minnie and Mickey’s houses. We loved Toontown and were glad we got to see it last year, but i can make my own little Toontown at home.

Donald’s Miss Daisy

I look forward to hearing from you with your thoughts

Thank you
Lindsey Branch (@lindols)

Spotlight On: Vinylmation Custom Artist Keith Lapinig

WDWNT on January 1, 1970

Vinylmation Custom Artist Keith Lapinig wants to design a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon and needs your help:

 

So voting ends THIS Tuesday. Around 10,000 vinyl elves were hidden around Macy’s stores all across the country last month. People were asked to decorate them and then submit their designs. We have now been narrowed down to a Top 85. I’ve been blessed and fortunate enough to be one of those 85 finalists. The winner, from this point on, is decided solely on the amount of votes they receive.. which is why I need everyone’s help!
Keith Lapinig’s Gazer
This is Gazer’s backstory:
Gazer has a very special job. Every year during the holidays, kids flock to Macy’s in NYC to tell Santa their wishes. Gazer’s job is to guide these wishing stars safely to the North Pole by pointing them in the right direction. He takes a lot of pride in his duties as he knows without him, these children’s wishes wouldn’t come true. 

Here is how to vote for Keith’s elf:

STEP 1: “Like” the Official Macy’s Facebook Page
STEP 2: Give the Elf Adventure app access. Basically, “Like” it.
STEP 3: VOTE for it on http://tinyurl.com/macyself

To see more of Keith’s work:
http://www.youtube.com/mametchi
Twitter @keithlapinig
http://www.facebook.com/keithlapinig

Spotlight on: Custom Vinylmation artist Mark Hoffmann

WDWNT on January 1, 1970

by RMThompson

RT: Mark, thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions today and welcome to the world of Vinylmation, we understand you’re a newer collector/designer?

MH: Very new. I am working on the second custom that I have ever done. I have been collecting the 3″ Vinylmation for almost a year now.

RT: Which is your favorite Vinylmation that you own?

MH: My favorite is probably my Jafar Chaser from Villains 1… although I must say I love the new Lion King set I just got!

RT: What about one that you REALLY want?

MH: I would love, but know that it is almost impossible, the Balloon chaser from Park 1!

RT: Before making custom Vinylmation, what other kind of painting have you done?

MH: I’ve been painting eggs and gourds for years. I have always been a huge Disney fan so I’ve so when my daughter was little I painted a Little Mermaid mural on her wall. I recently painted a Lilo and Stitch mural on my Granddaughters wall. I have illustrated a few children’s books over the years and designed collector pins for Hard Rock Cafe. Had the pleasure of designing a set of Limited Edition pins for the Salt Lake Winter Olympics for Hard Rock Cafe as well, which was pretty cool.

I also designed Angel figures for a local company here in Morgan Hill…..and to our surprise we actually saw one of the figures in a small village in Switzerland….talk about a small world!

RT: Wow that’s impressive work! Great detail! What drew you to create a custom Vinylmation? Which was your first one?

MH: Actually my partner Rene was the one who brought it to my attention. He has always been my biggest supporter. I saw a site that had customs on there and he said, “you could do that”…and the rest is history. My first custom was of Ariel, The Little Mermaid.

He and Mickey have always been my favorite! So I had the best of both worlds….an Ariel painted on a Mickey!! When I saw her come to life as I was painting her I knew I was hooked!!

RT: What is the hardest part about painting such a 3D design?

MH: For me it has to be painting a face around Mickey’s nose….but that is part of the challenge….I personally think that was one of the cool things about the Vinylmation.

RT: The Ariel is beautiful, probably the best Princess custom I’ve seen yet! What is coming next?

MH: Thank you so much. Well, I just finished Belle from Beauty and the Beast. I painted her in her blue dress and apron. The beginning of the movie when she is walking through the village is one of my favorite parts and I wanted to bring that into the piece.

RT: I’ve seen this one as it was being made, and it’s simply AMAZING… but now let’s show the world:

Wow, she is BEAUTIFUL! I really like Belle, you captured her eyes perfectly, and I love the clouds behind her in the ears! What’s next on your custom agenda?

MH: I am seriously thinking of Jasmine….I have the blank Mickey staring right at me, just waiting to get started!!

RT: You seem to have a princess theme, which I love! Are you doing multiples of any design, and are they for sale?

MH: All of mine are one of a kind, if I do another Ariel or Belle, it wouldn’t look the same. Of course all of them are for sale! Belle is the first one I am putting on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260848890664#ht_685wt_1396

RT: Well thanks for taking the time to show off your customs and talking to us today, anything else you want to share?

MH: I would just like to thank all the great people I have met and who have shown interest in my painting. Who would have thought a Little Mermaid would have opened up a whole new world for me!!

You can check out MORE of Mark’s art at: markhoffmann.com or add him here: http://www.facebook.com/MarkJHoffmann

Spotlight On: Customation Project Artist Celeste

WDWNT on January 1, 1970

Leading up the Cesar’s event in Santa Clarita, CA this weekend, Destination Vinylmation will feature each of the custom artists and talk to them about some of the figures they will be bringing to the event.

Today we will start with one of our personal favorites, Celeste. We have reviewed several of her pieces, the most noted of which is her 9″ Animal piece (still superior over the 9″ piece that was part of Muppets 2). She was a bit mysterious about the pieces she will be bringing to the event, but wanted to let this picture slip out.
I don’t know what she’s going for here, but it looks epic.

We asked Celeste some questions, and here is what she said.

Destination Vinylmation: As a reminder, can you tell our fans how long you’ve been making custom vinyl?
Celeste: I’ve been creating Vinylmation for about a year now and it’s still going on strong. Every new piece is a challenge and I love every minute of it. Having the opportunity to share my work is a great thing and I cherish the support and encouragement people have given me.

DV: We really love your pieces, which ones will you be bringing to the event?
Celeste: Well I don’t to give too much away, most of the pieces are never before seen customs that I created for the show so you have to come and check it out personally, of course I will have the pics of the customs posted after the show for those who couldn’t attend. So all I can show is a teaser of one. (See above pic) They actually are floating and are a small piece to the a big whole.

DV: Those both scare and intrigue me. Where can fans find more of your stuff?
Celeste: Of course you can check out my work at my site at celestecustomvinylmations.blogspot.com or Facebook at Celeste Custom Vinylmations.

DV: Well thanks for your time and I hope you enjoy this weekend’s show!

Well there ya go, a bit spooky, and very mysterious, Celeste. Go to the show this weekend and see what she (and all the artists) are all about.

Spotlight On: Custom Pumpkin Carver Gyophry

WDWNT on January 1, 1970

This Spotlight is a little out of the ordinary for us. Normally, we bring you custom Vinylmation artists from around the world. But recently, we were contacted by one of our listeners Gyophry showing us his unique Disney-themed works of art. So, with Halloween right around the corner, today we will feature Gyophry’s pumpkin carvings.
Destination Vinylmation: How long have you been carving these great designs into pumpkins?
Gyophry: I have been carving custom pumpkins for about 4 years now.  I began with the typical real ones but realized after carving for 6 hours plus I should switch to fake carveable ones.
DV: Your work really appeals to our audience because of the use of Disney themes.
Gyophry: This year I decided to show my love for Disney and for Vinylmation. After visiting Disneyland earlier this year, I fell in love with the World of Color. I realized this would make a beautiful pumpkin. 
I then did a version of the 2011″Happy Halloween” collectible pin. I have a “Nightmare” one as well. This was a request from my wife that turned out better than I expected. 
But as I was doing these while listening to your podcast, I wanted to thank you guys for providing my family and myself hours of entertainment and information. So I have done a “Destination Vinylmation” pumpkin. 
This is a dual sided one with a projectable “!” Vinylmation on one side and the DV banner on the other.
DV: Besides Disney, what else do you enjoy carving into pumpkins?
Gyophry: I have done many video game related ones including a Bioshock (big daddy),
 a Sephiroth (final fantasy), Master chief (halo) and a dual sided Marcus phoenix/crimson omen (gears of war).
DV: We have all carved pumpkins before and it can be a long, tedious process. Your designs have a ton of detail, how long does the average pumpkin carve take you?
Gyophry: These designs can range from 3-20 hours for the entire process. I begin by creating a pattern, placing it on the pumpkin, then the carving.  I do only use a very limited amount of tools, all are done by hand. I don’t use a dremmel like some carvers. I prefer a fine line carving, similar to tattoos.
DV: Like our custom Vinylmation artists, you do sell and ship your work, right?
Gyophry: I do custom commissions for people, they can range from $40-$100 depending on the size of the pumpkin. If anyone would like to find out more I am on Twitter @gyophry.  I will be creating an etsy account soon to display all of these designs.
DV: Just remember everyone, they are the fake pumpkins. So they can last year after year. It’s a really great idea and we appreciate you sharing your work with everyone.
Gyophry: I am thankful to you both for giving me a chance to show my work.

Spotlight On: Custom Vinylmation Artist Lindsey

WDWNT on January 1, 1970

Today we feature Vinylmation Custom Lindsey from New York. Living 1,200 miles away from Walt Disney World hasn’t deterred her spirit. She creates custom pieces under the name Vinylmation Chic Customs. Let’s take a look at her work.

Destination Vinylmation: Were you into creating artwork before custom vinylmation?

Lindsey: Yes, I have always loved looking at and creating artwork. I took a lot of art classes all through school. My mom is also a big inspiration, she is a great artist. I love painting, especially abstract pieces.

DV: How many customs have you done?

Lindsey: I have finished two, “Mickey Waffle” and “Mickey Gets Creative”, but have many in the works.

DV: Do you collect Disney’s Vinylmation?

Lindsey: Yes, I began collecting in February of 2011. I collect both the 3″ and the 9″ figures, and currently have about 100 of them combined.

DV: What is your favorite figure?

Lindsey: I have so many favorites, but I really love all of the Urban 1 figures, especially “Oopsy” and “Monster”. I also love the 9″ 35th Space Mountain Anniversary figure.

DV: What is the inspiration behind the Mickey Waffle figure?

Lindsey: The “Mickey Waffle” figure definitely has a lot of meaning for me. I got the inspiration from past WDW vacations with my family. One of the best memories I have from the two Disney vacations that I’ve been on is eating Mickey waffles in the morning with my family before we headed to the parks. I knew the second that I got my first CYO figure that the Mickey waffle idea would be my first design.

DV: How did you go about creating this unique design?

Lindsey: I wanted to create an interesting design but still keep it simple. I spray painted the figure a golden yellow, and then used a sponge brush to layer the darker brown color over it. I then handpainted the “dripping” syrup and the rest of the details on the face and body. I added the fruit details on the feet for an extra touch.

DV: What have you learned from creating your customs that you can pass onto other artists?

Lindsey: Patience is key. The hard work pays off when you achieve the results you desire.

DV: What’s next?

Lindsey: I have a few pieces in the works. One is going to be a 9″ figure, and the other will be a 9″/3″ set. Here’s some hints: the 9″ figure will be a character from Toy Story 3 that has not already been used in the TS3 set sold in stores. The 9″/3″ set will be based off of a short Disney film.

DV: Do you sell your work?

Lindsey: If anyone is interested, they can contact me about purchasing one of my customs! Check out my Facebook page or E-mail me at vmchiccustoms@gmail.com.

DV: Thank you for sharing your work with our audience.

Lindsey: Thank you so much for featuring me!

Spotlight On: Custom Vinylmation Artist Pam Murray

WDWNT on January 1, 1970

While at the trading event before the Florida Project, we met a custom artist that was garnering a ton of attention. Pam Murray from Orlando, Fl has created some classic Disney characters as well as at least one character that Disney artists will never be allowed to touch.

Destination Vinylmation: You have a very artistic background that began long before Vinylmation were even a thought in Disney’s mind… can you tell us about it?

Pam: I worked for 15 years sculpting and painting pewter Wizards, Dragons and all kinds of Fantasy characters for GALLO PEWTER SCULPTURES Company. Also doing licensed work for them including the TV show BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, and a Marvel comics chess set! I did many sculptures and paint ups of model kit prototypes for the Model Kit market, including the comic book character VAMPIRELLA, Agent Mulder from the X Files, Superman, creature from the black lagoon, Christopher Lee Dracula, and many others. So, I am quite familiar with painting on a 3 dimensional surface, which was great background experience to working with the Vinylmation. My husband Doug has written for many comic book companies, including Disney back in the 80’s.

DV: You work at The Art of Disney at Downtown Disney in Orlando and actually get to trade Vinylmation with guests as a Cast Member there. What is that experience like?

Pam: I love having people visit me at downtown Disney at the ART OF DISNEY GALLERY where I have been working as a cast member for over 6 years. Working at the Gallery is a very inspirational place for me to be, as I am surrounded my many great artists who work for the company. I have always been a huge Disney Nerd, admiring not only the art but the man Walt Disney himself. I am very pleased to say that hanging with visiting artists like RANDY NOBLE, DARREN WILSON, DAVID DOSS, and many others has been a great pleasure!

DV: What do you enjoy most about doing custom Vinylmation?

Pam: I like the challenge of doing characters that don’t easily lend themselves to the Mickey shape. This is why I did the Jessica Rabbit design… a very sexy character to put on a pudgy shaped figure!

DV: Tell us about the process of creating one of these great customs.

Pam: I start off by doing little sketches of how I work out the designs. This saves a lot of trial and error on the actual piece. On all of my vinyls, I use the very basic craft acrylic paints you can get at MICHEAL’S and WALMART for 49 to 99 cents or so. I painted directly on the create your own vinyls with white as my base coat. A few thin coats work better than thick coats which really look blobby….. I find a nice solid white makes the colors you add really pop! My vinyls are very colorful. Sometimes you get a vinyl that you have extras on, like the troll… so I repaint them . I pop off the head and arms, and spray a coat of KILLZ paint to cover the graphics.

Make sure you mask off the bulb part of the head and arms as paint build up on those parts will make re assembly very difficult. You may need to carefully sand the pieces after this step to smooth out the surface as the Killz is very thick stuff. Using Krylon will never dry properly and your piece will be sticky forever! I find that finishing them with a painted on matte varnish does the job of protecting and evening out the finish on the vinyl surface. I put gloss varnish on the eyes, lips, and Jessica’s’ glitter on her dress. This prevents the glitter from rubbing off.

DV: The custom that really caught my eye is your 3″ Harry Potter. Tell us about this one.

Pam: This was my most involved one to date. I don’t like the idea of sculpting over the basic shape of the Vinyl, preferring to keep the Mickey framework, but really needed to have the wand, and Glasses. I sculpted the wand using a paper clip as the wire armature , with Apoxie putty as my medium of choice. This stuff is GREAT! It is a 2 part putty that you can thin with water. It gives you about an hour to play around with before it hardens up, and you can sand, dremel and carve it and add to it, just great stuff!

For the glasses, I used a Christmas tree ornament hook you buy in packets of 100 for about 99 cents, and very carefully bent it using very small needle nose pliers, then painted gloss black.

DV: How can people contact you if they are interested in your work?

Pam: People can email me at Pindiva@ earthlink.net if interested in custom work for trade. I can’t sell them as a Disney Cast Member. I have put some pix of the Harry potter and other customs in my photo book at the Gallery at Downtown Disney to show guests while I am there. I work Monday to Fridays from the afternoon to evenings if anybody wants to chat, when things aren’t too busy.