And so my idea for a 'friends of YSP' only item would be a canvas/vinyl toy. These toys are very popular to designers and illustrators due to the ability to do whatever you want to the figure.
These could be used as a competition where a guest artist could choose a winning design and it gets reproduced and made into a limited series for 'friends' and visitors to buy
Images taken from http://sites.kidrobot.com/munnyworld/?p=gallery
http://sites.kidrobot.com/munnyworld/
http://www.toy2r.com/
The above sites are two of the most well known DIY vinyl toy companies they have downloads, shops and galleries of there products converted by designers and people from the public.
CONSTRUCTION
Vinyl toys are made by a process called 'Rotocast' this is a cheap method because it uses the least amount of plastic to create the figure, this also makes it very light so shipping is also cheap.
1. Idea
First thing would be the design of the figure, Simplicity is best because it allows more freedom in the end and also costs less.
2. Model
Next is a clay mold of the design. Here you can spot any problems with the design and change if needed.
3. Resin Model
Now is the point of no return once this is made it is done no more changes can be made without having to pay.
4. Roto cast
Here a steel cast of the resin model is made when constructed and dry a small quanity of PVC is poured in to the cast. As the machine spins the centrifugal force forces the plastic into the walls leaving the cast mainly hollow.
The only problem is that by my research the rotocast would have to be made by an actual toy company (usually china) so you would have to negotiate prices.
But it does not have to be vinyl. A simple wood sculpture would do sanded down it can also be painted with several media types (markers and paints) and would need a simple varnish coat to protect it.
There is another way of making vinyl toys at home or in a small workshop. The following link takes you to a site with all the relevant infomation and a step by step instruction.
http://www.computerarts.co.uk/tutorials/2d__and__photoshop/cast_a_designer_toy
I have bought two of the DIY toys from kidrobot and will post how iv created my own design and applied it onto the toy
