Brian Colin – Customizers behind the Scene

Tell me something about you?
I originally went to college with the intention of going into a cartooning track. When I wasn’t confident in my drawing abilities I chose to finish school with a degree in graphic design….. but that was ages ago. By day I work at a small design studio where I have done just about everything in the office, but currently handle the majority of print and web design that we do. I spend most of my evenings, early mornings and weekends working on my art projects whether it is for an upcoming show, a commission or something I just really want to work on. One of the bedrooms of my house is my “studio,” but I often drag my supplies out to the living room so I can hang out with my wife and have the tv on in the background.

What is your favourit DIY Toy?
I really try and work with a lot of different diy toys, so I don’t get burnt out on a specific platform. It’s hard to pick a favorite, there are so many that are versatile and can easily be transformed into endless possibilities. Right now though, I’m gonna have to go with the 10″ Teddy Trooper. The sheer size of it teamed with the bear head tucked under the helmet make it a lot of fun to work on.

Where you get your inspiration from?
I tend to get inspiration from all around me, from random tv that I watch to something I see driving down the road. There are a lot of fantasy creatures and monsters that dwell in the back of my brain which I think is the result of playing a lot of Dungeons & Dragons in my youth. I also tend to imagine the lives of the characters that I create even if I don’t write their story down. I believe that comes from my love of comic books which has had a strong hold on me since I was about 10.

Since when are you doing Vinyl toys?
In April of 2007 I picked up my first Munny to customize and got hooked. Before that I had never really explored using 3 dimensional forms for my art. Working on toys has really pushed my more traditional canvases in directions they never would have taken if I hadn’t made that first munny.

How large is your privat Vinyl toy Collection?
It’s not huge, but it is growing on a regular basis. It’s spread throughout our house, so it’s mixed in everywhere. I’ve transitioned from primarily purchasing blind-boxed figures (about 100) to focusing on larger pieces (around 30). A few of my favorites are Big Muscamoot, Super 7 Zag Zombie (Halloween Colorway), and Pecan Pal Jic Jac.

What will be your next Project?
I’m currently working on a Mini Munny as a commission that should be wrapped up in the next week or so. I’ll have a couple of small pieces at San Diego Comic Con. Then I am going to take a little break from customizing existing vinyl (aside from commissions) so that I can focus on creating a few of my own figures. I am going to sculpt and pour limited run toys of a few characters I have drawn up. They should be ready to release early September for DragonCon.

http://www.briancolinart.com >>