ToyCyte sale!
We've slashed our prices for a lot of our toys to make room for more customs! Go get some amazing deals today at our store !
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Need your daily fix of art and toys? Why not make your way down to Santa Monica on April 4th and “OVERDOSE.” The catchy title is for the upcoming group exhibition at the Copro Nason Gallery. Not only will HI*FRUCTOSE vol.11 be making its premiere, but there will also be signings by Attaboy, Joe Ledbetter, [...]
Continue reading...Tuesday, March 24, 2009
During yesterday’s segment, we profiled designer toy companies for our report on blind boxes. Today, it's all about the end users of blind boxes: the fans. Toy fans echo the diversity of the toys. We enjoy different aesthetics and buying styles. Some people care about edition size; some don't. Some fans like vinyl; some prefer resin. But all of us are a little crazy. We're in an economic recession, and we're buying toys. Let's look at what toy fans want and the possible ways of getting it.
Continue reading...Friday, March 20, 2009
Here are two very cool customized Scavengers to roll you into your weekend. Up top we have the MINDstyle Creative Group’s take on Kathie Olivas’ series 1 Dexter. The paint application is so clean on these “China Mask” customs. Fifty were made and are up for grabs (or likely already accounted for) at $100 a [...]
Continue reading...Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Thanks to good sleuthing by SpankyStokes, we know a few more details about the upcoming BICS project from Bic Plastics. While the big picture is still a mystery, some awesome affiliated artists have been named: MAD, Marka27, Brandt Peters, Kathie Olivas, Cope2, kaNO, Jesse Hernandez, Scribe, Andrew Bell, Sket, Indie84 and Angry Woebots. Will more [...]
Continue reading...Friday, February 20, 2009
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Breaking news for Kathie Olivas fans in the LA-area: Miguel of De La Barracuda (who had exclusive dibs on the pewter Abraham Obama) just confirmed that the shop’s allotment of the exclusive Scavengers Beaumont by Kathie Olivas x DLB T-Shirt set will be made available this Sunday, February 22nd. The limited edition figure and t-shirt [...]
Continue reading...Thursday, February 12, 2009
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Remember the speculation last month about a possible “DIY Scavenger Series” by Kathie Olivas? The rumors were the result of pictures found on J.ME’s blog and spanned the gamut of whether this was a PhotoShop hoax, the ultimate fan tribute or a new DIY production series. Well, the answer is none of the above. It [...]
Continue reading...Wednesday, February 4, 2009
We are just days away from New York Comic Con 2009. For everybody trying to keep track of the exclusives and events, here's some help. You can also get up-to-the-minute info by clicking on ToyCyte's NYCC 09 Exclusive tag. There are some really great toys in this convention. Check out figures by Doktor A, MAD, Bob Conge, Kathie Olivas, Brandt Peters, Brent Nolasco, KaNO, Julie West, Jure Gavran, Pushead, Mike Sutfin, Secret Base, Monstrehero, Sket One, Erick Scarecrow, Jared Deal, Keith Poon and not to mention appearances by Huck Gee, Clutter and Mr. Shane Jessup, among others. Our east coast correspondent, Collin David, will be on the scene, so flag him down if you see him. Stay tuned for more coverage of NYCC on ToyCyte as it unfolds. Have fun, and don't spend all your rent money!
Continue reading...Wednesday, February 4, 2009
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Gallery1988 just posted up images of all of Brandt Peters work from yesterday’s opening of The Cackle Factory. I wish I could have been there to see these in person, but Jensen and Katie always do a great job of representing the gallery’s art for the masses. Brandt’s solo show included large oils on canvas [...]
Continue reading...Tuesday, February 3, 2009
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Toy supergigantors ToyTokyo have a very, very full weekend planned for the ol’ NYCC, including some especially notable debuts and guest appearances. Here’s a quick rundown, all happening at booth #858 : FRIDAY holds a 2 PM appearance by Nelson X. Asencio, designer behind the ‘Hope’ Obama colorway from Jailbreak Toys, among other things. The mighty [...]
Continue reading...Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Following a flood of Google queries looking something like “Kathie Olivas NYCC,” MINDstyle has issued some clarifications. As reported here, Kathie Olivas will indeed have a grey colorway of Two-Faced Hazel for NYCC 09. There will be 200 pieces worldwide for $100 each, and Toy Tokyo Booth #858 will have a limited supply. On February 7th [...]
Continue reading...Monday, February 2, 2009
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Brandt Peters and Kathie Olivas are kind of like the Prom King and Queen at this year’s New York Comic Con. First up: Brandt’s PEACEMAKER 32.9 vinyl collectible figure. The place to be is at Toy Tokyo Booth #858 on Saturday, February 7, from 12 noon to 2:00PM for the special pre-release. The PEACEMAKER 32.9, [...]
Continue reading...Friday, January 30, 2009
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MINDstyle just issued a statement to clarify some Scavenger speculation. With the original black Hazel mini figure from [Scavengers] Series 1 having set the tone on eBay, prices have sky-rocketed to USD $200 to USD $300 on the secondary market; for what was once purchased at a suggested retail price of just USD $11.99 for the [...]
Continue reading...Monday, January 26, 2009
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Well here’s a double-dose of good news for folks who were waffling on spending their rent money on Kathie Olivas’ Two-Faced Hazel Asia Exclusive. 1) They’re not yet sold out. 2) A random assortment of the Asia Exclusives have a stowaway: a blue Hazel mini-figure. Per MINDstyle: In celebration of Chinese New Year, MINDstyle and Kathie [...]
Continue reading...Tuesday, January 20, 2009
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Our overseas spy J.ME often gets news ahead of the curve. Is this an upcoming production series of DIY blind-box Scavengers or merely the talented custom job of one Kathie Olivas fan with a lot of time and white paint? It’s anybody’s guess right now, but the idea is very cool and, dang, the execution [...]
Continue reading...Monday, January 19, 2009
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They are currently selling 10-25 of each card starting with Nathan Jurevicius's (#5) and ending with Abe Lincoln, Jr.’s (#14). In addition to Nate and Abe, up for grabs are also cards by Jon Burgerman, Kathie Olivas, Brandt Peters, Jermaine Rogers, Bwana Spoons, Jeremiah Ketner, Brendan Monroe and Candykiller.
Continue reading...Monday, January 19, 2009
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MINDstyle continues to make 2009 their year and Kathie Olivas‘ Two-Faced Hazel figures are leaders of the pack. Following sell-out runs of the first 9-inch Two-Faced Hazel and its all-white Vinyl Pulse-exclusive counterpart, MINDstyle is droping an Asia exclusive. In honor of the upcoming Chinese New Year, 500 Hazels are decked out in red and [...]
Continue reading...Friday, January 2, 2009
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MINDstyle is not bothering with a slow ramp-up to their 2009 releases, instead, they are rather nonchalantly dominating the art toy gambit with brilliant new figures from Ron English, Doktor A and Kathie Olivas. We previously showed you full turnarounds of Kathie’s 9-inch hand-painted vinyl Two-Faced Hazel, and now here’s a look at the premium [...]
Continue reading...Monday, December 8, 2008
Vinyl Toy Network Winter 2008 was a lot of fun and a great opportunity to chat with artists, toy companies, shops, fans and collectors. People were lined up hours in advance to get a crack at exclusive art toys by Joe Ledbetter, Kathie Olivas, Frank Kozik, Gary Ham, Doktor A, MAD, Marka27 and others. Customized [...]
Continue reading...Monday, December 8, 2008
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Here’s just a sampling of some of the exclusives from the VTN Winter 08 show. (Click here for a tidy tagged version of all the coverage.) People who had been waiting in line for hours got right to business locating these particular figures. It seemed to me like much of the crowd got in, got [...]
Continue reading...Wednesday, November 26, 2008
I've been expounding the virtues of Letter Pressed for a while. Their Artist Series reads like a Who's Who of the vinyl toy community: Joe Ledbetter, Jon Burgerman, Nathan Jurevicius, Bwana Spoons... In theory, every one of us should own something letterpressed. In practice, as with paint colors and Venetian blinds, you need to see a sample. I'm holding some such items. While I want my words to convey the elegance of the paper and the clean, vibrant impression of the art, you need to touch these for yourself. To that end, Letter Pressed's Mark Begley will provide one lucky reader with a pack of hand-numbered Cool It letterpressed cards by Le Merde. To win it...
Continue reading...Monday, November 24, 2008
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Wow. This is going to be crazy. Cardboard Spaceship is a tight space and Kathie Olivas and Brandt Peters have a dedicated army of fans. My guess is that there will be a line stretching down Santa Cruz’s Pacific Avenue (so prepare to be spare-changed by well-fed hippies). Kathie and Brandt will be signing for [...]
Continue reading...Friday, November 21, 2008
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If you spied images of the Dolbee Compact Characters that were floating around a while back, like Jeremy’s write-up, Dolbee Makes Me Nostalic for My Walkman, and you wanted, nay needed, one, well here’s your chance. Originally the items were only available in the United Kingdom with tie-ins in conjunction with the All Tomorrow’s Parties Festival and Don’t [...]
Continue reading...Thursday, November 13, 2008
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There are some characters that need no introduction. MINDstyle’s Two Faced Hazel is one of them. Kathie Olivas has been busy lately selling out her pieces in solo and group exhibitions across the nation. Collectors of large vinyl will thrill at this piece, which stands over 9 inches tall. It’s beautifully hand painted and produced [...]
Continue reading...Monday, October 27, 2008
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This weekend saw the opening of the MAD*L Citizens Show at Lift in Detroit. With 10-inch MAD*L customs by Doktor A, Huck Gee, Sket One, kaNO, Brandt Peters, Kathie Olivas, Cris Rose, Slobot, Cameron Tiede, Phetus, Brent Nolasco, Andrew Bell, Angry Woebots, Phu!, Tristan Eaton, Julie West, Reactor 88, Leecifer and more, I’m waiting on [...]
Continue reading...Saturday, October 25, 2008
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Master-customizer (who is soon to release some original toys), Phu!, is sending in the troops to tonight’s custom Mad*L show at LIFT. As usual, Phu! combines debris into details: The 10-inch platform figure was enhanced with cardboard, cable ties, brass rivets, broken toy parts, disposable plastic spoons, hose clamps, felt, googles, plastic beads, bottle [...]
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Tuesday, March 24, 2009
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