Happy Holidays!

Grizzly Tang would like to wish all you vinyl toy fans, low-brow art freaks and oddity collectors some happy holidays... Thanks for all the emails and support :)

Love,
Grizz

Grindhouse - Planet Terror Trailer

Caution, not really for children...

50 Dead-Guy Cards at Popup

Popup Gallery has 50 numbered 'Dead-Guy is Coming' cards in-store as of today. If you're in Wellington, go get 'em before they're all given away. Their website is here.

World Domination via Vinyls

Well I don't think this is normally done on blogs, but my quest for World Domination (tm) seems to require some assistance.

As you can see, here are my locations of blog visits:













While not bad for the first 15 days of scheming, you may notice that World Domination (tm) is not yet assured. There seem to be some rather large pockets of resistance to the wily charms of my toys. Below I have outlined a plan of attack. If you know anyone in the following 'red states' (connotations not intentional), do be a chum (patriot term there) and flick them an email. And don't you penguin farmers o' Antarctica think I've forgotten about you (like the google map) - this is merely the first wave...

Toy Card Details

Some details.



















A little something for someone who took the time to comment. I don't think I can post you one of the real cards, but here's a digital one, just for you -it's super-exclusive.

Other Fun Ways of Wasting Money

Ok, the cards are printed and looking pretty fly. As I took them round Weta Workshop and touted their exclusivity, labeling them 'collectors cards,' some smart fellow misunderstood and went "are there stats on the back?"

Damnit. Now it seems that I shall (at some later stage) have to release a small series of Dead-Guy wrestling cards. Ohhhh yeah. Wins, loses, special powers, finishing moves, their idea of the perfect date. You know, cool shit.

Anyway, card numbers 100-300 should be jet-setting their way over to London in the next week. So, if Flameo can make it though Customs with his smuggled Dingo steaks, they might be in Soho the following week. But who knows with that guy. He may have already eaten all 200.

"Computers transform the cutting edge of sculpture"

An interesting article on Guardian Unlimited about the effect of computers on sculpture here.

The Toy Render

Here's the render of the Dead-Guy himself, straight outta Maya. As you can see, this is the render that was used in the teaser card.

The Card is Done!

Okay, I do believe that I have finished the first piece of Grizzly Tang paraphernalia. "The Dead-Guy is Coming!" cards. I expect to get these printed in a few days so that Flameo may take some to London.

So far it seems that the only places you'll be able to get these suckers (FREE no less! it can't help but be a bargain) will be London and Wellington. Not bad places to start world domination I guess. Better than Fiji for instance. he he

And yes, you may have noticed the pygmy 'no.' text in the top right corner. That's because my dumb-ass expects to spend some of my precious gaming time to write small numbers with big markers in tiny spacers. 'Why?' you ask, well I don't frickin' know.
























Why do I have the feeling that I will wake to find a crowd of Fijian pygmies banging on my door tonight... shivers...

Too Much 'Real' Work

I'm afraid I haven't been able to do any more work on the Dead-Guy for the last couple of days as I have been overcome with an extreme case of 'real life,' thus preventing me from spending my after-work hours tweaking verts for your pleasure.

I do, however have a self-imposed deadline for my 'dead-guy is coming' cards, because a friend is, very generously, taking some to London with him to give away to toy freaks, shop owners and passing miscreants. Or something... He'll probably smoke them.

Anyway, if anyone knows of good vinyl related shops/galleries around London that he should visit leave a comment or flick me an email.

Dunny Club

Woo-hoo, another mention on a vinyl blog!
Dunny Club has posted a short snippet in which I'm called Tim Bison rather than Gibson, but I'm such an attention-ho I don't care.

Dead-Guy 'coming soon' WIP vol.2

Here's an update of the teaser image:

Tony vs. Paul

So good...

Toys are Evil

Uber toys news blog 'Toys are Evil' gave Grizzly Tang a plug today, which is dang cool. Maybe this blog thing isn't so hard after all. He has requested a 'Kung-Fu-Chop' arm function, I don't think that'll happen on the first edition, but maybe later eh?

I'm not expecting the orders to flow in just yet (I have the feeling I need to do more work before that happens), but so far all the feedback has been really positive. Which reminds me, if anyone has any thoughts, questions or comments on this blog or on Dead-Guy and any future characters in the line, feel free to leave a comment or send me and email.

Toys are Evil can be found here.

Dead-Guy 'coming soon' WIP

This is still a work in progress, I spent some time on it tonight after work. I've been looking at a lot of old comic-book covers and illustrations. It still needs to be roughed up a lot, and generally sewn together a bit more. I'm happy with where it's going though.

Giallo

Wikipedia has a great entry on Giallo here.

It sounds like something I need to research further. And in the tradition of posting images of posters:

Another New Vinyl Toy Image

And a head shot, showing the teeth detail.

New Designer Toy Render

Here's another render, this time with a shader that looks a bit closer to vinyl.

Film Noir Posters

Here are some cool old posters of the Film Noir genre and related films. So hot right now...

Why you ask, well Dead-Guy needs to find his killer amongst the Zombie Mob and the surviving citizens, which of course requires a bit of detective work. Plus, when your tongue has rotted off internal monologues are quite a convenient way of telling a story.

More Dead-Guy Renders

New Dead-Guy Render

Here's a new render of dead-guy. He's had a few additions like the bandages draping his hands and a few others that are visible from the front.

I Am Plastic

Anyone interested in vinyl toys who doesn't have this book already, you need to read it. Now.

And if it seems expensive, just think how much vinyl you'll be able to look at without buying the figures. It's a saving really. Maybe it's tax deductible, so you're making money when you think about it. Plus girls will think the toys are cute, so that's a bonus. You'll get heaps more dates, and possibly a raise at work. Read it.

Weta Workshop Rayguns

This is just a little plug for a series of 'Weta Originals' from Weta Workshop, in Wellington, New Zealand. They are Rayguns! And here is the website!

Bespangled in fine detail and with various (most likely quite dangerous) moving parts, these wave weapons of yesteryear are the perfect ornament for a gentleman's study or a deterring centerpiece for a lady's powder room or chiffonier.















The MANMELTER 3600ZX

These are produced by Greg Broadmore (designer) and Dave Tremont (model maker), so I can't claim any kudos for them I'm affraid.

The reason I'm posting this so late after the press release, is that I have done a small amount of work on for the Rayguns project. Of course, like all cool things, I can't tell you what it was. And Mr. Boardmore - if you are reading this, next time I work with you and you change your designs, 'all your wacom pen will belong to us.'

Dectective film posters

Some great old posters I found on the interwebs today. They have a bit more class than modern movies poster in my opinion.

I'd quite like to mock-up an action movie poster at some point though... The characters silhouetted against an exploding car with a stealth helicopter swooping low overhead, in pursuit of another version of the hero (riding a motorbike of course), who is steering one-handed due to the uzi that he is firing back over his left shoulder at the pursuing chopper.

A film poster concept

I'm just working on a concept for a Dead-Guy poster, early stages yet. I've been looking at a lot of Film Noir and Mystery posters from the 30-50s.

Enjoy.

A render of the 3d character

Here's a render of the lil' tyke. The bandages, teeth details and 'weapon of choice' are yet to be modeled, and at this stage the googles are still a work in progress.

The vinyl toy design

Welcome to Grizzly Tang, which will be a showcase of my struggles to design, create and manufacture limited edition vinyl toys. My first toy will be called, for lack of a better brain, 'deadguy.'

Here's the initial design: