Background
Since its October here, and this is long overdue, this post recaps of what progress the project is taking and such. In an nutshell (as of Sept..13.2006), the project is primarily based on creating toy figurines that are inspired urban conditions of current Los Angeles.
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Vincent Akuin- Senor, Graphic Design
Michael Manalo- 4th yr Senior, Architecture
Sep 4- Manifesto and Course Statement
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The project is a collaboration of two different disciplines, architecture and graphic
design, to study urbanism, commercialism and subcultures in Los Angeles. The
course goal is to design and create urban-driven figures and experiment with them
in different environments. Each of the participants will learn from each other in
design, construction and both the architectural and graphic design processes. The
participants will hold an exhibition of their project near the end of the semester.
For the past decade, designer toys have grown into a widespread adult market that is truly unique
in both its audience and function. Designer toys have taken shape into many culturally relevant
forms. Vinyl toys is a specific type of designer toy that can be mass produced for big markets.
You see this market including clients form National League of Baseball, McDonald restaurants, Coca-
Cola, and even the World Olympics committee. Most of these clients use vinyl toys as way of creating “accessible mascots” for their clientele to own.
However, before the turn of the century, independent artists and graphic designers have surged in the vinyl toy market to creature small scale figurines that reflect their ideas. Kid Robot is one the premier retailers of this market and its website KIDRobot.com feature various vinyl toy designers and design. Here, various artists illustrate their ideas on art, mainstream celebrities, and ideas of stereotypes. This independent study course will focus on the subculture of vinyl and designer toys. The participants will then take apart this sub-culture to define and redefine its elements and their place in Los Angeles urbanism.
Sep 11- Step Back
BIG QUESTION: “Why do this?”
It’s a simple yet defining question that Vince, John Southern and I go back and forth with. Why go into making urban vinyl toys and try making a class out of it? How can this object become more than just an end result and more towards a medium for research and design?
------------------------------
Vince is a fourth-year senior in Graphic Design
John is a practicing architect and teaches Theory of Arch and 3rd Yr Arch. Studio
Mike is a fourth-year senior in Architecture.
David Schwartz is an animation instructor who currently works in the field.
------------------------------
The project, thus far, deals issues that aren’t found in a traditional design studio but reflect current subcultures of Los Angeles and contemporary design.
What is an urban vinyl toy? Context? Aesthetic? Value?
Vince and I decided to define this.
Sep 18- Angelino Typology
If the toy characters design are to somewhat reflect urban and present day Los Angeles- where do you start?
Lets try these:
Hollywood/Highland
Chinatown
Mid-Wilshire
Sep 23-Presentation and Retrospect.
This Saturday Vince and I presented what the project is about by describing the Urban Vinyl Toy culture and seeing as a technique of cataloging. Can you describe architecture and urbanism in Los Angeles through the stories of its everyday people? Can a vinyl toy embody that story?
Jurors :
Mohamed Sarif
John Southern
Here is some of the slides (more to come):
-----------
Vincent Akuin- Senor, Graphic Design
Michael Manalo- 4th yr Senior, Architecture
Sep 4- Manifesto and Course Statement
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The project is a collaboration of two different disciplines, architecture and graphic
design, to study urbanism, commercialism and subcultures in Los Angeles. The
course goal is to design and create urban-driven figures and experiment with them
in different environments. Each of the participants will learn from each other in
design, construction and both the architectural and graphic design processes. The
participants will hold an exhibition of their project near the end of the semester.
For the past decade, designer toys have grown into a widespread adult market that is truly unique
in both its audience and function. Designer toys have taken shape into many culturally relevant
forms. Vinyl toys is a specific type of designer toy that can be mass produced for big markets.
You see this market including clients form National League of Baseball, McDonald restaurants, Coca-
Cola, and even the World Olympics committee. Most of these clients use vinyl toys as way of creating “accessible mascots” for their clientele to own.
However, before the turn of the century, independent artists and graphic designers have surged in the vinyl toy market to creature small scale figurines that reflect their ideas. Kid Robot is one the premier retailers of this market and its website KIDRobot.com feature various vinyl toy designers and design. Here, various artists illustrate their ideas on art, mainstream celebrities, and ideas of stereotypes. This independent study course will focus on the subculture of vinyl and designer toys. The participants will then take apart this sub-culture to define and redefine its elements and their place in Los Angeles urbanism.
Sep 11- Step Back
BIG QUESTION: “Why do this?”
It’s a simple yet defining question that Vince, John Southern and I go back and forth with. Why go into making urban vinyl toys and try making a class out of it? How can this object become more than just an end result and more towards a medium for research and design?
------------------------------
Vince is a fourth-year senior in Graphic Design
John is a practicing architect and teaches Theory of Arch and 3rd Yr Arch. Studio
Mike is a fourth-year senior in Architecture.
David Schwartz is an animation instructor who currently works in the field.
------------------------------
The project, thus far, deals issues that aren’t found in a traditional design studio but reflect current subcultures of Los Angeles and contemporary design.
What is an urban vinyl toy? Context? Aesthetic? Value?
Vince and I decided to define this.
Sep 18- Angelino Typology
If the toy characters design are to somewhat reflect urban and present day Los Angeles- where do you start?
Lets try these:
Hollywood/Highland
Chinatown
Mid-Wilshire
Sep 23-Presentation and Retrospect.
This Saturday Vince and I presented what the project is about by describing the Urban Vinyl Toy culture and seeing as a technique of cataloging. Can you describe architecture and urbanism in Los Angeles through the stories of its everyday people? Can a vinyl toy embody that story?
Jurors :
Mohamed Sarif
John Southern
Here is some of the slides (more to come):
posted by Mike M at 4:54 PM
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