Sep 02, 2005
“TEQUILA REVEALED!” PART 11
After many weeks of anticipation, Muttpop’s FINAL Tequila figure and Poncho sculpt are COMPLETE! So what do you think of Monster5’s sculpt? From the the rough drawings to the final sculpt, I can only imagine the amount of work involved for everyone in bringing this toy to live. Needless to say, the sculpt is just amazing, from the tattered pancho to the spiked cactus head, no details were missed. It is obvious that when this creature hit us, it is going to hit us HARD!!!
Check back next week for the first glimpse at the Tequila Figure PACKAGE DESIGN!
Aug 26, 2005
“TEQUILA REVEALED!” PART 10
Muttpop's Tequila figure was finalized and the initial poncho sculpt was complete. But how does the Poncho sculpt look when WORN by Tequila?
Monster 5's original Poncho sculpt stayed very close to Gobi's design in the turnaround; but what appears to work in the turn around doesn't quite work in a solid sculpt. The rigidity of the material made the Poncho look heavier and stiffer than what was intended. The form was there, but it is crucial that the final Poncho design convey the fluidity and weight of cloth.
Muttpop encouraged Monster5 to use his sculpting expertise to give the Poncho a more cloth-like structure. Monster5 sculpted softer lines that give the Poncho more movement and emphasizes how the cloth lays on Tequila's body.
The FINAL result (as seen in the AFTER image) speaks for itself.
I am amazed with how things are just coming together. At first glance, Tequila looked sort of awkward with the stiff poncho on, but after Monster5 's smooth sculpting, it is hard to imagine the previous poncho's "roughness" ever existed.Can you imagine the work that went into the poncho...how in the world do you make a piece of vinly look like cloth????
Check back next week to see the COMPLETE SCULPT of the FINAL TEQUILA wearing the FINAL PONCHO!
Aug 19, 2005
“TEQUILA REVEALED!” PART 9
Here’s a glimpse at the FINAL SCULPT of Muttpop’s Tequila figure and the FIRST GLIMPSE at his poncho!
Prior to beginning the construction of the Poncho, Monster 5 cleaned up his Tequila Sculpt. He added some nice subtle details to the body like nipples and a belly button. Since the Poncho will rest over Tequila’s body, Tequila needed to be in his final sculpted form to accurately represent how the Poncho will look on him.
There were two ways Monster5 and Muttpop could have approached the Poncho: cloth or vinyl. With cloth, it is a LOT easier to capture the flowing nature of a Poncho. With vinyl, the sculptor has more freedom to develop a style that best suits the styling of his original figure sculpt…but vinyl is also way easier to screw up.
With their complete faith in Monster5’s sculpting ability, Muttpop HAD to go with a vinyl poncho! Here are the first photos of the original Poncho sculpt.
I am so glad, they decided to go with the vinyl poncho...although I now have a dilemma. Should I leave the poncho on him or do I leave it off, exposing his massive abs????This is going to be one hell of a toy!! Check back next week to see how Tequila looks wearing the initial Poncho design!
Aug 12, 2005
“TEQUILA REVEALED!” PART 8
Although Monster5 was able to faithfully capture the essence of Tequila in last week’s sculpt (Part 7), Muttpop and Monster5 were still not happy with the back of Tequila’s pants. The wrinkles in Tequila’s pants made them look too tight. Monster5 tweaked the sculpted wrinkles to make them deeper and sharper. In addition to images of the Tequila’s pants tweak, we have included more images of the current version of the Tequila figure. This new batch of pictures includes better views of Tequila’s infamous head spikes!
Those head spikes must be handled with caution. It reminds me of the king of fruits....durian....well at least from the look of it, with dangerous untouchable spikes. Beware!!! Check back next week for the FINAL SCULPT of the Tequila figure (without PONCHO)
Aug 05, 2005
“TEQUILA REVEALED!” PART 7
This is it. Here are a few glimpses of the ALMOST finished Tequila figure. Muttpop and Monster5 still have many fine details to add to the figure, but it’s becoming very clear what is the essence of TEQUILA! For completeness sake, we’ve included images of the Tequila figure in its different stages.
From the patchwork pants with a rope as belt to his muscular six packs, the details of this toy are just amazing. I can’t wait for him to “stand guard” among my toy collection. Watch out boys…he really isn’t one to mess with.
Check back next week for details on the second phase of tweaks…and some more sweet images of the vinyl figure!
Jul 29, 2005
“TEQUILA REVEALED!” PART 6
Although the basics of Muttpop’s Tequila toy were in place, there were a few things that Monster5 began to tweak.
First off, Monster5 slightly altered the shape of Tequila’s head. The original sculpt for Tequila’s head was a bit too square. It made Tequila’s mask look more like a Roman Gladiator and less like a Mexican Wrestler. To fix this, Monster5 began the curve of Tequila’s skull lower on his head.
Second, the original lines on the back of Tequila’s mask were too curvaceous. Monster5 straightened the curves on the back of Tequila’s mask to stay consistent with the strong straight lines on the front of his face.
Monster5 also adjusted Tequila’s head so that it rests lower on his neck and shoulders.
The photos also clearly show the increase in detail and clarity that Monster5 brought to this latest sculpt of the Tequila figure.
Here are Before and After photos of Monster5’s initial tweaks to the Tequila head and back (without poncho):
Seeing the before and after photos right next to each other, it is easy to see how Tequila is turing out to be quite the handsome toy. It also allowed toy collectors (like myself) to understand why and how the artist made certain decisions to the design process. Check back next week for the latest pictures of the revised Tequila’s front!
Jul 22, 2005
VINYL PULSE/MUTTPOP “TEQUILA REVEALED!” PART 5
THE BODY DEFINED
During our last few peeks into the development of Muttpop’s Tequila toy, we were able to see Monster 5’s rough sculpt. It is now time for Monster 5 to refine all the details.
Monster 5 revisits his rough sculpt with details like Tequila’s other arm, belt, and pants detail. He then begins to define Tequila’s muscles.
All the basic pieces for the figure sculpt are in place. Although off to a great start, there were a few details that the Muttpop crew decided they wanted to change…
Here are photos of the first version of Monster5’s COMPLETE Tequila figure (without poncho):
Check back next week to find out what Muttpop had Monster5 revise.
Jul 15, 2005
TEQUILA REVEALED! PART 4
THE INITIAL HEAD SCULPT
Now that Monster5 had sculpted the general shape for the Tequila toy, it was time to work on Tequila’s head.
Monster5 decided to sculpt Tequila’s head with more detail and finish than his initial body sculpt. By doing so, he was able find a sculpting style that fit the exaggerated nature of the character design.
Talk about putting a face to the man!! What a treat to finally "see" Tequila's head and with it, gives an extra umph to the toy. And look at those spikes...you know someone is not to be messed with when you see those kind of spikes on his head. Love them!!
Here are photos of Monster5’s initial Tequila head sculpt:
Check back next week for an update on the Tequila toy’s progress!
Jul 08, 2005
Tequila Part 3: Early Sculpts
We've seen the early conceptual drawings, the turnaround illustrations and this week we get our first glimpse of Tequila in 3d. Looking at these early sculpts is a rare treat -- most of the time we only get to see sketches, production prototypes and then the finished toy. But what about all the work and steps between sketches and prototypes? This early sculpt is cool precisely because it's rough and focuses on the overall 3d concept and shape rather than fine details. So how did this sculpt come to be?
Once the final turnaround illustrations were complete, Muttpop was ready to find the appropriate sculptor for the toy. It was essential for Muttpop to find a sculptor that would bring the same passion and enthusiasm to the toy sculpt that Gobi and Jerry were able to bring to the Tequila design. As fortune would have it, with the help of Necessaries Toy Foundation's Gaston, Muttpop was able to find Monster5.
Monster5 has worked on several designer toys including Fafi’s Irina, the 13 inch Melto-fu, and So So Def’s upcoming Afroman. Monster5 was so excited about working on Tequila, that he began sculpting before Muttpop had decided to hire him! It became very clear that Monster5 was destined to sculpt Tequila.
Check back next week for a close look at Monster5’s Tequila head sculpt! Should be a good one -- I love those cacti spikes!
Jul 01, 2005
Part 2: Tequila Revealed!!
Like many readers, I have been waiting anxiously for part 2 of the Tequila coverage, and the wait has been worth it. To see the initial drawings of Tequila begin to take life is amazing. Muttpop now has a character vividly illustrated on paper. But how do you take a two-dimensional drawing and make it into a three-dimensional sculpture? It all starts with the turnaround illustrations.
Using the drafting skills he acquired in animation, Gobi created illustrations of Tequila from five different angles (front, back, side, ¾ front, ¾ back). Since Muttpop planned to create the Tequila vinyl toy with a removable poncho, Gobi created TEN illustrations of Tequila (five with the poncho and five without). Although Gobi’s art style has a distinct roughness to it, Gobi chose to render the turnarounds in a simple line style for the benefit of the sculptor.
Here are a few of Gobi’s turnaround illustrations:
Tequila sems to present a different look when viewed from the various angles. He certainly has a tough appearance but yet when I look at him head-on (front view), I see a childlike twinkle in his eyes. Or, maybe it's just my imagination?
Remember to check back next week for the first glimpse at Monster5’s Tequila toy sculpt!
Jun 24, 2005
Introducing Tequila
Previously shrouded in secrecy, Muttpop’s upcoming vinyl toy, Tequila, will take shape on the pages of Vinyl Pulse each Friday. From the intial design sketches right up until Tequila’s release this December, you’ll see what it takes to bring this intriguing toy to life. Today, we look at Tequila's character design concept.
Jerry Frissen and Gobi, the co-creators of Tequila, first envisioned creating a living and breathing character. They knew they wanted to create a charismatic personality that both paid homage and brought new life to Lucha Libre i.e. Mexican Wrestling. After initial brainstorming, Jerry and Gobi came up with the Tequila character. Since Tequila was brought up on the harsh deserts of Mexico, Gobi used the cactus as inspiration for creating the visual aesthetics of the Tequila character design.
Here are a few of Gobi’s early Tequila designs:
Without a doubt, the Tequila toy will not be vinyl as usual. Here's hoping that collectors tired of the status quo will appreciate the edgy and humorous qualities of this brand-new viny toy design. Kudos to Muttpot for pushing beyond the relative safety of adorable platform toys and taking a risk with Tequila. Check back next Friday for a peek at the Tequila Toy turnaround designs!