The Quality of Toys

Now I've had these guys on my desk (which happens to be my home's dining table) beside my laptop for a week now. I've been holding them and "playing" with them since I scored them from STGCC last weekend, along with the Marshall and Gumdrop gifted from 64Colors. I never did have the intention of doing up this post, but it seems I could not keep my mouth shut for too long.

Folks ask me what "Art Toy" is, or even before what "urban vinyl" meant (for which that is a mooted tag now). Simply put, "Art Toys" are recognizable for the artist's name being mentioned at the same time with the toy. Aesthetics aside, that to me is a simple straightforward indication. Like we know Gumdrop is designed by Eric and Laura of 64Colors, and Unicornos are from tokidoki and Simone Legno, while 'brands' are more prominent for this new Sunshine Twin figure from Dooodolls, and Gizmo is from Funko. Ah but "names" are but words-of-recognition compared to the quality of the toy.


I had wanted to say "Art Toy" indicates better quality of toy, but sometimes it is just not the case. Notice the above Unicornos from tokidoki, featuring a silver-colorway edition made available at STGCC last weekend. The horrendous paint-app and dreadful finishes belie the brand, although perhaps general fans would not notice or care about the PVC toys, as well as the appalling paint-app on the face of a Funko Gizmo POP! Vinyl figure shown below.


As well the scratches at the back of head is alarming, and the obvious cuts and molding defects at the feet area - which does not allow the figure to actually stand evenly-flat. Mind you, these are straight out of the box. But you know what? I love my GIZMO hahaha Unicornos were SGD$12 on Day 1 and subsequently SGD$8 on Day 2 (I got sealed foil-packs but no boxes tho lol), while Gizmo was priced SGD$18.


And a quality above the rest? Marshall and Gumdrop from 64Colors, as produced by Rotofugi x Squibbles Ink - a ready practitioner in the "Art Toy" realms, and a steadfast representation of said culture and quality in art toys - which most times does justify the cost of item/product, compared to the mass-market produced toys like the ones shown up top. But that might not always be the case, with these new vinyl figurines from Dooodolls, with Sunshine Twin shown below with articulated arms and a decent mold-seam hidden beneath the figure instead. For SGD$12 and a window-boxed display - it smacks of mass-market direction, but in quality, at the very least this piece passes the "test" with decent floating colors.


Hell, most of them are "Made In China" anyways, so frankly tis easier to "compare", isn't it. But the thing with toys in general, tis not a given that folks who go for art toys might consider mass market toys in return - although in a roundabout way, all the designs shown here do perhaps fall within a specific category, if not easier affordability for all.