In The Toy-Customizer's Seat Q&A with Jan Calleja
The custom-work of Jan Calleja first caught my eye when his Ferrari-Red FORMULA GAN F-00 custom-Celsius won second place in the Ganmetall Celsius Custom Show organized by Rotobox earlier this year [tagged]. Since then, I have personally amassing images of Jan's work, as I knew I had to sit the man from Quezon City, Philippines down for Q&A in the toy-customizer's seat ~ which I now present to you folks (whom might not have known about Jan until now).
CLICK THRU to read about how the toy-customizer's mind works, and to peep a selection of his work ~ from Munnys to Celsius ~ including the new Formula Gan R-05 custom-Celsius!
[9 x images in slideshow above / Full-screen Viewing]
Formula Gan RB-08 - 7 inch Celsius Custom. Inspired by the Red Bull F1 racer of 2008.
This is the second of the Formula Gan -08 series for the Toy Art Gallery in Los Angeles, Ca.
TOYSREVIL: Let's start at the beginning, shall we? Share with us, Who Is Jan Calleja? And how did it all begun?
JAN CALLEJA: I am a graphic designer for Redworks Manila. Graduated from the College of Fine Arts, University of the Philippines. Worked in various jobs starting when I was in college. From production artist, merchandising visualizer, scenographer, and graphic designer.
I started customizing toys back in 2006 when an artist friend, Reymar Gacutan introduced simple materials that transform existing action figures into practically whoever or whatever you like…So I got me a 6 inch daredevil action figure and made it into Major Dick Winters.
[6 x images in slideshow above / Full-screen Viewing]
Formula Gan R-05 - 7 inch Celsius Custom. Inspired by the Renault F1 racer of 2005.
TOYSREVIL: What are you inspired by? What are your influences, when it comes to customizing your toys?
JAN CALLEJA: It’s my family, first and foremost. Art-wise I am influenced by other custom toys that are just awesome. And I am also influenced by war machines. Tanks, Planes, guns and robots…but I’ve been restraining myself not to manifest it into my works. I don’t know, I just feel that there are more peaceful and constructive things that we can get inspirations from. I’m thinking of making lines of robots for humanitarian purposes or for the environment.
TOYSREVIL: On average, how long does it take to complete a custom? (Specifically the Celsius formula ones). Was the Red Ferrari Celsius-custom the first?
JAN CALLEJA: Because of work at the office I have been producing 1 Formula Gan per month only. But given the chance I can work out an average of 1 per week (as proven by my leave from work 2 weeks a go). Yes, The red Gormula Gan F-00 was my first of the series, and of a Celsius.
[5 x images in slideshow above of Formula Gan F08 / Full-screen Viewing]
TOYSREVIL: The fascination with race-cars, and your exceptional custom works speaks volumes. Share with us why that is?
JAN CALLEJA: Thanks. I am really not into racing cars. I just like how they look. Well, I try to make my works resemble them at least. I was looking for a design that can be adapted to vinyl toys other than famous characters like Iron Man, Voltron, Darth Vader and others. Then I realized that custom toys can take inspiration from anything that you can put your mind into.
So, with my boss (F1 addict) Raffy Castaneda, and an idle afternoon, we brainstormed about having a race car (not a character) adapted into a vinyl toy and there you go, The Formula Gan Series. I try hard to guess how each car is designed to make my toys have a feel of what car I’m adapting. I’m also after the campaignability of the series. After my F1 series maybe I’ll go into road cars (?) Volkswagens and Rovers. Or maybe vintage airplane inspired Celsius or Munnies?
[WIPs of custom-Optimus Prime Munny]
[13 x images in slideshow above of Optimus Prime Custom Munny / Full-screen Viewing]
TOYSREVIL: Looking forward to further developments of your concept-path and craft, Jan! How is the toy-scene / custom-scene in Philippines like? How do you think your works are received?
JAN CALLEJA: Actually among the customizers here I’m one of the late comers. Some are more hard core hip hop vinyl customizers and are very good at it.
The custom-scene in the Philippines needs more exposure. Most people see our works as just plain toys so the appreciation and price is not that catchy around here. A lot of toy enthusiasts here still go for the licensed toys, not that something’s wrong with it but people’s reception to vinyl customs is not that that well yet. I remember Spencer Ong’s story about how their custom was once mistaken for an expensive coin bank….sheeeeesh!
Well, there are the more exposed groups and individuals here that appreciate very well what we’re doing like Gabby Dela Merced and their Gallery/Store Vinyl on Vinyl and The Collective where we are planning to exhibit this November.
[8 x images in slideshow above of Munny Bumblebee / Full-screen Viewing]
TOYSREVIL: Nice! You need to keep me update on that, Jan! I've always been fascinated with the scene in Philippines, with only what my Multiply-contacts post on their accounts to keep me updated LOL ~ Thanks for your time in ding this Q&A, Jan ~ In closing, is there any particular genre you'd love to work on, but has so far not started?
JAN CALLEJA: I’m planning to work on a fully articulated robot series that resembles a worn-out, basic-shaped machine that works very well with humans. In fact they are more human than most of us. Hence the proposed title “Better than Humans”. One would be a robot whose main function is to seek out and destroy all landmines that are planted in conflict zones to make it safe for families to live in; another, a bigger machine that roams around the metro looking for homeless people and lets them take refuge inside their motel-type bodies for the night and another example would be a self sustaining robot that cleans the environment (which I already did in my Robotar custom), only this time the design can belong more to a single line.
[4 x images in slideshow above of Archtype Custom Celsius / Full-screen Viewing]
[Images via JC-Facebook]
CLICK THRU to read about how the toy-customizer's mind works, and to peep a selection of his work ~ from Munnys to Celsius ~ including the new Formula Gan R-05 custom-Celsius!
[9 x images in slideshow above / Full-screen Viewing]
Formula Gan RB-08 - 7 inch Celsius Custom. Inspired by the Red Bull F1 racer of 2008.
This is the second of the Formula Gan -08 series for the Toy Art Gallery in Los Angeles, Ca.
TOYSREVIL: Let's start at the beginning, shall we? Share with us, Who Is Jan Calleja? And how did it all begun?
JAN CALLEJA: I am a graphic designer for Redworks Manila. Graduated from the College of Fine Arts, University of the Philippines. Worked in various jobs starting when I was in college. From production artist, merchandising visualizer, scenographer, and graphic designer.
I started customizing toys back in 2006 when an artist friend, Reymar Gacutan introduced simple materials that transform existing action figures into practically whoever or whatever you like…So I got me a 6 inch daredevil action figure and made it into Major Dick Winters.
[6 x images in slideshow above / Full-screen Viewing]
Formula Gan R-05 - 7 inch Celsius Custom. Inspired by the Renault F1 racer of 2005.
TOYSREVIL: What are you inspired by? What are your influences, when it comes to customizing your toys?
JAN CALLEJA: It’s my family, first and foremost. Art-wise I am influenced by other custom toys that are just awesome. And I am also influenced by war machines. Tanks, Planes, guns and robots…but I’ve been restraining myself not to manifest it into my works. I don’t know, I just feel that there are more peaceful and constructive things that we can get inspirations from. I’m thinking of making lines of robots for humanitarian purposes or for the environment.
TOYSREVIL: On average, how long does it take to complete a custom? (Specifically the Celsius formula ones). Was the Red Ferrari Celsius-custom the first?
JAN CALLEJA: Because of work at the office I have been producing 1 Formula Gan per month only. But given the chance I can work out an average of 1 per week (as proven by my leave from work 2 weeks a go). Yes, The red Gormula Gan F-00 was my first of the series, and of a Celsius.
[5 x images in slideshow above of Formula Gan F08 / Full-screen Viewing]
TOYSREVIL: The fascination with race-cars, and your exceptional custom works speaks volumes. Share with us why that is?
JAN CALLEJA: Thanks. I am really not into racing cars. I just like how they look. Well, I try to make my works resemble them at least. I was looking for a design that can be adapted to vinyl toys other than famous characters like Iron Man, Voltron, Darth Vader and others. Then I realized that custom toys can take inspiration from anything that you can put your mind into.
So, with my boss (F1 addict) Raffy Castaneda, and an idle afternoon, we brainstormed about having a race car (not a character) adapted into a vinyl toy and there you go, The Formula Gan Series. I try hard to guess how each car is designed to make my toys have a feel of what car I’m adapting. I’m also after the campaignability of the series. After my F1 series maybe I’ll go into road cars (?) Volkswagens and Rovers. Or maybe vintage airplane inspired Celsius or Munnies?
[WIPs of custom-Optimus Prime Munny]
[13 x images in slideshow above of Optimus Prime Custom Munny / Full-screen Viewing]
TOYSREVIL: Looking forward to further developments of your concept-path and craft, Jan! How is the toy-scene / custom-scene in Philippines like? How do you think your works are received?
JAN CALLEJA: Actually among the customizers here I’m one of the late comers. Some are more hard core hip hop vinyl customizers and are very good at it.
The custom-scene in the Philippines needs more exposure. Most people see our works as just plain toys so the appreciation and price is not that catchy around here. A lot of toy enthusiasts here still go for the licensed toys, not that something’s wrong with it but people’s reception to vinyl customs is not that that well yet. I remember Spencer Ong’s story about how their custom was once mistaken for an expensive coin bank….sheeeeesh!
Well, there are the more exposed groups and individuals here that appreciate very well what we’re doing like Gabby Dela Merced and their Gallery/Store Vinyl on Vinyl and The Collective where we are planning to exhibit this November.
[8 x images in slideshow above of Munny Bumblebee / Full-screen Viewing]
TOYSREVIL: Nice! You need to keep me update on that, Jan! I've always been fascinated with the scene in Philippines, with only what my Multiply-contacts post on their accounts to keep me updated LOL ~ Thanks for your time in ding this Q&A, Jan ~ In closing, is there any particular genre you'd love to work on, but has so far not started?
JAN CALLEJA: I’m planning to work on a fully articulated robot series that resembles a worn-out, basic-shaped machine that works very well with humans. In fact they are more human than most of us. Hence the proposed title “Better than Humans”. One would be a robot whose main function is to seek out and destroy all landmines that are planted in conflict zones to make it safe for families to live in; another, a bigger machine that roams around the metro looking for homeless people and lets them take refuge inside their motel-type bodies for the night and another example would be a self sustaining robot that cleans the environment (which I already did in my Robotar custom), only this time the design can belong more to a single line.
[4 x images in slideshow above of Archtype Custom Celsius / Full-screen Viewing]
[Images via JC-Facebook]
