Go figure
CALIFORNIAN ARTIST DANO BROWN IS THE FRANKENSTEIN OF TOY-MAKING.
How did you get into toy-making? About three years ago I purchased some handmade figures from an artist on Instagram, @deathbytoys. As soon as I got them, I became obsessed with learning how to make my own. Luckily, Dan from Death By Toys was very helpful and encouraging.
Tell us about these pop-culture sculptures. What kinds of techniques do you use? The bulk of my technique is what’s called ‘kit-bashing’. Basically, it’s Frankensteining pieces of old toys together to look like something completely different. I also do quite a bit of sculpting, sanding, grinding and chopping, but most of what I do is very similar to collage.
Do you have special tools you use? I use my Dremel rotary tool quite a bit. Aside from that, just standard crafting stuff. Paints, X-ACTO knives, superglues. For the packaging, I use regular photo paper, some card stock, a spray adhesive to put them together, and some punches to give it the rounded corners and hanging hole.
Why did you choose to focus on underdog characters and antiheroes? Originally I was only making these things as decorations for my own game room. I collect old Nintendo stuff, so I thought it would be cool to cover my walls in one-of-a-kind Nintendo-themed action figures. Not long after, I was offered an art show in LA. I needed 50 separate figures and quickly realised that I didn’t have 50 new Nintendo-themed ideas, so I had to branch out. Most of my favourite movies and shows already had action figures available, but not of my favourite characters, because they weren’t main characters. It made sense to focus on those guys.
What kinds of features do you add? I try to only include clothing and accessories that really add to the piece. For example, a Bob Ross figure just doesn’t feel complete without a paintbrush in his hand. Wooderson from Dazed and Confused looks 10 times better with a pack of cigarettes rolled into his shirt sleeve. Almost every time I post a new piece to social media, I get comments telling me what I should have included. Sometimes I rip open the packaging and redo it all if the idea is good enough!
The packaging is so beautifully designed! Where do you find inspiration? Thank you! Packaging design comes pretty easily for me – I’ve been designing and goofing off in Photoshop for maybe 15 years. Most of my inspiration is rooted in nostalgia. Old games, shows, magazines, movies.
Where do all these figures wind up? I’ve been very lucky that just about everything I’ve ever made has sold. Even the ones I made for myself in the beginning are gone now. I don’t know what people do with them, but I’m assuming they don’t play with them. They could, but who really wants to play with an Unsolved Mysteries action figure?
Do you have a favourite toy you’ve made so far? I really like the Jim Henson figure. I was proud of the way it came out, but I also just love the Muppets, and Jim was one of my heroes.
Have any been particularly hard to create? My Teen Wolf figure was a nightmare, because I had to melt and stretch his face to look more like a werewolf. It took me days to get right. These days, I’d just sculpt a new face instead of going through that much trouble.
Where can we see more of your stuff? Over on my Instagram at @dano_brown.