Vandal Art$: viral aesthetics and guerrilla marketing

Tonight Vandal Arts bore witness to the launch of MUNNYWORLD, Kidrobot’s all-new do-it-yourself toys. Featuring over sixty custom designs from around the world and introducing 4 new friends to the medium.

MUNNY, BUB, TRIKKY, RAFFY, and ROOZ are the soft, super smooth vinyl figures that make up MUNNYWORLD. Each one is a blank canvas, and all ready for scribbling, piercing, painting, posing, piling, dressing up, and sculpting into forms straight from your imagination.

It’s not just a toy. MUNNYWORLD do-it-yourself toys provide wonderfully creative and educational experiences. You can bring art into your classroom with these free lesson plans and project ideas. Download them.

• Painting MUNNYWORLD
• Junk Art MUNNYWORLD

Get inspired and do something creative for the weekend.
Now if wondering ‘how do I get started’ we provided a map of where you can begin.

Inspiration:

Go to the events…especially if you can make this one! Its for two more days 12pm – 7pm.

The Eloquent Delinquents Gallery
41 Wooster St
New York, NY 10013

The area know as Soho is inspirational in itself due to the many high-fashion storefronts, galleries, and adverting posters.

Shop:

If you made it to The Eloquent Delinquents Gallery, it just so happens to be the epicenter of where you can get everything you will need.

Scrap Yard
300 W Broadway
New York, NY 10013

This small shop, sells a variety of graffiti-related materials, books, magazines, DVDs, original artwork, tee shirts and of course Kidrobot’s Munny.

Pearl Art & Craft Supply
308 Canal St
New York, NY 10013

One of the city’s largest art supplier, bringing new and exotic materials from all over the globe. They have Munny too.

Kidrobot
118 Prince Street
New York, NY 10012

They might be sold out after the next couple days! On serious note, the Soho Kidrobot store will have what you want in stock.

Apple Store SoHo
103 Prince St
New York, NY 10012

If you don’t have access to a computer, with Internet, and the software you need to further your creative process, the Apple Store welcomes you…temporarily. They have weekly classes with theater seating for you to learn Photoshop and Finalcut Pro and its for free.

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Customize Your MUNNY, BUB, TRIKKY, RAFFY, and ROOZ

The following are the methods and recommendations of our friend, artist Sara Antoinette Martin. While these are tried-and-true customization tips, Kidrobot is not responsible for the outcome of any custom art endeavors.

Get Ready:

First things first, take your MUNNYWORLD toy apart. Have no worries, the head and arms can be easily removed and replaced. Using a hair dryer to soften the vinyl may help, just be careful to not let one spot get too hot or else it may warp.

Next, wash your MUNNYWORLD figure with bubbly soap to remove any solvents and grease from the factory. Keep in mind that your hands are oily, too, so wash them often or wear latex gloves.

You may also want to test a technique before you apply it to your MUNNYWORLD toy. A good place to do this is on the bottom of you figure’s foot or an unused accessory. Some accessories are not made of vinyl, and you can usually feel the difference. If this is the case, the technique you are testing may not work the same when applied to your MUNNYWORLD figure.

Warning: MUNNYWORLD is for people of all ages, but some techniques, like the ones below, may involve dangerous tools or chemicals. If you are 15 and under, stick to markers and crayons, or team up with a grown up to create your MUNNYWORLD masterpieces.

Priming:

Priming allows you to do even more with your MUNNYWORLD figures! It helps the paint stick better and gives you the best possible finish.Krylon sandable primer is one of our favorites, but you can use any spray primer from a hardware or art supply store.Take the head and arms off and stick a pen or kebab skewer in the holes to get full coverage in one shot.Tape off the joints with artist tape so the parts will easily fit back together. When applying primer, remember to work in a well-ventilated area and wear a mask or respirator to protect your lungs.

Paint:

Acrylic paints go on smooth, give full coverage and do not require a primer. Our favorite of the lot is Golden Liquid Acrylics. When selecting a brush, opt for a synthetic sable one. This type of brush gives the smoothest application. Before you start your paint job, remove and tape up the joints so your figure will easily fit back together once you are done. Spray paint calls for primer. If you skip this step, your MUNNYWORLD toy will be sticky forever.

Markers:

Regular Sharpies work best on vinyl, especially if you don’t want to prime your figure. Water-based markers and paint pens are other options if you want to avoid priming. Do NOT use enamel markers. The paint will never dry and may even damage your figure.

Gluing:

If you don’t have a glue gun, try plastic glue, available at model-making, hobby, or art supply stores. For heavy add-ons, such as sculpt parts and metal, two-part epoxy glue works best. Avoid regular white craft glue, as it does not adhere to vinyl.

Sculpting:

Magic Sculpt is a two-part epoxy clay that adheres to anything and dries overnight so you can sand and carve it. A few Magic Sculpt tips:

• Wet clay to smooth its surface.
• Sprinkle clay with talcum powder to prevent sticking.
• Wash your hands often.

Super Sculpey (not regular Sculpey), a polymer clay, is another option. You need to first bake it, however, and then bind it to your vinyl with epoxy glue. A few Super Sculpey tips:

• Bulk out your sculpt with tin foil.
• Cover the area that you want to build on with talcum powder or tin foil.
• When you are finished, stick your figure in the freezer for 30 minutes. This will make the clay rigid and easy to lift.
• Don’t make your Super Sculpey thicker than a quarter inch or it won’t cure all the way.
• Scratch the surface you will be gluing with sandpaper or a file so the glue has texture to bind to.

Your hands are your best tools, but actual tools are helpful too. Here are some useful household items: small spoons, string or dental floss, paper clips, ice pick, wooden skewers, tweezers, sponge, pencils, manicure tools, rolling pins and X-Acto knives. Remember, polymer clay is toxic, so wash your hands, protect your work surface, and don’t use any household tools that you use for eating.

Cutting:

Warm up your vinyl with a hair dryer to make it soft, then cautiously cut out your design with an X-Acto knife. Be careful! Soft vinyl cuts like butter.

Preservation:

Applying a gloss finish to your masterpiece will preserve your custom MUNNYWORLD figure forever and prevent its paint from chipping. Depending on the brand and number of coats, it may also make your figure shiny. Krylon’s Crystal Clear spray works well but you will definitely need to prime your figure or else it will stay sticky. Shake the can frequently while spraying. If you don’t like the shiny look, matte finishes are also available. One coat will protect the paint job, but two or three coats should give you a nice shine. Be sure to read the directions on the can before application. You can brush on your finish with Polycrylic, a water-based polyurethane, available at any hardware store. If you take this route, make sure you apply it with a soft brush. Tape up the joints for finishing so you can easily remove and pop in pieces when it’s dry. Allow a reasonable amount of time (about 2-4 days) for the clear coat to dry completely. Once again, please remember to apply finishes in a well-ventilated area and wear a mask for protection.

Shipping:

Are you planning to send your custom vinyl toy somewhere? Then, take heed:
It’s best to carefully cover your custom vinyl in a plastic bag, such as a garbage bag. Please note, if the clear coat is not completely dry, the plastic will stick to the paint and peel off when unwrapping. Then, pack in Styrofoam. Include desiccant packets to absorb moisture while shipping. Last, make sure the box is securely reinforced for shipping!

Mistakes:

Don’t worry, even the best-laid plans can go awry. While these guidelines are here to help you create the very best custom vinyl figure you can, things do not always go as planned. That’s okay-only through mistakes can there be discovery or progress. You may even create an accidental masterpiece. If you feel strongly that a do-over is necessary, however, you can try the following:
You can remove spray paint, primer, clear coat and most markers with acetone or nail polish remover. Acrylic paint can be easily scraped off.

There are many ways to customize MUNNYWORLD vinyl figures and we encourage you to experiment with your favorite artistic disciplines and techniques. Good luck, and happy customizing!

Interviews with artists coming soon…