Have you ever heard of the concept of indie toys? This toy is now becoming a trend in society, especially among adults. Indie toys refer to a type of toy that is specifically produced in the spirit of an anti-mainstream movement. These toys are now known as urban toys, designer toys, and art toys.
In general, all three display characters in the form of three-dimensional figures made of vinyl, soft vinyl and resin. In terms of price, urban toys, designer toys and art toys tend to be higher than other mainstream toys. That's why, these three are not easy to find on the market.
So, what is the difference between urban toys, designer toys and art toys?
Urban Toys
Urban toys can be said to be the first generation of the three types of indie toys mentioned previously. It is called urban because the toy products produced are inspired by pop culture, urban culture or urban art.
Urban toys themselves were first introduced by Hong Kong artist, Michael Lau, around 1997-1998. Lau often applies urban styles, such as graffiti and street art, to his works.
The materials for making urban toys are vinyl, soft vinyl and resin. Designers usually choose one type of material depending on their budget. Besides that, urban toys are not mass produced. Because, the production of these toys is purely direct from the designer, starting from choosing the design to the production process. This is different from the mass production concept of mainstream toys such as Hasbro, where the design and materials are dictated by the company.
Designer Toys
Entering 2001 to 2002, many designers began to become interested in making urban toys. The majority of them have a background as graphic designers or character designers, such as Joe Ledbetter, Huck Gee, Steven Lee & Raymond Choy, and many more. That is why, in this second wave, the term designer toys developed.
One example of designer toys that is quite popular is the Qee series. The toys are produced in Hong Kong by the Toy2R company founded by Steven Lee & Raymond Choy. Qee has a standard size of 2 inches high. It has a variety of designs, namely with almost the same body shape, but various head shapes, such as bears, dogs, monkeys and skulls.
Art Toys
Around 2014, many fine art artists began to focus on making urban toys, one of which was Roby Dwi Antono. That is why the resulting products are called art toys.
Art toys consist of various types, depending on the raw materials they are made from and the character of the toy they are made from. Currently, there are art toys that tend to be more modern, using bright colors and also dark ones. Meanwhile, in terms of shape and size, it all depends on the toy designer, for example there are those with a futuristic theme or also in the form of stuffed animals. Once again, it all depends on the designer's ideas and creativity. .
Around 2014, many fine art artists began to focus on making urban toys, one of which was Roby Dwi Antono. That is why the resulting products are called art toys.
Art toys consist of various types, depending on the raw materials they are made from and the character of the toy they are made from. Currently, there are art toys that tend to be more modern, using bright colors and also dark ones. Meanwhile, in terms of shape and size, it all depends on the toy designer, for example there are those with a futuristic theme or also in the form of stuffed animals. Once again, it all depends on the designer's ideas and creativity. .