Sunday, August 26, 2012

Big Figs

Thumper Big Fig
Between 1999 and 2006, Jody and I did quite a lot of things for Disney's Consumer Products division.  We designed concepts for toys, dolls, dishes, Christmas ornaments, stained glass lamps, snowglobes, cookie jars, teapots, music boxes, enamel pins, and zillions of other things made of resin, ceramic, glass, wood, pewter and sometimes bronze.

Jungle Book Big Fig

Is there another corporation on Earth that has produced as many tchotchkes as Disney?
Maleficent Big Fig

Peter Pan big fig






















Nothing can enliven your living space like a figurine, especially a jumbo-sized character from a favorite movie. Together Jody and I concepted and did sculpt revisions on over sixty big figs, each one starting with a sketch and a painting.

Mr. Toad Big Fig concept
This artwork, never seen by the public, was presented in quarterly meetings, or line reviews, to help visualize products that, nine months later, would travel across the ocean from China aboard cargo ships destined for Disney's distribution warehouses - And, from there, to stores, theme parks, and eventually into childless homes all across the United States!

Lumiere Big Fig
Goofy Big Fig
Disneyland 50th Anniversary Big Fig
Who's afraid of the Big Bad Fig?


5 comments:

Michael J. Ruocco said...

These are absolutely gorgeous drawings and paintings! And comparing them to the final figures, I don't think I've ever seen a piece of Disney merchandise follow the drawn concepts as faithfully and beautifully as the ones you both had parts in. It's inspirational! I'd love to see more of these concept pieces someday!

I have the classic Donald big fig (I think it was for an anniversary) sitting atop my animation desk in my home studio. I can easily say it's one of my most prized possessions. It's so spot on, and Disney seldom does anything with classic Donald anymore, with the buttons and the white hat.

Do either of you have any personal favorite big figs you've created, either design/concept wise or once you believed matched your designs the best?

Major Pepperidge said...

I have a Hatbox Ghost Big Fig... the one one in my collection, but its a doozie!

Ben Churchill said...

This is great to see the artwork, and I agree, it's really lost little in the transition from paper to final figure.

I own several of the Disneyland 50th figures and they are really wonderful. Donald being my favorite.

Adam Hazlett said...

I have the Barker bird!
I Love Love Love him!
He's a big fig right?

Bob Logan said...

Beautiful post! Thank you for sharing!