UNKL Designers of Urban Vinyl Toys

Urban Vinyl Designers UNKL

The amazing Urban Vinyl Designers "UNKL" are the responsible of the creation of Urban Vinyl Toy called HUG 60 and his variation ULLIGUS, as they define it as his loyal partner,.

The two members that founded the UNKL Urban Design studio are Derek Welch and Jason Bacon back in 2004 in Portland, Oregon. The main idea of this new company of Design was to create a new path for projects that they wanted to make without the pressure or demands of clients.

The first release of UNKL Designs was in January 2005 with the launching of their first Urban Vinyl Toy called HazMaPo. That first offering of theier first Urban Vinyl character was of 1,800 figures which where sold in just about one month, so obviously that for UNKL was the confirmation that they should keep doing it.
Back in September of 2007 Derek Welch and Jason Bacon decided to take their Urban Vinyl Creations to the next level by bringing their first UNKL character to television. TinPo will support CBS Saturday morning cartoons with 30 second animated shorts.

Urban Vinyl Doll Defcon SUG by UNKL (250 units)



Urban Vinyl Doll SUG H60 "Blue" by UNKL (150 units)


Urban Vinyl Toy ULLIGUS H60 "Green" (350 units) "Blue" (150 Units)






Urban Vinyl Doll SUG H60 "Green" by UNKL (Limited to 350 units)


Urban Vinyl Toy HazMaPo by UNKL

Urban Vinyl Doll Designer Frank Kozik

Urban Vinyl Designer Frank Kozik

The Urban Artist Frank Kozik was born in Madrid, Spain in 1962. At the age of 14, his family moved to the States and settled in Austin, Texas. The beginning of his career as a designer started with his pursue of reviving the "lost" art of the concert poster, pushed by the on growing underground Rock scene in Austin in the the mid-eighties.

Frank Kozik designs later some years covered the art of big Music bands such as Nirvana, Neil Young, Sonic Youth, Pearl Jam, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Beastie Boys with lot's of limited edition, full-color and silk screened posters.

Frank's Kozik designs did not limited to the rock scene, but also he designed for big brands such as Nike, Slim Jim and MTV.

During the last years got involved with the design of Urban Vinyl Dolls, turning this graphical artist in one of the most influential Urban Toys Designer and vinyl figure art. Frank Kosik has designed a huge number of Urban Vinyl Dolls and is now considerate not only a reference to the Urban Vinyl Scene but also as one of the leading Urban Toys designers in the whole world.

In 2001 the Urban Vinyl Designer Frank Kozik gave life to the "Black Smorkin Labbit" making a turning point in the Urban Vinyl Scene and rocket lunching his career as a Vinyl Designer. After that he teamed up with lot's of Urban Vinyl manufacturers such as Kid Robot and Toy2R to give life to some of the most popular and renamed Urban vinyl Toys.

Here is a list of some amazing creations of the Urban Designer Frank Kozik

Urban Vinyl Doll Necromorth the Christraper by Frank Kozik

Urban Vinyl Doll Smorkin' Labbit by Frank Kozik

Urban Vinyl Doll Anarchy Teddy Troop by Frank Kozik

Urban Vinyl Doll Dr. Bomb by Frank Kozik

Urban Vinyl Toys Designers DGPH

DGPH Urban Vinyl Designers from South America

Now it's time to talk about the Urban Vinyl Designers from Argentina called DGPH. In 2005 two partners Diego Vaisberg and Martin Lowenstein created the Design and Visual Art studio under the name DGPH. Since then they became one of the leading Argentinian design houses, with amazing designs for very popular Urban Vinyl Dolls such as "Tsuchi" seires among others, Computer animated stories, Comics and more interesting staff mixing Urban art, Comic illustrations and Computer animation.

In their begining DGPH started developing only Illustration for different art and design magazines and only after one year later after they got invited by Red Magic Style (Hong Kong) specialized Toys company. DGPH started creating Urban Vinyl Toys turning the static creatures illustrated in magazine pictures into 3d Urban Vinyl Dolls.

That year 2006 was a turning point in the history of DGPH studio with their development of Urban Vinyl Dolls such as the Following:

Urban Vinyl Doll "Berenjena" designed by DGPH - (500 Pieces) produced by Adfunture


The Urban Vinyl Figure "TopoJoe" Designed by DGPH and produced by Ningyoushi


The "Tsuchi" series Designed by DGPH and produced by Munky King

1. Urban Vinyl Doll "Tsuchi" designed by DGPH - Blue Version (500 Pieces)


2. Urban Vinyl Doll "Tsuchi" designed by DGPH - Silver Version (150 Pieces)


3. Urban Vinyl Doll "Tsuchi" designed by DGPH - Black Version (150 Pieces)



The "Topo" series designed by DGPH and produced by Adfunture

1. Urban Vinyl Doll "Topo" designed by DGPH



2. Urban Vinyl Doll "Topo" designed by DGPH

Urban Vinyl Kidpunk By Kid Robot

KidPunk Urban Vinyls by Kidrobot

The Urban Vinyl Kid Punk designed by Kidrobot is their homage to their punk rock roots. The first release of 3 a Figures set each of them a 8-inch size urban figure was then completed with a Secret UK edition recently released in a 300 limited pieces edition World wide.

Theses 4 Urban Vinyl Kidpunk have the same characteristics such as ears pierced, Mohawks, a band tee and its favorite Punk vinyl record from the year tat they represent.


KidPunk Vinyl Special Secret UK edition ‘77 Edition "The Jam"

The just released KidPunk Vinyl commemorates in a UK Special and Secret Edition the year 1977 with an amazing Urban Vinyl Doll grabbing the Vinyl Album "In the City" by the Jam 1977. This release was limited to 300 pieces, and converted the previous 3 KidPunk set into a quartet. This Great Vinyl Doll, has all the Punk Attitude that we could expect form an Urban Vinyl Doll that will join the forces of the previous KidPunk dolls.

I personally was expecting a Vinyl tribute to The Ramones who I really believe deserves it big time, but maybe it's just a matter of waiting a little bit more.








KidPunk Vinyl the ‘77 Edition "Sex Pistols"

Of course that the First Punk Tribute piece of the KidPunk edition had to give life to the second greatest Punk Band in History (let me say after the Ramones) which were the Sex Pistols, also around the '77. This Amazing Vinyl Doll comes with all the basics to define a real Punk Rock Style doll.





KidPunk Vinyl the ‘80 Edition "Dead Kennedys"

The second KidPunk Vinyl commemorates the year 1980 with another very cool Urban Vinyl Doll grabbing a Dead Kennedys Vinyl Album. Important to remember that they are one of my Favorites bands ever...




KidPunk Vinyl the ‘84 Edition "Black Flag"

The third KidPunk Vinyl released commemorates the year 1984 with a tribute to the Punk band Black Flag, these one has a very cool Attitude.




This is all for now about the History of this Amazing Kidrobot design, I personally must say as before that I am still waiting for The Ramones KidPunk to make these set a perfect Urban Vinyl Set.

Urban Vinyl Gosho Dolls

Urban Vinyl Gosho Dolls- Traditional Gosho Dolls

Among all the different types of Urban Vinyl Dolls, there is one called the Urban Vinyl "Gosho" Dolls which are a reinterpretation of the Tradition Japanese Gosho Dolls. This type of dolls originate from Japan of the 17th Century (at times of the Imperial Palace in Kyoto during the Edo (1603-1867)) . Some of the most typical characteristics of any Urban Vinyl Gosho doll are their traditional over sized head, chubby body and usually a rope that depending the case can mean several things.

This first adaptation of this Traditional Gosho Dolls into the Urban Vinyl Dolls worlds was through a whole series designed by Tokidoki, that decided to introduce them into the collectors houses by including some personal twists and influences such as Street Art and Japanese Tatoo Patterns


Some of the most Famous Urban Vinyl designers such as Tokidoki, Kozik, Dalek, Craola, Donny Miller, Tara McPherson, Nathan Cabrera, Joe Hahn, Den (FUCT), JC, Plasticgod, etc, have made at least an Urban Vinyl "Gosho" Doll, according to their interpretation of this old and traditional dolls.

Urban Vinyl Gosho Doll by Dalek

Urban Vinyl Gosho Doll by Tokidoki

Urban Vinyl Designer Greg Simkins "Craola"

Urban Vinyl Designer Greg Simkins "Craola", Info and Designed dolls.

A couple of days ago I received my first Urban Vinyl Doll, a Blue Argyle Walrus designed by the Urban Designer Greg Simkins, aka "Craola".

So I made some research about this amazing artist called Greg Simkins and his Urban Vinyl Dolls to share it with you.

Some info about Greg Simkins:

• Greg Simkins was born in 1975 in Torrance California, just south of Los Angeles.
  
• During his childhood he grew up with lot's of animals including rabbits, which often can be seen on lots of his paintings.
• At the age of 18 Greg Simkins started painting graffiti under the name of "Craola".
• He graduated in California State University of Long Beach in 1999 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Studio Art and since then Greg Simkins (Craola) worked as an Illustrator for various clothing companies.
• Since 2005 Greg Simkins is working as a full time Artists and his works can be seen in many different industries such as Skateboard Decks, Clothing, Video Games, and Urban Vinyl Dolls

Best Urban Vinyl dolls designed by Greg Simkins.

1. Designer: Greg Simkins - Urban Vinyl Doll Walrus Design by "Craola" (Blue Argyle Walrus 500 Pieces - Orange Argyle Walrus 350 -White Argyle Walrus 50 pieces)
   
2. 
3. Designer: Greg Simkins - Urban Vinyl Doll called Ningyo by "Craola" (Limited to 300 pieces) inspired in the traditional Gosho Doll
4. 
5. Designer Greg Simkins - Urban Vinyl Doll called Cap'n Rotnclaw by "Craola" (Limited to 600 pieces)
6. 
7. Designer Greg Simkins - Urban Vinyl Doll called Keel Haul Cleg by "Craola"(Black Keel Haul Cleg limited to 700 pieces - Red Keel Haul Cleg limited to 600 pieces)
   

Urban Vinyl Toys producer Kidrobot

Kidrobot, the Creator of the Dunny & Mummy series

As you might imagine Urban Vinyl Toys are the result in most of the cases of a creative mind, or designer that comes out with an idea or concept for the next amazing Urban Vinyl toy and a manufacturer that will make out of that creative conceptualization, a finished Vinyl piece for the collectors.

That's the reason why when we talk about Urban Vinyl Toys, most of the cases we will listen a full description that most of the times will say the name of the piece, the designers Name and finally the manufacturer.

One good example a very popular manufacturer is Kidrobot founded in 2020 by Paul Budnitz with the credit of being the first creator and retailer of limited edition of Urban Vinyl toys.


As a manufacturer Kidrobot has been involved in the production of Urban Vinyl Toys that made a huge mark in the Urban Vinyl inindustry with their well known collections Dunny & Munny figures.


The Dunny editions have been designed by various artists, while the Munny edition came out as a set of Blank Vinyls for personal customization, or DIY (Do It Yourself)

Urban Vinyl Toys Categories (Part 3) - Customs, DIY, Blanks

Designer Toys Categories (Part III) - Blank Vinyl or DIY (Do it Yourself)


The last category when it comes to categorize urban Vinyl toys are the Customs Vinyl Dolls, also known as DIY (Do it Yourself), or "Blanks"

3. Customs, DIY or Blanks- The main idea of the Customs Vinyl Toys is to let the consumer to contribute in the final result of the doll by customizing it according to it's own style. There are several urban vinyl companies that sell blank vinyl pieces available for customization under the flag "Do it Yourself" which opens an unlimited word of possibilities and designs. This Blank Vinyl pieces can be found in different sizes and shapes, in most of the cases in white color (to make easier the customization). Some of them also come with blind accessories as well.

The Customs Blank Vinyls (DIY) are ideal for those who want to apply their own artistic style to turn a blank DIY Vinyl base into a unique Urban Vinyl Doll. One of the most popular Set of Blank Vinyls (DIY) is the Munny Series (4 series) of Kidrobot.

Urban Vinyl Toys Categories (Part II) - Blind Boxes/Chase

Designer Dolls Categories (Part II)

The second category existent in the world of Urban Vinyl Dolls following the limited Edition of Designers toys are..

2. Blind Box/Chase- As their name defines, this Urban Vinyl toys usually come in closed Boxes and the toys usually come 2-3 inches size and they are usually part of a saga o set of 12 or more figures. The main attraction of this sets is to collect them all and one of the beauties of collecting Blind box sets is the thrill after each buying, plus the possibility of getting a "Chase" which is the word to define a very weird or rare piece (the jewel of the blind box set). One of the most popular Blind Box Vinyl set are "The Dunny series" which up to the date have released 5 different series. The good thing about this collectibles is that the price of the Blind boxes usually is way lower (From $4 to $6) than other Urban Vinyl Dolls of course because of the nature of the "Blind Purchase", so this are good candidates for those who are still debating themselves either to get started or not with their Urban Vinyl Dolls Collection.

Urban Vinyl Toys Categories - Limited Editions

Urban Vinyl Toys Categories (Part I)

When it comes to Urban Designer dolls, the options in terms of category can be divided in three main groups, which will mainly define the final price of the doll.

Designer Dolls Categories

1. Limited Editions- These group of vinyl toys come in limited editions of 100, 500, 250 or even 50 pieces, with certificate and number of unit. In most of the cases this limited runs belong to famous artists that do not want to break into the massive industry of Urban dolls and prefer to sell their pieces only to those who are really willing to pay for them the price of a not cheap collectible. An example of an artist that works with limited runs is the artist Greg Simkins AKA "Craola". His Walrus Design was released in three different editions, Blue Argyle Walrus (500 units), Orange Argyle Edition (350 units) and the White Argyle Edition (50 Signed units)