DREAM PROJECT: TOY ARTWORK CUSTOMS!
THE REPTILES
In this post, it will feature the toy artwork customs, Series 2 - The Invading Reptiles.
Featuring members: Chameleon, Gila Monster, Alligator, and Iguana.
INTRO
The design process to create my vision for the toy customs for The Reptiles was immensely fun and rewarding, just like with The Kats. My desired goal was to animate the toy artwork colour palettes to the toy designs. When finding a balanced colourisation between the reptile mode and robot mode, was interesting like painting the The Kats. Because the toy artwork colours on some of The Reptile members do not match their transformations. For example, Chameleon's robot mode has lighter colours and his reptile mode is darker and his should weapons a different colours entirely. This is where I chose the robot mode colour schemes more so that would translate to the reptile modes, while taking colour cues from the the reptile modes. Also using my own creative freedom to give them each a unique character colour palette, while giving them the team a unified tone, was important for me to enjoy the project!
ANIMATING THE TOY ARTWORKS
MY STORY & EXPERIENCE
The Reptile being the counter-parts to The Kats, is a worthy matchup! I imagine both sides in their own territorial habitats with 1 side defending a free land. Where the opposing side desires to overtake it all for themselves for domination!
How I started off with this dream project, was to have some duplicates of each toy member and unapplied all the stickers and fully repaint them. As I studied the colour palettes of the toy artworks, I used them as my guide/reference and also my own fan artworks of the toys which was really helpful. It was not only my goal to animate the toy artworks but also to represent their wonderful unified team colours. As I gathered my colour swatches, it was important to visualise how they all would look in the finished works, I'm very happy with the results!
As you will see some of the toy artworks drawn and coloured for both the robot mode and animal modes, appear to different with certain members. This is where I had to develop my own creative way to find a balance between the toy representations. You will see various examples like with Chameleon's both modes don't fully align with his design and colours. With Gila Monster's both modes they chose to color him silver/grey like the original DELTAFORCE - BALCANNON from the BIOROID series. I can guess they wanted to have some contrast and break up between the other reptile members. However I loved the international colour version being green which makes gives him a united colour scheme with his other reptile members. Alligator's both modes was fun and a clear plan how to colour him as much was not needed for directional plans. Finally Iguana's both modes was my most favourite member to work on because his original international release was a red Iguana, with fire decals on his body. It's probably the most memorable reptile but its subjective and I still love them all! Now him being red and the toy artwork being green, I definitely wanted to emulate those potentially awesome design and colour ques to my toy custom of him, humbly I achieved my vision!
To see the whole team comparisons with the original releases and my toy customs, scroll right before the end of the post!
How I started off with this dream project, was to have some duplicates of each toy member and unapplied all the stickers and fully repaint them. As I studied the colour palettes of the toy artworks, I used them as my guide/reference and also my own fan artworks of the toys which was really helpful. It was not only my goal to animate the toy artworks but also to represent their wonderful unified team colours. As I gathered my colour swatches, it was important to visualise how they all would look in the finished works, I'm very happy with the results!
As you will see some of the toy artworks drawn and coloured for both the robot mode and animal modes, appear to different with certain members. This is where I had to develop my own creative way to find a balance between the toy representations. You will see various examples like with Chameleon's both modes don't fully align with his design and colours. With Gila Monster's both modes they chose to color him silver/grey like the original DELTAFORCE - BALCANNON from the BIOROID series. I can guess they wanted to have some contrast and break up between the other reptile members. However I loved the international colour version being green which makes gives him a united colour scheme with his other reptile members. Alligator's both modes was fun and a clear plan how to colour him as much was not needed for directional plans. Finally Iguana's both modes was my most favourite member to work on because his original international release was a red Iguana, with fire decals on his body. It's probably the most memorable reptile but its subjective and I still love them all! Now him being red and the toy artwork being green, I definitely wanted to emulate those potentially awesome design and colour ques to my toy custom of him, humbly I achieved my vision!
To see the whole team comparisons with the original releases and my toy customs, scroll right before the end of the post!
REPTILE MEMBERS / TOY ARTWORKS + TOY CUSTOMS
THE INVADING REPTILES
GROUP PICTURES
GROUP PICTURES
REPTILE MODES
ACTION POSES!
ROBOT MODES
ACTION POSES!
COMPARISONS
LEFT: ORIGINAL / RIGHT: TOY CUSTOM
OUTRO
This Dream Project has been so fun and rewarding! I'm very happy to finish series 2, The Invading Reptiles, they hold a special place in my heart!
There is no question, without seeing these original toy artworks of each different series of 19 collectibles from the created V WORLD toy line, I wouldn't of remembered the toys. This reignited my love for the toys via seeing the beautiful original toy artworks on all the toy packages. It is a special nostalgic feeling for me and yet it sparks new experiences that I continue to keep cherishing and appreciating the level of effort that toy companies: LEADER SHINE (CHAMPION CROWN) and the many pivotal connected toy companies intertwined to this toy line who did so many releases/re-releases of these charming transforming robot toys.
I am forever grateful to them!
If you stopped by to view this post, thank you so much for the support!
Kind Regards,
John Valmeo / Robo-Synergy
I am forever grateful to them!
If you stopped by to view this post, thank you so much for the support!
Kind Regards,
John Valmeo / Robo-Synergy
