Friday, December 31, 2010
Happy New Year VinylManiacs!!!
In honor of the famous New Years Eve Ball Drop at Times Square in New York, I proudly present: 2011 Ball Drop Mickey!!!
Friday, December 24, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
Mad Hatter & Dormouse 9"/3" Vinylmation Combo
The "Mad Tea Party" scene from Disney's 1951 animated film "Alice in Wonderland"
Sunday, December 19, 2010
D Street 1 Year Anniversary!
Just one year ago, D Street opened its doors in the Downtown Disney District, paving the way for many exciting events, trunk shows, product releases, and most importantly Vinylmation!!!
Just one year ago, we had the pleasure of first getting to meet and know Noah, and get our hands on his first one-of-a-kind custom Motor Mouse Vinylmation!
D Street in Downtown Disney has become a "must stop" on all our of our Disneyland Resort trips! We here at VinylMania consider D Street to be our second headquarters! Here's to one fantastic year, with many more to come!
Cheers~
Just one year ago, we had the pleasure of first getting to meet and know Noah, and get our hands on his first one-of-a-kind custom Motor Mouse Vinylmation!
D Street in Downtown Disney has become a "must stop" on all our of our Disneyland Resort trips! We here at VinylMania consider D Street to be our second headquarters! Here's to one fantastic year, with many more to come!
Cheers~
Tron Legacy Party!!!
So with all the Tron Legacy hype, the VinylMania team decided to throw a Tron Legacy party to fully immerse ourselves in the world of Tron!
We all gathered @ "Deep Space S.L.i.M.E." to watch the Original 1982 Tron!
Our night countinued with us buying out an entire row of seats of an IMAX 3D presentation of Tron Legacy at the Rave 18 (formerly The Bridge) @ The Promenade at Howard Hughes Center. We had to see it in IMAX 3D! There's no other way to properly watch a movie!
We all gathered @ "Deep Space S.L.i.M.E." to watch the Original 1982 Tron!
Our night countinued with us buying out an entire row of seats of an IMAX 3D presentation of Tron Legacy at the Rave 18 (formerly The Bridge) @ The Promenade at Howard Hughes Center. We had to see it in IMAX 3D! There's no other way to properly watch a movie!
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Evilos: Custom Illuminated Tron Legacy Vinylmation!
With all the Tron Legacy hype, various Tron Vinylmation customs have made their presence felt all over the Vinylmation collectors community.
But one exists that is superior to all.
Behold! The Evilos Custom LED Illuminated Tron Legacy Vinylmation!!!
These pictures, as professional looking as they are, don't do this Vinylmation justice.
Evilos's Tron custom was the first and still one of the few Tron Vinylmation customs using yellow for the circuitry color, which alone makes this piece stand apart from others.
And to add the final insult to all other Tron Vinylmation customs, Evilos added LED lights inside the figure toggled on and off by a tact switch. Here it is pictured below in all it's glory!
Here's Evilos giving us a little video demo of this Vinylmation!
It should be quite obvious by this point about my overall opinion and feelings on this particular custom. So instead, let me take this opportunity to commend Christopher Avalos on such elaborate, and intricate work. Evilos brings (not only to the Vinylmation world, but to all media he works with) over 20 years of experience to the table and it is without a doubt unmistakably lucid.
To Chris: "Thank you for all that you do for all the communities you run with. Your craftsmanship is unprecedented. I will continue to support your endeavors purely on the fact that your work speaks for itself. Considering you a friend is just an added bonus. Again, thank you."
But one exists that is superior to all.
Behold! The Evilos Custom LED Illuminated Tron Legacy Vinylmation!!!
Using design elements from Tron Legacy's main antagonist, Codified Likeness Utility 2.0 (CLU 2 for short), Evilos has carefully crafted a Vinylmation masterpiece.
These pictures, as professional looking as they are, don't do this Vinylmation justice.
Evilos's Tron custom was the first and still one of the few Tron Vinylmation customs using yellow for the circuitry color, which alone makes this piece stand apart from others.
Secondly, the base black paint is unrivaled in quality and application. One may ask "Is there really a difference between one person's black paint on a custom versus another?" And in short, the answer is absolutely. As mentioned before, the pictures don't do this Vinylmation justice. For when you have this piece in your hands and can examine it with your own eyes the difference is extremely prominent.
Next, and most evident, are the carefully constructed collinear lines used to bring CLU 2 to life! Using masking tape over a yellow Create-Your-Own Vinylmation, Evilos meticulously lays down CLU's circuitry lines. Then, he applies black paint over the entire Vinylmation. Finally, he peels the masking tape away to unveil the perfectly aligned design. Check out this video below to get a first hand look at this step in Evilos's process. The circuitry design is very detailed and executed with amazing precision.
And to add the final insult to all other Tron Vinylmation customs, Evilos added LED lights inside the figure toggled on and off by a tact switch. Here it is pictured below in all it's glory!
Here's Evilos giving us a little video demo of this Vinylmation!
It should be quite obvious by this point about my overall opinion and feelings on this particular custom. So instead, let me take this opportunity to commend Christopher Avalos on such elaborate, and intricate work. Evilos brings (not only to the Vinylmation world, but to all media he works with) over 20 years of experience to the table and it is without a doubt unmistakably lucid.
I myself being a fan of Vinylmation, a fan of Tron, a fan of Disney, and a fan of art in general can truly, truly, truly appreciate all the time, effort, and most of all passion that went into this custom. The Evilos Illuminated Tron Legacy Vinylmation custom was an absolute must have in my collection!
And to bring this entry full circle, there are many notable Tron Vinylmations available to collect, most which I personally own. Any of which would be a fine addition to any collectors collection. But only one can reign supreme. And after reading this review, I think it's pretty apparent which one holds that title.
To Chris: "Thank you for all that you do for all the communities you run with. Your craftsmanship is unprecedented. I will continue to support your endeavors purely on the fact that your work speaks for itself. Considering you a friend is just an added bonus. Again, thank you."
Friday, December 17, 2010
Retro Magic Kingdom/Figment Dream Finder Vinylmation
Figment, a small purple dragon, occasionally seen sporting a yellow sweater, is the mascot of the Imagination! pavilion at the Epcot theme park at Walt Disney World Resort. He is extensively seen in Epcot merchandise.
The Journey Into Imagination pavilion opened with the rest of EPCOT Center on October 1, 1982, but the Journey Into Imagination dark ride did not open until March 5, 1983. In the original attraction, Dreamfinder, a jolly wizard-like scientist, teaches Figment how to use his imagination. Figment is meant to be the literal embodiment of the phrase "figment of the imagination". He is composed of various elements Dreamfinder found in his travels including two tiny wings, large yellow eyes, the horns of a steer, a crocodile's snout, and the childish delight found at a birthday party.
Journey Into Imagination With Figment is an attraction which is contained within The Imagination! Pavilion at the Epcot theme park at Walt Disney World and opened on March 5, 1983. It has been through three incarnations over the years, two of them featuring Figment, a small purple dragon, as a character
The Journey Into Imagination pavilion opened with the rest of EPCOT Center on October 1, 1982, but the Journey Into Imagination dark ride did not open until March 5, 1983. In the original attraction, Dreamfinder, a jolly wizard-like scientist, teaches Figment how to use his imagination. Figment is meant to be the literal embodiment of the phrase "figment of the imagination". He is composed of various elements Dreamfinder found in his travels including two tiny wings, large yellow eyes, the horns of a steer, a crocodile's snout, and the childish delight found at a birthday party.
Journey Into Imagination With Figment is an attraction which is contained within The Imagination! Pavilion at the Epcot theme park at Walt Disney World and opened on March 5, 1983. It has been through three incarnations over the years, two of them featuring Figment, a small purple dragon, as a character
1983-1998 Version: Journey Into Imagination
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Spawn Vinylmation Custom
As a child growing up I was a huge comic book fan! In particularly I was a huge "Image" comic book fan! Reading such greats as Pitt, The Maxx, Savage Dragon, Gen13, StormWatch, Team 7, Ultra, Wetworks, WildC.A.T.s, ShadowHawk, and last but most certainty not least Spawn!
Spawn, in all his Vinylmation awesomness!
Spawn was by far my personal favorite! Spawn was to my youth what Vinylmation are to me now! I would rush to the comic book store on my bike to pick up the latest issue of Spawn! I always bought two issues, one to read and one that went straight into a comic book sleeve and straight into a box for preservation! I stood in line for hours at Puzzle Zoo in Santa Monica to get Todd McFarlane's autograph with a certificate of authenticity!
Alright, enough reminiscing about my childhood nerdiness, and back to the present!
When I saw Celeste's custom Spawn vinyl, it was an absolute no-brainer for myself to add this to my collection!
Profile view! The spikes add to the fantastic detail!
Can't have a Spawn without a cape!
I love the way the cape drapes down.
Kudos on all the accessories that really bring this custom to life!
Shout out to Celeste and Co. who continue to produce quality customs! I had the pleasure of meeting her in person at the trading event held at the Paradise Pier on January 14th. I look forward to seeing what else you produce! Keep up the amazing work!
If you have not had a chance to check out her work, click the link at the bottom of this post to see her customs displayed on her blog! And last but not least I leave you with a fun picture of my Spawn prowling around the cities rooftops, like only he can!
Friday, December 10, 2010
Disneyland A-E Ticket Book & Birthday Cake Vinylmation release
Got to the park at 6:15am exactly. I got lost in the fog. I've been to Disneyland a million times in my life, and never have I been lost. I actually had to break out my GPS to guide me to the park. Slowly but surely I arrived safely. Upon arrival I was 9th in line.
It was a little chilly waiting in line. Not as bad as the Noah Tron Legacy Vinylmation release though. But at least D-Street opened at 8am rather than the usual 10am. I was in and out by 8:15am.
Released today was the much anticipated Disneyland Resort A-E Ticket book set. The edition size is 1955 and retails for $99.95.
Orgin (from Wikipedia):
"When Disneyland opened in 1955, visitors purchased a ticket for admission to the park and then paid separate admission fees at each ride or attraction. Less than 3 months after opening, Disney began selling ticket books, which contained several coupons labeled "A" through "C", to supplement the pay-per-ride system. Rides and attractions were designated as "A", "B", or "C" attractions and required the visitor to either pay a specified amount or present a coupon of the corresponding denomination. As determined by Disney, "A" attractions were the smallest and least popular, "B" attractions were more popular and/or more advanced, and "C" attractions were the most popular and/or most advanced.[1] In 1956, Disney introduced the "D" designation for the most popular attractions and upgraded several former "C" attractions including Jungle Cruise to "D".
In June 1959, amid the completion of Disneyland's first major expansion, Disney introduced the "E" designation for the park's most popular attractions, and made the new Submarine Voyage, Matterhorn Bobsleds, and Disneyland–Alweg Monorail "E" coupon attractions. Additionally, the Santa Fe & Disneyland Railroad, Rocket to the Moon, Rainbow Ridge Pack Mules, Rainbow Mountain Stage Coaches, Mark Twain Riverboat, Sailing Ship Columbia, Rafts to Tom Sawyer Island, and Jungle Cruise – all previously "D" rides – were upgraded to "E".[1] "E" remained the highest attraction/coupon designation for over 20 years. Several "E" attractions were added throughout the 1960s and 1970s, and the coupon system was duplicated at Magic Kingdom when it opened in 1971.
The coupon system was gradually phased out beginning in the late 1970s and by July 1982 was fully replaced by the present-day system in which paying the entrance fee admits the visitor to all rides and attractions."
It was a little chilly waiting in line. Not as bad as the Noah Tron Legacy Vinylmation release though. But at least D-Street opened at 8am rather than the usual 10am. I was in and out by 8:15am.
Released today was the much anticipated Disneyland Resort A-E Ticket book set. The edition size is 1955 and retails for $99.95.
Orgin (from Wikipedia):
"When Disneyland opened in 1955, visitors purchased a ticket for admission to the park and then paid separate admission fees at each ride or attraction. Less than 3 months after opening, Disney began selling ticket books, which contained several coupons labeled "A" through "C", to supplement the pay-per-ride system. Rides and attractions were designated as "A", "B", or "C" attractions and required the visitor to either pay a specified amount or present a coupon of the corresponding denomination. As determined by Disney, "A" attractions were the smallest and least popular, "B" attractions were more popular and/or more advanced, and "C" attractions were the most popular and/or most advanced.[1] In 1956, Disney introduced the "D" designation for the most popular attractions and upgraded several former "C" attractions including Jungle Cruise to "D".
In June 1959, amid the completion of Disneyland's first major expansion, Disney introduced the "E" designation for the park's most popular attractions, and made the new Submarine Voyage, Matterhorn Bobsleds, and Disneyland–Alweg Monorail "E" coupon attractions. Additionally, the Santa Fe & Disneyland Railroad, Rocket to the Moon, Rainbow Ridge Pack Mules, Rainbow Mountain Stage Coaches, Mark Twain Riverboat, Sailing Ship Columbia, Rafts to Tom Sawyer Island, and Jungle Cruise – all previously "D" rides – were upgraded to "E".[1] "E" remained the highest attraction/coupon designation for over 20 years. Several "E" attractions were added throughout the 1960s and 1970s, and the coupon system was duplicated at Magic Kingdom when it opened in 1971.
The coupon system was gradually phased out beginning in the late 1970s and by July 1982 was fully replaced by the present-day system in which paying the entrance fee admits the visitor to all rides and attractions."
Also released was a Birthday cake 9" Vinylmation from the Holiday #2 series. The edition size is 1000 and retails for $44.95. As said before on the Disney Vinylmation blog, they would be releasing the Holiday #2 9" vinyls around their corresponding holiday. Thus, the Graveyard Vinylmation was released around Halloween, and the Prancer and Snowman Snow globe vinyls were released around Christmas. Which leads me to the questions "If this is a Birthday cake, who's birthday are we celebrating?" There has been no official answer to my question, but I'm pretty sure it's safe to assume we are celebrating Walt Disney's birthday (December 5th). Happy Birthday Walt! Have a slice of cake! :)
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Tron Pop-Up Shop @ Royal/T Café
So I get home from work yesterday, and I start to unwind by plopping myself down in front of my compy. I start doing some research on this Tron Pop-Up Shop that everyone was talking about at the D Street - Noah Tron Legacy custom release. Sure enough The Royal/T Shop in Culver City is hosting the special shop that sells all sorts of Tron themed merchandise.
As tired as I was, I jumped back in the my car and battled through after work traffic to make my way to Royal/T shop. And I'm glad I did. This place is amazing! And I'm not talking about just the Tron Pop-Up Shop, but the entire Royal/T shop is awesome! Royal/T is an Art Gallery, a Cafe, and a Shop all in one! Here's a little video that explains in more detail:
The Tron Pop-Up Shop specifically was superb! The modern designed room, dimly lit with blue neon lights made the Tron world come alive! I think I looked at every single piece of merchandise in the shop with amazement! Having that feeling of kid in a candy store!
