Thursday, December 22, 2011

Late In the Bandwagon: DIY Toys

When something's stark white, blank and staring back at you screaming "paint on me!" it's quite intimidating. But if it's as cute as these little things here, you can't resist but quickly doodle on them!

Lo and behold, the Munny!

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What's this little thing, you say? Well, not only is it one of the most unique yet most versatile gifts this season, it's also a DIY toy which you can design however way you want! Usually painted on, the Munny is a cute little 3D space to pour your creativity out on. You can draw a face on it (maybe your own face! haha), re-do a familiar cartoon character in its shape, add accessories and clothes, and whatnot. At the end of the day, it's all about making the most creative littly Munny that you'll be proud to display (or play with!) in your room. How I wish I can paint a wall full of them one day!

Here are some quirky little designs of the Munny that I've seen in the net.
Superman-inspired Munny by video game artist Barry Prioste. Photo taken from here.
Iron Man-inspired Munny by Hefnatron. Photo taken from here.

Totem Munny from the Reactor-88 website. Photo taken from here.
Moogle Munny by a guy named Chris. Photo taken from here.

BUT WAIT! The Munny has got some competition.The company Toy2r also has their line of DIY toys called the Qee, the famous white blank bear-shaped toy which has been everywhere in every kind of design! Not sure what I'm talking about? Here it is:

Yes, we've all seen this bear and all the amazing designs people have been coming up here and there. C'mon, who doesn't like painting on cute little teddy bears right? Those who likes painting on other cute animals, that's who! Toy2r has now come up with even cuter shapes for its DIY toys in the form of rhinos, bunnies, and even Bart Simpson! (Yes, I'm serious. See for yourself!)




If there are designs for the Munny, here are designs (from the net again) of the Qees:

Deady Baby Qee. Photo taken from here.
Sahara Qee by Tokidoki. Photo taken from here.
My personal favorite! - Voltron Qee by Rotobox. Photo taken from here.


Aren't they cute?? The influx of the Munny and the Qee sure got people digging from their markets and paint sets, including my best friend (who's got a brother really addicted to these)! I'll post some pictures of her elephant Qee soon! :)

While some may think designing DIY toys is such a geeky hobby (okay, it IS a bit geeky), I find it such a fascinating innovation! Gone are the days when you're stumped with what to give your friends (or yourself)! Now, no matter what figurine you give, there's sure a Munny or a Qee for everyone! So excited to buy some of these little creatures and paint to my heart's desire (when I finally get some cash, that is!).

Do you have any Munnies, Qees or DIY toy designs? Share 'em with me! :)

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