After 20 years in tech, he now makes tiny collectible figures of popular culture characters
After spending 20 years climbing the company ladder, together with a stint at a FAANG firm, 40-year-old Singaporean GT has discovered himself on a really completely different path.
The previous tech employee has turned a interest right into a small enterprise, making tiny, handmade motion figures impressed by popular culture characters, from the Glico man to even native TV icon Phua Chu Kang.
At this time, GT runs Chicken Hand Toys from his residence in Australia, the place he sculpts and assembles 3.75-inch “bootleg” collectible figurines primarily based on motion pictures, TV exhibits, and nostalgic cultural references.
A interest that discovered him
GT’s path into toy-making was something however deliberate.
Born and raised in Singapore and educated in Australia, he spent 15 to 17 years transferring via company roles earlier than finally touchdown at a serious international tech agency. By then, he and his spouse had already constructed a super Singaporean life: secure jobs, a house, a canine, and a powerful community of household and buddies.
However GT additionally held Australian everlasting residency, a doc he had stored for years. Ultimately, the possibility to relocate and construct a life in Australia turned too compelling to disregard.
So in 2021, on the top of the COVID-19 pandemic, GT and his spouse left their jobs, bought the automotive, and packed up for the transfer. The airports had been ghostly quiet, with fewer than 10 individuals on their flight. Not precisely a glamorous starting, however nonetheless, it was the beginning of a brand new chapter of their lives.
As soon as settled in Australia, GT returned to company work and started on the lookout for a inventive outlet to unwind from the pressures of workplace life.
In the future, whereas scrolling via Instagram, he got here throughout a group of toy makers creating miniature motion figures. Intrigued, he determined to strive making some himself someday in 2022.
GT was in a position to educate himself via trial and error and picked up the interest in a short time.
“There’s little or no data on the market, so loads of the early course of concerned loads of downside fixing to determine each step of the method, from the scale of the cardboard backing, forms of glue and paper to make use of, plastic blister packaging provider and find out how to make a bootleg toy.”
In these early days, GT’s work drew closely from the movies, TV exhibits, and popular culture he grew up with within the twentieth century. The primary few figures he made had been sufficient to counsel he would possibly really be onto one thing.
The challenge took a extra concrete flip when he received an eBay bid for greater than 100 classic Star Wars figures for US$180 (S$230), which he used as base fashions for his creations.
The making of a bootleg motion figurine
Chicken Hand Toys sits inside a distinct segment inventive area in what GT calls the “bootleg toy area”—unofficial motion figures of film and TV characters that by no means acquired to the business manufacturing stage.
One of many earliest items he made was a miniature model of American artist Jackson Pollock, full with a tiny paintbrush, paint splatters, a checked scarf and a cigarette. It took a few month to finish the motion determine.
Within the early days, GT’s course of was comparatively easy: he would supply an present motion determine after which sculpt over it to rework it into a wholly new character.
Nonetheless, he shortly realised this strategy got here with limitations.
Firstly, there’s a restricted variety of present motion figures he can come up with. Secondly, this strategy was not economical as every base determine would value wherever from S$30 to S$50. As such, it turned troublesome to scale or fulfil bulk orders.
In a single occasion, a chef within the US commissioned 15 of a selected determine. GT recalled having to look throughout a number of shops in New South Wales simply to safe sufficient base figures to finish the order.
Whereas he nonetheless often makes use of his unique technique, GT has moved into designing and 3D printing his base figures.
He mentioned this variation eliminated lots of the earlier constraints and considerably lowered prices, permitting him to supply a number of figures extra effectively. It additionally gave him larger inventive freedom, enabling extra detailed sculpting and refinement round every base mannequin, which in flip improved the general high quality of his work.
For every motion determine, completion might take any time from a day to 2 weeks, relying on its complexity.
Whereas the supplies to create them might seem easy—fundamental instruments akin to a base determine, a Dremel, sculpting putty and paint—the method is much from mechanical.
GT treats each bit as a design train, requiring not simply handcraft however an eye fixed for composition. Every design has to replicate the character’s cultural context whereas nonetheless working as a cohesive visible piece that may sit on a wall or shelf.
All of his collectible figurines are 3.75 inches tall. Whereas it would seem to be a random alternative, the scale was popularised by classic Star Wars motion figures, and for GT, it additionally got here all the way down to sensible causes.
“I assume they’re this dimension due to the eBay lot, which began me on this scale, and every part else, just like the blister packaging and card backing, has been configured for this scale, so I’ve stored to it,” mentioned GT.
“Additionally, I discover this dimension to be probably the most interesting because it has that nostalgic G.I. Joe and Star Wars really feel to it.”
Gaining traction & recognition
Every certainly one of GT’s collectible figurines begins from S$70, although the most costly piece he has ever bought has gone for US$200 (S$255). A Singaporean purchaser additionally just lately dropped practically S$700 on his collectible figurines.
Firstly, GT targeted on worldwide characters. It was solely this 12 months that he launched a Singapore/Asia-focused web page as a result of he thought it could be “attention-grabbing to reimagine basic 90s Singapore TV characters and moments into motion figures.”
By this course of, he discovered that loads of the previous logos and photos of Singaporean popular culture figures had been low decision since they had been from “means again.”
“I felt it could be significant to provide them the love they need to have a recent, sharpened brand and pictures so that they don’t fade with time,” he mentioned.
“Additionally, individuals do discover these very nostalgic, and the format of it as a semi-art piece that they will personal is one thing that basically works.”
In keeping with the 40-year-old, the primary month of the Asia web page has taken off in a short time.
He shared that he has been receiving loads of optimistic suggestions and encouragement for what he’s doing, together with from singer-songwriter Inch Chua, whom he made a figurine of.
Other than Chua, his celebrity-inspired figures have additionally discovered their option to British DJ Fatboy Slim and Singapore actor Gurmit Singh. GT has additionally taken on commissioned work, together with a customized piece for DJ Tim Oh, full with miniature equipment primarily based on his pursuits.
A part of this traction has additionally come from retail publicity. Since Mar, his designs have been stocked at Singapore vogue retailer The Nook Store (杂货店), a collaboration that went viral on-line.
Past retail, most of GT’s gross sales nonetheless come on-line. By direct commissions and orders, his handmade collectible figurines have made their option to houses throughout the US, Japan, and Thailand.
Specializing in Chicken Hand Toys full time
All this whereas, Chicken Hand Toys had remained a facet hustle for GT. However after being “just lately laid off” from the FAANG firm he labored at in Australia, he determined to make it his full-time focus.
“That is the primary time I’ve had the chance to totally pursue a extra inventive path, and it is a chance to make use of my time in direction of a craft I’m keen about,” he defined.
The problem, in fact, because it has been from the beginning, is operating the enterprise as a one-man present, from responding to buyer messages on Instagram to creating new content material and fulfilling fee orders.
Trying forward, GT needs to proceed honing his craft and get even higher at it. He does have one objective that’s equal components humble and quietly bold.
It will be good to be on vacation and discover my stuff on a shelf in a retailer at times.
Study extra about Chicken Hand Toys right here.
Learn different articles we’ve written on Singaporean companies right here.
Featured Picture Credit score: Chicken Hand Toys
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