messymedia

Hello there! I'm Adam Whitnall, a Creative Director, toy sculptor, picture painter, food lover and Jedi Master, currently living and working in Hastings, UK. This blog was created to bring my artwork and various other nonsense to a wider audience. If you'd like to find out more about my work please visit my other online presences listed over there on the right.

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COMICS COMICS COMICS!!!

I've recently taken up an old addiction of mine from childhood that I could never quite afford with the standard pocket money going rate in the 90's. Comic books! Specifically, movie themed comic books. I'm not fussed if it's a movie that has inspired a comic book (like Django Unchained) or vice versa (like Sin City). I guess it just shows that my love of cinema permeates pretty much every other aspect of my life! 

I'm currently trying to collect all variants of the issues of Django Unchained that have so far been released. It's amazing how much some of the variants are going for when the 1st issue only came out a month or so ago.

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WIP ROBOBUNNY EEERZ CUSTOM - PART #4

Just finished up the final few pieces for my Robobunny custom Eeerz toy. Teaser pics below...

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YO! Custom Collaboration Project

I recently received an email from LittleHouseDesigns asking if I wanted to customise some of their self-produced YO! toys for this year's DragonCon in Pasadena. I jumped at the chance and now have 5 blank toys sitting here with 4 going back to LittleHouse for DragonCon. 

I've already had quite a few ideas for these little guys. Stay tuned for updates...

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MMMM MINTY FRESH MUNNY'S!

I'm still waiting on the custom made wooden base to turn up for my next Bottleneck Gallery submission, but after this morning's delivery I now have everything else I need to make a start.

The title of the show is 'Where Is My Mind' and the brief is basically 'cult movie/tv theme and completely weird'!

I'm drawing inspiration from the following teaser...

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WIP BOTTLENECK GALLERY PIECE - PART #2 (FINISHED)

I've been a bit sloppy with updating the blog lately. Sorry about that...

My Toxic Avenger custom Mini Munny for the Bottleneck Gallery show in Brooklyn was finished and shipped on time for their 'When The Lights Go Out' event last month (thank Christ!). After being on show for a couple of days it was snapped up by one lucky art lover.

Bottleneck Gallery have asked me to feature regularly in their future shows and I've already started gathering supplies for my next piece for the next show, 'Where Is My Mind'.

Here's some images of the sculpt and final piece...

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WIP BOTTLENECK GALLERY PIECE - PART #1

With only a few weeks to go until my debut gallery submission goes on show for the residents of Brooklyn, NY, it's about time I made a start on my sculpt! 

The UV paint arrived a couple of days ago (did I mention the theme of the show is 'When The Lights Go Out'?) and looked immense when I tested it under a black light bulb. Can't wait to start using it on this little guy...

'Can you guess what it is yet?!'

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MASKS OF DOOM UPDATE

Well I've now finished both Masks of Doom custom resin pieces for ToyConUK but I only have pictures of the second one at the moment. Here you go...

I'll be adding final shots of both masks as soon as possible. If you'd like to buy one for your Mini Munny doll then head over to ToyConUK, taking place on 6th April 2013, in London. This project is the brainchild of UK artist Gary 'Blue'Frog' Boon, who will have my masks - and others - available to purchase.

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Finished Hodor & Bran custom Dudebox toys

"Hodor!" said Hodor. "Hodor." Bran agreed.

These guys are definitely my favourite piece to date and with the recent snowfall my lovely other-half suggested that I take the final pictures outside. Brilliant idea. My garden became the lands north of The Wall for a little while...

If you'd like to own my craziest custom to date then head over to my BigCartel store... They are most definitely one-of-a-kind and come complete with the custom wooden base pictured in my previous Hodor & Bran update.

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WIP ROBOBUNNY EEERZ CUSTOM - PART #3

The sculpting stage is finally finished and so I can now move on to the painting!

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Recognition!

So I was recently contacted out of the blue by a very nice man over at the Bottleneck Gallery in Brooklyn, NY, asking about my custom toy work.

He informed me that the gallery is known for its canvases and prints but that they would like to branch out into art toys with me as their first contributor! Not only that but I've basically been offered the chance of displaying as many of my works as I wish in all of their upcoming shows! Needless to say that this is a massive step in the right direction as far as notoriety for my artwork goes. 

I've already started work on my first piece for them as the show opens in April. More details and images coming soon so stay tuned.

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I feel like a pianist who's making the conscious decision to have their fingers broken 10 hours a day. Not a great analogy but It's the best I can come up with.

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Masks of Doom - Collaboration Project...

I was approached a couple of weeks ago by Gary 'Blue-Frog' Boon who asked if I'd like to be a part of his Masks of Doom series as he's a fan of my work. This being the first time I've been asked to do something like this, I instantly leapt at the chance!

The basic idea is that Gary has cast 12 resin masks from an original piece of his own creation, which are designed to be worn by Mini Munny dolls. Two masks were given to each of the six artist's that are involved and the final products will be up for sale at this year's ToyConUK! 

I feel very privileged to be asked to be a part of this as my counterparts are some of the best custom toy artists around! Little old me has only been dabbling in sculpture for the last 7 months or so, so this is a fairly big deal! So far I think I'm living up to expectations (provided they were high of course), what do you think?

The first mask is based upon a plague doctor. Shots of the second mask will be online soon.

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WIP HODOR DUDE CUSTOM - CUSTOM BASE

Work on my custom Hodor & Bran Dudebox toys has come to a halt due to verious other projects taking precedence, but when the blank wooden base  turned up in the post I had to do something with it!

This particular base is made from MDF but I managed to create a slight wood grain effect when applying the stain/varnish.

Once it had been left to dry over night I printed off a basic House Stark sigil (direwolf) which I then created a basic stencil from and sprayed into the centre of the newly stained wood. I then added a coat of clear gloss varnish and the base is now ready for Hodor and Bran to pose on! 

I still have some accessories to sculpt before this piece is finished but I'm really happy with the results so far. I might even keep this one for myself!

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WIP ROBOBUNNY EEERZ CUSTOM - PART #2

I've been fairly busy recently with my job as a designer/developer and with a collaboration project - with Gary Blue-Frog Boon - entitled 'Masks of Doom' which I'll tell you more about in a future post. Despite the influx of jobs at both work and home I've managed to sculpt quite a bit more of my Robobunny eeerz custom...

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messymedia stickers arriving tomorrow

I decided to knock up some quick sticker designs to have printed and then send out with orders, FB competitions etc... This first series features 2 versions of the logo along with the vegan zombie mascot, 2 versions of the logo and logo monster character and 4 with different photographs of sculptures along with my logo.

Stay tuned to facebook.com/messymediauk to potentially win some! Or you could just commission or buy a piece of art from me :D

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WIP HODOR DUDE CUSTOM - Nearing completion!

Finally pulled my finger out and started working on the Bran Mini Dude sculpt! I also bought a swatch of faux fur to use as a lining for the basket that Bran will sit in. It looks really nice!

I just need to finish painting Bran and then varnish and decorate a wooden base (if they ever arrive in the post) for the sculpt to stand on. As long as they arrive this week I'm looking to have the sculpt finished by next weekend. Can't wait to take final pictures!

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Bought some Plastikote primer yesterday as couldn't get usual brand... What a pile of wank!