About the Column
The real action in Vinylmation these days is creating your own. Disney sells blank Vinylmations for you to craft into virtually anyone or anything. Thousands of these custom creations exist. Some are, well, it's best not to say what they are, but many are outstanding: often as good as what you can buy from Disney. We're rounding up the best custom Vinylmations and presenting them here, three times each week, with a word or two of commentary from their designers.
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Maleficent and Diablo
Michael Pahlow builds two customs as beautiful as they are evil
If you ask me, Maleficent is misunderstood and could easily become the fairest in the land were it not for the horns and the green skin and the wide-open yellow eyes.
Michael Pahlow's custom Maleficent Vinylmation brings forth her cold beauty without candy-coating her black soul. With Maleficent is her equally evil minion, Diablo.
Both customs showcase Michael's impressive craftsmanship. As Michael tells it:
During a visit to the New York City Disney Store in 2009 I was exposed to Vinylmation for the first time and instantly hooked!
I started creating Vinylmation customs about a year ago. I wanted to do something different, so I chose to do a series of sets, and so far I've completed six custom sets.
The Maleficent and Diablo Set was my first. I picked Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty because she is my favorite Disney character. There is something almost divine about her.
click an image to expand and read notes:
Maleficent and Diablo
My creative process is very basic. Research the character, make an old-fashioned two-dimensional drawing (no computers), sketch the character on the vinyl, and paint it.
There are a few special details that I feel make my work unique. For example, I mix all my custom colors, keep the lines clean, paint many layers to avoid seeing brush marks and to maintain color saturation, and then I do a matte finish to even everything out.
From start to finish, it takes about two weeks to complete a custom set.
There has been a lot of interest in my work on VinylNation where I'm known as Mr. Medusa. The members of that forum are Vinylmation maniacs and really great people. I've had a lot of requests to do custom work, but currently i don't accept commissions.
I really enjoy creating on the Vinylmation canvas, and I'm now working on a new top-secret custom. I feel that if you enjoy what you're doing, it shows. I hope it shows with Maleficent and Diablo.
For more, visit the homepage of VINYLMATION MY WAY
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- Disney's Vinylmation
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