TOY DESiGN
MESSAGE PRESiDENT FROM THE
Here we have the work of over 500 graduating Art and Design students—every one of them a marvel! Imagine the challenges they faced this year. Forced by the pandemic to work from their homes, denied the in-studio, shoulder-to-shoulder, hands-on learning experience they expected, they nevertheless forged ahead, defying all obstacles. They created makeshift work stations in their bedrooms, basements, kitchen corners and other unlikely locations. Focused, hardworking and energetic, they applied their ingenuity to learn, explore, experiment and achieve. And as we see from this catalogue, they succeeded. The work in this catalogue represents 16 of the School of Art and Design’s programs. In it we not only see the students’ finished products, but also images of how those projects evolved. These images help to reveal the creative process and the students’ individuality. Through it all, we sense their resilience and determination. Indeed, this vibrant catalogue— with its bright bold colors—pays homage to their optimism and extraordinary strength. I offer congratulations to these students and to the families and friends who supported them throughout this difficult year. Congratulations as well to the stalwart Art and Design faculty whose own skills and ingenuity rose to the pandemic’s challenge and provided guidance to their students with diligence and care. Dr. Joyce F. Brown President 2
ENCOURAGING HEALTHY LIFESTYLE ACTIVE PLAY A
MARIE WU
AND
Toy Design work displayed in the Graduating Student Exhibition recognizes imagination as an important tool in the development of self-image — encouraging a healthy lifestyle and active play as an essential, vital part of childhood. As an important component of the curriculum, Toy Design students write and illustrate storybooks that acknowledge the power of creativity. Some use the imagination to devise creative ways to problem solve realworld issues. Others address matters of community and cultural heritage. Trusting their abilities helps children build critical-thinking skills that lead to positive life choices. To this end, students invent toys and games that provide open-ended exploration and play. They give children room to think and breathe. They connect children with nature and the world around them. Some products and concepts encourage positive communication between children through their social networks. This year, the Toy Design Graduation Student Exhibition focuses on the importance of a cogent design process to guide the journey in which toy products travel from a spark of imagination, through manufacture, and into the enthusiastic, unassuming grasp of a child.
CRISTINA FRANKEL
FIT GSE ’21
XIOMARA ISAAC
TOY DESIGN
3
INFO
1.
STELLA’S STAR QUEST, CHILDREN’S STORYBOOK ILLUSTRATION Digital Illustration
2.
STELLA’S STAR QUEST: GALAXY BOTTLE KIT, LICENSED TOY CONCEPT BOARD Digital Illustration
3.
GALACTIC GRUB, HARD TOY PROTOTYPE Plastic, Mixed Media
STATEMENT
@julesasaurus
PROJECTS
JULIA BRITTAN
Growing up, I loved exploring every bit of the world around me. Whether it was making comic books with my brother or mud potions in the backyard, play has always been an integral part of my development. This is true for all kids — a child’s job is to play, to explore, and to create. My storybook is a tribute to these kids. I want Stella’s world to inspire play and boundless imagination. “Stella’s Star Quest” follows a young witch on her adventure through the forest, and the troubles she faces on the way. “Galactic Grub” is a projectile toy for the child who loves space and good cheesy humor. Both, although different, share one common goal — to inspire kids to reach for the stars.
FIT GSE ’21
1.
2.
3.
TOY DESIGN
4
STATEMENT
PROJECTS
HYUNJUNG CHOI 1.
DIXIE’S DILEMMA, SPREAD 1, CHILDREN’S STORYBOOK ILLUSTRATION Digital Illustration
2.
DIXIE’S DILEMMA, COVER, CHILDREN’S STORYBOOK ILLUSTRATION Digital Illustration
3.
TOY STORY 4, LICENSED TOY CONCEPT BOARD Digital Illustration
I was influenced by many things that led me to become a toy designer. I took inspiration from my life and childhood to create my thesis. When I was young, I read a lot of fairy tales. I liked to make believe that I was in these fairy tales and I would draw my own version of them. My grandfather, who was a painter, said I had a talent for art. My grandfather taught me how to draw a human face, and faces are still one of my favorite subjects to draw. The storybook I have created for my thesis is inspired by the fairy tales I loved as a child. I want my own storybook to share the same feelings of joy and imagination that the fairy tales of my childhood gave me.
FIT GSE ’21
1.
2.
3.
TOY DESIGN
5
INFO
1.
POPPY, CHAPTER 6, CHILDREN’S STORYBOOK ILLUSTRATION Digital Illustration
2.
DANCE WITH ME POPPY, STORYBOOK LICENSE CONCEPT BOARD Digital Illustration
3.
POPPY, CHAPTER 3, CHILDREN’S STORYBOOK ILLUSTRATION Digital Illustration
STATEMENT
@alexiscouso_
PROJECTS
ALEXIS CUOSO
As a child, I was always drawn to performing, especially dancing. I would always go around my home twirling and jumping and creating all sorts of dance moves. At the age of five, I joined a lovely dance studio that wasn’t like any other; it was my second home. I was lucky enough to be a part of this place for a total of 16 years. I wanted to create something that honored that part of my life. The children’s storybook project in the Toy Design program was an amazing opportunity to bring out this side of myself into a personal and beautifu work of art. The story of “Poppy” honors the passion we all have, and with hard work and determination, it can take us to our dreams.
FIT GSE ’21
1.
2.
3.
TOY DESIGN
6
INFO
1.
BASH, CHILDREN’S STORYBOOK ILLUSTRATION Digital Illustration
2.
BASH SKATE PACK PLAYSET, STORYBOOK VLICENSED TOY CONCEPT BOARD Digital Illustration
3.
SCOOB! SANDWICH STACKERS, LICENSED TOY CONCEPT BOARD Digital Illustration
STATEMENT
@ohheyyitsgabee
PROJECTS
GABRIEL DEGUZMAN
I have always had a love for dinosaurs, even pretending to be one when playing with my older sister when I was younger. This love is what directed me to create the dinosaur world for my storybook, which is inspired by my own life. Growing up in an all-girl household was difficult and often made me feel like I was alone. I felt that I missed out on a lot of father-child bonding that I would often see in shows or movies, or even through other kids from school. I wrote this storybook for other children who, just like me, are being raised by a single parent, to know that they are not alone, that there will always be someone there for them.
FIT GSE ’21
1.
2.
3.
TOY DESIGN
7
INFO
1.
DANI & THE LOST RAINBOW, CHILDREN’S STORYBOOK ILLUSTRATION Digital Illustration
2.
DANI & THE LOST RAINBOW, STORYBOOK LICENSE DOLL CONCEPT BOARD Digital Illustration
3.
NERF : JINX WUZ HERE, LICENSED TOY CONCEPT BOARD Digital Illustration
STATEMENT
@cristina.faline
PROJECTS
CRISTINA FRANKEL
As a child, I loved to create clothing, accessories, and homes for my toys. With toilet paper rolls, tape, and markers in hand, I would become my very own toy maker. From magic staffs and doll clothes, to Barbie homes made of Legos, I built the world I envisioned for my toys on a round, braided rug in my basement. These toys helped me become the confident woman I am today. My designs throughout this program have always strived to inspire and elevate young girls’ imaginations — my greatest inspirations coming from Disney, strong female leads from video games (like Jinx of “League of Legends”), and the unapologetic embracing of femininity in its many forms. I want to be able to design toys that make every girl, all types of girls, feel seen and heard. This collection of digitally rendered art is an indication of my love of this eclectic femininity
FIT GSE ’21
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2.
3.
TOY DESIGN
8
INFO
1.
THE ADVENTURES OF BENNY AND CARMELO, CHILDREN’S STORYBOOK ILLUSTRATION Digital Illustration
1. 2.
THE ADVENTURES OF BENNY AND CARMELO: CARMELO’S BEDTIME BONANZA, STORYBOOK LICENSED TOY CONCEPT BOARD Digital Illustration
3.
ANT FAMILY PICNIC, HARD TOY PROTOTYPE Plastic, Mixed Media
STATEMENT
@ss.molli
PROJECTS
CYNTHIA GUZMAN
Play is essential within a child’s development as it can become a starting point for children to explore and discover their true potential. Therefore, I wanted to create toy concepts that would help enhance and enrich their skills while having fun at the same time. Growing up, I was raised early on with high expectations and responsibilities, only knowing how to study and earn good grades. “The Adventures of Benny and Carmelo” was created to inspire children to see the world through a new perspective, to not be afraid to try new things, and to dive headfirst into unfamiliar waters. The future is not always set in stone, so there is no guarantee that the path you will walk on is crystal clear. But with guidance and encouragement from friends and loved ones, you will soon realize the true potential that was stored in you all along.
FIT GSE ’21
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2.
3.
TOY DESIGN
9
INFO
1.
A PLANTED NAMED PILEA, CHAPTER 7 Children’s Storybook Illustration
2.
GROW WITH ME! PILEA Licensed Toy Concept Board
3.
SYNCHRO NETTA SHOWGIRL QUEEN! Doll Concept
STATEMENT
@slimesquarenyc
PROJECTS
ERIN HESSER
As a toy designer, my personal goal is to create toys that are accessible to every child. I started my professional life designing in the fashion industry, but during this time I began working as an assistant in an autism spectrum disorder program. This experience made me realize the profound impact that toys have on childhood development, inspiring me to pursue toy design. First and foremost, I try to design toys that are fun, creative, and fill a need in the market. I then take a step back and try to reevaluate where I could make the toy more accessible to children on different developmental levels. I credit my biggest artistic influences as the illustrators Bill Peet, Anita Jeram, and Don Freeman.
FIT GSE ’21
1.
2.
3.
TOY DESIGN
10
INFO
1.
DJ FIDGET, DOLL CONCEPT BOARD Digital Illustration
2.
POKÉMON HATCH N’ GO, LICENSED TOY CONCEPT BOARD Digital Illustration
3.
THE MAGICIAN’S RABBIT : APPRENTICE’S KIT, STORYBOOK LICENSED TOY CONCEPT BOARD Digital Illustration
STATEMENT
@bunny.tonic
PROJECTS
XIOMARA ISAAC 1.
2.
I always took great joy in the understanding of the world inside a story, whether it was one I made myself or another by a published author or artist. As I grew, I refused to let that magic fade. I wanted to create a world my younger self would dive headfirst into, and that was what made “The Magician’s Rabbit.” Creating a world – and the lives within – is not a small endeavor. Little details are some of my favorite things, so I like to put them in everything I make. Colors are never one shade on their own. Shadows creep out of corners to remind me there is darkness everywhere. I use light to show that there is life in everything, and bringing it all together with those details lets me briefly live in that other world I always admired.
FIT GSE ’21
3.
TOY DESIGN
11
INFO
1.
POP PRISMA PRINCESS, DOLL CONCEPT BOARD Digital Illustration
2.
STAR WARS FORCE FRIENDS, LICENSED TOY CONCEPT BOARD Digital Illustration
3.
JEREMY & WAVY SNOMOBILE, STORYBOOK LICENSED TOY CONCEPT BOARD Digital Illustration
STATEMENT
@97legomaniac_ www.behance.net/97legomaniac
PROJECTS
YALE JEONG
1.
2.
Growing up as a kid, I always want to be a toy designer. I would have a huge collection of action figures and Legos in my room, and I still collect them to this day. These digital renderings are a few selected samples of toy concepts I created that I believe could be potential toys in the market. I want to design toys that spark joy and imagination, as they once did to me.
FIT GSE ’21
3.
TOY DESIGN
12
INFO
1.
BRIE’S FAMILY TREE CHAPTER 10 Storybook
2.
BRIE’S FAMILY TREE: BRIE’S GARDEN DOUGH SET Toy Concept Board
3.
CLAIRE’S SUNDAE RUNWAY Toy Concept Board
STATEMENT
@grace.oister
PROJECTS
GRACE OISTER
Growing up, playing board games and spending time with my family was so important to me. My storybook, “Brie’s Family Tree,” tells a story about my family in a way that I hope resonates with others. These digital renderings are a mix of storybook pages and toy concept boards from my portfolio. Throughout my design process, I always think back to my childhood and my family, and hope that I can bring that feeling to other children and their families as well.
FIT GSE ’21
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2.
3.
TOY DESIGN
13
INFO
1.
THE MANDALORIAN IG-11 SHOOTOUT, LICENSED TOY CONCEPT BOARD Digital Illustration
2.
WANDER WITH ME LUKE, LICENSED STORYBOOK FEATURE PLUSH TOY CONCEPT Digital Illustration
3.
BUSY BEE CONSTRUCTION, HARD TOY PROTOTYPE Plastic, Mixed Media
STATEMENT
@danplantain
PROJECTS
DANIEL PARTAIN 1.
2.
Growing up, I was always artistic, but my interests always skewed on the nerdy side with a bit of a technical mindset. So, I gravitated toward design. I also enjoy making things and working with my hands, which drew me to product design. While I was a teenager, I was a camp counselor and interacted with children. I saw the importance of physical activity and play in their lives and wanted to use what I learned as a designer to cultivate creativity, learning, and fun in children through play. That is what brought me to the Toy Design program at FIT, and what I strive to achieve every day in all of my projects.
FIT GSE ’21
3.
TOY DESIGN
14
INFO
1.
WHISTLE’S WORLD, CHILDREN’S STORYBOOK ILLUSTRATION Digital Illustration
2.
ROCK N’ ROLL WHISTLE, LICENSED STORYBOOK CONCEPT BOARD Digital Illustration
3.
ACE DETECTIVE ESTELLE, FEATURE DOLL CONCEPT BOARD Digital Illustration
STATEMENT
@marimariwu
PROJECTS
MARIE WU
Growing up, I always immersed myself in animation and illustration. I developed a love for storytelling, which led me to creating a world of my own. “Whistle,” an original children’s book, is a story that reflects on a major struggle I have in life but is also a reminder to myself that things will be okay as long as we persevere. The factors of this process included character design and development, world building, illustration, and storytelling. I wished to design not just a story, but a world that one could jump into, each detail being thoroughly thought out — even the small characters in the background. I feel that details and efforts like these can help a story truly come to life and be fun for the reader.
FIT GSE ’21
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2.
3.
TOY DESIGN
15
www.fitnyc.edu/gse @fitgse2021_Toy_Design