Full Vinyl:
The Subversive Art of Designer Toys
by Ivan Vartanian
Collins Design

In he last few months, there’s been a rash of books about the recent “vinyl toy craze,” however most of the hundred-page tomes released by pop culture purveyors and toy manufacturers, have served more as giant catalogs (think Sears Wishbook) than actual reading material. Surprisingly, Collins Design (a division of Harper Collins) has jumped on the bandwagon with a book that actually has some substance to it.

Drenched in a neon-pink, echo-friendly, corrugated cardboard cover (nice to think green), “Full Vinyl” balances the line between history book and photo album, choosing to spotlight only the heavy hitters in the toy scene, and focusing on the artists and the art rather than just their toys. The book opens with a substantial introduction to the world of designer toy collecting, and segues into the world of Bounty Hunter and Kaws.

Each chapter focuses on a single designer team, company, or artist and peppers super-sized macro photos with interviews and essays. The book skews more towards artists, sidestepping companies such as Kid Robot and Toys2R in favor of work by Peter Fowler, Pushead, and Tim Biskup. I apologize for gushing all over it, but this book is nearly flawless. With the exception of the cardboard cover doomed to get bent in my book shelf, “Full Vinyl” is a top rate bible to anyone just getting into vinyl and those who want to learn more about the artists that make their favorite toys. From the phenomenal design to the poignant verbiage, “Full Vinyl” is a must have book for any toy collector.