WASTED TALENT = Encore Status

A little while ago, we got the chance to interview toy customizer/clothing designer WASTED TALENT. Here is part I of his interview.

First let me get this off of my chest, how many toys do you have in your collection? How many toys out of your collection have you designed yourself? How many were purchased out of the shear love of toys?

I've got one Dunny made by the infamous INSA. I got it 'cause the dude is so dope! Everything he portrays is so unique and fresh. I also got two big ass Ecko Unltd. Rhino Statues that were used for store displays, a 1 of 500 in the world life-sized Gremlin statue from NECA and pretty much every McFarlane Alien/Predator toy ever made. I wish I designed the Alien or Predator (shit is so sick!) Every other toy I ever got, I customized myself. I only found out about Kidrobot last year and was instantly hooked. I've made about 50 different customs over the past two years and I got a bunch more on the way...

It was the Kidrobot "N it for the Munny" event at the RIME store where we first saw your works. Kidrobot Munny's are one series of toys that some design. I know there are Dunny's...what other series are there and which ones do you sometimes use or prefer to make your customs?

They got Fatcaps too, but I don't just use Kidrobot stuff to customize though. I've customized Qee's by Toy2r, Angry Panda by Angry Panda. I'm currently working on 2 Mod:1's by Supermodifiedstudios that are going to blow your mind and I still got so many more different types of designer toys to experiment with. I got other things to customize too already in the works.

You had some sick pieces in that contest from what I remember-- what would you say is your most prized piece and why?

I think they're all my prize pieces really. I really do like the Radio Head one and the 20" Dunny with the head flipped upside down, mainly 'cause it's something I know nobody really ever did before and on a large scale.

You've a Munny designed to look like Paul Wall-- grill and all. Can you talk about that piece a little? How long it took to make what inspired it...etc?

It was actually the very 1st Munny I ever designed. I just wanted do to something with grillz, so I decided Paul Wall was best. I posted up like a 1000 comments on myspace not thinking anything was really going to come of it; just showing my people my art and got contacted by Chingo Bling who then put me onto Paul Wall himself. I was commissioned to do 10 replicas. The very first one I ever did though took me two days 'cause I was so psyched to do one, but when I look back at it, it looks like shit! [Laughs] I used the wrong markers and shit and I really didn't know how to go about customizing them that well. The next 10 replicas came out dope though! It took me a few months 'cause I was doing like five different projects at that point, plus I had to crazy glue each one of the rhinestones on one by one with tweezers. Most meticulous thing I ever did. Don't really want to do it ever again either. [Laughs]

When you gave me advice on making a Munny, the first thing you said was 'HAVE FUN'. Why did you feel like you needed to stress this?

'Cause when you make it a job, it becomes stressful. You don't want to be stressed when you're trying to perfect your craft even though that's stressful itself. But keep in the back of your mind, that it's just art. The options are practically limitless. Have fun with it.

I remember at the RIME store seeing a Munny with a head made out of a Boom Box! Designing these things can get crazy! What's the craziest thing you've done/used to create a custom toy?

Other than the Mega Munny with a Boom Box on the head, I dissected a brand new Nike Dunk to make a custom Munny for Sneaker Bistro Boutique that actually looks like you can put your foot in the top of the head cause I transformed it into a "sneakerhead". I also did another right after that for YRB Magazine with real Hammerhead Shark teeth. Needless to say, it was a Hammerhead Shark Munny. I got plenty of other innovative things nobody ever used before in the works. I truly am going to blow minds with what I got in store. I can't tell you what it is yet, but just know it's going to be sick!
(...To be continued... for now...just check him out here: http://www.myspace.com/therealwastedtalent)
(Radio Read)