more Mickey's Clubhouse

Some time back I posted the work I had done for Mickey's Motorhome Camper, as well as Mickey's Magic Choo-Choo. There was a lot more done over the course of 3 or 4 years for Mickey's Clubhouse toy line.

Some of the concepts fell into different categories, like this role-play cash register;

This was revisited and refined a bit more for a second pass;




..and here is the final;

Among the other items were a number of sets that involved vehicle and track play.  Here are the cars designed for the line;

Once the line of vehicles was established, that led to the fun track play;

Here is a concept for a large rig that opened up to become a race track and pit area.








This concept successfully went on to become a drag set.

 

Here was a fun idea for Goofy's Garage, which was in the form of a giant Goofy shoe.
I started by exploring a few different ways the garage could open, offering some track play for the cars as well as some other features;

 Some of the best elements were combined into one more pass.

Lastly, more ramp and track play was added to the top, and it was rendered up for line presentation;

Trimming costs to reach a lower price also removed some of the height,  but it turned out to become a really fun set;

JENGA! - Jenga Max and Jenga Boom

The game Jenga has become a perennial favorite over the years. At this point there have been a number of spin-offs,  even an oversized patio/yard version.
Some years back Hasbro Games called on me to help them explore a new tabletop version of Jenga that used an entirely new method of block stacking.  And instead of the tower ultimately collapsing from tipping, it relied on a magnetic hub that dropped when the imbalance went beyond its limit.

The play-pattern and basic design had been resolved by the time I was tapped, my task was in exploring the design of the base and top hub.  Aside from aesthetics, I needed to consider storage of the blocks as well as different ways they might hang off the top hub.  We also needed to have a logo or two in there.   

Here are the initial sketches exploring the base, center hub and outer ring of Jenga Max.
I started by generating a universal view of the set in play, then just swapping out a number of different designs for the rest. It saved some time while still providing scale and context;

I deliberately separated those parts in layers to allow for switching out bases and tops.
One combination they chose went on to receive a round of color studies;

They ultimately went with a more subtle color palate, the final look leaning toward an older audience;

__________

Jenga BOOM came a few years later, this time the design process focusing less on style and overall presentation and more on basic mechanics.  In this case, they wanted something at the base of a regular Jenga tower that was on a timing mechanism.  The play would be heightened by a time limit on each move, almost like the game Perfection.  If you don't finish your move in time and reset the mechanism, then BOOM; the tower 'explodes'.  Somehow.
That's where I came in.
I was asked to explore a range of possibilities from ones that resembled a cluster of standard Jenga blocks, to more obvious ones abandoning any attempt to disguise the mechanism.  The main thing to solve was that it needed to be simple, work every time, and look really cool when it blew.

Simple rough sketches, but that's all that was needed; 

They liked the TNT concept but it was small and hidden in the core of the tower.

Ultimately they came up with a combination of some of the above elements to produce Jenga BOOM!

Wheelies: Radiator Springs Playset

I've always loved working with the folks at Fisher-Price, both FP Brands in NYC and their home base, still located in East Aurora.  I've been fortunate enough to work with a number of their designers on scores of toys over the past 20+ years, and in the process cultivating some long professional relationships.
So much so, that I've seen a few retire after they've dedicated their entire adult life to creating great play, and it's always a bittersweet farewell.
One of the last projects I worked on with one such designer there was the Radiator Springs playset for Pixar's CARS.  This was one of a number of licensed sets in Fisher-Price's 'Wheelies' line.  It was a textbook case of fun and one of the key reasons I love doing what I do.

The parameters were pretty straightforward;  come up with a compact version of the town of Radiator Springs that offered some fun gravity-driven track play, something simple, self-contained, and cost-effective.

This was another one of those rarities where the final toy really came close to my hand in the project.

.. I still miss working with this guy,  I always enjoyed his wry wit.  I hope his well-earned retired life is full of fun and relaxation.  Hats off to ya, Larry!

from the flat file archives: plush baby monsters

Some random hairy little fellows inspired by the troll dolls of yesteryear.  Hope you like: