Upper Deck’s All-Star Vinyl designer toy line got off to a
roaring start with the online only release of the All-Star edition of
Athlete LeBron, limited to 750 pieces, which sold out in just over an hour a few weeks ago.
The series is a partnership with Nike based on their popular ad
campaign “The LeBrons" and will feature a figure for each of his four
personas: Athlete LeBron, All Business LeBron, Wise LeBron and Kid LeBron. All four figures will be released as part of The Chosen One Edition
in April (limited to 1000 pieces each). We’ve already looked at the process of creating the turn-around sketches for All Business LeBron as described by Illustrator Chris Brunner and the sculpting of the figure by Rocco Tartamella. This week, we have a double-dose for you. First we have shots of the paint master which comes out of a rapid-prototype process and then is painted as a guide for the factory.
And this week we also have shots of the first vinyl produced from the production tools. Wondering about the different vinyl colors used here? There are at least two separate tools in use for this figure and apparently such test casts often rely on ‘available’ excess materials.
If the final figure comes close to the paint master, then All Business LeBron will be a very nice figure and should do quite well. The figure is detailed and has an appealing flair. Check back in a week (or so) as we start our Behind the Sceens Look at the Wise LeBron figure.
It looks like to me (Mechaincal Engineer) that the prototype figure is made from two different materials and from two different processes. The body, arms and head appear to be made from a rapid prototyping material while the hands and glasses appear to be made from wax casts. These two processed have their advantages and disadvantages. A figure this size could take up to 2 days to be make from rapid prototype material. Wax cast are quicker and easier to make.