Clutter Magazine
Encyclopedia
Clutter Magazine is a quarterly publication that caters to the world of underground designer toys
and the artists that create them. After emerging in Japan
in the late 1990s, the toy scene has gone global, led by companies such as Toy2R
, Kidrobot
, and Medicom, and Clutter is the first English language
magazine to showcase them. Since the world of designer toys
has crossed over into many other mediums the magazine also covers other areas relating to design including graffiti
, shoe
s, comics
, animation
, and film
. The magazine’s website, www.cluttermagazine.com provides breaking news and in depth information aimed at satisfying even the most avid collector’s appetite for toys.
who had largely been ignored by other publications. Miranda had been an avid collector of designer toys since the late 90‘s and was always forced to import magazines from Japan and scour the internet to collect the pieces she wanted. She introduced Nick to her obsession and soon after he became a collector just as rabid as herself. Sharing their frustrations over the lack of an English language periodical that dealt with their favorite hobby, Miranda suggested they fill the void themselves. Having just graduated from Coventry University
with degrees in graphic design
, the pair reached out to toy producers and artists and were met with an overwhelming enthusiasm for their idea.
The first issue of Clutter was released in December 2004 and included a cover designed by Pete Fowler
and articles on Tado, James Jarvis
and many more. Since then many well known artists have lent their artistic talents to the magazine, including Tim Biskup
, Gary Baseman
, Tara McPherson
, Angry Woebots, ilovedust, Sket One
and Tristan Eaton.
Shortly after launching the first issue of the magazine, the website
www.cluttermagazine.com went live. The website was a way to report breaking news and keep readers informed on the most up to date releases while allowing the print magazine to stay focused on going in depth with the artist
s and the actual processes involved in making the toys.
that put the magazine on temporary hiatus, Clutter has set June 2011 as the date in which it will officially relaunch. The website has received a complete overhaul as well, debuting a new look in December 2010 that added many new features to make it more interactive and informative. The new website was created by KTVMI, a New York
and UK based animation and technology studio that has partnered with Clutter to create exclusive content and to handle advertising
.
Designer toys
Designer toys is a term used to describe toys and other collectibles that are produced in limited editions and created by artists and designers. Designer toys are made of variety of materials; ABS plastic and vinyl are most common, although wood, metal, and resin are occasionally used. The term...
and the artists that create them. After emerging in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in the late 1990s, the toy scene has gone global, led by companies such as Toy2R
Toy2R
Toy2R is a designer toy company based in Hong Kong that was founded by Raymond Choy in 1995.-History:Choy spent 10 years as an employee of an American footwear company. During his tenure there, he developed skills in general business operation, especially quality control...
, Kidrobot
Kidrobot
Kidrobot is a producer and retailer of designer toys founded in 2002 by Paul Budnitz, specializing in artist-created toys and imports from Japan, Hong Kong, and Europe. Kidrobot also makes Kidrobot Mascots, which are figures of their main logo. These figures are usually nicknamed KR and the number...
, and Medicom, and Clutter is the first English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
magazine to showcase them. Since the world of designer toys
Designer toys
Designer toys is a term used to describe toys and other collectibles that are produced in limited editions and created by artists and designers. Designer toys are made of variety of materials; ABS plastic and vinyl are most common, although wood, metal, and resin are occasionally used. The term...
has crossed over into many other mediums the magazine also covers other areas relating to design including graffiti
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
, shoe
Shoe
A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot while doing various activities. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture to culture, with appearance originally being tied to function...
s, comics
Comics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
, animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
, and film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
. The magazine’s website, www.cluttermagazine.com provides breaking news and in depth information aimed at satisfying even the most avid collector’s appetite for toys.
Beginnings
Clutter Magazine was formed in 2004 by Miranda O'Brien and Nick Carroll with the intention of providing information to collectors outside of AsiaAsia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
who had largely been ignored by other publications. Miranda had been an avid collector of designer toys since the late 90‘s and was always forced to import magazines from Japan and scour the internet to collect the pieces she wanted. She introduced Nick to her obsession and soon after he became a collector just as rabid as herself. Sharing their frustrations over the lack of an English language periodical that dealt with their favorite hobby, Miranda suggested they fill the void themselves. Having just graduated from Coventry University
Coventry University
Coventry University is a post-1992 university in Coventry, West Midlands, England. Under the terms of the Further and Higher Education Act of 1992, the institution's name was changed from Coventry Polytechnic to Coventry University...
with degrees in graphic design
Graphic design
Graphic design is a creative process – most often involving a client and a designer and usually completed in conjunction with producers of form – undertaken in order to convey a specific message to a targeted audience...
, the pair reached out to toy producers and artists and were met with an overwhelming enthusiasm for their idea.
The first issue of Clutter was released in December 2004 and included a cover designed by Pete Fowler
Pete Fowler
Pete Fowler is a Welsh artist best known for his artwork for the Welsh band Super Furry Animals. He is a freelance illustrator and "monster creator" inspired by Japanese art, folklore, myths, psychedelia and super nature...
and articles on Tado, James Jarvis
James Jarvis (illustrator)
James Amos Jarvis is a British illustrator and toy designer, a pioneer of the soft vinyl designer toy revolution.Beginning as a designer for the fashion company Silas, Jarvis now creates characters at his own company, Amos Toys, each character with its own personality and background...
and many more. Since then many well known artists have lent their artistic talents to the magazine, including Tim Biskup
Tim Biskup
Tim Biskup is an American artist generally considered to be a part of the group that has been dubbed "lowbrow" or pop surrealism...
, Gary Baseman
Gary Baseman
Gary Baseman is a contemporary artist who works in various creative fields, including illustration, fine art, toy design, and animation. He is the creator of the Emmy-winning ABC/Disney cartoon series, Teacher’s Pet, and the artistic designer of Cranium, a popular board game...
, Tara McPherson
Tara McPherson
Tara McPherson is an American artist based out of New York City. She studied art at Santa Monica Community College and earned her BFA from Art Center in Pasadena, CA in August 2001 with honors in Illustration and a minor in Fine Art, working on Matt Groening's Futurama during college.-Career:Tara...
, Angry Woebots, ilovedust, Sket One
Sket One
Sket One grew up in New Haven, Connecticut where he started his art in 1986 as hip-hop swept the country.- Art and Career :Sket One created and ran Unitee in the 1990s – a shirt design company while looking for full-time work as a designer. He eventually landed his current position as Creative...
and Tristan Eaton.
Shortly after launching the first issue of the magazine, the website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
www.cluttermagazine.com went live. The website was a way to report breaking news and keep readers informed on the most up to date releases while allowing the print magazine to stay focused on going in depth with the artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
s and the actual processes involved in making the toys.
Today
After Miranda’s move to the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
that put the magazine on temporary hiatus, Clutter has set June 2011 as the date in which it will officially relaunch. The website has received a complete overhaul as well, debuting a new look in December 2010 that added many new features to make it more interactive and informative. The new website was created by KTVMI, a New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and UK based animation and technology studio that has partnered with Clutter to create exclusive content and to handle advertising
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
.