The Jewel Guardian

In celebration of ALL the individuals that have helped build and keep alive this thriving art community, Kidrobot is proud to introduce the first Designer Con Dunny Series. This Dunny Mini Series celebrates art featuring 18 individual Dunny designs from a few of the countless artists who have been a part of DCON's growth through the years. Over 15 years ago, Kidrobot brought art to life in the form of vinyl for the first time. Through our history we have tried to support the creators, the groundbreakers, the artist and the art. While our organization has evolved throughout the years as all organizations must do in order to stay alive, our core principles and mission of bringing art to life still remains. Supporting the art community, inspiring creation and providing a platform to bring emerging / groundbreaking artists to the forefront is at the root of who we are and what we believe in. Founded in 2002 by designer Paul Budnitz, Kidrobot is the world's premier creator of limited edition art toys and apparel. Kidrobot creates toys, apparel, accessories, and other products in collaboration with many of the world's most talented artists and designers. The products sold at Kidrobot are the centerpieces of a global movement that exemplifies the cutting edge of both pop art and mass culture. Many Kidrobot toys, such as Dunny, MUNNY, and Frank Kozik's Labbits and Mongers, attract huge followings. Artists that work with Kidrobot have gained celebrity status-these include USA artists Frank Kozik, Tim Biskup, Huck Gee, Joe Ledbetter, Tristan Eaton, Paul Budnitz, and Tara McPherson; the German design collective eBoy; Japan's Devilrobots & Mad Barbarians; French street artists Tilt & Mist; the UK's TADO and ilovedust; Australia's Nathan Jurevicius; Argentina's DOMA; and many, many others. Kidrobot also regularly collaborates with many of the world's top brands to create unique limited editions products. Past collaborations include Marc Jacobs, Visionaire Magazine, Barneys New York, The Standard Hotels, Playboy, Burton, Nike, Lacoste, Nooka, Matt Groening & more. A blend of sculpture and popular art, many of Kidrobot's exclusive toys are extremely rare and collectible. Artists often create a series of only a few hundred The toy is based on a rabbit figure with distinctive tubular ears. The origin of the name Dunny came from a combination of street slang and one of the early "Devil Bunny" prototypes. The Dunny is sold in four sizes - 3", 5", 8" and 20". The toy has three points of articulation; a 360 degree rotational head and two arms. An artist card or sticker is also included with the 3" Dunny from a series. Most 3" Dunnys and some 8" Dunnys are normally sold as "blind assortment"; the figure is packaged inside a sealed foil wrapper, such that the buyer is not able to see which figure and accessories they are buying. Sealing the figure prevents people from opening and peeking in the boxes and buying only the figures they want. Most Dunnys are packaged inside a clear plastic bag in addition to the foil wrapper. In the second-hand market, this assures the buyer that the article was never on display and is in a "new" condition. With the success of vinyl toys as a medium for expression, many fans and artists have put their own design onto blank Dunnys. My name is Christopher Lee and I am a designer, illustrator and an action figure connoisseur. I’m a Sacramento native and graduated from California State University, Sacramento with a Bachelor’s degree in graphic design. My entire life has revolved around drawing and art since I was old enough to hold a crayon and scribble outside the lines of a Golden Activity Book. After I graduated college in July of 2006, I moved to Southern California in search of new inspiration amongst new surroundings. Since moving I’ve worked as an Art Director for Vapors Magazine (RIP), had a couple vinyl toys released, and was recruited to the motion graphics studio, Buck, where I started as a senior designer and moved up to Art Director. I stayed at Buck for the next three years. In October 2009, I said “goodbye” to Buck and decided to focus solely on my illustration career. Leaving Buck was probably one of the toughest career decisions I’ve ever had to make. That place became my second home and my co-workers, my extended family. I grew more as an artist working there than I have at any other point in my career. Deep down I knew Buck was a stepping