Leia is not your Toy

Amanda Visell's fine art career sprouted from continuing failure. A high school drop out and Cal Arts reject, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in traditional animation eventually finding her way to stop motion animation as a designer and sculptor, working on stylized projects for shows like The Simpsons and the feature film Elf. The challenge of mastering new tools and techniques in this medium taught her to be able to visualize her own style. She has been exhibiting her paintings and sculptures internationally since 2005 including Disneyland USA and has created a thriving world of characters as designer toys.Resin casting is a method of plastic casting where a mold is filled with a liquid synthetic resin, which then hardens. It is primarily used for small-scale production like industrial prototypes and dentistry. It can be done by amateur hobbyists with little initial investment, and has been appropriated for the production of collectible toys, models and figures, as well as small-scale jewelry production. The synthetic resin for such processes is a monomer for making a plastic thermosetting polymer. During the setting process, the liquid monomer polymerizes into the polymer, thereby hardening into a solid.DKE Toys is a renowned American company specializing in designer toys, collectibles, and limited-edition art pieces. Founded in 2002, DKE Toys has become a key player in the designer toy scene, known for its unique collaborations with artists, custom toys, and pop culture-inspired releases. The company has developed a reputation for creating high-quality, highly collectible figures that often blend urban art, pop culture references, and nostalgic themes. DKE Toys works with a diverse roster of artists and designers to create limited-run figures that often reflect a blend of pop culture, street art, and fine art. Artists involved in DKE releases include well-known names in the designer toy world, such as Frank Kozik, Eric So, Luke Chueh, and many others.