new prototypes & info about Stormy

[jazzycreations]

i dont mean to be rude, but how can you know that they are real prototypes if the contact won't come in direct contact with you? How do you know it's just not someone making them?
Just wondering, I mean since alot of them aren't in magazines or stuff, is there a way to tell for sure, or is it just trusting what they say?

I just wondered because i've found 80's yarn & materials & such so could it be easy to make something look older couldn't it?

I dont really understand how that works. I mean I know my customs look like customs, but maybe there are others out there that their customs are really good, like some of the Stormy's out there look just like the prototypes to me.

anyway, I think the black one is way awesome!!! wonder if there is a stormy with black, what color her hair was, more purple then and a black & gold dress? hmm, you totally need a stormy for that horse! How cool would that be?!

[Blondine Arc-En-Ciel]

G-Cat, I PM'd you before I saw this...

Perhaps the 'tool' is a mold or machine tool of sorts used in the manufacturing process.

Thanks so much for increasing the body of knowledge that concerns Rainbow Brite. In the short time that you've been on here you've made some amazing finds and gotten some interesting background information that otherwise may have stayed hidden. The entire Rainbow Brite community owes you a huge debt of gratitude for what you've accomplished so far.

I can understand that no one would want to buy a Murky doll and the same for Lurky. I'd also heard that Mattel had overproduced the line, but that was at the beginning. And I'd CERTIANLY like to visit that magical RB warehouse...

[Blondine Arc-En-Ciel]

i dont mean to be rude, but how can you know that they are real prototypes if the contact won't come in direct contact with you? How do you know it's just not someone making them?
Just wondering, I mean since alot of them aren't in magazines or stuff, is there a way to tell for sure, or is it just trusting what they say?

I just wondered because i've found 80's yarn & materials & such so could it be easy to make something look older couldn't it?

I dont really understand how that works. I mean I know my customs look like customs, but maybe there are others out there that their customs are really good, like some of the Stormy's out there look just like the prototypes to me.

anyway, I think the black one is way awesome!!! wonder if there is a stormy with black, what color her hair was, more purple then and a black & gold dress? hmm, you totally need a stormy for that horse! How cool would that be?!

"I mean I know my customs look like customs..."

Jasmine, you SERIOUSLY UNDERESTIMATE yourself!!!

Everyone who has seen any of your dolls that I have here has been amazed! And I've heard the same from others on here about dolls you've made for them. The quality of your work is exceptional and that's why you stay up to your ears in orders. For those that don't know, I've bought or ordered just over 20 in the past 18 months, many for gifts, and I can think of some more that I'd like, espceially of my wonderful German friend, Claudia. and who knows, maybe one day I'll order my very own Jazzy doll from the one person who can make her better than anyone else...you, of course
.


Let me know if I should send you the New Year's photos of Claudia again...

OK, just kidding about the Jazzy doll cause I don't want to make anyone jealous. Or am I? One should certainly go in a Rainbow Brite Museum somewhere.

[Galacticatt]

Well, the guy I buy through sells nothing but prototypes from all sorts of lines (usually boy lines- but luckily he was willing to make inquiries for me too) So he has quite a reputation, and knows the most amazing people- I don't think he'd risk his reputation on passing off fakes. :D (especially to a lawyer, hehe)

I agree that some customs look great- almost real- I LOVE customs! But most don't actually look like prototypes. The problem is that most of the fabrics & even the yarn size for vintage RBB are "out of print" - so it would be pretty hard to build a fake one- it would take forever just collecting enough of the vintage yarn size and fabrics. Pretty hard to fake. I think the factory approval tags would also be hard to fake- it would also be surprising that the dealer would give certs. of authenticity and risk their really great reputation-

Plus- I actually do know who the designer is, (it wasn't hard to figure out by researching his return address) - I sent his wife an email thanking them for selling the stuff to me- and she was really quite sweet. It wasn't until after that contact that I heard through my dealer/third party guy that he had freaked out a bit about my finding him out- he is probably just paranoid about having me contact him because understandably, Mattel is a scary ex-employer to have, and has come down hard on former designers in the past. (mostly just big guys like the Bratz designer, but then, it's not me putting my neck out, so who am I to judge?)

Also- things like the color castle, Rainbow Lurky, Dress-up Lala- I don't even know how you'd go about trying to make convincing fake prototypes of these-no one had even heard of these things before I got them- except those working on the RBB line. Only one tiny photo of the color castle made it into a dealer catalog- (which are rare enough on their own) and it's pretty clear that the castle I have is the one pictured in the catalog- also, who'd want to make such detailed prototype fakes of such a range of stuff including some stuff that obviously took forever to make-

For example- check out the Dress-UP Rainbow Brite on my site- I have her pictured next to the one that was sold in stores- the same fabrics and yarn used- but everything is a little bigger, better- thicker hair- thicker/longer hair piece- where would you even find the exact fabrics and yarn that Mattel used in 1983?

The designer parting with his stuff also had hundreds of things from the My Child, Popples and some other Mattel lines I hadn't heard of- it sure would have taken a long time to make so many fake prototypes in such incredible detail-

Anyway, I have never thought that anything was fake- if this guy is a customizer, he is freaking amazing and I wish he'd make more. The only things I even asked for from the Rainbow Brite line was Stormy, Newborn star- and the dress-up outfits pictured on the dress-up doll catalog. You'd think that if he was making fake prototyes for profit, he'd make and sell these- rather than obscure things like the Castle, Lala Dress-up, Regular Dress-Up Rainbow- or random outfits that were never pictured in even the dealer catalogs-

[jazzycreations]

oh wow, i didn't know he had certs of authenticity.

Did you find out if he does or knows of stormy, newborn star or the dress up outfits?

that would be really cool.

thankx for taking the time to explain it to me.

I just didn't know what prototypes cost, & thought maybe people would make them just to get an extra buck. now that you explained it it makes more sence to me. especially with the certifications.

I think it would be a blast to make prototypes for mattel. boy I'd love a job like that!! maybe one day i'll get good enough to do something like that. what a blast it would be!

thankx alot for your kind words Blondine. I'm glad you are happy with my work, I aspire to get better, there are some amazing customs out there & I'd love to get more detailed in my work. i may one day have a go at a flocked moonglo horse. someone was asking. i think it would be fun. it's a blast making customs for people. Everyone has different ideas to bring to life.

[Stormyfan]

Jazzy,
I enjoy buying customs from you.
Galacticatt,
Its amazing that you can find prototypes.

[Galacticatt]

No worries Jazzy- I don't mind sharing my opinions, and I'm not upset :D

The prices were not low- but not so high that they would justify all of the trouble it would be to make a convinving fake- I'd say average for prototype pricing- maybe a little higher than average for the stuff he was really attached to-

I wouldn't mind picking this guy's brain myself, (about the dolls/creation process/anyone else who worked on the line) but I don't judge him for his disinterest or apprehension- I can even understand it actually.

I thought that my dealer guy had located Stormy's maker- but then have heard nothing- so maybe it was a dead end, or the person is not interested in selling his or her stuff- (CRY) - but it sounds like at least 3 do for sure exist- somewhere. Newborn star and the dress-up outfits on the other hand- not even a rumor as to their whereabouts...

Jazzy you would have been a great toy prototype maker ! You ARE a great prototype maker! (Thinking of Patty/Shy/ect) Alas- I think the process has changed quite a bit from the 1980s- My aunt and uncle were in the animation business a few years ago- and when they designed a toy- it was 100% on the computer. The file is 3-d, and if approved- gets sent to China or something for a prototype model and packaging- pretty neat, but so much different than how they used to do things (sculpting/sewing & painting - samples/approvals/re-designing)

I like the old way better...

[BabyDoll]

"I don't really know what is meant by a "tool" - probably some designer term..."

"Tooling" or "Tool" in the molding and casting industry refers to the metal mold that production pieces are molded from.

[Galacticatt]

Oh cool- thanks Babydoll! I love your info !!!! it would actually be most helpful if you could interview one of these designers, since you know more of what to ask :D
I think Rainbow Brite UK also is in touch with a designer too- it would be great if one of them would answer questions about the line- I hate to be a pest about it though- and I know they don't necessarily remember everything about just one of many lines they worked on 20 years ago.... but still, I am grateful for every tidbit of info :D

So I guess he meant the body mold that the hard-body Starlite used (and the black Thunder/Skydancer) was probably discontinued. Come to think of it, I think I had a barbie horse using that mold as a kid too- and in fact- it did have a broken leg (I put a barbie boot on it)

I guess Mattel probably switched to the mold that Sunriser used at some point- because all of my little sister's barbie horses (and she had a few) used that pose...

[BabyDoll]

I just assumed that Sunriser and Starlight had the same body mold:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Barbie-Horse-Dallas ... 4aa2570fe7

This one, which I owned for my Barbie back in 1983.