No Idle Hands Here

By Fringe Staff

The Fringe Interview With Frank Kozik

By Charlie Hanks

Frank Kozik is an art phenom in every sense of the word. In the late ’80s, Kozik’s eyepopping LSD trip like, day-glo rock posters brought his name into the forefront of the underground music scene. Having created posters for artists like Green Day, The Offspring, George Clinton, and many more, his work became infamous for both embracing and destroying pop culture icons.

As bands like the Melvins, Mudhoney and Nirvana emerged from Seattle with the rise of grunge during the early ’90s, Kozik posters could be found seemingly everywhere.

Eventually Kozik’s art moved into the world of toys, where he too has conquered. Collectors of designer toys have been praising his designs for years now. Dark, sarcastic, and brilliantly adult, the man responsible for reviving poster art has helped start an art revolution with artistic toys.

Numerous art books can be found featuring his work, and numerous websites from the U.S. to Japan carry his designer toy masterpieces. Do a search on the web and you’ll be amazed, I promise. Kozik was kind enough to answer some questions for us to help introduce himself to those who don’t know him, and those who already are obsessed with him.

FRINGE: According to Wikipedia You are “Credited with single handedly reviving the ‘lost’ art of the concert poster.”

How do you feel about that statement?

KOZIK: Although it was not any sort of goal or intent at the time, in retrospect it is accurate, for whatever that matters.

FRINGE: At what point were you able to quit the grind of a day job and make your living just off your art?

KOZIK: The fall of 1988

FRINGE: What steps did you take to go from rock posters to toys, and why?

KOZIK: I was pretty tired of doing posters and the music business in general. I did the first few toys in Japan, just for kicks basically, and then realized it might be a popular form in the U.S. … and I liked designing them as well … So I made a concentrated effort to figure it out and start doing them as my main thing. It has worked out quite well.

FRINGE: You’re currently the top name in the vinyl toy world, how did to get to that point in your career?

KOZIK: Aggressive design effort, coordination with all the various toy companies, time invested in figuring out the back side of the business … manufacturing possibilities, distribution and effective use of the internet and message boards.

FRINGE: Explain the Labbit and how you come up with all the amazing ideas for your designs?

KOZIK: Labbit is the ID, basically. He’s a grumpy little misanthrope (labbitthrope?) and represents, basically, anti-kitty for me. I have way more ideas than could ever be realized. Ideas are easy.

FRINGE: How do you go about developing your toys?

KOZIK: One, determine a need: Which company? What size? What price range? What sort of character? Two, come to an agreement with the above. Three, puzzle it out with a pencil and graph paper, do some finished “hero” ink drawings for the package and textile use. Four, re-iterate it in final form in Illustrator, assign the patterns, colors etc. Do the box layout. Five, send that to the sculptor/ manufacturer. Six, back and forth with jpegs do refine the sculpt, etc. Seven, release.

FRINGE: What’s your opinion on the current vinyl toy scene?

KOZIK: Huge and growing. I really like the whole ‘custom’scene — very inspiring, very inclusive.

FRINGE: Who are some of your favorite artists right now?

KOZIK: Motorbot is killing it. I love Pete Fowler, Jarvis, Bounty Hunter, Gargamel….

FRINGE: What’s your favorite part of creating toys?

KOZIK: Seeing the finished toy in my collection. Attending SDCC is awesome as well.

FRINGE: You’re known for being interactive with your collectors and fans. Have you ever had any stalkers or crazies cause conflict??

KOZIK: I have had my share of fan mail and internet forum wierdos over the years, but they never seem to actualize their bullshit in real life.

FRINGE: What is your favorite project you are currently working on?

KOZIK: The large fiberglass pieces like the 30″ Mao.

FRINGE: What are your future releases?

KOZIK: Literally, there are hundreds.

FRINGE: How do you feel about the downfall of Tower Records, considering it carried a lot of vinyl toys?

KOZIK: No impact really. They were more a cutout outlet anyways, boutique is where it’s at.

FRINGE: Where do you buy most of the toys you personally collect?

KOZIK: From small stores,Internet sites, direct from artists, other collectors, yahoo auctions, japan, ebay.

FRINGE: If you had to start your career all over again, what would you do differently?

KOZIK: Buy a lot of Microsoft stock back when.