Loading...

PODCAST

Toys on Tap

Toys on Tap is a designer-toy podcast, creative platform, and production studio founded and hosted by Abraham Musto. It interviews artists, sculptors, collectors, and creators from the designer-toy, sofubi, resin, vinyl, bootleg, and collectible-art communities. Toys on Tap also helps artists develop and launch physical toys through production planning, factory coordination, crowdfunding strategy, packaging, storytelling, and promotion.

leisure hobbies

All Episodes

50:12

Ep. 280 Toys on Tap w/ Mike Die:The Creator Behind...

Toys on Tap ·

2026/06/15

Mike Die joins the show to share the journey that led him from New York graffiti artist to creator of the Rock Protectors toy line.Growing up surrounded by He-Man, Battle Beasts, Transformers, and Ninja Turtles, Mike always dreamed of making toys. After years spent in graffiti, custom Dunnys, street art, and enamel pins, he eventually found his way back to action figures through 3D printing and character design.Today, the Rock Protectors have become one of the most recognizable independent toy lines

en

63:22

Ep. 279 Toys on Tap w/ Sio Pio: The Toy Designer...

Toys on Tap ·

2026/06/08

Tony Coppolillo (SioPio) joins the show to share his incredible creative journey from architecture student to Hollywood movie poster artist, visual effects professional, and independent toy creator.Over the course of his career, Tony has contributed to major film campaigns, worked in visual effects, taught 3D design, and eventually discovered a passion for bringing his own characters and ideas into the physical world through 3D printing and toy design.We talk about:Movie poster productionWorking on

en

68:30

Ep. 278 Toys on Tap w/ Motley Miscreations: From...

Toys on Tap ·

2026/06/01

Brandon of Motley Miscreations joins the show to discuss his journey from childhood toy collector to professional sculptor, resin caster, and independent toy maker.Growing up with Battle Beasts, TMNT, Batman, comics, and video games, Brandon always had a passion for art and creativity. After studying fine art, working in illustration and video games, and eventually discovering the designer toy scene, he began creating his own original toys and building the brand now known as Motley Miscreations.In

en

65:45

Ep. 277 Toys on Tap w/ Mimor Toys: The DIY Sofubi...

Toys on Tap ·

2026/05/25

Mimor Toys steps on the stage to talk about handmade soft vinyl toys, learning sofubi production from scratch, and building an entirely analog toy-making process out of a garage in Southern California.Inspired by Kidrobot, Dunnys, Webkinz, Club Penguin, and DIY maker culture, Mimor grew up obsessed with toys as art objects before eventually teaching themself mold making, welding, electroplating, and vinyl production.In this episode, they talk through:Growing up around designer toysThe influence of

en

52:24

Ep. 276 Toys on Tap w/ Zander Miner Toys: How This...

Toys on Tap ·

2026/05/18

Toy designer and illustrator Zander Miner joins the show to talk about turning original characters into collectible toys.Inspired by cartoons like Adventure Time, Gravity Falls, Teen Titans, and Regular Show, Zander grew up wanting to become an animator and artist. After studying illustration at RISD, he eventually discovered toy design and began sculpting his own original figures, including Orion, Bleb, and Carl the Crab.In this episode, we discuss:Growing up surrounded by cartoons and character

en

52:48

Ep. 275 Toys on Tap w/ Ehimo Adventures: How TMNT &...

Toys on Tap ·

2026/05/11

Toy maker and sculptor Ehimo joins the show to talk about his journey from vintage toy collector to internationally recognized independent creator.Growing up in Spain surrounded by TMNT, Street Sharks, Warhammer, and role-playing games, Ehimo developed an obsession with toys and miniature painting early on. That passion eventually evolved into custom figures, bootlegs, sculpting, and fully original toy designs.In this episode, we discuss:Collecting vintage toys in EuropeThe influence of Warhammer

en

64:20

Ep. 274 Toys on Tap w/ Gum it up Makers:The Real...

Toys on Tap ·

2026/05/04

Danny and Esther join the show to share the story behind their original toy line and upcoming Kickstarter.Danny, a longtime artist who has worked on major animated films, opens up about a difficult moment in his career that led him back to creating for himself. What started as a personal reset quickly turned into a full lineup of original characters, world-building, and eventually physical toy prototypes.Esther shares her role as both creative partner and driving force behind the project, balancing

en

63:18

Ep. 273 Toys on Tap w/ Kaleo Legends:Turning Theology...

Toys on Tap ·

2026/04/27

Jeff from Kaleo Legends joins the show to talk about creating a new kind of action figure line rooted in biblical inspiration, mythology, and storytelling.We dive into his journey from youth ministry to working at Mezco, and eventually taking the leap to build his own toy company. Jeff shares the challenges of entering a niche that barely exists, navigating production costs, and preparing for a Kickstarter launch.We also explore how theology, ancient narratives, and creative design come together to

en

58:56

Ep. 272 Toys on Tap w/ Sergey Safonov:How Creativity...

Toys on Tap ·

2026/04/20

Sergey Safonov joins the show to share a completely different path into the world of character design and art toys.Growing up in the Soviet Union with limited access to toys and pop culture, Sergey developed a unique creative voice rooted in storytelling and original character creation. From early internet art collectives to building his own toy line, he walks through how his work evolved into deeply narrative-driven design.We talk about his approach to world-building, creating original IP without

en

60:01

Ep. 271 Toys on Tap w/ Seismic Toys: From Fans to...

Toys on Tap ·

2026/04/13

Chris and Alex from Seismic Toys join the show to talk about building a licensed toy company from the ground up.From meeting at G-Fest to producing officially licensed Ultraman and Astro Boy figures, they break down what it actually takes to move from collector to creator. We dive into their first toy launch, the challenges of working with factories, and the reality of scaling a toy business.They also share the story behind their Kickstarter for The Last Dinosaur, including an 8-month hunt to track

en

57:13

Ep. 270 Toys on Tap w/ Hakon Collectibles: Creating a...

Toys on Tap ·

2026/04/06

Hakon Collectibles is doing something most people wouldn’t even attempt, building a designer toy scene in Scotland where there is much of one. In this episode, we talk about his journey from growing up on Ghostbusters and Ninja Turtles to spending 12 years teaching kids how to rollerblade… all while slowly developing his path into graphic design, streetwear, and eventually resin toys.We get into the realities of making toys, the mistakes artists make when starting out, and what it actually takes to

en

42:04

Ep. 269 Toys on Tap w/ Ali Bate: Building a Toy Scene...

Toys on Tap ·

2026/03/30

In this episode, we sit down with South African toy maker Ali Bates, a creator pushing the boundaries of what toys can be in a place where the scene is still just beginning. From rediscovering art during lockdown to building characters like his iconic bag-head figures and emotional devil sculptures, Ali walks us through his journey of experimentation, identity, and making without limits. We talk about creating in isolation, building a toy culture from the ground up, navigating production challenges,

en

59:22

Ep. 268 Toys on Tap w/ Mutant Vinyl Hardcore Episode...

Toys on Tap ·

2026/03/23

In the final episode of our three-part series with Rich of Mutant Vinyl Hardcore, we zoom out and reflect on the long game. Rich opens up about what decades in the sofubi scene have taught him about creativity, discipline, community, and what actually matters over time. We talk about the importance of isolation for creativity, how stepping away from noise (especially during his recent time in Japan) reshaped his perspective, and why being “genuine” is the foundation for a lasting career. On

en

75:55

Ep. 267 Toys on Tap w/ Mutant Vinyl Hardcore Episode...

Toys on Tap ·

2026/03/16

In episode two with Rich of Mutant Vinyl Hardcore, we move from origin story into real growth. Rich breaks down what happened after the first Sludge Demon run, how he learned to stretch inventory, price work fairly, and slowly build MVH without pretending success came overnight. We talk about the tension between art and business, why lotteries became necessary, how hate mail accidentally helped inspire Sludge Demon DX, and the hard lessons that came from scaling too fast or making the wrong creative

en

71:54

Ep. 266 Toys on Tap w/ Mutant Vinyl Hardcore Episode...

Toys on Tap ·

2026/03/09

We sit down with Rich of Mutant Vinyl Hardcore to dig into the roots before the legend. This episode stays in the origin story: growing up around small-business hustle, early encouragement from a Marvel Comics artist, and a childhood shaped by He-Man, G.I. Joe, fantasy films, graffiti, anime bootlegs, and lowbrow art. Rich talks about leaving high school, working in the family gym, trying art school, driving trucks, and slowly finding his way toward toys through Kidrobot, Toy Tokyo, Skullbrain, and

en

53:36

Ep. 265 Toys on Tap w/ Draculazer: Touring the World,...

Toys on Tap ·

2026/03/02

We sit down with Michael, aka Draculazor, to trace a path from childhood weird-toy obsession to becoming a mainstay in the sofubi world. He talks hand-me-down Transformers and Marvel, buying his first Japanese soft vinyl in 2005, and the brutal college house-party flood that forced him to sell almost his entire collection. From printmaking school to touring the world as the drummer for Wild Nothing, Michael breaks down how freelance illustration and drawing toys he couldn’t afford eventually became

en

40:17

Ep. 264 Toys on Tap w/ Buya Toys: Trust the Pivot

Toys on Tap ·

2026/02/23

We sit down with Ron of Buya Toys to trace a wild pivot from gaming industry 3D artist to full-time music-inspired toy maker in Thailand. Growing up in the Middle East, art became survival, identity, and escape. After losing his job, Ron found clarity through music, The Artist’s Way, and sculpting musicians like Doechii, Tyler, JID, and SZA into bold, stylized figures. We unpack launching Buya just seven months ago, shutting down a Kickstarter mid-run, pivoting to preorders, and selling out. This

en

52:42

Ep. 263 Toys on Tap w/ Merthewiz: From Sketch to Milk...

Toys on Tap ·

2026/02/16

We sit down with M+W to trace the rise of Beefy Boy, from sketchbook idea to milk-carton-packaged art toy. A Singapore-based maker with global experience, Merick shares how American cartoons, gym culture, and He-Man proportions collided into a cow-themed character that actually moves units at shows. We talk first convention lessons, why larger figures outsold blind boxes, and what it takes to build confidence in a growing Southeast Asian toy scene. From packaging assembly with friends to future soft

en

52:21

Ep. 262 Toys on Tap w/Elwa: Designing Toys That Do...

Toys on Tap ·

2026/02/09

We sit down with ELWA to talk about choosing creative freedom over turning passion into pressure. While holding a 9-to-5, ELWA builds toys on the side, by design and using that distance to protect experimentation and joy. We trace his path from drawing and video games to UX/UI, 3D modeling, and printing toys inspired by Astro Boy, music, and everyday objects. We dig into painting with intention, designing toys with real utility, and blending culture into cohesive characters. ELWA shares plans for

en

59:47

Ep. 261 Toys on Tap w/ Canary Customs:When Action...

Toys on Tap ·

2026/02/02

We sit down with John of Canary Customs to talk about finding art through action figures, resin, and doing things the hard way on purpose. From growing up on Star Wars toys with his dad to discovering custom figures during the pandemic, John shares how fine art, kitbashing, and analog mold-making collided into a new creative path. We dig into bootlegs, card backs, resin casting, and the tension between one-off art and scalable production. This episode gets honest about art school realities,

en

323 results

Similar Podcasts

Expres Ráno

Expres FM

Toys on Tap

Toys on Tap

本編

愚者の宮殿

アニメ！アニメ！アニメ情報

株式会社イード

Mighty Champions: Action Figure Radio

Jon Sargent & Christian McGahan