NaniBird

Glueless NaniBirds Down Under

2012-01-22T23:33:00.000+09:00

They've arrived!

Off exploring

At home in the lemon tree

June and Iain from Australia sent me these pics recently of their Glueless Nanibirds happy in their new home. Thanks so much guys! Great snaps. If anyone else has any pics of NaniBirds frolicking about please send them in! And if you'd like your own set of Glueless Nanibirds to make and enjoy, please visit the shop. But do so soon as supplies are limited an once this batch is gone, that's it.

Instagram NaniBird!

2011-12-31T07:35:00.032+09:00

How cool is this? Meet EarlyBird, a NaniBird inspired by the popular filter of the same name on Instagram. I love the use of a camera lens for the eye. This brilliant design comes to us by the good graces of Chandy, an industrial designer based in Indonesia. Check out his Bēhance site for more inspired work. And download your own free EarlyBird right here.

Rosey Cheekes... or I'm blushing

2011-12-31T00:28:00.000+09:00

This excellent and über cute sleepyheaded birdhouse design come courtesy of Toronto based illustrator Rosey Cheekes. Definitely check out her site to see more of her charming and skillful work. I'm blushing because she submitted it AGES ago and I'm just posting it now. But in my defense... well, see my previous post. In any case, treat yourself to an extra Xmas present and download the free design here.

What's been happening...?

2011-12-29T10:25:00.000+09:00

Lots actually, and it accounts for the lack of activity here.

First off, hope everyone is having a happy holiday season and that 2012 will be a great year (and not the end of the world as some have suggested). But now to what's been happening in our little corner of the world. The last few months have been busy ones for us, mostly because of our decision to move from Japan back to the US. It was a really hard choice to make. We loved living there and in fact, the whole concept of the original NaniBirds was inspired by my daily life there. But it's not just about me... we're a family, with 2 little kids. After the tragic events of 3/11 and all the ongoing uncertainty about levels of radiation and the safety of the food supply, we figured that since we could, we really should... leave. My job as a freelance illustrator allows me to work wherever I can get decent Internet service so it was easier for us to leave than most other folk in the same situation. My heart goes out to all those who want to leave but for whatever reason, can't. We love Japan and it was a tough decision to leave, more so for my wife who has left many friends and family behind, but we felt it was the right one. So now what...

Since moving back to the States and the different shipping methods available from here I've had to make a few changes to the store and the shipping policy. It will now be a flat fee of $4.95 to ship the Glueless NaniBirds anywhere in the domestic US via USPS Priority Mail. As for international customers, I'm very sorry but there's no way to set up a flat rate and I'll have to figure those out on a per case basis.

As for the original DIY free NaniBirds, I've gotten a couple of really cool submissions and I'll be posting those soon.

As always, thanks for taking a look.

Josh

Wat Kind? Urb’an Mynah, that's what

2011-08-24T15:17:00.000+09:00

This tough little NaniBird custom comes to us courtesy of Graham Wiles AKA The Grand Master Urb-ski. He's a great up and coming paper toy designer working out of South Africa. You should definitely check out the rest of this stuff. And to find out what exactly the meaning is behing "Wat Kind?"

To download and build your own free Urb'an Mynah, just click here.

NaniBird in 3D

2011-08-05T14:22:00.000+09:00

Man, this is really cool! And yet another example of the really amazing things NaniBird fans come up with. The "thing" above was created by justjoheinz AKA Markus Klink. It's a model designed for 3D printing, (as in actual, complete, whole printed plastic objects) many more of which can be found at Thingverse. I was unfamiliar with Thingverse, but it's a really cool, open source community of printable 3D models, made by the members, free for download. And if you’re a Stephen Colbert fan you have to check out the free portrait bust available.

Wha...? Seriously cheap folks.

2011-07-12T16:53:00.000+09:00

OK, so I'd REALLY like to sell some of these Glueless NaniBirds I've made. They're die-cut, professional printed, really easy and super fun to make and now really CHEAP! (or should it be "cheep"..?) Only $2 each (aaack!) and the buy 3 get the 4th one free deal still applies, just enter the code"4for3" when you checkout. Go, now, to the store... please.

Thankyou

NaniBird vs Angry Birds vs Arduino.... mashup Frenzy!!!

2011-06-09T21:31:00.000+09:00

Here's the return of a really cool project, Arduitter. An enterprising fellow from Brazil has once again mixed up a crazy mutant tweeting NaniBird using my template for the form but Arduino, an open source hardware platform, for the guts. This is his second go at it and it just keeps getter better and better. Check here for more deets.

Ands don't forget, the $2 sale on Glueless NaniBirds is still going on in the store!

Design Festa and THE BIG SELL OUT!

2011-05-27T16:40:00.001+09:00

So this month was Design Festa here in Japan. It's always a lot of fun, whether on the selling or shopping side. It's always nice to see a smile spread on someone's face when they check out your booth. I sold all of the Paper Monsters books and a fair amount of the Glueless NaniBirds as well, plus some postcards and paintings. But! I didn't sell enough of the Glueless NaniBirds, so I'm having a BIG SALE! From now on, until they're gone, ALL GLUELESS NANIBIRDS in the store are just $2 EACH(!!!)

And remember, if you use the code 4for3 when you check out, if you buy 3 NaniBirds you get the 4th one free! Wha...?!?!?

Do you "Like" NaniBirds?

2011-05-25T16:28:00.002+09:00

So Facebook has gone and changed the rules again.... big surprise right? So now that the old Facebook groups are going away, I've set up a new Faxcebook NaniBird Land Page. If you like NaniBirds, then please "Like" the Facebook Page to keep up to date... y'know, for when I actually post something.

The NaniBirds abide...

2011-05-24T15:33:00.000+09:00

So even though I haven't posted anything here in a while, NaniBirds continue to make their way around the globe. Here's some pics from a cool thing that happened a couple of months ago in Hamburg, Germany. A craft night for the big kids, organized by craft:raum. In the words of one of the founders:

This is what craft:raum is about:
Craftnights organized by a handful of part-time enthusiasts:
"betahaus Hamburg", "hello handmade", "CashBits", "Tante Tin", "Milchmädchen" and "Ahoimeise".
It's a space for creative ideas, craft beginners and experienced crafter.
The nanibird workshop was initiated by "baustelle Hamburg", "Tante Tin" and "Milchmädchen".
We used the nanibirds from your site and I also made two craft:raum versions, without eyes and wings so that the people could get creative on that. We provided different materials like fabrics, buttons and masking tape and it was a pleasure to see that the people were mixing all the materials up in so many creative kind of ways!

Also, the following pic showed up in my FB feed one day, from a newspaper in Malaysia. Nice to see that little birdie getting around!

Papertoy Monster Day

2011-01-28T18:24:00.000+09:00

OK, so I'm late on this... no big surprise there, but a couple of days ago, Jan. 25th in fact, was the "official" Papertoy Monster Day. Papertoy Monsters is a fantastic book of over 50 great little monsters you can make on your own. I'm pleased to have 2 of my monsters included. Here's a few ways to celebrate:

Brian Castleforte has created a video just for you

Find out which monster you are by taking our Papertoy Monster Quiz

The Valentine's Day Papertoy Monster ready for download, printing, and assembly

The Papertoy Tumblr

Our Facebook will be dedicated to all things monsters

Share your thoughts on our Twitter and become a follower

Enjoy!

Sailor Bird

2011-01-28T18:08:00.001+09:00

This stylish, little NaniBird comes courtesy of baykiddead (AKA Garrison Beau Scott). You can check out his quite nice photography on his portfolio site, or for more recent news head over to his blog. I really love the "feathers" sticking out of this custom design, which you can get right here.

Rotten Bird

2011-01-11T18:50:00.000+09:00

First design of the new year starts off on a dark note... Rotten Bird by Antho from Indonesia. It's good stuff but it's not really for the kiddies. Download and build at your own risk... mwahh ha ha ha!

Finally, at long last... Batch Four!

2010-12-23T12:29:00.001+09:00

And just in time for Xmas! What could be better than a bunch of FREE NaniBirds to give away? 40 in fact(!), all amazing designs sent in from all across the globe. There are a lot of great skins and custom designs in Batch Four. Too many for a single page, so remember to click the little "next page" button at the bottom of each page to see the rest. And don't forget to check out the other Batches by clicking on The Birds over there on the left.

It's been a long time coming for this Batch... over a year in fact between Batch releases. During that time I received many fantastic designs. Some I've posted here already, some not, some unfortunately, just got lost in the shuffle. If you don't see yours in Batch Four I apologize in advance but it's been a hectic year (you can find out a little bit about what I've been up to here.) But since it's been so tough making the time to put together Batch releases, I have now finally decided, to make this the last one. I will still be accepting new designs and making the template available to anyone who wants to design one. But I will ONLY post them if you also provide a photo, ideally, one shot on a white background. Thanks again to everyone who has submitted designs in the past and to your ongoing interest. I hope to keep posting a lot of great NaniBirds from all you talented folk.

Happy Holidays and have a great New Year in 2011!

Building tips?

2010-12-20T12:12:00.000+09:00

So I got an email from NaniBird fan Ryan who asked me about solving what is, unfortunately, a fairly common problem with the NaniBird design... namely, after a few weeks, the speech bubbles can get a little droopy. In my experience, the same goes for the feet.. they can spread out after a while and flatten out.

But, there are a few ways to help prevent it. The first, simplest method is just to use the thickest paper your printer can accept. After that, you can also coat the bubble (it works for the feet as well) in a thin layer of Mod Podge (or a similar water based glue). I have also seen some people make little paper "shims" that strengthen the back of the bubble, usually a thin folded rod of paper glued in place.

How about it NaniBird fans? Any other build tips you can think of for the little birdies? Please leave your suggestions in the comments.

Thanks

Merry Christmas little NaniBird

2010-12-15T14:26:00.000+09:00

This little guy would look perfect perched on a Christmas tree. This festive design comes from SP2, the design team of Susan and Sam Pearson. Here they are in their own words:

Susan Pearson & Sam Pearson join forces to make SP2
As textile, fashion & lifestyle designers, we love all things design, colour, creative, fun and collaborative. Brighton based for last 7 years after many years in London and Italy at large fashion houses. Looking forward to a life changing move to Devon, UK. Wellys, fruit trees, sandy beaches and big skys & lots new exciting projects.

You can reach them here. And you can download your very own Xmas NaniBird here.

Zombunnie! and Zogg!

2010-12-14T16:18:00.000+09:00

Finally they can be revealed! The nameless (actually they have names) horrors (but cute horrors right?) that I populated the pages of Paper Monsters with. Check this earlier post for details on where to get yours. It's a really fun project and just in time for the holidays too!

NaniBird gets around...

2010-12-08T11:50:00.000+09:00

Just a couple of shout outs to some nice mentions NaniBird has gotten lately.

From the French site Paper Toy Arts, a post that a French edition of the NaniBird tutorial I did for Digital Artists a few months back has been published. Check it out if parlez-vous Francais ^__^

Also, the Dutch site Living Room Television (at least that's how Google translates it for me...) has posted a nice little review of the NaniBirds along with a video roundup I made a while back. Here it is again for your viewing pleasure.

Thanks to both sites for the love!

Flying Skull!

2010-12-06T11:58:00.001+09:00

And now for something cute AND creepy, Flying Skull by French artist Malak. I love the wings... She's just started up her site, but already has some very lovely illustrations there. You really should check out her site, but if you'd like to get your hands on your own Flying Skull immediately, just click here. This lil' cutie is definitely going into Batch Four.

Scrapbook NaniBird and Peep!

2010-12-02T11:11:00.000+09:00

Following up on yesterdays post, here's another wonderful example of a one-off custom using scrapbooking techniques. Sandy emailed me a while back with this post on her blog (sorry Sandy for the delay...). As always, I'm amazed and inspired by the wonderful creations you fine people can come up with using my simple templates. Thanks for sharing this with me Sandy.

NaniBird and cottage

2010-12-01T14:53:00.000+09:00

Kasia, sorry for just posting this but well... Kasia emailed me a while back with a link to her blog showing this really cute custom NaniBird and cottage made from scrapbooking papers. I love how she's used buttons for the eyes. Unfortunately since it is one of a kind, it's not available for download, but still check out her site to see more pics and other great crafts. Bonus points if you can read Polish.

Bodyguard NaniBird for World AIDS Day

2010-11-30T11:58:00.000+09:00

Kinniefan sent me this design in promotion of World AIDS Day, which is happening tomorrow, December 1, 2010. You can download your own little bodyguard here.

She didn't ask for credit for the design but, well, in her own words:

"I'm not interested in credit, but I would be very grateful you'll point at www.swissaidscare.ch

This project in Zimbabwe was founded by a Swiss AIDS-Doc. Ordering my medicaments (yes, I'm HIV positiv) over this organisation, somebody in Africa gets the same excellent therapy for free!"

Sounds like a very worthy cause to me.

Pimpin' Papertoy Monsters!

2010-11-29T17:24:00.000+09:00

Just in time for the Holidays, comes Papertoy Monsters, an awesome collection of cute, creepy critters. I was so psyched when Brian Castleforte (the mad genius behind NPT) asked me to be a part of this. I contributed 2 designs, Zogg! from space and the Zombunnie. I haven't recieved my copy yet, but I just can't wait to get my greedy mitts on it... I'll post pics when I do.

Pimpin’ Paper – One NaniBird in under 5 minutes!

2010-11-29T17:14:00.000+09:00

Because I'm just catching up... a while back the fine web site Papertoy Adventures reviewed QueBird, one of my Glueless NaniBirds. Check it out here.

Not dead... just busy!

2010-11-25T15:10:00.000+09:00

Sorry, sorry, sorry... no updates till August, that's just a sorry thing. *sigh* My regular illustration work has gotten so busy lately I just haven't had the time to keep the site up to date. I REALLY have to post Batch Four before the end of the year. I've gotten so MANY wonderful submissions I just haven't had the time to build, shoot and post them all... but I will get them all posted if it kills me! I hope to post a few of the great designs I've received before then, fingers crossed.

In the meantime, here's a really short film I made of how to put your Glueless NaniBirds together. Make sure to visit the shop and check them out. Hint, hint, they make great presents ^__^

Batch Four starting to hatch...

2010-08-06T11:08:00.001+09:00

The dark beauty up above is from Patricio Oliver, a graphic designer, illustrator and teacher from Buenos Aires, Argentina. You can learn more about The Tenebrae here, and to see more of Po's work, check out his flickr stream.

He also recently ran a free 2 day workshop about character design and art toys and I was really pleased that he asked to include NaniBird in the mix, along with some great templates from Tougui. You can see more pics from the workshop, which was for both adults and kids, here.

So the submissions for Batch Four keep rolling in. To try your hand it designing one, just click here for the templates. Remember, you have until the end of August to be included in the Batch. Thanks!

Arduitter is Live!

2010-07-28T21:02:00.000+09:00

This is possibly the coolest NaniBird custom ever... it's certainly the most technically complex! It's a real live (well almost....) tweeting Twitter bird.

It's built on Arduino, the open source electronics platform. You can check out all the tech specs and even learn how to build your own(!) over at the creators blog. You can also follow along on the arduitter twitter page. You can even watch it serve up tweets live, right here.

Because of scheduling conflicts I wasn't able to get a custom skin to the project in time for the first version... But luckily, there should be a second one coming up which will sport one of the skins below. You guys, on the other hand, can get my custom designs right now and make your own tweeting NaniBirds! Not live, of course, but hey... waddya want from paper? Click here to download the Twitter NaniBird combo pdf.

Batch 4 Needs More! Can you help?

2010-07-26T15:17:00.000+09:00

Hi all, it's been WAY too long between batches… and the world needs more NaniBirds! I really want to get Batch Four released into the world. Some folks submitted designs MONTHS ago and I just never got it together enough to do a Batch release. So I need your help!

Right now I have 25 amazing, gorgeous designs ready for release but I would really like to get that number up to 35. So if you ever wanted to try your hand at designing one or know someone who you think might want to give it a go, here's a link to the templates.

When you send in your designs (as pdf's) please also include 3 pics of your creation, shot on white, from the 3 angles that I used for the other Batches. The shots don't have to be perfect, but it would save me a lot of time. Please send everything to josh(at)nanibird.com

August 31st is the deadline.

OK, so I really hope to hear from everyone and I look forward to seeing what you all come up with!

Josh

PS. But because I can also be a bit of a jerk I might not use everything that gets sent in… sorry and thanks for understanding.

Grand Re-opening, Buy 3 get one free!

2010-07-13T19:12:00.000+09:00

To celebrate the "Grand" re-opening of the Shop, you can now get 4 Glueless NaniBirds for the price of 3. (!!!!) Just enter the code "4for3"before you checkout to apply the savings. I'll start shipping out your orders ASAP!

My pick of pics

2010-07-12T11:26:00.000+09:00

The photo contest over at paperkraft.net is finished and the winners have been announced. Congrats to the winners! But if I'd had any say in it, the winning prize would definitely have gone to Ugly Toy's pics of NaniBirds on a line. Really cute stuff. No justice I tell ya! ;p

Paper Toy Summer Fun Photo Contest

2010-06-17T12:02:00.006+09:00

Contest time everybody! Paperkraft scored three copies of Louis Bou's amazing paper toy book, "We Are Paper Toys: Print-Cut-Fold-Glue-Fun" from HarperCollins Publishers and is giving it away to 3 very lucky Paperkraft.net readers. The contest is open to everybody/worldwide. This is a paper toy photo contest and since summer officialy starts this week (June 20/21) our theme will be "Paper Toy Summer Fun". 

All you have to do is build a paper toy from any of the designers and customizers featured in the book. Head on over to Paperkraft for rules and details. Good Luck!

The shop is open! Nope, the shop is closed...

2010-06-08T20:40:00.000+09:00

The NaniBird shop will be closed starting on 6/10 and will re-open on 7/7. We're all going on a much needed vacation. Even though the shop will be closed, you can still get your Glueless NaniBird fix by ordering either at TokyoMade or White Rabbit Express, so please check out both great shops.

And when we return, I'm really hoping to finally get Batch Four finished and posted. So get your templates here and get hatching!

We Are Paper Toys... arrived!

2010-06-03T12:07:00.000+09:00

Finally! My copy of We Are Paper Toys has arrived. I'm so thrilled to have some of my designs included with all the other great work in the book. I was so jealous reading on my Twitter feed as everyone else was receiving theirs.... I thought mine would never come. Finally... It's like Xmas in June.

A Wee Update

2010-06-02T20:30:00.000+09:00

I just posted a little update to the Tips and Tricks section under "Info" on the sidebar over there<<. Here at the NaniLabs we're always looking for incremental ways to improve the whole NaniBird experience, so when we found a better way of attaching the Speech Bubble we just had to share ^___^. I also updated the template a bit with the new info.

Self-tooting horn

2010-06-02T11:54:00.000+09:00

Woot! We made number 3. Thanks to you all!

Digital Artist NaniBird tutorial

2010-05-28T15:14:00.000+09:00

Here's some pics of a tutorial I did for the current issue of UK magazine Digital Artist about how to create your own papertoy template. If you get a chance, check it out! To see more pics click here.

Doing a tutorial was a really good exercise in organizing my thoughts... having to explain how you do something, your creative process, is a really good opportunity for breaking down your own workflow and process. I really enjoyed doing it!

Glueless Slideshow

2010-05-24T21:46:00.003+09:00

The Shop is now open!

2010-05-21T15:55:00.000+09:00

And it's full of Glueless NaniBirds. Huh? No glue?!?!... Glueless NaniBirds are exactly what they sound like… you just pop 'em out, fold 'em and stick 'em together! I pretty much completely redesigned the original NaniBird template in order to achieve this tab and slot method of construction. My first release is a re-working of 4 of my original designs and depending on how it goes, I'm hoping to invite other artists to participate. They are professionally die cut and printed; and for the first time, I'm offering them for sale through the NaniBird shop. Collect all four!

Sneak Peekery

2010-05-19T13:02:00.000+09:00

H80 Festival in Arnheim

2010-05-18T15:15:00.001+09:00

The Hoogte 80 festival in Arnheim, Holland was a four day family-friendly festival of theater and art and looked like a lot of freaky fun. But one of the highlights had to be the NaniBird workshop! ^___^ The organizers even made a few giant wooden NaniBirds, including one with a couple of small TV's for eyes. Wish I could have made it there, looks like everyone had lots of fun.

Lot's of NaniBird love in Holland!

2010-05-14T10:33:00.000+09:00

If you happen to be anywhere near Arnheim in The Netherlands this weekend, be sure to go to Hoogte 80 festival. It's happening until this Sunday, May16th. It looks like a really fun, family friendly event, with lot's of freaky fun for all ages. There's even some NaniBird workshops for the kids. I believe the lil' cutie's bird up above says "For Mama"...? Don't read Dutch so I'm not sure. But it's really sweet all the same.

If you're feeling really ambitious you could also try and check out the Graphic Design Festival in Breda for some more papertoy action. But if you can't make it to either you can still download your own Breda Mega NaniPack. But hurry, you only have till the end of this month!

Another sneak peek

2010-05-10T10:42:00.000+09:00

Another sneak peek from the Nani labs...

Festival pics

2010-05-09T15:00:00.001+09:00

Fellow paper engineer (and wizard, actually), Marshall Alexander, is also showing his work at the Graphic Design Festival in Breda and has just posted this flickr set of the show. Wish I could have made it, looks great. I'll try and post more if I can.

Sneak Peek

2010-05-07T11:19:00.000+09:00

Here's something I've been cooking up in the Nani lab. Details to come.

Mega Breda NaniBird Graphic Design Event Love

2010-05-03T12:30:00.000+09:00

The organizers of the Graphic Design Festival in Breda asked if I could contribute a bunch of NaniBirds to the Paper Cut portion of the show. Of course I said yes! It's kind of a big deal. So I chose 12 of my own designs and selected 20 contributions from the mega talented artists and designers who have so generously participated in this whole NaniBird thing. In celebration of the event, I've collected all 30+ designs into a special, limited BREDA MEGA NANIPACK, free for download until the end of the month. I've included not just designs from the Batch releases, but several custom jobs and collaborations, plus some re-workings of my original NaniBirds and some stuff I usually sell only on my etsy site. So get downloading!

The show opens on May 7th... I really wish I could make it, but there's just no way. If anyone does happen to attend, please let me know how it turns out and if you can please send pics!

We Are Paper Toys

2010-04-29T13:28:00.000+09:00

Yay! Finally "We Are Paper Toys" is out and our own little NaniBird got some ink. Check it out! To get your own copy, here's the amazon link.

BTW, I hope to be announcing some HUGE news in the next few days. So come on back now, y'hear?

No news is actually good news?

2010-03-17T09:47:00.000+09:00

Sorry for the complete lack of activity here in NaniBird Land lately, I've gotten some really fantastic submissions recently but NO TIME to properly post them... I've just been too busy with my regular illustration work. I hope to have the time soon to post some new NaniBirds, but in the meantime here's a rather excellent little paper birdie to check out:

The Ostrich from Lucas Zanotto on Vimeo.

One More Thing...

2010-01-15T12:09:00.001+09:00

I meant to include this bit of new in the last post, but forgot... the traveling, rolling festival of papertoys that was the Urban Paper show has finally come to an end. From the first opening at the Mobius gallery in L.A. back in May 2009 to the show in the Netherlands, to the one I organized here in Tokyo and finally coming to a stop at Rivet gallery in Columbus, Ohio (to see more pics of the show click here), it's been quite a ride. All praise goes out to Matthew Hawkins, the mad genius who got the ball rolling with his excellent book, Urban Paper.

So..... what's next?

Playing Catch Up

2010-01-14T12:01:00.002+09:00

I've have been woefully neglect in keeping this thing up to date, what with the holidays and my busy work schedule, etc... yadda, yadda. Anyhow, here's a few things that have happened in NaniBird land as of late.

First off, I got the great opportunity to collaborate with standupart AKA Adrienne on a flyer for the 40th Anniversary of Woodstock. It's a really cool project and a great chance to grab some FREE music, using these cool QR code thingies. They're pretty common in Japan, but I think fairly new in the States. It's cool that my little NaniBird can snow "sing"! Also, this is my first glueless design. I hope to be doing more with that... Anybody know of a good printer who can do die cuts? Seriously, I'm on the hunt for one.

Eventually, this will live in the Special Blends section but for now you can get it here (front) and here (back).

In shopping news, my etsy NaniBirds got a nice little mention on the CNNGo site by the hardest working Goth-Loli around, La Carmina. She is truly amazing, you gotta check her site.

My Anarchy Farmer NaniBird from Batch 2 (cousin to the more peace loving' Woodstock NaniBird at the top) recently showed up in an intriguing and visually spectacular publication about the history of the Anarchy symbol. The book is in Italian, so I'm not quite sure what it's saying but the design and photography is really stellar. And (of course) it's FREE! You can get it here.

And YEBOMAYCU has once again released his pdf magazine, II LOVE. It's the 4th issue and it's entirely filled with blanks. It's a really nice showcase of just the basic, unadorned forms of some of the best papertoys around. You can download it for free here.

That's it for now. I PROMISE to update the site more frequently with stuff, including soon a contest. Details TK. Thanks for taking a look.

Mr. Sanpo

2009-11-29T16:49:00.002+09:00

Yup, it's not a NaniBird...... Presenting Mr. Sanpo AKA Sir Sanpsalot AKA Sanpo-san AKA He Who Walks. He originally made his debut at the Tokyo Urban Paper show, but it's just taken me a while to post him. It's a double-sided design with posable arms so I think it will also lend itself well to customizing. You can download the full version here and the blank template, ready for custom work here. If you DO customize him, please let me know as I'd love to post the results here!

For now this design won't be part of the Batch releases and will instead find a permanent home in the Special Blends. But who knows? If I get enough customized versions back, then this little guy will get his own Batch releases. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!

The Most Awesome NaniBird. EVER.

2009-11-26T15:20:00.004+09:00

"I am a huge fan of Nanibirds. I have been with the site since the first four were released. I wanted to send you a picture from my b-day. My stepmother made me the best cake ever and I thought you would want to see it.

Your friend,
Ian"

Ian, you are now officially my number one fan.
And you've got one very cool stepmom. You can check out more of her work on her deviantART site.

This so made my day when it arrived in my inbox.

Just wow.

Update: Apparently Ian has his own devianART site as well. Go check it out!

World's Best Dad

2009-11-19T15:47:00.001+09:00

Originally done for the Tokyo Urban Paper Show, "World's Best Dad" is an expansion on my "NaniDad and the Peeps" set which is still available on my Etsy site. I've been meaning to post this ever since the show closed back in September, but this is the first chance I've had to get it together. I'm hoping to post something else from the show soon, a new character I created for the show. And *gasp*, it's NOT a NaniBird.... who knows how long it will take me to get that guy up...

But in the meanwhile you can get "World's Best Dad" right here.

Tweet? Tweet? Is this thing on?

2009-11-19T15:34:00.000+09:00

I'm twittering now, you can follow me here or just search for "mckibillo". Now what I REALLY need to do is make a custom Twitter NaniBird.....

I'm Not Zebra

2009-11-13T12:27:00.000+09:00

Here's another design that I really should have posted a while ago... sorry about that Zakane. Zakane is the creator behind this busy little bird and you can find more of his papertoys at JUSTUS. To get "Not a Zebra" click here.

Exotic Birds

2009-11-03T16:17:00.000+09:00

OK, I've been swamped with work lately and slow to post anything new for a while, but these custom NaniBirds have really been a long time coming... I got them months ago and now is the first chance I've had to post them. Apologies to their creator, The Daydream Kid (or for those in the know T.D.D.K.), but now here they are and they are indeed pretty radical customs. I love how he's taken the idea of the bird and just pushed into new species. The pelican above is a great new addition to the genus.

And this stork is a pretty cool birth announcement idea. Both these ideas definitely lend themselves to further customization.

You can get the pelican here and the stork here.

II LOVE #3... get it now!

2009-10-15T11:17:00.000+09:00

Run, don't walk and get yourself the latest issue from YEBOMAYCU. With interviews from Shin Tanaka, Nick Knite, Dolly Oblong and Harlancore and exclusive toys from Harlancore, Alexander Gwynne, Zerolabor and Nick Knite, it's absolutely not to be missed.

Some great, great work in there. And (of course) it's all free!!!

Roar!

2009-09-28T11:45:00.001+09:00

The latest custom comes to us from Damien AKA DMC , a 15 year old wunderkind from out of Western Australia. Roar is actually a variation of a custom job Damien did for the French magazine Be Street, which I think is a pretty awesome "get" for anyone. Besides Damien's blog, be sure to also check out his flickr page to check out the line of Hoody paper toys he's developed. Really awesome stuff. And to get your very own copy of Roar... just click right here.

Giant NaniBird, Slightly Used

2009-09-22T13:49:00.001+09:00

Anyone care to give this big fellow a home? I built him for the Tokyo Urban Paper show, but now he's too big to comfortably live in our house. So he's free for the taking. If you're anywhere near Chigasaki (a suburb of Tokyo, on the Tokaido line) in the next few days, swing on by and save this guy from the trash heap.

Won't you call today?

JibJib!

2009-09-17T11:57:00.001+09:00

So the Tokyo Urban Paper show opened and it was a lot of fun (and if you get to Tokyo before the 20th you still have time to check it out) and after it closes I'll have a few more new designs of my own to post. But in the meanwhile, great NaniBird designs are still coming in. The latest is "JibJib" from TIKKYWOW. I don't really know that much about this designer, except that he's from Bangkok and his work is truly outstanding! Check out his site to see all his amazing street art, stickers and T-shirt designs. The guy is really talented! And to get your own "JibJib" to make, click here.

Urban Paper show pics

2009-09-11T15:45:00.002+09:00

pic courtesy of tosyrevil

The Tokyo Urban Paper show opened on Monday and it was a big success with 15 artists showing their stuff. Here's the pics.

I introduced a few new characters at the show, more of which I'll post about soon.

Show list

2009-09-04T16:03:00.002+09:00

Xmas comes early?

2009-09-04T16:02:00.000+09:00

Nope, just unpacking some of the toys for the show... tee hee.

Free Like A Paper Toy

2009-08-28T13:25:00.000+09:00

While I'm still busy getting the Cafe Pause show together, I'm still getting in great NaniBird designs from around the world. This one (click here to download) comes to us from the prolific, always busy, creative-up-to-his-eyeballs Marko Zubak, who is the fellow behind some of the great papertoys at YEBOMAYCU, including the just released ye-boT. Just like his NaniBird, they're all free so get downloading!

Another Peek

2009-08-28T13:11:00.000+09:00

Here's another sneak peek of a work in progress for the Café Pause show.

Tokyo show poster and official mascot

2009-08-25T16:18:00.001+09:00

It's a poster, it's a papertoy, it's both!

Here's my poster for the Urban Paper show that I'm organizing in Tokyo. It will be at Café Pause in Ikebukuro and will run from Sept. 7th to the 20th. Since not everyone who was in the book will be in the show, I didn't want to use the photo collage from previous shows that included all the designs. I also wanted to come up with something that more generically addressed the idea of papertoys and could actually BE a papertoy as well, but one that could also work as a flat image. So the poster is also the "official" mascot of the Tokyo show. Here's how it looks built.

To get your own Urban Paper mascot, click here. Please feel free to re-post or share this guy. Spread the word!

Who is Lava Diva?

2009-08-19T13:12:00.002+09:00

Find more music like this on Nice Paper Toys

Not really sure who this group is but I found this on NPT and just knew I had to share it. The papertoy theme song?

Balaclava

2009-08-18T13:05:00.002+09:00

From the always amazing Shin Tanaka, the OG of urban paper as far as I'm concerned, comes "Balaclava". Check out his site for some of the best this genre has to offer.

Wish I could rock a hoodie as nice as this one. To get yours, click here.

Sneak Peep

2009-08-17T21:52:00.003+09:00

I'm busily getting ready for the Urban Paper show in Tokyo, which I'm organizing and will open on Sept. 7th. The lineup of artists who will be showing new stuff as well as old favorites is looking really good. I hope to have the poster for the show designed soon with all that info and when I do, I'll definitely post it up here.

In the meantime here's a a little peep of some of the things I'm working on.

Pop!

2009-08-14T14:57:00.004+09:00

Today's NaniBird comes to us from Paul Rackstraw, a talented designer and illustrator from the UK, the East Midlands in fact, to be somewhat more specific. Paul's illustration work is stunning, particularly his explorations of pattern, good evidence of which can be seen in this lovely little bird. To download your own little Pop! gem, click here. And tell your friends!

Papercraft Book

2009-08-11T18:18:00.002+09:00

I'm beyond psyched that some of my NaniBird designs are going to be featured in a new papercraft book coming out in the Fall. It's being published by Gestalten and the range and quality of work being showcased looks really impressive.... (I can't believe they let me in ^__^). I'll post about it again when it's available, but in the meanwhile you can check out a preview of it here.

And I promise to post some of the fantastic new designs people have submitted REALLY SOON.

Urban Paper show in the Netherlands

2009-08-05T16:22:00.002+09:00

Here's some pics from the Urban Paper show that just opened in Arnheim, Holland. I was happy to have a NaniDad and the Peeps in the mix. Next stop for the Urban Paper train is right here in Tokyo, where I'm organizing a show (gulp!) that will be opening Sept. 7th.... Mark your calenders!

GameBirdTM

2009-07-22T13:31:00.003+09:00

Man, the hits just keep on hitting... meet GameBirdTM, a fantastic reinterpretation of the venerable GameBoy. I'm not too sure about how the NaniBird form factor would affect gameplay but damn this is sweet to look at. I'd love to have something like this perched on top of my console of choice.

This one comes to us from James Kay of Score Studios and James' attention to detail is really stunning. Click here to download the pdf and get playing!

Who watches the Nanis....?

2009-07-21T20:41:00.004+09:00

Definitely one of the coolest customs yet... Rorschach and NightOwl! from one of my favorite graphic novels of all time, The Watchmen. Oh yeah, and there was that movie that came out a couple of months ago... (I'm not gonna lie, I really liked it as well).

But man, check out these customs! Done by none other than the incomparable Jack "Horrorwood" Hankins (for whom I did a custom myself not too long ago). I love the details on these: the use of Archie (NightOwl's ship) for the speech bubble and the collar on Rorschach's jacket, not to mention his "The End is Nigh" sign. Really great... To get these bad boys for yourself, click here for Rorschach and here for NightOwl. And please! post some shots of these out in the wild to the flickr group!

Get your groove on...

2009-07-14T11:47:00.006+09:00

With this funky pair of NaniBirds from fellow NPT member Scott Schaller. When Scott is not busting out funky custom papercraft he's a teacher at the Cabrillo High School Design Lab, which seems like an awfully cool place to be a student. Wish I'd had someplace like this when I was growing up.

You can download "Bubbles" on the left, here and "Chromatic" on the right, here.

TOUGUI for you

2009-07-10T16:16:00.002+09:00

Continuing with the roll out, here's the gorgeous, graphic "Birdy" from French designer extraordinaire, Tougui. Check out his site for more amazing papertoy collaborations as well as funky graphics and apparel. You HAVE to check out his custom toilet roll holder. Seriously.

You can get Birdy by clicking here.

Chicchirichi!

2009-07-08T15:12:00.002+09:00

Here's the next amazing, actually 3(!) amazing, NaniBird to be released from cold storage. Presenting Chichirichi! A, B and C, all from the super talented Italian designer Ivan Ricci. You can download all the designs from here, where you can also check out Ivan's other great papercraft collaborations, as well as some killer kawaii desktops.

I'm guessing chicchirichi is how Italian NaniBirds squawk?

No More Batches!... well kinda.

2009-07-06T13:45:00.003+09:00

So, I've been rethinking this whole Batch release thing... I've posted 3 Batches already and have been collecting great designs for Batch Four, but the time between releases can be really frustrating for folks who submit their designs early on while waiting for the next release. And it can be frustrating for me as well to have to sit on such great designs before posting them so.... starting today I'll post designs as I get them. I'll still be collecting designs in Batches, and they'll live permanently under The Birds on the left side menu so visitors to this site will be able to look through and download any of the NaniBirds at anytime. I have quite a few great designs submitted so far and I hope over the next few weeks to get most of them posted, so stay tuned.

But to start things off, I'm very pleased, tickled in fact, to present, "Tucky" a great custom designed by Dolly Oblong, for whom I did a custom of my own. To get Tucky just click here and download, print, cut and play!

MonkeyButts!

2009-07-03T11:36:00.003+09:00

Presenting MonkeyButts, a custom job I did for Dolly' Oblong's brilliant Paper Totem! series. When I can (ie: have the time...deadlines, deadlines), I love collaborating on other artist's templates and Dolly's design was just too good to pass up! You can download the pdf's here and while your on Dolly's site, check out her awesome plushies as well as her papertoys. Also, check out the recent interview she gave to the Shiny Squirrel.

II Love mag

2009-06-29T10:26:00.002+09:00

NaniBird was recently shown MUCH love in the new LOVE magazine by papercrafting wizard and hustler YEBOMAYCU. Besides our little birdie, the free pdf magazine also features great work by SalAzad, e440, Harlancore and thatzmyjungle. And it's the debut of ye-boT, the awesome little paper dude up above... he's a robot and he moves(!!!!). And he's nice and blank and ready for customizing. So head on over to the YEBOMACU site and check out the rest of his amazing artwork or click here for a direct download of the mag.

NaniBird FTW!

2009-05-29T16:42:00.002+09:00

The PechaKucha event was a lot of fun, and to judge from the feedback I've gotten, NaniBird went over quite well. The pic above, and lot's more, were kindly taken by Deanne from over at TokyoMade. To see more pics of the event, check out her flickr set.

I also put together a little video of all the NaniBirds released so far, 80 in all(!!!), not counting the Special Blends.

NaniBird at PechaKucha

2009-05-26T16:26:00.002+09:00

If you're going to be in the Tokyo area tomorrow night, Wednesday 5/27, head on over to SuperDeluxe in Roppongi to catch me giving a brief presentation about NaniBird at the next PechaKucha event. What's PechaKucha you ask? Well here's how they describe it on their website:

Each presenter is allowed 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds each - giving 6 minutes 40 seconds of fame before the next presenter is up. This keeps presentations concise, the interest level up, and gives more people the chance to show.

I'm first up at 20:20 (or 8:20 for those not up to snuff on the 24 hour clock) so show up at 20:19 if you want to catch me!

Calling All Cars!

2009-05-21T20:52:00.004+09:00

In honor of the release of the Urban Paper book, Jack "Horrorwood" Hankins invited me to collaborate on a custom design for his "Calling All Cars" series. The result is these 2 exclusive designs that can be downloaded as a deluxe pdf set. Just click here to download.

To see more collaborations and special release, be sure to hit up the Special Blends button on the left.

This is a dual release available for download on both of our sites. Jack has also made a set of wallpapers in various sizes available for download on his site, so be sure to check it out!

NaniBird Tat

2009-05-18T10:14:00.003+09:00

NaniBird tattoo! Got this a couple of week ago, it's healed up all nicely now. This is based on the original series of NaniBird painting's that I did a while back.

You can find out more about the birth of the NaniBirds under the Info heading on the left, under the Nani? What? link.

French Bird.... amazing, funky custom!

2009-05-11T10:34:00.003+09:00

NaniBird lover Diane sent me pics of this absolutely amazing custom. I love how far she's taken the "DNA" of the design and tweaked it. It's a really cool mutant!

Diane actually sent this to me a couple of months ago, but I'm just getting around to posting it now (busy, busy, yadda, yadda.... ). If you'd like to see more of her funky creations check out her flickr page.

And send me any other cool variations you might come up with!

Shocked! Pleasantly so.

2009-05-06T11:42:00.002+09:00

On a whim, I entered "The Dears", a papertoy collaboration I did with Ben the Illustrator, into this year's American Illustration, and it got in(!?!). Onto the website, not the book itself, but still I'm quite pleased. Apparently (from the email they sent out), "it was one of only 583 images from a record-breaking 8,100 submitted" to make the cut.

Woot!

Urban Paper show and book give away!

2009-05-01T13:32:00.005+09:00

Hi all-

If you're going to be anywhere near L.A. this Saturday, May 2nd then be sure to swing by the Mobius Gallery to check out the Urban Paper show, a papertoy exhibition and release party for Matt Hawkin's amazing "Urban Paper" book ( Amazon link ).

I'm really pleased to have been invited to participate in both the book and the show. My contribution to the book was a custom design I did (below) of my NaniBirds called NaniDad and the Peeps.

I normally sell sets of NaniDad and the Peeps, printed out on archival quality card stock, on my Etsy site but for the first 100 folk to comment on this post I'll send along the complete pdf of NaniDad and the Peeps.

In further celebration of the book release and show, I have 3 copies of the Urban Paper book I'd like to give away. But you'll have to work a little for this one ^__^ .... I'm hoping to make Batch Four of NaniBirds released the best batch ever. So I'm hoping the offer of a free book will get your knives and glue sticks out.

Using a complex algorithm of date submitted times complexity of design squared by what I ate that day divided by my mood and employing the completely undemocratic method of what I like best, I'll send three lucky designers a copy of the book.

So if you're in the L.A. area this weekend, be sure to check out the show at Mobius and if you'd like a free copy of the Urban Paper book, get out your knives and glue and send me your birdies! Oh and if you need the template again you can find it here.

Let's get hatching!

Josh

"Urban Paper" book video preview

2009-03-03T06:00:00.000+09:00

"Urban Paper" book video preview
Originally uploaded by Custom Paper Toys

The book will be officially released April 22nd and NaniBird is in it… can't wait! Amazon Link.

Special Blends and Wallpapers

2009-02-25T20:42:00.002+09:00

I've added a new section, Special Blends, to the sidebar on the left, under The Birds. It's where I'll be posting special NaniBird editions as well as collaborations with other artists. I've got a few things there already, so please check them out.

And finally… I've posted a couple of wallpapers available for download under the Bonus! section. I hope to be posting some more over the next few weeks.

We Don't Need Fake!

2009-02-24T15:14:00.003+09:00

I am so psyched to be a part of this project…

Papercrafting legend Shin Tanaka invited NaniBird (aka mckibillo) along with 6 other designers to contribute designs that declare the need to keep it real and be original(!). You can check out and download all 7 of the designs here.

Here's a pic of my design, "HandMade".

Cubeecraft

2009-02-12T16:51:00.002+09:00

Coolio! We've been linked to by Cubeecraft, one of the premiere practitioners of papercrafting (now that's a mouthful…). If you haven't yet seen his stuff, check out the main page. To see more excellent sites that he links to, check out his blog.

Finally… Batch Three!

2009-01-13T09:47:00.005+09:00

Yay! At long last Batch Three is done and ready for your downloading pleasure. Thirty awesome designs, by thirty awesome (and generous) artists from around the world, just waiting to get hatched. So get out your glue sticks and start hatching!

To all the artists and designers who submitted designs, thanks so much (!!!!) for your patience. I know some of you have waited a long time for your work to get posted and I thank you for contributions. And now please(!), spread the word. Feel free to post your designs on your blogs or social sites or whatever.

Also, just a quick note about the NaniBird site. I redesigned it a bit with new menus on the left hand side that collapse or open as you click on them. Let me know what you think.

Thanks again
Josh

Design This Design That

2008-12-22T10:51:00.002+09:00

Get your own - Open publication

My NaniBirds were recently featured in the great little online design zine, Design This Design That run by the talented and generous Ariadna. It's chock full of interviews and great images from custom toy designers from around the world. It's a great resource for anyone even slightly interested in the custom toy scene. Please check it out and drop a note for Ariadna and let her know how much you like it.

Cafe Pause Poster

2008-12-18T11:41:00.004+09:00

Batch Three is almost (so, so very close) ready to hatch, but in the meantime...

A few weeks ago Tokyo blogger and general man about town Jean Snow asked me to contribute a poster design to grace the entrance of Cafe Pause. So of course, my little birdies made an appearance. If your in the Ikebukuro area of Tokyo during the next few months, please stop by and check it out!

I'm also selling prints of the poster here.

PoppaXmas

2008-11-15T09:13:00.003+09:00

I was invited by The Shop Floor Project to contribute a design to their Bauble 2 Exhibit, an online shop of custom made Christmas tree ornaments. So here's PoppaXmas and the XmasPeeps. All together, they're singing "Fa la la la".

Calls for Batch Three!

2008-11-11T14:20:00.002+09:00

I'm really hoping to post a new Batch of birdies up here before the end of the year. So the call is going out to anyone who might like to submit a design. But to be included in Batch Three you should get your designs to me by December 15th. Please see the "Call for Artists" page for details on how you can participate.

Thanks and let's get hatching!

Facebook group

2008-11-08T09:37:00.003+09:00

I've also just started up a Facebook group for NaniBirds here. Please join!

NaniBirds in the Wild

2008-11-07T09:26:00.003+09:00

Hey, I just started a flickr group called "NaniBirds in the Wild". If you have any pics you'd like to share... please, add them to the group! The birdie shown here is "Lucy Bird" by Fhiona Galloway, you can get your own in Batch Two.

Thanks

Urban Paper... the Book! the Movie!

2008-11-06T16:23:00.002+09:00

Urban Paper the Movie from Studio N8 on Vimeo.

The amazing Matt Hawkins started putting a book together of papertoys months ago and I was (and still am) so psyched and honored that asked me to contribute a design. Now, while you can't get it yet (although you can pre-order it) he's put together an excellent slide show of what to expect when the book drops. Suh-weet!

Shout out!

2008-11-06T14:12:00.002+09:00

The NaniBirds got a nice little mention in a recent issue of Web Designer magazine. Thanks to NaniBird pal, Steve Rack for letting me know. You should see what the man does with crayons.... crazy. Now, I'm just hoping he'll find the time to make a little birdie for us.... ^__^