Gallery: How One Pixar Animator Manufactures His Own Toys

  • 12tricksterfoxfinaljeffpidgeonpixarwireddesign
    01

    12-trickster-fox-final-jeff-pidgeon-pixar-wired-design

    *The question now is what Pidgeon will do for his third effort.*
  • 11happybeavertricksterdesignspecsjeffpidgeonwireddesign
    02

    11-happy-beaver-trickster-design-specs-jeff-pidgeon-wired-design

    *In order to get a satisfactory product from the factory, all the details must be listed clearly.*
  • 10happybeaverpreproductionsculpturewaxedupformoldingjeffpidgeonwireddesign
    03

    10-happy-beaver-pre-production-sculpture-waxed-up-for-molding-jeff-pidgeon-wired-design

    *The CAD data is turned into 3-D parts and are used as masters in the molding process.*
  • 09happybeavertricksterfoxmodelbreakdownjeffpidgeonwireddesign
    04

    09-happy-beaver-trickster-fox-model-breakdown-jeff-pidgeon-wired-design

    *The increased complexity of the fox meant multiple molds needed to be created based on the CAD data.*
  • 08happybeavertricksterfox3dmodeljeffpidgeonwireddesign
    05

    08-happy-beaver-trickster-fox-3d-model-jeff-pidgeon-wired-design

    *The project started similarly with sketches, but quickly evolved into 3-D models.*
  • 07tricksterfoxjeffpidgeonpixarwireddesign
    06

    07-trickster-fox-jeff-pidgeon-pixar-wired-design

    *Pidgeon followed up his first toy with the "Tr!ckster Fox" -- a mascot for an annual art and culture convention.*
  • 06happybeaverjeffpidgeonaltcolorwaywireddesign
    07

    06-happy-beaver-jeff-pidgeon-alt-color-way-wired-design

    *From start to finish a project like this takes about a year.*
  • 05happybeaversculpturecolormatchingjeffpidgeonwireddesign
    08

    05-happy-beaver-sculpture-color-matching-jeff-pidgeon-wired-design

    *Communicating with factories can be a challenge, so it is imperative to specify everything using a standard like the pantone color matching system.*
  • 04happybeaversculpture3dprintjeffpidgeonwireddesign
    09

    04-happy-beaver-sculpture-3d-print-jeff-pidgeon-wired-design

    *One of the key benefits of 3-D printing is rapid prototyping. Pidgeon was able to evaluate models at different scales.*
  • 03happybeavercadmodeljeffpidgeonwireddesign
    10

    03-happy-beaver-cad-model-jeff-pidgeon-wired-design

    *Going from 2-D to 3-D can be challenging. Pidgeon started with clay, but eventually modeled the character in 3-D.*
  • 02happybeaverjeffpidgeonwireddesigntoymaking
    11

    02-happy-beaver-jeff-pidgeon-wired-designtoy-making

    *The toy started out as a sketch in Jeff Pidgeon's notebook.*
  • 01happybeaverjeffpidgeonwireddesign
    12

    01-happy-beaver-jeff-pidgeon-wired-design

    *The "Happy Beaver" is a vinyl toy designed by Jeff Pidgeon – a story artist at Pixar who worked on the* Toy Story *series*.
Read More
The WIRED Guide to Shopping Prime Big Deal Days
Before Amazon’s October sale begins, learn how to investigate prices and track products like a pro.
Louryn Strampe
The Top New Features Coming to MacOS 27 Golden Gate to Try Out Now
Siri’s reintroduction takes center stage as Apple officially rolls out the latest version of macOS to download and install.
Luke Larsen
I Trained a Fly’s Brain to Generate WIRED Story Ideas
I used an open-source map of a fruit fly’s brain to vibe code a website called PitchFly. Its headline suggestions were delightfully bananas.
Will Knight
The 8 Best Movies to Stream This Month
The Mandalorian and Grogu, The Wild Robot, and Obsession are among the must-watch films arriving this month.
Matt Kamen
Chipotle Is Working With Palantir to Track Food Safety Risks
The burrito chain has enlisted Palantir for a platform that monitors pest incidents, employee illnesses, and other factors. The partnership comes after a nightmare summer for food safety across the US.
Kate Taylor
The iPhone 18 Pro Is for the Shutterbugs
Fun camera features help make these candy bar iPhones stand out from the dazzle of the folding iPhone Duo.
Julian Chokkattu
Don’t Buy an Android Phone Until You Read Our Guide
Shopping for a phone can be an ordeal. That’s why we’ve tested almost every Android phone, from the smartest to the cheapest—even phones that fold—to find the ones worth your money.
Julian Chokkattu
Introducing the WIRED App
The app is the best way to read, watch, and listen to WIRED’s journalism.
WIRED Staff
Hackers Got Inside a Flock Camera. Its Data Shows How the System Really Works
A hacker collective pulled down a Flock camera and dumped its data. The files included thousands of videos and logs showing that the device captured 1.6 million images of 50,000 vehicles in 21 days.
Dhruv Mehrotra
The EU Plans to Ban Social Media For Under-13s
The bloc wants to curb Big Tech’s grip on children with its new EU Kids Act, but age checks, parental oversight, and privacy concerns could make its plan difficult to implement.
Isabella Ward
I Made Robot Vacuums Clean Up Cherry Juice and Cheerios. These Won
My hands-on tests reveal which models can scrub stains, reach difficult corners, and navigate a chaotic home.
Nena Farrell
Self-Driving Cars Might Change Crash Testing Forever
Lie down in a car, and you’re more likely to get seriously hurt in a crash. But a driverless future is forcing governments to revisit long-standing safety issues.
Aarian Marshall