Charizard - Statue

Art Director / Project Manager

I worked as Art Director and Project Manager on Sideshow's Charizard Statue, the second piece in the officially licensed Pokémon line, right after Life-size Pikachu kicked things off. I was that kid who begged my dad for the holographic Charizard card, and twenty-something years later I'm helping usher in an epic 18.5" polystone version of the same Pokémon mid-flamethrower move, wings spread, sitting on a base of swirling fire. Our designer, Rachel Roubicek, our sculptor, Matias Cabrera and I worked through the pose and proportions to make sure Charizard felt powerful without losing that animated-series charm, then I spent a lot of time getting sculpt and paint approvals through The Pokémon Company International while keeping on schedule. Getting that fire effect to read right under the wings definitely took a few rounds, but holding the final piece and thinking back to begging for that card as a kid? Priceless.