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You may not know who Frank Varlea is, but if you’re a “mint on card” or “mint in box” collector and have any Mattel figures in your collection, there’s a good chance you have some of Varela’s work on your wall...
A graphic artist and valued member of Mattel’s packaging department, Varela took the time to answer some of our questions regarding this seldom appreciated area of the industry. SuperHeroTimes.com (SHT.com): How did you originally begin working in the toy industry?
Frank Varela (FV): I started three years ago and had no prior toy experience in packaging. My portfolio was with DVD packaging, VHS, theatrical release promotional materials, standees and POP projects. Mattel was very impressed with my resume and portfolio and offered to give me a shot in their packaging department.
SHT.com: What is it you do exactly?
FV: Basically, I create the packaging concepts and then create a line look for the toy line I’m working on. The line look helps give a (toy) line a consistency when you go out to the stores and look for specific brands. Primarily, I deal with a lot of graphics, logo treatments and typography to create the overall look of the entire line look.
SHT.com: What type of education do you have?
FV: I went to UCLA as a design major and worked as a student designer of the on-campus advertising department. I worked on a variety of projects from coffee mugs to ads to T-shirts; anything that the UCLA logo could go on...
Three months after graduation, I got my first job in the art department at a software design company and I’ve been working as a graphic designer since then...
SHT.com: What projects have you worked on so far and which have been your favorites?
FV: I’ve worked on the Batman ESP, Superfriends, DC Superheroes, JLU (orange and purple packs) and now the new DC Universe: Classics line (exclusive first look below!).
My favorite pieces have been the Comic Con figures; specifically Man-Bat, Grundy, and Catwoman.
SHT.com: What has been your most challenging project to date and why?
FV: They are all challenging. The most was Solomon Grundy because of the sheer amount of art we had to work with and making sure the vibrating package worked correctly...
SHT.com: What would be your "dream project"?
FV: To work on Comic Con-like projects. Packaging that can be stand alone and really be special...
SHT.com: What are the differences in making a toy's packaging for a child versus a collector?
FV: Collector packaging is easier because I can create more subtle nuances that a collector will pick up on and a kid won’t. A line at mass retail has to appeal to “mom” and is not always what a collector is looking for.
SHT.com: What are you working on currently?
FV: I am working on the new DCUC line; both the 6-inch and the new Fighting Figures line. I am also working on our Kung Fu Panda line that will be out in April of 2008, just in time for the film from Dreamworks.
SHT.com: What are the most important aspects of a good packaging design?
FV: Color scheme is probably the most important because that is what makes a toy pop out on the shelf and grab your attention.
The second most important is a clear read on “branding”. What that means is can you figure out who the character is, what world he/she lives in, and what’s cool about him/her...
SHT.com: How much time does it take to come up with a new packaging design for a new toy line?
FV: Six to eight weeks at least...
SHT.com: How involved are the license holders in the packaging process; do they give you creative freedom or do they have specific rules or requirements you must follow?
FV: They defiantly have specific rules, but we collaborate. I create the ideas, we show it to the licensor, they give us comments and we work together to make sure the packaging is on the mark.
Generally on Comic Con packages, I have been able to enjoy a greater amount of free reign. (Comic Con packages are) a fine example of making a one-off collector-friendly package as opposed to a mass retail “mom” and kid-directed package...
SHT.com: How would you like to see toy packaging change?
FV: I’d like to see toy packaging become more sophisticated. By that I mean have the package become a part of the toy instead of something you just throw away and forget about. I think the Comic Con packages from Mattel over the last few years have been great examples of this (2007 SDCC Man-Bat variant, below).
SHT.com: Where do you see toy packaging going in the next five or ten years?
FV: Actually, there is demand from our retail partners for less and less packaging for global sustainability reasons. It will be very interesting how the battle between good informative packaging and good for the environment works...
- Questions by Scott Rubin, CJ Stunkard, Jess C. Horsley and Jeff Saylor.
- A special “Thank You” to Frank Varela for answering our questions and giving us his input on packaging design; “thank you” to Mattel's ToyGuru for coordinating the interview.