To become a toy designer, creative people should first get a degree in art or graphics and then work on developing new toy and game concepts to sell to toy companies. These students might also be interested in taking classes in basic crafting skills like sewing and carpentry. Some inventors prefer to oversee toy and game products from a broad perspective but dislike the initial creative process may prefer to work directly for existing toy manufacturers.
Toy designers’ responsibilities include developing new types of toys and toy lines. A toy is any hand-held entertainment created for and marketed specifically to children, such as board games, but not usually video games. The designer should be well-versed in computer and graphic arts. Typically, the toy design is sketched first and then rendered in 3D in a graphics program. The builder then uses this model to create a design prototype, which is then presented to the client for approval.
To become a toy designer, a student should pursue a post-secondary education in art or computer programming with a focus on graphic art. Although some schools offer undergraduate degrees in toy design, it is not technically necessary to have one to enter this field. Students should possess a high level of natural creativity as well as the ability to connect with children and understand their interests. Though many toy designers have market research teams at their disposal who analyze what types of toys are selling well at any given time, many designers prefer to create innovative and popular products based on their own intuition.
While earning their degrees, students can work on personal projects or actively seek employment with toy manufacturers as they near graduation. Some artists become toy designers by designing and building a model or game that they then sell to a larger manufacturer. In this type of situation, the inventor takes the project from concept to model, prototype, and working finished product. He then takes it to companies that are actively looking for new children’s products, where if the toy works well, he may be offered a full purchase of the new toy or a royalty-free option. Some designers prefer to work directly for the manufacturer, and may only be involved in certain aspects of larger projects that the company conceptualizes and develops rather than the designer directly.
Taking classes and workshops in a variety of hand crafts, such as sewing, metal work, engineering, and carpentry, may be beneficial to artists. Individuals on the path to becoming a toy designer can learn how to master the basic design mechanics that are used to create a wide range of children’s items and games with these skills. This type of designer is more likely to be able to finish his own toy to completion, as he is not limited by his lack of knowledge in the area of physical construction.