Data Playground

Terra Frogs

Blender • Illustrator • Physical Media

A speculative toy collection inspired by the idiosyncrasies of the natural world. This set of blind box toys inspires curiosity in children by reinspiring regional frogs as fantastical creatures. Three of the designs were realized as 3D modelled and printed toys.

3D-Modelling & Production, Frog Design: Paulina Tesoroni
Packaging, Illustration, Frog Design: Gahyun Kim

This Data Visualization Toy uses its Bendy Bell Curves to help children model normal data and make hypotheses based on their findings. After the child collects their own data, aided by the included Suggestion Cards, they can model the sample mean and standard deviation on the included tray. This tactile and intuitive process makes statistics easily approachable for young children. The set also includes a pad of data frames, a marker, and the building blocks for Histo-man, a mascot and aid for crafting histograms.

Deliverables:

3D Models & Animation
Packaging dieline & mockups (all 3D modelled in Blender)

Planning

The two of us began by researching real frog breeds and imagining how they could be transformed into a fantasical creature. For example, the Vietnamese Mossy Frog's distinct spotted look reminded us of an overgrown statue, which became the inspiration for the Ancient Ribbit. We then exchanged sketches and worked together to design several ribbits.

Digital Sculpting

While Gahyun worked on the illustrations, I began 3D modelling the frogs based on her anatomy sketches. Once the overall frog base was completed, I added details to create the Ancient Ribbit, Sleepy Ribbit, and Sunny Ribbit. Some of these models required multiple rounds of revision to get the look that Gahyun wanted. For example, while Gahyun loved the based on the Ancient Frog, we both felt that my intial draft of it was too realistic. I later went back and based the design more on the frog's distinct spots than on an actual mossy statue.