Search Results for: mascotology

Mascot Makers, Designers, Experts & Know-It-Alls

March 6, 2019Leave a Comment

From Idea to Mascot & BEYOND!!!

We’re with you from from concept to design to finished mascot. We can also guide you with your mascot strategic plan, mascot training and mascot safety.

There’s a whole world of mascot trainers, advisors, designers and performers who are also part of our world. We consult with them on a variety of projects almost daily.

We’re mascot know-it-alls

Need a custom mascot? Get in touch.

Adorable Crew

We’re a pretty adorable crew. The gaggle of mascot makers at AvantGarb are loaded with talent. That’s Annie at the top of the page. She’s sitting on her favorite high-heeled shoe chair to attach a wheel to a truck mascot. She’s one of the Magnificent Mascot Mavens.

Queen of Fuzz

I head the crew of mascot experts. On my biz cards I’m the Queen of Fuzz. I started Avant Garb in my Berkeley, CA garage in 1986.

Mascots were just inching their way into the culture when Avant Garb started making them. They were so new, I had to invent ways to make them. We’re still inventing.

Master of Mascotology

Annie is the studio manager, and she’s in charge of shoes and accessories. In Mascotland, tails are accessories. She’s also my daughter. She has been hanging around mascots since she was a toddler.

We awarded her a special, Mascot of Mascotology degree

Puppets, Video & the Over-head Projector

Mike’s background is puppets, video & the over-head projector – yes, really! In his hands, the over-head projector is an art form & it’s hilarious! Turns out those are great skills to have in the mascot studio

Fuzz Whiz

Tonie was on the Phantom of the Opera Costume Road Crew for a year. She also grew up in costume shops. Her mother was a designer. She knows how to put all the foam, fuzz & fabric together.

Lucky us! Tonie also works backstage on many of the big shows that come through town so we sometimes get great stories of stars backstage.

Robotics, Sound and Lights

David is our lights, robotics & sound guy. If the mascot needs some sort of battery & sequential lights or some moving part that needs to be manipulated remotely, David knows how to do it. He is, indeed, a wizard!

Let’s connect and discuss big things!

Say Hello

©Jennifer Smith 2018

Mascot Engineers – Mascot Design & Collaboration

April 13, 20131 Comment

We live in a world of fuzz, fluff, foam and googlie eyes at AvantGarb. Here in MascotLand, the mood of the studio and ease of collaboration rules. That’s the only way we can get to good mascot design – to be the best mascoteer engineers we can be!

When designing and producing a new mascot, we gather together to ponder a seam, contemplate a collar, engineer and re-imagine the interior structure. We are mascoteer engineers. It’s called, Mascotology.

Making a big belly requires a some foam that is covered in athletic mesh and stabilized with hoops – they look like hula-hoops, but are custom made to match the contours of the belly.

The mascoteers at AvantGarb work together on all aspects of the mascot. The body needs to work with the head. The legs need to fit into the shoes….and don’t even get me started on the hats! We’re big on Big Millinery!

Rocket science accuracy is sometimes part of the engineering.It turns out, putting on and taking off (for easier shipping) a couple of Really Large Antenna, on TiVo, is a very complex bit of engineering.

We are, after all, great character builders – Mascoteer Engineers.

A Guide to Getting a Custom Mascot – Mascots Basics

August 14, 20182 Comments

It’s far from a common purchase. It’s so uncommon, people don’t have the language for ordering a custom mascot costume. If you’re thinking about a mascot, but don’t know where to start, AvantGarb’s Mascot Basics is for you. Think of it as your mascot guide.

It has answers to many questions like:

Getting a mascot design. We will make a dynamic, compelling design.Our mascot designs are made to fit a performer. The designs also have graphic integrity for print, signage, clothing, on the web, etc.
Understanding mascot costs for a custom mascot.
How to order a custom mascot.

There is also a quick explanation of something we call, mascotology, mascot marketing strategy and the importance of craftsmanship.
You may have ordered custom mascots before, but feel like you could use a little refresher course because:

You got a mascot several years ago but can’t quite remember how you did it.
You want a new mascot that looks like the old mascot – only better looking!
You want to add to your current mascot population.

Check out Mascots 101.

©Jennifer Smith 2023

Mascot Haute Couture

November 8, 2015Leave a Comment

In the beginning….

The original plan was to design costumes for avant-garde theater, thus the name, AvantGarb. Making mascots wasn’t part of the plan until a teensy cookie company called. They wanted a cookie mascot. The cookie company’s mascot appeared on the front page of the SF Chronicle when the giant food & dessert trade show rolled into town, That cookie got me hooked on mascots. I changed the business plan. That was in 1986.

The next mascot was Captain HP for Hewlett Packard!

AvantGarb is one of just a handful of custom mascot-making companies. We’re headquartered in Indianapolis.

Mascot making is an artisanal business. Patterns are drafted, foam is sculpted, ears are placed and eyelids are sewn onto hand painted eyes. If a mascot is a big, muscular guy, those big muscles are created with fabric, and foam and all of it is sewn together.

…and don’t forget the shoes

We’ve made several generations of TiVo mascots On the outside, TiVo looks the same, but my, oh my has the interior structure changed. From basic PVC pipes to a sleek, light-weight aluminum structure that comes apart for shipping and clicks together when TiVo makes appearances. We call it Mascotology.

Mascots cost $5000 – $25000 each.

This is what some people have said:

“Ten years ago we searched for someone who could produce a high-quality, fun mascot.

The first TiVoGuy was born and 4 generations later, he (and his newer relatives) are stillbringing joy to TV fans everywhere. Nobody does smiles better than AvantGarb!” Bard Williams, Director, Marketing, TiVo Inc.

“Jennifer and the rest of her “groovy” staff at AvantGarb have been a pleasure to work with over the years. The quality, and service that goes with it can’t be matched in the industry. Much love from Grand Rapids!” Rich Meyers, Director of Game Operations,

Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL)

Fuzz, Foam & Fleece – Mascot Haute Couture

August 1, 2017Leave a Comment

Yes, the mascot studio is like a haute-couture atelier.

Rather than fine silks & wool, our materials are fuzz, fur, foam & fleece. Patterns are drafted, fur fabric is cut, foam is sculpted, ears are placed and eyelids are sewn onto hand painted eyes. If a mascot is a big, muscular guy, those big muscles are created with fabric, and foam and all of it is sewn together.

The original plan was to design costumes for avant garde theater, thus the name, AvantGarb. Making mascots wasn’t part of the plan until a teensy cookie company called.

The teensy cookie company’s mascot appeared on the front page of the SF Chronicle when the giant food & dessert trade show rolled into town,

That cookie got me hooked on mascots. I changed the business plan. That was in 1986.

The second mascot was for Hewlett Packard. 30 years later, we got another call for an HP mascot – this time a really fabulous Knight.

…and don’t forget the shoes.

AvantGarb is one of just a handful of custom mascot-making companies. We’re headquartered in Indianapolis.

This is what some people have said:

“Ten years ago we searched for someone who could produce a high-quality, fun mascot. The first TiVoGuy was born and 4 generations later, he (and his newer relatives) are still bringing joy to TV fans everywhere. Nobody does smiles better than AvantGarb!” Bard Williams, Director, Marketing, TiVo Inc.

Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL)