The story of Attakus began in 1988 with the creation of its first statues and collection figures
More than 600 statuettes and figurines have been made for Euro Disney, the workshop then turned to bust sculptures
A licence from Marvel allowed a strong development of the company with the Franco-Belgian figurines
The Lucas Film LTD license has fostered the creation of a strong workshop of creators and designers of Artbooks, Serigraphs and Sketchbooks
Olivier and Agnès took care of the organisation and development of the production of limited edition collector statuettes
10 sculptors made up the workshop for the production of statuettes and collection figurines
Originally, the materials used for the figures were resin, porcelain and lead
Soon authors of comics, artbooks, serigraphs and shechbooks joined the Attakus team
Jean Pierre Gibrat participated in the development of the company with his know-how in the creation of figurines
Comic books such as Star Wars or Blacksad have given rise to derivative products, statuettes and collectible figurines
Products such as sketchbooks Comix buro attakus or comics Guarnido are highlighted in the shop
The collections of sketches of many authors are available, Fane, Varanda, Loisel, Navis
Let yourself be seduced by our limited edition collectible figurines, comics, silkscreen prints and sketchbooks
Attakus' passion for creation is inspired by the heroes of your comics
The creation of statuettes and figurines and full of realism with careful details
Visit our shops and make your choice on our latest figurines
New renowned authors offer their artbooks, sketchbooks, posters and serigraphs
THE STORY
MODEL MAKING WORKSHOP
From the toy manufacturer to the advertising agency or the theme park ordering statues of its heroes, the common denominator for our clients was the exploitation of a licence
From toy manufacturers to advertising agencies to theme parks commissioning statues of their heroes, the common denominator for our clients was the exploitation of a licence and the sculpture.
At that time, Olivier Sztejnfater, then manager of an important Parisian decorating company, entrusted the workshop with the realization of more than 2,000 linear metres of Greco-Roman statues and thematic decorations for the Smurfs theme park in Lorraine. Numerous orders followed this project.
In the early 1990s, Olivier Sztejnfater, Agnès Charvier, Etienne Aillaud and Frédéric Paindecided to create a SARL.
They won a very important contract for over 600 original statues for the park Euro Disney. This commission, as interesting from an artistic point of view as in terms of volume, highlighted the recurring problems caused by an excessive workload and tight billing.
The management team decided to look for projects that would allow them to be paid in royalties on a series of sculptures, rather than by charging for prototypes.
The opportunity arose when Lansayfor whom ATTAKUS had made many toy prototypes, introduced them to the at TF1's Paris headquarters the licensing officer Marvelon tour in Northern Europe. Attakus told her about his project. She agreed to meet them again three weeks later, and they had to prove their skills. They chose to put in volume Spidermanin a posture inspired by the cover of Spirits of the Earth (The Spirits of the Earth), by Charles Vess (Marvel Comics, 1990). With this prototype, the team got a breakthrough date а New-Yorkwith a Marvel license at stake.
THE FIRST FIGURINES
The first, to name but a few, were those of ВD Franco-Belgian the characters of Gai-Luron (Vaillant, from 1967) and Creepy Pervertof Gotlib (Fluide Glacial, 1981); then the cat Clark Gaybeul (Fluide Glacial, 2008), a recurring creature of the French scriptwriter and cartoonist Edikafollowed by the protagonists of the Fabulous Adventures of the Freak Brothersby Gilbert Shelton (Tête Rock Underground, 1992). In 2000, it was the turn of Valerian and Laurelinesurrounded by the aliens who accompany them in their space-time adventures, drawn by Jean-Claude Mézières on a script by Pierre Christin (Dargaud, from 1967).
THE POSITION OF ATTAKUS
In 1998, Attakus then endeavoured to sign licences that were little or not developed by its competitors, with authors chosen by affinity and published by Fluide Glacial, Métal Hurlant, publishers embodying the late 1970s.
This was the specificity of Attakus in the 1990s, drawing its roots in ideas and a certain form of counter-culture from the seventies, in resonance with the hippy movement and the American underground.
Later on, Attakus got closer to Vents d'Ouest, Soleil and Delcourt, publishers of the 1990s, who developed universes fed by fantasy and heroic fantasy.
The Frenchies were not defeated and came up with a crazy project: sculpting the figures of Star Wars at the same time as the cinema was being released Star Wars , episode 1, sequel to the first trilogy filmed thirteen years earlier.
They sent their project to Lucas Film Ltdaccompanied by several Marvel figurines and the Mona Lisa. This one won the votes of Georges Lucaswho invited Attakus to the famous Skywalker Ranchs headquarters in California, to present his sculptures.
The Attakus staff flew to the United States with eight prototype statuettes, including Наn Solo, Darth Maul , Yoda, R2-D2and a Stormtrooper.
They stayed for four weeks to finalise the prototypes and negotiate the licensing agreement. The business plan provided that each statuette would be the subject of a worldwide edition of 1,500 copiesThis will soon be expanded to 1,700, of which 200 will be reserved for the Japanese market.
THE LUCAS FILM LTD LICENCE
In 1998, Attakus published a Mona Lisa The smiling, colourful Mona Lisa was a hit with Japanese and American customers. The American market proved to be as promising as it was difficult. They attacked it with Spiderman and a sculpture by Silver Surfer ("The Silver Surfer") by Jack Kirby (Marvel Comics, 1978). It was so successful that it worried a lobby of American competitors, who lobbied to ban Attakus from the market.
THE ORGANISATION OF АТТAKUS
Olivier and Agnès take care of the organisation, development and monitoring of production. They also manage the contractual part, the logistics and the distribution network together. All decisions are taken together, whether they are commercial, artistic or strategic.
MANUFACTURING
Since its origins, the studio has been responsible for the entire process of creating and producing the sculptures - modelling, moulding, printing the resins, painting, etc.
In 2000, the licence Star Wars , added to that of Marvel, In order to cope with the volume of work generated by the American and French licences, the Attakus team would have had to hire twenty or so additional people, expand the premises, invest in equipment, in other words, run a very high risk in the event of a drop in activity. In addition, they noticed that statuettes supposedly made in France were offered at prices that were far too low, given the social minimums in France.
They then realised that some of their competitors were quietly having part of their production manufactured in Asia.
After weighing up the various options, Attakus made the decision and organised several trips to select factories capable of carrying out all stages of the work manually.
THE FUNCTIONING OF THE WORKSHOP
At the beginning, the workshop had between five and ten sculptors. This number has varied since the company was founded, depending on the trades practiced and the economic situation.
Attakus then returned to metal with a series of Star Wars figures in sets of 2,500, now all sold out.
The pieces that come out of the workshop are not signed with the sculptors' names, but with Attakus'. In view of the quantity and diversity of the
parts produced, it is understood that the whole
the workshop is involved in the creation of new
pieces. The management of ATTAKUS likes to compare the sculptor to a chameleon, a vampire or a sponge, all qualities that are essential for the
understanding of visual and graphic codes.
Some sculptors have developed a facility in
particular fields. For example, one will specialise in drapery, the other in the reproduction of
hair structures or the mastery of anatomy ;
so-and-so will be more comfortable on the small scale or will not
on the contrary, it will only really express itself by tackling the
o larger patterns.
ATTAKUS ЕТ LEAD
Convinced that it was possible to produce quality lead figurines with a high level of detail at reasonable prices, the workshop embarked on the adventure with a new collection called «Attakus Métal ». The first three pieces in this collection also marked the beginning of a long collaboration with Régis Loisel .
The first was a Tinkerbell at the inkwell (from the series Peter Pan Vents d'Ouest, from 1990). It was followed by two versions of the Fourreuxthe pet of Pelissefrom La Quête de l'oiseau du temps (on a scenario of Le Tendre, Dargaud, from 1983).
These first plays were followed by a series featuring all the main characters of the series Peter Pan some of which could be installed in a resin set taken from one of the boxes in the album, thus forming a a diorama. Among the various characters are two Tinkerbells standing on shafts, figures of style of the order of a centimetre in size.
...
ATTAKUS ЕТ THE AUTHORS
A sculptor is fortunate to be able to work with a draughtsman who is involved. Thanks to the sketches that the draughtsman can provide and the observation of errors that only his sharp eye can notice, he is a precious help to the sculptor in his work of truth. Sometimes, however, too close a collaboration can become a source of difficulties, as it can expose or even exacerbate certain traits of the draughtsman.
Attakus а chosen to engage and deepen the relationship with the authors, multiplying contacts and exchanges, accepting in advance the difficulties that might arise and considering that the human and artistic bond of this collaboration is one of the joys of the profession.
Relationships have been established with them, sometimes leading to extra-professional projects, such as participation in Slumberlanda rock band led by Agnès, with Pierre Boisserie, Juanjo Guarnido, Stéphane Brangier..., and the launch of a collection of sketchbooks with Olivier Vatine. In its own way, Attakus а managed to retain some of the libertarian spirit that prevailed from its foundation.
THE ADVENTURE OF THE BIG PELISSE
Pelisse is the heroine of La Quête de l'oiseau du tempsa magnificent heroic fantasy saga in four volumes, drawn by Régis Loisel on a scenario of Serge Le Tendre (Dargaud, from 1983 to 1987).
As will be seen below, Attakus and Loisel had already worked together on several lead figurines before the creation of a Pelisse on the same level. Régis Loisel and Serge Le Tendre were more than reluctant to embark on such a project, believing that it was not possible to make a satisfactory representation.
On the contrary, the management of Attakus was very enthusiastic, so much so that they declared that the workshop was ready to do everything in its power to realise "The Pelisse of their dreams".. What had they not said ...
The authors were convinced by the idea of a 30 cm high resin statuette. Four years later, after abandoning four different postures, a Pelisse of 70 cm which was born, dressed in real clothes.
When the final pose was determined, the sculpting of the body of the beauty was not the most complex part. It was the face and the treatment of the hair that crystallised all the difficulties, with a good dozen different proposals.
A small numbered booklet attached to each statuette relates and illustrates some of the stages of this undertaking.
Finally, this adventure, both human and artistic, gave birth in 2005 toa magnificent Pelisse d'anthologieIt is as satisfying for authors and sculptors as it is attractive for collectors.
It was produced in two versions: in colour, then in sepia.
The workshop then produced two superb busts of the universe Loisel large, the first of Captain Hook's Capitaine Crochetfrom Peter pan (six volumes published by Vents d'Ouest from 1990 to 2004), the second of Bragonfrom the same volume as Pelisse de La Quête de l'oiseau du temps. The bust of Bragon also published in 2006 in a smaller version measuring 26 cm.
COLLABORATION WITH JEAN-PIERRE GIBRAT
Attakus' first collaboration with Jean-Pierre Gibrat had come to fruition with the character of Cécilefrom the Sursis from Suspension. A comic book in two volumes (Dupuis, from 1997). This exclusivity to 300 copies for the Album shops is a real success, far from the busty heroines that Attakus had made a speciality of. This time, the sculptors set out to translate the nonchalant and contemplative look that Jean-Pierre Gibrat is about a France struggling to find its feet during the Occupation, from 1940 to 1945.
In 2005, Attakus released the statuette of another of Jean-Pierre Gibrat's heroines,5 for the Canal BD network. Jeanne from the Vol du corbeau (Dupuis, 2002).
WOMEN'S COLLECTION AND PERSONAL CREATIONS
In order to break away from the unavoidable comic book reference, Attakus asked a number of well-known artists to create a new character and put it into volume. This was the beginning of the 'Femmes d'auteur' collection. One of the first creations in this collection was the lovely Condine fairy, designed by Régis Loisel . This unexpected sculpture, which represents a pregnant and naked fairy, is a real success. It exists in two versions, colour and monochrome
Naughty and sensual, this creature could lead one to believe that she is one of the heroines of the album Holiday disturbances (by Régis Loisel and Rose Le Guirec, Humanoïdes Associes, 2003) although she does not appear in it.
THE FIGHT OF ASТERIX
Attakus had long wanted to work with Albert Uderzo. While they were working together with the toy company Lansay on prototypes of figurines from the second Asterix feature filmAstérixAt the same time, they met with those responsible for the Gallic hero's licences. Attakus proposed to commemorate the 50 years of Asterix by the realization of a very ambitious sculpture, a generalized brawl gathering about fifty characters of the Gallic village.
"It was a real pleasure to work directly with Albert Uderzo, who worked on this project several times in his workshop.
LES BUSTES BLACKSAD
En 2007, Attakus commence un collection de mini-bustes, en s'appuyant sur les personnages de l'oeuvre de Juanjo Guarnido et Juan Dias Canales, dont la renommée dépasse les frontières européennes : BLACKSAD
UNE NOUVELLE GAMME DANS LA LICENCE STAR WARS
L'année 2010 est l'année du lancement de la gamme Star Wars Élite chez Attakus. Le Vador 1 de la série Classique sert de modèle pour la première pièce de la collection. SW001 : Vador #1 était alors créé. Les années qui suivent voient la série s'étoffer avec de nombreux modèles de Stormtrooper sans oublier les personnages incontournables (Yoda, R2-D2, C3-P0 etc...)
CAP AU SUD !
In September 2011Attakus а organised a big party to mark the company's move from Montreuil-sous-Boisin the Paris suburbs, towards Montpellier. On this occasion, Agnès and her rock band made all the guests dance until the early hours.
THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES
in montpellier with new collaborations Montpellier avec de nouvelles collaborations :
- Alberto Varanda
- Jean-luc Istin
- Lewis Trondheim
- ‘Fane
- Jim
- Régis Loisel
and many other talented authors!
“LES SCULPTEURS DE BD, dans l’atelier des créateurs de figurines” de Bruno Cabanis, Éditions Eyrolles 2014
