August 17, 2015 | Posted in:Vellum News

 

Perusing through instagram looking for artists I came across a few companies who make unique enamel pins out of  popular cartoons, icons and video game characters. Whereas a pin or badge is usually remade from something else, ie. a band logo or store name, the pins I discovered are made for the sole purpose of pinning. Some companies even call them hat pins and sell old hats to pin them in if desired. There are vague drug references in a line called trippy pins which seem to be a collection of people who make mind altering enamel pins using popular icons.  It might’ve began at the ultimate trippy concert seeing the Grateful Dead since there are hints of their logo everywhere. Some of the funnier creations include Mario’s Bowser taking a bite out of Toad’s mushroom head and Yoshi with acid on the tip of his super long tongue. Nice to discover this small universe and see what people are doing on that scale. Pop culture-wise pins or “badges” were made popular by punk rock bands and typically used as a symbol of DIY status to announce one’s likes and beliefs.