FANCIFUL DEPICTIONS:
The Art of Sea-Monkeys
A substantial part of SEA-MONKEYS® success can be credited to the artists responsible for the fanciful depictions in the ads and on the packaging, which captured the imagination of children.
HENRI LAMOTHE:
Refining the look of the fanciful Sea-Monkeys® took place over the first decade (1960 to 1972) and involved three artists. Harold’s friend, Henri LaMothe, created the illustrations, packaging art, and hand lettering for the first decade of Harold’s novelty products—including the hatching baby Sea-Monkey® emblem now known as “Hatchey.”
Henri’s Sea-Monkeys® most closely resembled actual brine shrimp, featuring fins on each side of the body. His versions were also generic in that they were indistinguishable from one another, much like the creatures themselves.
BRICE BELISLE:
Another family friend, Brice Belisle, assisted with graphic design and illustration. Brice was responsible for the 1963 red and black INSTANT LIFE® card featuring smiling children. He continued contributing to the brand for decades, designing back panels heavy on content. His last contributions included the illustrations for Yolanda’s “RELUCTANT RACCOON®” children’s book and her “SEA-MONKEY LOVERS®” t-shirt.
BEN HARVEY:
As the company grew, Ben Harvey’s Communication Arts studio was enlisted to handle graphics. It was Ben who altered the characters’ look, giving them more elongated bodies, longer tails, a single fin running down the back, and individual personalities. His depictions first appeared on ingredient packets in 1970, along with some early comic book ads.
JOE ORLANDO:
By running ads in comic books, Harold had connections with comic book publishers. This led to an introduction to Joe Orlando, a major talent in the comic book publishing industry. Joe illustrated for various publications including EC Comics, DC Comics, Warren Publishing and Mad Magazine. He also played a key role in refining the whimsical look of the characters. He created the now-iconic Sea-Monkey® nuclear family in front of their purple castle home and remained the primary illustrator throughout the 1970s.
THE KROSNICKS:
The 1980s saw a complete redesign of the packaging, style, and characters when LARAMI CORPORATION began licensing and distributing the Sea-Monkeys® brand for TRANSCIENCE. The new artwork was created by the Krosnicks, a husband-and-wife team who developed a unique style incorporating painted relief sculptures. Their work gave the characters a more cartoonish and dimensional look.
THE CHIODO BROTHERS:
In the early 1990s, BASIC FUN briefly handled the brand while Howie Mandel and the Chiodo Bros. developed a live-action Saturday morning television series for CBS. During this time, the Chiodo Bros. provided unified packaging artwork for the brand.
Although the TV show was short-lived, the Chiodo Bros. artwork remained for a while but was gradually phased out after EXPLORATOY took over licensing in 1996. During the early ExploraToy years, a combination of artwork by the Chiodo Bros., the Krosnicks, and Brice Belisle was used as they worked toward developing a new presentation style for the product line.
DAVID DEES:
Leading up to the 40th anniversary of Sea-Monkeys® in 2000, ExploraToy contracted David Dees to handle illustrations under the art direction of Gregory Bevington. Collectors consider this era the “golden years” as ExploraToy produced some of the most inventive products and beautiful packaging.
ExploraToy managed the Sea-Monkeys® brand until 2017, when a new company took over licensing with lackluster results. After legal disputes, TRANSCIENCE regained control of the brand under the guidance of Harold’s widow, Yolanda Signorelli. Yolanda then struck a licensing deal with DRAGON-I TOYS for mass-market retail products while she focused on cottage industry items.
THE KROSNICKS RETURN:
Having to restart the brand from the ground up, new tank molds and packaging had to be developed. The Krosnicks, already well-versed in the brand’s history, were re-enlisted to create the new character illustrations.
TOD ROBERT MACHIN:
In 2000, during the 60th anniversary of Sea-Monkeys®, Tod Machin—a longtime Sea-Monkeys® fan, collector, and artist—began collaborating with Yolanda on her cottage industry products. His work eventually expanded to include new character designs and artwork for Dragon-I Toys’ mass-market retail kits. Tod’s lifelong connection to the product, deep knowledge of the brand’s history, expansive collection, and creative talents brought fresh passion and energy to the brand.
This brings us to the present, where the legacy of Sea-Monkeys® continues to evolve and thrive.
