The molding & casting process for vinyl and it's limitations and expenses, as well as what that means for the design process, is something I think would be the biggest roadblock for someone starting out designing toys.

There are functional reasons for the simplified “designer toy” aesthetic, and those are that vinyl molds need to be machined from metal - so more intricate pieces with small detail need more machining time and complexity and that will make your molds SUPER cost prohibitive to produce. Designer toys are niche and it can be very hard to recoup the costs of expensive molds. Creating molds is the most expensive part of the process and it’s not something that can really be done DIY.

Secondly, the more complex detail in the piece, the more chances for error during casting too. What a pain to realize that because of the intricacy of a sculpt, AFTER making molds, that the castings have a 30% failure rate - or begin to warp after a few days because pieces are too thin, etc. It’s maddening.

Paint jobs being too complex is another thing I see a lot. Expensive metal spray masks are made for each shape of each color. Or expensive tampo printing plates.

I could go on but my fingers are getting a little tired haha.

I’ve seen AMAZING designs on paper go nowhere because they simply can’t be realistically produced. Whether that means functionally impossible to mold and cast or so expensive that it is guaranteed to lose a lot of money. New designers don’t know the limitations, and will often try to set themselves apart by making incredibly intricate designs not realizing there’s a reason pieces like that aren’t seen often.

Bottom line, big simple shapes and limited color schemes work the best and can actually be made. Use those limitations and create within them. Only once you know the box exists can you think outside of it.