Artist Repaints Mass-Produced Dolls To Make Them Look More Realistic, And The Result Is Amazing
Some people might say that dolls are kids' toys and nothing more. But incredible artists creating lifelike dolls can change the minds of the harshest critics.
Noel Cruz is one of those people. The Filipino artist, currently working in the USA, repaints regular cute dolls making them into real one-of-a-kind pieces of art.
He has transformed many simple dolls giving them realistic faces of famous people and characters. Noel's repainted dolls are done with intricate detail to the point of being naturally lifelike in essence. These realistic dolls are sold as collectors' items and are wildly popular.
Take a look at some of the "before-after" doll repaint images and be amazed by the talent of Noel Cruz.
More info: ncruz.com | Facebook | Instagram | noeling.deviantart.com | noelcruzcreations.tumblr.com
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Emma Watson
She looks plastic in the first one. In the second she actually has flesh tones
Load More Replies...the artist sometimes changes the bodies to make the dolls more realistic, what is most important to him is a shape of the head. with this one he explained it all on his facebook page.
Load More Replies...The original one is by far the worst "look-alike" doll I have ever seen.
What do you mean "the original doll"? There's only one doll and real Emma.
Load More Replies...Angelina Jolie
Seeing all the comparison photos it just looks to me like they use harsh lighting for the originals and softer (more flattering) light for the re-done ones. In another BP article one of the after dolls also looked like it had 3-d neck tendons where the original didn't and someone mentioned the re-done one was probably a specific brand. So the before and after may possibly not be the same doll, just comparisons of a non-redone version of a doll of a celebrity vs a re-done one of that same celebrity, just not necessarily of that specific doll. I'm not sure on that second part, though. Either way the artist does sell these, so they are real. And though the lighting (and *possibly* better base doll) definitely helps this still takes a lot of effort and skill.
Load More Replies...I personally like the first one since eyes grab my attention first.
THe nose is totally different in the "after" pic. I don't think it's only paint.
Jim Parsons
I love this. They should make one that says "bazinga!", "knock-knock-knock, leonard, knock-knock-knock, leonard, knock-knock-knock, leonard" and "that's my seat". Would definately buy that!
Ralph Fiennes
The picture on the left he looks pretty much like an angry fish to me LOL.
He would have painted them. In the first photo the teeth are way too large so by scaling them properly he's able to fit both sets in :)
Load More Replies...Gal Gadot
They're real. He's selling those on ebay :)
Load More Replies...Looks more like moreena Baccarin on the second one. What was Barbie thinking giving her zero muscle on her arms? Looks like there’s less there than on a regular Barbie?!
Marilyn Monroe
Eyes, nose, eyebrows, the chin, shape of her head,... Everything.
Load More Replies...Looking deeply at these dolls, I think it makes it so real is the details of the eyes. They are spot on!
Johnny Depp
One of the sculpts that was done that the screen painting from the factory was pretty good. I agree!
Load More Replies...The original in this is the best of the lot...but the after looks like a photo!
Too much is going on with the repaint. Works better with the first one
The second one literally looks like a picture. I honestly had to double check to make sure
Naomie Harris
He even fixed her dreads! They look so real! Such attention to detail.
On the first one the black markings and lips are so faded
No. Just because the talent is that amazing, doesn't mean one should downplay or put down their work. In the world of painting dolls, it's an insult to say they photoshopped it. The man is amazing. Google is your friend.
Load More Replies...Cher
How did she change the hairline without the bangs being stubby? I seriously need to know
Daniel Radciffe
Sorry...Daniel Radcliffe and not Harry Potter!! Duh!!
Load More Replies...Amazing how a lot of these have the shape correct, but everything else so wrong...and painting them correctly makes them look like the actual person instead of some weird generic thing.
Princess Diana
Artist certainly knows how to do eyes and mouths but is that nose crooked?
I feel like the wide grin is uncharacteristic of Diana and her personality but that is obviously the fault of the original sculptor.
Cate Blanchett
Obviously his work made it much more realistic but the first one isn't bad compared to some of the rest.
Of course! It's just that they're all relatively cheap dolls so they won't be like... Hot Toys level to start off.
Load More Replies...Emma Watson
In the first picture, she looks like Melissa from Pretty Little Liars
It's like that woman that does makeup and makes herself look like Stallone...then Bieber. He's painting the details of the face and using the s****y doll as a canvas.
Load More Replies...Helena Bonham Carter
It's blond version of Marcia Cross from the desperate housewives on the "BEFORE" shot :)
99% of the factory dolls are unrecognizable until Noel fixes them with his incredible talent!!
Jennifer Lawrence
A whole lot of them aren’t wearing the same outfit
Load More Replies...Gal Gadot
Errr.. the hair is different on the right "doll". I've got serious doubts that this is what it says it is.
He removes the hair in some of them. Pay attention
Load More Replies...I don’t think anyone can get gal gadot right. Tonner came very very close even thoug it’s not as realistic. I would prefer something that looks like gal gadot. Too much of the head was removed and changed the shape of her face
On Facebook you can see behind the scenes photo's.. I didn't believe either until I saw them. And yes, the after photo's are beautifully lit. Just a little photographers trick..
What??? The shading in the neck and clavicle....ha. hair changed out or photoshop?
Jennifer Lopez
Liv Tyler
The first one wasn't horrible but the second gave her face more dimension
Cher
Lucille Ball
pretty sure you can order one, but they're pricy ;)
Load More Replies...Didn't the stars have to approve how these look before they went on the market - and she was okay with this???
Judy Garland
They've already been sold but he can be commissioned for $1,250 and up.
Load More Replies...The doll had the shape, just painted by a chinese factory worker than has probably never even seen Garland.
Ian Somerhalder
WAIT....wasn't that the same head they used for the Harry Potter doll?
Similar, but different. This doll has longer hair!
Load More Replies...Jennifer Lawrence
Eyes and nose are different shapes from the doll. After face has lip curls.
Skull Boy
no it is not. his name is Rick Genest and those are real tattoos.
Load More Replies...Johnny Depp
Mia Wasikowska
If I were this person, I would def. have to buy the doll as a beautiful keepsake of her at this age. :)
Vivien Leigh
No, not at all, but the repaint looks like a work of art.
Load More Replies...Better, but the doll's nose was too big and it's hard to overcome that.
Meryl Streep
One thing is 100% certain. Streep did not, does not and never will look like this 😂
The Devil Wears Prada. Yes! She did look like that.
Load More Replies...The doll's nose is not her nose, but even so he managed to make it look more like her. Amazing!
The doll manufacturer did not get her jawline & chin right. Even the artist probably can't do much with that but still improved the factory issue!
Devil Wears Prada - Miranda Priestly? No.
What's happened with eyes color, nasolabial folds? 1-5a2c806ecf6a8.jpg
Meryl Streep's nose is way longer than this. It changes the face completely...
Diana Ross
I want to know how long it takes him to make the hair look so realistic.
Michael Jackson
Farrah Fawcett
Great face on the second one but the body looks all wrong. Way out of proportion to her head.
Christopher Reeve
At least this ones original actually looks like who it's supposed to.
https://www.amazon.com/Hot-Toys-Masterpiece-Collectible-Christopher/dp/B0052QHF1E
Load More Replies...This one was so close! Just needed someone that could do likeness better. Nailed it!
Robert Pattinson
Cassandra Peterson
Glenn Close
Jennifer Lopez
I know it's so beautiful. I've repainted and changed the hair of Barbie dolls but it seems insanely inadequate compared to this.
Load More Replies...The second doll resembles actress Drea de Matteo, who played 'Adriana La Cerva' on "The Sopranos"
. . . how do doll manufacturers get away with these awful dolls?? Cruz improves every one 100% . . .
Kristen Stewart
The real KStew is ugly and has a "homeless person" appearance like she lives on the streets. Looks nothing like her.
Helena Bonham Carter
there doesn't have to be a problem, the repaints are custom orders so somebody wanted it more realistic, that's all.
Load More Replies...Jackie Kennedy
just me or are the eyes too far to the right? the nose is centered but the eyes are not in the right place
They are off center, or maybe the doll's head is just weirdly positioned?
Load More Replies...Her face looks like she was smashed with a potato masher. Looks crooked on the right
Cyndi Lauper
I would like to have one made for my 80s collection or purchase one. My email is rokthe80z@gmail.com
Luke Evans
Factory bell will give you nightmares
Load More Replies...They did better on Gaston than they did on Belle AND SHE'S THE MAIN CHARACTER.
But having said that, these are all simply amazing and I'm so enjoying looking at them.
Load More Replies...Audrey Hepburn
Elizabeth Taylor
She looks more like Elizabeth Taylor originally tho.. I’d rather keep the resemblance than make it look realistic
Clark Gable
Elizabeth Taylor
Except why the brown eyes? Elizabeth Taylor was known for her violet blue eyes.
I think in the re-do, they're just not neon purple like the original one. If you zoom in, they are actually violet.
Load More Replies...Lady Gaga
True, though the face looks more like Tilda Swinton, does it not?
Load More Replies...Lady Gaga
How do you know? She NEVER looks the same in any of her videos.
Load More Replies...That's BS. I copied the image in photoshop, rotated the head on the right a little, scaled a bit to line up the corners of the eyes and the nostrils... and the result proves what I thought I saw... the head on the right is much wider than the doll head. This is fake.
This is the problem in trying to capture the "real" Lady Gaga. She changes her look so much that its hard to keep up with her *L* I love her tho!
Ian Somerhalder
I'm so glad he wasn't, the books and movies are s**t. There are better places to go for porn.
Load More Replies...The artist makes HUGE improvements on the eyes, and that's what makes them work. That and the skin tones.
Kate Middleton
Kate Middleton is stunning! But, she kind of looks creep in both... Maybe they just can't capture her beauty?
my thoughts exactly.. not even close to hear natural beauty
Load More Replies...Emma Watson
Every time I see the "1st" doll of her, I think I would be offended by it if I were her!
The Emma Watson ones are always the most f*****g tragic looking creatures :')
Princess Diana
Poor Diana.. Was finally becoming a real person, was working on being happy... Then, suddenly she's gone. And this idiot puts her in the wedding dress she hated.
That's how this doll was sold. The artist just repainted her face to look more like her.
Load More Replies...Selena
Emily Browning
Love them both thefactory actually did a good job unlike bell which looks creepy
For once, I agree; the original production doll isn't perfect, but way better than most of them.
Load More Replies...Angelina Jolie
Except the face is too short on the doll itself.. they definitely never got her headshape right
@Donna Mixon, are you kidding me with that comment right now? I had mine removed due to breast cancer, and had what they call, RECONSTRUCTION. EVER HEARD OF IT?!? Have you seen her chest these days? Have you a clue?
Load More Replies...Ben Affleck
OK, that's a tough one to nail! Since all that's visible is his chin. This is why, while he's a great batman...his disguise sucks. You can clearly see it's Affleck behind that coil!!!
Heath Ledger
I think that the first one is the doll half customized and the second is is the full customization. This isn’t actually a store bought doll
The eyes mostly, plus there is a bit more texture painted on in the second one too.
Load More Replies...Ashley Greene
Jennifer Lawrence
Selena
She may be a bit before your time (not sure how old you are). She was killed in 1995. =( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selena
Load More Replies...Elle Fanning
Ian Somerhalder
Like the "Cleaned-off" shot here - shows the casting of the face has the detail, but the mass-production painting spoils them.
Jean Harlow
I agree. I wonder if that one was even supposed to be a Jean Harlow doll. Maybe it was a random doll he turned into Jean?
Load More Replies...Elizabeth Taylor
It is, but a young Liz Taylor didn't wear red ribbons. I get the reason why but considering the accuracy of his work, that's a slip up.
Load More Replies...They have yet to get her eyes right. The purple used is nice, but you have to really zoom in to see it. Her eyes could pin you like a bug, hypnotize you..
Kristen Stewart
Normally she always has her mouth wide open. This makes it so unrealistic. ;)
LOL they both capture her complete apathy toward life, the universe and everything...
You think you know what goes on inside someone just by looking at their shell? You have a lot to learn..
Load More Replies...There we go, looks like she's smelling something stinky. That's Kristen for you.
She's an actress. Yes she's in twilight, and I don't but show some respect
Load More Replies...Vivien Leigh
In the first one, her face shape is more her but the 2nd one has more details, esp. the eyes.
it's the same doll, the face is painted thats all
Load More Replies...Emma Watson
He's def got Watson down. The face shape isn't as good as the Belle doll...but the paint is beautiful.
Paulina Porizkova
Took it from vintage Barbie to something that looks like an actual person.
I guess for the original, they thought, "We'll just put some winged eye liner on it, call it a Supermodel."
Beyonce
Carrie Fisher
The lips on the redo are just a bit too bright.
Load More Replies...The lips on the second one look like she smeared food coloring on her lips.. it looks messy somehow
Huh this one was pretty good actually. It looks more like her with the very dark eyes. Factory did a pretty decent job there.
Cher
Are we sure they’re not just two different dolls? They’re not even in the same outfit and the Original one still looks great
Jackson Rathbone
David Boreanaz
He was a vampire on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It's the bite he received that made him a vampire.....Unless you're kidding. :P
Load More Replies...Don't like the sculpt - the jaw doesn't look like Boreanaz. Still, the improved version is way better.
I think it is Angel when he was first "made".
Load More Replies...Gal Gadot
Marisa Tomei
Ok. Here's two photos of dolls that look nothing like Marisa tomei . ..
Josh Hutcherson
He played 'Jess Aarons' in "Bridge to Terabithia"
Load More Replies...Janet Jackson
Not enough expression in the eyes, they look as dead as the original.
I think the eyebrows need to have more of an angle. The family eyebrows are pretty angled. And shes famous for her dimples.
Load More Replies...Kendall Jenner
Mariah Carey
Lindsay Wagner
I SO wanted to be Jaime Sommers when I was little. She looks just like I remember.
Madonna
The before is just a Barbie with a beauty mark. They're not even trying.
A lot of times the original has nothing to do with the final. He finds a doll and turns it into someone famous. They are just showing it so you see what he did with it.
Load More Replies...The before is Rosalee from twilight. So...that more like just making a random doll madonna
It wasn't even a Madonna doll it was a Rosalie (Twilight) doll, so better all the way around.
The first one is supposed to be Rosalie from Twilight, look at that necklace...
Amy Winehouse
I don't think the first one was supposed to be her.I think it is just some miscellaneous doll that was repurposed to look like her.
She was a talented artist. Who the f*ck cares how she died? And these dolls are rather for collection.
Load More Replies...Karlie Kloss
She looks like if Dwight and Angela from the office had a daughter but with darker hair
Lily James
Whitney Houston
Yeah, Whitney's cheek bones should be really sharp and a narrower chin.
Load More Replies...In what universe would anyone pay money for that factory doll that does not even slightly resemble Houston?? At least Cruz made her recognizable . . .
Dan Stevens
Funny thing is, the final version of dan Stevens here is hotter than the actor was in the actual movie. Excellent job here
Audrey Hepburn
Awwww she was so beautiful. What a sweet and innocent looking lady she was.
This artist is amazing. I'd give anything to have the Johnny Depp doll!
Marilyn Monroe
The face shape was better on the first doll but as usual, he got the eyes perfect on the 2nd one. :)
Natalie Portman
Joan Crawford
yeah, it aint Joan without the over drawn lips and big heavy eyebrows. OK, maybe in the very beginning, she was a bit lighter on the makeup. 845cbe80a0...lamour.jpg
Steven Tyler
thats just all ball-jointed dolls so they can bend over. take that where you like.
Load More Replies...IMO needs some wrinkles. I think it looks kinda odd with the gray hair but no wrinkles at all.
. . . must be some guy named Steven Tyler I never heard of - 'cause neither of these images look like the guy from Areosmith - who is extremely skinny and has very close set, small eyes . . .
They are photos. They are photos. They are photos....of dolls. You mean to say: They look like photos of the real person.
Load More Replies...Where is the video, because I don't believe this isn't photoshopped?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jq5bALt4pWY
Load More Replies...It's Zombie Boy, not Skull boy. These are very good though.
I don't believe this esp after that 2nd wonder woman one that started out with plastic moulded hair suddenly had real flowy hair....
If you look at some of them, you can see the artist replaced the hair as well.
Load More Replies...This man is just awesome with what he does. It's amazing how he is able to capture not only the looks of these people, but their personalities as well and that, is the work of a true artist.
The best compliment I can think of is that during the first few pages, I kept having to remind myself that it wasn't pics of the doll next to pics of the living people who the doll was supposed to be.. A lot of these are amazing! I don't know how we had masters in the past such as Van Gogh and Michaelangelo, modern people who can do things like this, and yet every freaking portrait in the middle ages made everyone look like the love child of Mr Potato Head and Mrs Butterworth...
They are photos. They are photos. They are photos....of dolls. You mean to say: They look like photos of the real person.
Load More Replies...Where is the video, because I don't believe this isn't photoshopped?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jq5bALt4pWY
Load More Replies...It's Zombie Boy, not Skull boy. These are very good though.
I don't believe this esp after that 2nd wonder woman one that started out with plastic moulded hair suddenly had real flowy hair....
If you look at some of them, you can see the artist replaced the hair as well.
Load More Replies...This man is just awesome with what he does. It's amazing how he is able to capture not only the looks of these people, but their personalities as well and that, is the work of a true artist.
The best compliment I can think of is that during the first few pages, I kept having to remind myself that it wasn't pics of the doll next to pics of the living people who the doll was supposed to be.. A lot of these are amazing! I don't know how we had masters in the past such as Van Gogh and Michaelangelo, modern people who can do things like this, and yet every freaking portrait in the middle ages made everyone look like the love child of Mr Potato Head and Mrs Butterworth...
