Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Chewin gallery: The outfits!

This is the final part of the Chewin Chronicles, he he. In the photos that follow, the outfits Chewin has auctioned off at e bay in the last year or so. We get two in one though, as all the dolls that model for these are his repaints too - you will recognize some of the faces you have seen in previous posts.I hope everyone enjoyed his work as much as I did. I am certain we will see more great things from him in the future.

Remember the black fashion on my Obsidian Vanessa? Here is the original on a repainted Face Time Eugenia.

A repainted Hypnotic Francisco Leon wears a jeans outfit similar to that of my Francisco in a previous post. Only the colors differ.

A closer look at the repaint...ahem...

White jacket, jeans and turtleneck for Primal Urges Francisco Leon

A repaint of Aquaman wears a Chewin fashion and looks very trendy.

Even Sybarites get the Chewin treatment.

Veronique Perrin gets a Chewin makeover and an outfit too! This versatile little number consists of a bolero jacket, bodysuit and skirt.

Basil wears a dark navy jacket and tie, silk Thai pants and plaid shirt

A brown corduroy ensemble for Francisco Leon - with a white turtleneck.

Evandro, a Matt repaint, wears a black outfit with a chequered lining.

Chewin's repaint of Pierre, one of his best works in 1/6, is wearing a plaid vest over a knit t-shirt and faded jeans.

Francisco is wearing a coat over a vest, turtlenecks and pants.

This repaint of Matt wears a creamy yellow collarless jacket over a shirt and silk pants.

A Sybarite in gold. A very sexy dress from Chewin.

High & Mighty Darius Reid gets a serious makeover as an exotic guru with Nadja Rhymes as a protégée in her red lace frills.

We have seen the outfit Francisco is wearing in a previous post. But the main focus here must be Ayumi next to him: wearing a gunmetal silk Thai suit with a red & white polka dot scarf, this repainted beauty steals the show.

Romantic look and outfit for this lovely Sybarite doll.

Matt as a teenager? And in a boys band? Monkees beware!

A very dapper Matt repaint in jacket, striped shirt and jeans - a very Italian look.

Remember Jerome? Here is his exquisite Native American costume.

I love white/cream for winter. Here is Matt in a coat, sweater and pants by Chewin.

Mahiru sporting a trench coat over a Nehru jacket and pants. Impeccable tailoring!

Rule Breaker Pierre De Vries in sweater, shirt and jeans by Chewin.

A modern dandy look for Matt - très chic!

Natalia Fatalé is going riding in a very elegant version of a riding costume.

Stripes for our fashionable Francisco Leon .

Pierre De Vries is ready for the boardroom in this tailored suit.

Here is a close up of the suit's jacket: the details speak for themselves.

And for our finale, Sadao wears a corduroy vest over a cream sweater, white shirt, red tie and jeans with leather belt.

All photos courtesy of Pornchewin Malipunte

Monday, September 24, 2007

Chewin gallery: The repaints!

Here are the Chewin repaints I managed to archive from his e-bay photos. His work is truly amazing and the detail he lavishes on each doll is breathtaking. Usually apart from repainted, they are re-rooted too, with equally amazing results.So without further ado, here is his unique work:

Angelina, a former Tonner Sydney

A repain of Tonner's Aquaman doll, posing as a model for Chewin clothing.

A Tonner Basil repaint

A Tonner Charlotte

Eugen, an Effanbee Basil

A Tonner Matt repaint as a Native American called Jerome.

Mahiru was a Tonner Matt. Notice the tattoo on the shoulder & chest.

Going to smaller dolls for a change: Sadao is a Fashion Royalty Francisco Leon repaint.

I have not included dolls already featured in previous posts. And of course this is far from a total archive of Chewin's work so far. So feel free to join in with your own dolls made by Chewin. His outstanding outfits will be featured in a similar presentation on the next post.
All photos courtesy of Pornchewin Malipunte

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Meet the Artist: Pornchewin Malipunte and Kittimavadee Malipunte - part 3

Here is the final part of the Chewin interview - I really hope everyone enjoyed it!

FDC: What has been the most rewarding part of making doll-size clothes?
Chewin:
The most rewarding part of making doll clothing is when the buyer purchases one of our products, and they truly appreciate all the hard work and creativity that has gone into creating the doll. Being admired for my hard work, dedication and creativity is a very rewarding feeling for me.

Chewin jeans fashion on my FR Primal Urges Francisco Leon.
Check the details and finishes inside and out.


Detail of the same outfit with it's knit t-shirt.
The exquisite belt has a snake skin insert in the original leather.


FDC: What is the most difficult part of making doll-size clothes?
Chewin:
Working with dolls is a very difficult and time consuming task because of the precision needed in creating a beautiful product. Dolls are very small in size so they require a great deal of concentration and patience. I would have to say working on the sleeves of the dolls is one of the most difficult challenges I face during the entire creation process. I am working with a very small space and the slightest mistake can ruin the entire product.

Here is a Chewin FR sized fashion on a Hot Toys action figure from Aliens.
Except from the length of the pants, it fits great.
All accessories except shoes from Chewin.


FDC: Are we going to see more accessories for your outfits? Like bags and shoes? Your belts are very well made.
Chewin:
No, actually, there is a skilled craftsman that lives near my house. He creates many items for dolls such as furniture, cloths, weapons, belts and shoes. But I think only Matt’s shoes and belts are the best work he has done.

FR Tête a Tête Pierre De Vries in a Chewin vest, scarf, shirt, jeans and belt.

FDC: What kind of details do you make sure to always incorporate into your clothes/dolls?
Chewin:
For clothes, I think nice and neat details are rather outstanding in our fashions. For each doll I create, I always put real eyelashes [for dolls] on the upper lids and try to give it a profound look.

FR Darius Reid in shirt, knit vest, shorts, belt and striped socks from Chewin.

FDC: What has been your favorite outfit/piece so far and why?
Chewin:
I like the Tuxedo or any jackets for Matt O’Neil and casual wears for FR Hommes. These fashions make the dolls look very exquisite. I plan to make such fashions for FR Females too.

FR Hypnotic Francisco Leon in a Chewin coat, mock turtleneck, belt and pants.
Bag and shoes by Fashion Royalty's Thrill Seeker outfit.

Close up of the same outfit without the coat.

FDC: Are there any tips or advice for all the doll-clothing makers out there you'd like to share?
Chewin: For doll fashion designer/maker:
  • You should realize the accurate proportion of the doll that you’re going to make the outfit for.
  • You should select the proper fabric, pattern or even the button that should match or is suitable for the doll size.
FR Euphoric Pierre De Vries in turtle-neck, leather belt and chequered pants from Chewin.
Bag and shoes from FR Euro-Classic outfit.


For doll re-painter:
  • You should know the basic structure about human anatomy and muscle definition especially around the face area.
  • You should realize the skills you have when using different techniques.
  • You should realize that you can paint any details your mind imagines on the doll’s face with the smallest brush.
  • The most important thing before making the repaint is : you should realize that after the repaint, your work should be better than the original paint that you have just removed.


A change of clothes for Pierre: Coat, shirt and pants by Chewin.

A close up for details of the coat with its lovely leather belt...

...and the back: excellent workmanship.

FDC: Is there anything else you'd like to share about yourself, your dolls or your clothing?
Chewin:
My sister and I work on dolls purely for the love and satisfaction it brings us. We love our dolls and we take great pride in modifying them so they can be re-born with a new beautiful appearance that comes from our imagination. We are so honored that people all over the world can respect the hard work and effort we put into each doll that we work on. We are overwhelmed with excitements moments before our doll is to be auctioned on e-bay. I would like to say that creating dolls is a passion that my sister and I developed over the years. We are happy to create such beauty for the world to see. All we can hope is that people continue to appreciate our dolls and to keep selling them on a worldwide level.

The Chewin gang: my FR Homme guys with clothes from Chewin.

This is the end of the interview with the talented Pornchewin Malipunte. Let me add that he takes good care not only of the outfits he sells but also of their packaging: he sends each ensemble packed in a plastic bag which is enclosed in a fabric clothes bag with zipper and see-through "window"! See one below:


In the next post, I will feature Chewin's various repaints that have been sold at times on ebay. Stay tuned!

All photos and styling in this post by Stratos