Asian Journal- The Filipino-American Community Newspaper

WHEN a life like doll resembling Angelina Jolie surfaced on Ebay last September, many people asked who created it.

The miniature doll and Jolie were eerily similar. The doll had Jolie’s tiny mole above her right eyebrow, the shape of the eyebrows were perfectly curved, and the plump lips, seductive eyes and even the nose were spot on.

Only Jolie’s tattoos were missing but it could have been included for an added price.

When bids ended and the 16 1/2" doll sold to a private collector in Europe for over 2,000 euros (about $3,500), it made worldwide news. Bloggers on the Internet were abuzz about the doll’s resemblance and the hefty price tag.

And front in center of the attention was the creator, Pinoy artist Noel Cruz.

"It was validation of what I do because it received so much attention," he said to the Asian Journal.

The 48-year-old Cruz originally from Manila, Philippines, is a renowned artist, known for his life like renditions of celebrities on dolls, sketches and portraits. Noel has made dolls based on actors Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, Farrah Fawcett, Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, among many others.

The self-taught artist started out as a portrait artist before finding the world of repaints, a term used about artists who paint over the original manufacturer face paint or design of the doll tomake it appear more realistic.

Cruz’s life like hand painted works have become so popular that doll collectors from all over the world have purchased many of his custom repainted celebrity dolls for an average price of $700 on Ebay. Cruz said he sold a Cher doll for as much as $4,000.

"Repainting is about infusing life into a piece of plastic and make it look really realistic," he said. "When a collector looks at the doll they know what it took to create it."