Custom Corner: Stitch Triple Feature

Posted on July 7, 2015 by A. Raden

Of all the many POP figures produced by Funko, and of all the many customs created by Funko fans, Stitch is one of the most customized figures of them all. Perhaps it’s his devilish grin, or his large animated ears. It might be his overall mischievousness or adorableness. Maybe it’s none of those reasons. Yet time and time again, Stitch POPs up in another well-crafted rendition of his delightful little self. Here’s a look at a few of his makeovers.

Like many vinyl collectors, Howie Green’s collection started with a single POP that drew him in. In Green’s case it was Biggie Smalls, who had been the subject of an art piece he had previously worked on. As an avid toy collector in the past, Green’s draw to designer vinyl was a natural one, and before long his collection had grown several hundred strong. “Now the difference is a lot of them are my creations,” Green said.

“After many epic failed toys I came up with a process that works for me.”

Armed with paint markers and years of experience working on other types of vinyl figures, Green applied his unique style to a POP vinyl and, not counting on its popularity, thought it would be the only one. However, Green’s distinctive Pop Art designs gave the POPs a stylized retro feel that stood out from the rest of the customs. “After many epic failed toys I came up with a process that works for me,” Green said of his process. “…I made a LOT of messes.” But through all those messes emerged a style that is both visually appealing and a process that Green enjoys, an enjoyment clearly visible in the work done on his version of Stitch, the large-eared alien covered head to toe in a happy, meticulously lined design.

James Fuller of Fuller Designs still remembers the first custom vinyl he ever created, a Spawn character created on a Mighty Mugg. “I have always had an obsession with collection toys and figures but I never really thought I would ever customize any,” Fuller said. After finding a community of artists online, though, Fuller found out how much fun it is to customize vinyls and was hooked.

“It really makes me feel good to hear how surprised they were when they opened it.”

His version of Stitch started as a gift for a friend, a fellow Funko fan. “I love making customs for things of that nature,” Fuller said. “It really makes me feel good to hear how surprised they were when they opened it.” With his Deadpool suit peeling away to reveal the fiendishly adorable Experiment 626 underneath, the airbrushed and sculpted details pulling together a match made in heaven, this little Stitch is a perfect teammate for the merc with the mouth.

Teamwork is quite literally the name of the game for Team Super Awesome Art. Working as a team, they identify the process needed for each project and utilize each individual’s strengths in the best way possible to bring an idea to life. “We are lucky to have a team of artist to collaborate with,” said Jenny Re, a member of the Team, on their process. “We are able to bounce ideas off each other and come up with new ways and techniques and… apply it to a project.”

“We are able to bounce ideas off each other and come up with new ways and techniques.”

The Team started with custom vinylmations, not uncommon for many custom vinyl artists, then moved on to POPs and never turned back. Even with a project like their Venom Stitch, a repaint of the original POP figure, the Team worked together to decide how the idea should go forward before settling on the process used to achieve this classic Stitch-ified Venom design.

“Creating and sharing new ideas… is a big part of what the custom vinyl process is all about.”

In very different ways, whether through sculpting or painting, drawing or airbrushing, stylizing Stitch himself or dressing him up, each of these artists and many others like them have successfully approached customizing Stitch’s fierce alien form with their individual expressive efforts. Creating and sharing new ideas with a community of individuals who care about and love these same characters and designs, as these artists have, is a big part of what the custom vinyl process is all about. Above all, though, the most important part is to have fun, and with customs like these to catch the Hawaiian waves with, having fun isn’t a problem.

Custom Corner: Stitch Triple Feature

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