From comic-strip form to 3D artwork

FOR the generation that grew up in the early 1990s, fictional characters of comics such as ‘Ujang’ and superhero animated television series like ‘Keluang Man’ were part of their everyday childhood conversations.

Humorous and mischievous, these cartoon figures and their adventures often reflected the realities of local life; most importantly, they carried a distinctly Malaysian identity.

Having grown up watching or reading about their antics, 37-year-old Raja Mohd Azreen Raja Azahan, better known as ‘Kuyen’, sets out to elevate the legacy of these iconic characters through contemporary art and meticulous craftsmanship, reimagining them as three-dimensional (3D) art toys.

The figurines are not just toys for children to play with, but also for the collectors who grew up alongside them.

Two projects

A graphic design graduate from Management and Science University (MSU), Kuyen’s Semol Studio has now been entrusted with producing official art toys for two local intellectual properties (IPs) that hold a special place in the hearts of Malaysians: namely ‘Keluang Man’ and ‘Ujang’.

Kuyen, whose studio is based in Melaka, said his academic background greatly influenced his creative approach, especially in the visual, branding and storytelling aspects of his work.

A former graphic designer at an e-sports company, he quit his job in 2023 to devote himself fully to the world of 3D art.

On his collaboration with ‘Keluang Man’, he said the project began in mid-last year when the IP owner reached out to discuss the potential production of art toys.

Several meetings followed to assess his technical capabilities and the suitability of his visual style, including presentations of early prototypes produced using 3D-printing technology.

“The main challenge was translating the visual identity of the main characters, ‘Keluang Man’ himself and his sidekick ‘Tiongman’, into physical form without losing the original traits that fans are familiar with,” he told Bernama in an interview recently.

Interestingly, the initial announcement of the ‘Keluang Man’ art toy release on social media generated excitement.

The figurines were slated for launch sale at the Malaysia Creative Arts and TVET Festival last October, and collectors were already queuing up since early morning to buy them.

Priced at RM175 per set, only 50 limited-edition sets were produced for each character.

For the ‘Ujang’ project, Kuyen replicated the ‘Ujang’ and ‘Atuk’ characters.

Each figure was developed based on careful reference to the original visuals to ensure that their expressions and personalities would remain instantly recognisable to their fans, despite being translated into a different medium.

Kuyen added that the limited-edition figures of ‘Ujang’ and ‘Atuk’ were completely sold out during a recent exhibition at the National Art Gallery here, with sales handled by the IP owner Ibrahim Anon.

For both projects, Kuyen managed the entire production process himself, starting from digital modelling and resin-printing to final finishing through hand-painting and airbrushing.

The marketing and sales aspects were handled by the respective IP owners.

Reflecting on the response, Kuyen said the positive reception to the art toys was evident through thousands of views, shares and comments on content related to ‘Keluang Man’ and ‘Ujang’ posted on platforms such as TikTok and Facebook.

“Honestly, I was very surprised, but also extremely excited.

“I never imagined being approached by both the IP owners, especially since my studio was then barely a year old.

“It also brought back my own childhood memories because I grew up with these cartoons.

“It’s not just me, but the public is clearly excited to see these nostalgic characters revived in physical form, and many have expressed interest in owning them as collectibles,” he added.

Creating new value

For Kuyen, the collaborations with the IP owners of ‘Ujang’ and ‘Keluang Man’ carry meaning beyond the creation of collectible objects.

“For creators like me, this is important not only from an artistic and collection perspective, but also as an effort to preserve the memories of local pop culture in a form that remains relevant to today’s generation,” he said.

By translating these iconic characters into art toys or physical art, he believed that the collaboration could open the space for dialogue between the older and younger generations.

“Most importantly, it connects those who grew up with local comics and animation with younger audiences who are more attuned to contemporary visual art and language,” he added.

Kuyen also viewed such projects as contributing to the growth of the local creative ecosystem by giving new economic value to Malaysian intellectual property.

He expressed hope that this would help raise awareness of local works and prove that the nation’s popular heritage could continue to thrive and be appreciated in new forms without losing its original identity.

Complicated process

From the outside, an art toy, often standing at just 5cm tall, may appear cute and simple to make, but creating each figure involves a lengthy process that combines ideas, sketches, digital construction, printing and meticulous hand-finishing.

Kuyen said production would begin with brainstorming and concept sketches.

“Characters are drawn from multiple angles through turnaround drawings to ensure consistent form and proportions before being translated into 3D models.

“Initial colour schemes are also decided at this stage to define a character’s visual mood and identity.”

Next would be the digital sculpting using software such as ZBrush, Blender and Nomad, starting with basic structures before adding fine details to ensure that the design would remain faithful to the original character.

Once completed, the 3D files would be processed using ‘slicer’ software – converting the digital design into printing instructions for 3D printers.

The figures would then be printed using specialised resin printers.

Every detail: size, orientation and support structures; must be carefully set as even a minor error could result in failed prints.

“The printing process takes between three and eight hours (to produce five units at a time).

“This is followed by resin washing and UV (ultraviolet)-curing, which are critical stages to ensure durability and strength,” said Kuyen.

Each figure would then be manually sanded and smoothed before the application of a base primer.

The final stage would involve full hand-painting using acrylic paints.

“Projects like this leave no room for mistakes.

“A single error means starting the entire process all over again,” said Kuyen, who has produced thousands of art toy figures to date.

Hobby

Kuyen’s journey into the world of art toys began unexpectedly during the Covid-19 pandemic, when he spent time at home modifying Gundam robot models as a hobby.

Starting with Gundam accessories, he expanded into creating 1:64 scale miniatures through 3D printing services.

His works included figures of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, as well as characters from popular animated series commissioned by clients.

Kuyen later shifted focus to smaller and more complex art toy figures, including characters from Japanese comics such as ‘Dragon Ball’ and ‘Akira’.

Eventually, the finesse of his art toys caught the attention of the IP owners behind ‘Keluang Man’ and ‘Ujang’ – and the rest, as they say, is history.

Today, his Semol Studio operates as a home-based studio in Melaka, with Kuyen handling everything from design to packaging, assisted by his wife.

Participation in events such as the Miniscale Festival and Hobby Expo has helped build the Semol Studio brand.

“I realised that I needed to go out and introduce my products physically, not just rely on social media.

Art toys are works of art… collectors want to see, touch and assess the quality and details themselves,” he said.

Kuyen is also currently working on creating original characters, such as ‘Benjo’, inspired by his young son.

Since its launch in mid-December, 30 units of Benjo have been sold at RM89 each.

The ‘chibi’ style – a Japanese art style featuring small bodies and oversized heads – was chosen as the main visual language for Benjo, in line with current art toy trends.

Kuyen also plans to register Benjo as an IP with the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia.

Addressing misconceptions about the relatively high prices of art toys, he clarified: “These are products of a careful, handmade production process, as opposed to mass-produced factory toys that are significantly cheaper.”

Kuyen, who also receives orders for his art toys from overseas, including Brunei and the Philippines, said the encouraging response proved that local creative works could compete on a global level.

He said in the coming years, the plan would be to open a physical store where collectors could purchase directly, as well as build a larger team to assist with design, printing, painting and packaging, while maintaining the high quality standards.

“Although I currently operate as a one-man show and earn an average monthly income of RM10,000 to support my family, I realise that expanding the team is essential to manage larger projects while preserving the level of details and the handcrafted quality that define Semol Studio,” he said. — Bernama