AMAZING message from Dollstown regarding originality and artistry

That's an amazing idea. Insight into the process would validate them as ORIGINAL companies, and probably make more people want to choose them (All companies that participate) as legitimate doll makers.

 

I am impressed. Very intriguing!

I do not agree with all the points about the computer generation, but I definately understand the reasoning.

Very impressed, as I said.

~Anrui

 

I think this is a great show of integrity. Efforts like these will definitely make the BJD market a better place to do business in. ^^

 

These dolls are really very wonderful. I think it's awful that greed motivates people into making inexpensive copies to get money from unsuspecting buyers. I only buy new dolls from established companies, but what concerns me is the possibility of buying a copy in the secondary market. If I were unscrupulous enough to make a copy of a doll to sell, I would sell it only in the secondary market, rather than pretend to be a manufacturer of an original product. That way, I would not be compelled to show photos of the sculpture in progress. These dolls change hands often and the circumstances of the original purchase of the doll from the maker becomes lost. I guess the best way to prevent being scammed is to ask for lots of photos of the doll and to try to buy from people who have been around the forum for a while and have an honest reputation.

 

Unfortunately, with new pirate sculpts cropping up weekly, this kind of action is necessary.
But I'm impressed by the idea of documenting the stages of a sculpt.

 

I think not only is this message a wonderful insight to the creative process behind ball jointed dolls but also re-enforces the fact that we're in a hobby crafted by exceptional artists. Speaking as an owner of a dollstown boy, I can say anjonghak does create real works of art. Luckily I'm sure a great majority of us would not buy pirate dolls and work hard to inform one another of sculpts that are forgeries. Kudos to anjonghak!

 

I guess definitely spreading awareness of the whole knock-off cheapo BJD phenomenon is definitely worth it, to everyone. I look at dolls from established companies only right now ... to make sure I've got a "feel" for what's what. I don't think I've seen a pirate doll but I'd like to be prepared so that I'd never make a mistake! ^_^

I personally do not feel that BJDs are overpriced for what they are. They do appear expensive, possibly because of the connotations associated with "doll" ... y'know, the whole "it's just a toy"-thing. But they are art to me, and let's hope they stay as beautiful as they are, with the help of people who care ^__^

 

Wow that was soo interesting! Thanks for sharing it! I have heard of the computer based modelling before, I have a friend who was in a film and had an action figure made him (made jealous lol!) and he told me all about it and it's so fascinating!

I think it's really incredible how it is done, and also a real shame. All the hard work that these artists go into, can never be truly replicated, or as adored, no matter what computers can do. True BJD lovers will always support our artists!

 

Thanks for sharing the article!

This is certainly the most positive step towards combating, rather than taking the long tedious legal route of hunting and suing copyright infringers. Especially when the task is made harder with having to cross international borders.

I'm sure we as collectors would also benefit greatly from learning more about the process to make better (ie. more informed) choices.

 

That makes me love Dollstown even more. What a wonderful, true art doll company.

 

I think the BJD companies need to make a push to insure that there's a human element in how they present their dolls to sell. Because if they want the dolls they are selling to be seen as hand crafted and of higher quality than computer generated ones they should give a 'face' to the artists. I am thinking of how Rainman presents his creations on his website, making pictures and pic fics that remind you that you are not only buying a doll but are supporting an artist. With out that connection to the artist, or attempt to show it is there really any difference between 'handcrafted' and 'computer generated'?

 

I thought about Rainman too when I read this, he's generally quite transparent about his designing process, and he makes little photostories and takes pictures of his work area. It gives me a special fondness for Elfdoll, and I would love it if those practices became more widespread.

 

I adore Dollstown and now I just adore them all the more.

I do disagree with one thing, though, and that's using computer scanning to reduce/enlarge a hand-modelled figure. I rather imagine that's what's been done with the recent yo versions of the original 4-sisters heads and I think it's just brilliant.
But then, I'd love it if we could get any size of a doll.

In my mind, so long as it's been wholly modelled by hand, just using a computer to reduce/enlarge doesn't seem so bad.

 

Definitely a wonderful post -- I think it will do a great deal to help people who wonder about where the cost comes from to understand just how much work is truly involved.

I do think there is a blurring of the lines about computer-generated work and piracy. It may just be me, but while I see how the two can easily be connected, I don't consider them inherently connected. It would be entirely possible to create a totally new 3D model that isn't scanned from someone's existing work, in all fairness. Quite honestly, if someone is using 3D computer tools to steal someone else's work instead of creating something new, wow, are they ever missing out on the possibilities! I think that disgusts me almost as much as the fact that people are using this tech to steal another's work. (I mean, someone could create almost -anything- totally new with the tech that's out there, and they choose to steal something? What a complete waste of a glorious opportunity that is, in addition to being morally reprehensible!)

Since I putter about with 3D models often enough for 2D image artwork, I can safely say it can still take a vast amount of time, effort, and energy -- it's just a vastly different medium. No, it doesn't require the same surety and expertise purely because of the undo button, let's be honest there. One wrongly placed cut isn't likely to potentially destroy weeks or months of work in 3D in the same way it can with traditional sculpture.

Would I consider something like this handcrafted? It's a question I've fought with myself about for some time, since I make commercial textures for 3D models. I can say I don't think of it in the same way as I think of my other job making jewelry, which is done entirely "by hand", but I don't think of it as the computer doing all of the work for me, either.

 

That is a very insightful speech.
The integrity of 'handcrafted dolls', makes me ponder the question of, aside from pirate copies, do the larger companies actually use computer generated imaging to churn out large numbers of dolls on a quick mass produced and fast turn around? I am trying not to say any names here but those that have an overwhelming number of limited dolls in quick succession that are not very different from the next. Are they taking away from small and ethical artists?

Pirating can never be right and must be of huge concern in such a fast growing, bah..right word, art, hobby, etc...
There would be many who care about owning an end result by whatever methods it was produced, me, I say we should help these profoundly talented artists with our support in any way we can

 

I'm excited to read up on their artistic process as far as making dolls go. I want to pick up sculpture again, just thinking about it!
But I was a little offended about the talk on 3D work. I'm a 3D modeler myself, and while it's very different than working with your hands, it still takes a tremendous amount of thought and creativity. I also think that sculpting a doll in 3D to produce in real life is a fun idea. However, reproducing the design of another doll by such means is despicable, in my opinion. As much fun as I think I'd have basing a 3D model off of a beautiful doll, I think the limit would have to stay at paying homage to such a wonderful sculpture... DEFINITELY not using it to physically model a copy, or trying to make money off of it! That'd be horrible.
3D talk aside, I think this is a great idea, giving us a peek of how these little angels come into existence.... ^^

 

That was my thought, too. Seeing the work-in-progress is an amazing thing and definitely for me, it cements the sense of BJDs as being a work of creative art.

 

Interesting.

For several reasons I don't totally agree about the Computer generated thing. I do CGI myself, partially as a hobby, partially to make money to support my other hobbies (like bento and BJD's) so I'm able to create a 3D CGI model that is still VERY MUCH hand made even if it's generated in a computer It's not like you just click a button and out comes a fully finished 3D model of something.

Of course you (a VERY generic "you") can do a laser scan of an existing model but that technology is still fairly expensive, so the average Joe can't just scan something and get it Rapid Prototyped in a usable medium.

But in any case, kudos to Dollstown for opening the debate in the first place, and for being willing to BE transparent in their production methods! That's absolutely laudable!

 

That was a really nice message from Dollstown, and I appreciate the fact that they had a professional translate it to share with the rest of the world. I didn't know bjd piracy is that much of a problem now. I think the manufacturing/crafting transparency idea is great, it would make us appreciate the hobby and our bjds a lot better than we already do. It's really touching to know how the bjd artist really love their craft, try to protect their art, and love the hobby as much as we do-- it makes my doll much more worth it. ^^