Are ball joints ugly?

I don't mind the joints at all. Sometimes I'll use clothing to cover joints or use photography angles to hide them in order to add to the realism, but I don't photoshop them out. They are part of the charm

 

I'm mixed on them. If I could find a doll that had the same flexibility as a jointed doll without visible joints, I'd certainly appreciate it. Aesthetically speaking, I like some joints more than I do others.
At the same time, the joints are part of what make the dolls tick. From a mechanical perspective, I'm rather fascinated with them. It isn't a human after all; the little reminder that it's something artificial makes me appreciate the work that goes into making them a little more.

 

I don't mind the fact that BJDs have joints but I do think they can look ugly depending on how they're designed. I prefer joints that look as natural as possible and I'm partial to hidden joints and I tend to like dolls that don't have hip joints. I also can't stand it when the peanut joints look as if the arms or legs have three segments instead of two when bent. These are my personal preferences for my own dolls, I might add. I hardly notice those things when looking at pictures of other people's dolls.

 

I rather like most joints. I can't say I'm too into the very chunky elbow / knee ones, but I don't think joints are ugly at all.

 

While I appreciate the purpose of joints and am only interested in dolls that have them, I admit, I am actually not particularly crazy about their overall aesthetics. Most of my dolls wear long sleeves and pants/tights for the reason that it hides many of their joints. Knee and elbow joints bother me the least so I don't mind as often when they show, especially if the knee sculpt is cute, but shoulder and thigh joints are definitely two huge eyesores for me. Thankfully thigh joints are easy enough to cover, but I do have two girls whose styles definitely call for shoulder baring clothing and it's always a struggle to decide between staying true to their character or choosing a more aesthetically pleasing style.

 

I don't mind at all and actually I'm fascinated with how the joints work.

 

Eye of the beholder.

Don't let his attitude put you of them - it's your hobby, not his.

There are dolls with jointed armatures and silicone skins - but the silicone wears out at the joints after a while (it's being stretched and folded every time the joint is moved after all) so ball joints are a tried and tested method that don't do that - Yes, they were used on 19th Century dolls - and they were beautiful too:
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/5b/3c/7a/5b3c7ad7310007ce07e97a4c8172162e.jpg

Teddy

 

I'm not that bothered by the look of joints although I agree that they aren't very attractive but they serve a purpose. Plus they can be strategically covered up with clothing if they bother you that much. They don't put me off a doll if I really like the face sculpt etc. Obviously if they are on show they're an instant giveaway in photo's and can be distracting. I've seen photographs in the past of dolls that look super realistic in the face etc but the joints when showing can completely ruin the effect. It depends what you want to achieve/convey in your snapshots.

 

To me, the ball joints are the charm of the ball-joints. Without the ball joints I would find them creepy actually, like how sometimes people shop the joints off photo's; creepy!

 

Part of the appeal for me is the joints. Yes, some joints are more attractive than others, but I also think that since it is right in the name of the item, then ball joints should be an expected component of the hobby. People who prefer a different doll aesthetic would probably be better suited to finding another type of doll. Technology advancements or not, some concepts are just tried and true.

 

I actually find the joints a bit ugly but I put up with them. I had a Ken doll who I loved but he was so stiff and his legs didn't even bend! BJD's fix that problem but I still don't love the look on skinny dolls so on them I try my best to cover as many joints but with the more muscular dolls it's not so apparent.

 

I actually like the joints, but I guess i'm not too concerned about "realistic" because it IS a doll and i'm not really trying to pretend it's not? I like the feel of the resin and I love how close to human joints they are for movement so the pose-ability of the doll is more versatile than any other cheaper dolls on the market. But that's just my opinion and your friend is entitled to his.

 

Not for me. I think ball joints are feature of Bjd dolls and I really love them. In my mind without them they will similar to a Barbie doll.

 

I don't really mind them, but if given the chance I'll happily cover them with clothing (shoulders, elbows, and knees especially). I'd rather have my dolls dressed in fancy large outfits which have a tendency to cover most joints, then have them is smaller skimpier outfits.

 

I think it makes them look more like a doll, which is a quality I like. Some joints are prettier than others though. I prefer it when the strings aren't showing, even though I have a few that show theirs off. It's not a deal breaker.

 

Unless joints are placed way far apart, I absolutely love it! I agree some dolls have better 'joint looks' than others.

 

I personally, don't mind joints at all. I actually quite like them and think they are cool.
I also prefer having a doll being able to pose well over aesthetic preferences.

 

I personally think that the ball joints are a really nice addition! It gives them a certain flair that makes the dolls more like, personable I guess!

 

i have to admit when i was first considering starting a bjd collection it was the look off the joints that put me off. however i finally got one because i loved the posability. i still find some joints ugly (ones that stick way out when bent) but for me the ability to make those lifelike poses is more than a fair trade off for the visible joints. i wouldn't go back to less poseable dolls for anything! if i really need to hide the joints for a certain picture, i have been known to photoshop them out, but for the most part i don't bother. its just part of who they are and i mostly ignore them.

the one thing i can't seem to get over is jointed hands. i have a doll id love to get with jointed hands so he could sign, but i can't seem to get past the look enough to actually order him

 

The joints are what make the bjd so much more life-like than a Barbie. Yeah so they are not terribly realistic when naked (neither is Barbie), but I feel a doll that can be posed in a multitude of ways is is better than a Barbie which can't even stand on her own and has limited movement.

Also, and perhaps more importantly to me, is the fact that bjds are fully customizable! You can swap out wigs for new colors or styles. You could mix and match body parts if so inclined. You can change their face up and make them into a completely different character.

And a good quality bjd would last longer than a Barbie. They can be passed down to the next generation.

The versatility of a bjd versus a Barbie is so much greater that, to me, visible joints are an easy compromise.