Artist request faceup be wiped before sale

I suppose, on one hand, they may want to make sure their work does not end up in questionable hands. A lot of times people jump to conclusions and tons of pro-artists are wary of the other side of that coin. That is really the only reason I could see requesting a face-up is wiped because you sold the product to someone you vetted and ensured shared the same ideals as you did but you cannot do that with the second buyer. I personally believe that once you pay for anything (even a face-up) it is yours to do whatever you want with it (including selling it) so I don't necessarily agree with the "if you ever sell this doll wipe the face" requests. If it is the artist themselves selling the doll it could be that the character is an OC and they don't want to send it with the same face and markings, but really stuff like that should be removed before posting it if it is not coming with the doll.

 

If it's the same post I saw on FB... from what I recall, the artist did the faceup as a gift to the owner. And since they are both friends, the owner is honoring that request.

I agree 100%. It's sort of misleading for buyers.

I, too, feel like "you buy it, you can do what you want".

 

Have to agree, pictures should always be of what you actually get to buy.
Only exception is an additional picture of "this is how the doll looked like when I owned it, below is what you are going to purchase".

Anyway, back to the actual question.
There was a discussion a while ago on FB about how many Asian artists actually have the rule that you have to wipe the head before selling it. It's a rule you agree to when commissioning them, and when broken can lead to being blacklisted.
Their reasoning though is that they don't want people to simply commission them to make a quick buck. Some artists are highly sought after, which means getting a slot is hard. And they don't want to work for people just like a little painting robot they can abuse for their own financial gain. Which, tbh, I can understand. The artist should be the one making money with their hard work, not a reseller.
Apparently there is also some spiritual belief behind it as well (i.e. the artist breathing a soul into the doll for that specific owner, so someone else getting it would feel odd). Some cultures have a very different connection towards dolls.

So, that are two reasons. Not wanting someone to profit of you, and spiritual belief.
Another option I could imagine, is that the first owner had an agreement of sorts with the artist. Like I usually wipe my dolls before I sell them because they represent my OCs, and I don't want someone to "own" my OC. But there are close friends I might allow to have my OC's faceup, because I trust them/know what they have planned with the doll. Or it's a faceup I'm just "okay" with and my friend knows it ain't perfect, but I wouldn't ever sell that to a stranger out of shame for the state/age/quality
So in both cases I'd only give it to my friend with the agreement that if the head ever is sold on, it will be wiped before.

 

Yes, artists usually disclose any kind of rules or other disclaimers they have. Either here in their thread, or their homepage if they have one, or whatever other place they post their commissions. As it is, I think most artists are not that extreme with the whole "no reselling of my work" thing anyway.*
The mentioned Asian artists are in the minority, partly because the level of popularity they have already makes them a minority and because of the mentioned cultural difference. If you commission someone here it's very unlikely they even have that rule or ever thought about that.

*However, I'd say face-up artists are in a bit of a special position though. Because when I commission someone for a drawing, they do very much specify that it's only for private usage and that I am not allowed to use it for commercial purposes and/or sell it. For the latter artists have different, higher rates.
You don't have that with face-ups though, since people often enough see in you nothing more than a painting machine. Or like a painter painting your walls, and when you sell the house it of course includes the paint. But alas...I could write long paragraphs about how little face-up artists are respected in this hobby, even though they are literally the people that turn "blank base doll" into "your character", for the cost of their own health and time for an often laughable payment.

Also yes, totally agree on that. Don't get why people advertise things they in fact don't actually sell

 

I totally understand the breathing life into the doll through the face up thing. I have actually never felt connected to a doll that came second hand to me with a face. I always wipe the face and send her for a new one after she arrives. Then when she arrives back home to me, she is truly mine. I don't mind if someone keeps the faceup on a doll I sell though, obviously, as I am not the artist who painted her.

I also agree that it is a bit misleading to post a picture of a doll with a faceup they no longer have. I would not personally do this.

 

This is fascinating! I had no idea some faceup artists requested their work be wiped if a doll is sold.

It’s awkward buying a doll from pictures that aren’t the condition you’d be receiving it in, but I’d guess the reasoning for it is that the seller doesn’t want to destroy the faceup until the head sells just in case it doesn’t.