BJD "Starter Kit"?

This is really useful! I'll bookmark this page right away. c:

 

This is very helpful information. Thank you for the thread!

 

For the most part I agree with the doll essentials mentioned here.

I particular find these things important:
★ Face protector - Not only to protect the faceup, but just in general to keep the face clean. It blocks dust, too, which can be useful if you are too busy to handle your doll every day.
★ Large White Undershirt - Not doll-sized; human sized! It is very useful as a low-lint cloth to wrap your doll and provide cushioning during travel. (Plus they're not expensive and can be easy to find. I pilfered one from my father. n_~) I typically hold this in place by tying a wide ribbon around the doll's shoulders and another around his or her calves. The bundle looks silly, but can then be placed into most bags safely.
★ Eye Putty - I agree with the recommendations for silicone earplugs. They're inexpensive and easy to find (carried by most drugstores), so they make a good starter. I prefer actual eye putty, but silicone earplugs are a great substitution.
★ Magic Erasers - Keep one with your "doll stuff," one in the doll's travel bag, another in their box or where-ever you sometimes "store" your doll. They're always handy; that's why there have been so many recommendations!

Personally, I am the kind of person who likes to be over-prepared, so I did compile a doll "starter kit." Mine had:
★ Restringing tool (I know something else can suffice, but they're not terribly expensive, so if you're already ordering something else it doesn't hurt to add one to your order. They're so light that it really doesn't impact most shipping costs.)
★ Hemostat
★ Wig(s) (I didn't want my doll to be bald; no wig cap because I picked light-coloured wigs.)
★ Wig velcro
★ Face protector
★ Eye putty
★ Eye putty remover (My doll came with the eyes hot-glued in, so I bought a metal cuticle pusher at a beauty supply store so that I would have something to use to remove the hot glue. It's come in handy later for removing eye putty.)
★ KIPS (I didn't want to actually suede, so I bought KIPS.)
★ Eyelashes
★ Magic erasers
★ Clothing and shoes

If I were planning to do faceups, modding, or other aesthetic services, I would have had those supplies as well. However, I didn't need them.

 

Magic eraser, eyes, sticky tac to hold the eyes in, and at set a set of undies for clothes! My boy only has underwear right now, and that's so much better than being naked haha.

 

I've noticed a lot of first time owners buy a full pre-strung doll with eyes and a wig, sometimes full-set with clothes, and gather their supplies well beforehand... Prior to ordering my first doll head, I thought I was going to do the same thing; Order a full doll from a company with everything I could need for it, and keep it simple from there... But then I ended up purchasing a modded head from an artist with nothing other than a pair of eyes who will probably float for a while until I can save up for her body and a wig... And I have a faceup-less, disassembled doll in proccessing at the moment ^__^; I also don't really have any supplies for things like stringing and faceups. So in the end things got more complicated than I had planned for my first dolls~
As for what I think an "ideal" start would be; it just depends on what works for the individual. Plans can change, do what calls to you.

If I had known my plans were gonna change so drastically, I would have prepared a bit better and put aside a lot more money to help fund the new developements.

 

I would first of all recomend getting the company face up. Now, I would definatly get a shirt pants and shoes. Underwear are not important in my opinion. You don't need a wig cap. Get an extra pair of eyes, cause the eyes you get are random, so you might not get the color you want. Get a wig. You probably won't need restringing tools, or brushes unless you plan to do a face-up. The last thing I suggest you get is a carrying bag. Have fun with your new BJD!

 

Great thread , very informative. But I am wondering what does it mean that some dolls need sueding in the joints?? Also someone suggested soaking the clothing in vinegar as to keep it from bleeding on the dolls does that ruin the or make the clothes smell.
Am new to all this but am hooked on BJDs

 

For your very first doll, I would recommend getting a pre-assembled doll with a face-up and the eyes stuck in, purely because all of that stuff seems really daunting (Or at least it did for me xD) and it's nice to know that it's all been done for you and you don't have to worry about it.
I always buy a wig from the company I bought the doll from because that way it should fit. (You can always buy other wigs later from different companies, but if you bought a wig from a different company, the doll arrived and it didn't fit, it'd be sitting around bald for weeks. Not good D: )
Then I make sure I have at least one basic outfit - top, bottom, shoes. At least that way my doll won't be sitting around naked!
I think, although it's not completely essential, velcro to keep the doll's wig on is pretty useful. I don't have any at the moment and it annoys me no end that if I lean my doll against a wall, it's wig slides over it's eyes. D:

 

Soaking in vinegar does make the clothes smell initially, but you have to keep rinsing it out entirely and it will not stink after because you have to rinse it out. ^^;; I just vinegar soaked my boy's jeans that kept staining him.

As for sueding, it means hotgluing suede in the joints of the dolls for better posability because it gives more friction so the dolls hold a pose they normally wouldn't without it. ^^

 

I've never found a BJD carrying bag to be that useful....for an SD sized doll, its just plain awkward (those bags are about half my height) and its easy enough to just use a tote bag. (I use a purse for smaller dolls)

Also I think you're best off getting shoes after you get the doll (Unless you buy shoes directly from the company that sells the doll) because it may not fit the doll. Measure width and length of the dolls feet and double check the measurements of the shoes you're buying....nothing is worse then spending $30 on shoes to have them not fit. (most company websites will not list width of feet but only length)

 

Thank you for all the great information, much appreicated :-)

 

i am a face up artist so i got lots of face up stuff from volks

 

oh and also a hot glue gun for sueding

 

Does anyone know if you HAVE to use something like MSC on face-ups/blushing. I ask because I have a whole can of spray fixative for pastels that I bought a while ago, and haven't used yet, and am wondering if I can get away with it, as mine's coming with a face-up, but I eventually plan to blush the body myself.

And I also have to suggest (unless you know for a fact that you won't do this) you get a decent, up-to-date sewing machine, fabrics, and matching thread - and, like me, someone who knows what to do with them. I decided it would benefit me if I tried sewing my own clothes for my dolls, since some doll outfits can be a tad expensive. Only thing was that I'd never touched a sewing machine in my entire life. My mom is from that era where they taught girls to sew in home economics, so she has helped guide me to knowing what to do. Plus, there are plenty of tutorials on YouTube, which are more helpful than written steps, I think. And I've been using patterns from undeadthreads.com for pants (and pants has probably been all I've made). It's not terribly hard to do basic stuff, I've found, and since starting last Saturday, my control and speed have increased.

 

imo, dont buy anything until you got the doll and want to do "something" to the doll.
you would never know what size of elastic, wig, shoes (ect.) your dolls need. (unless your doll are from luts or volks, those famous brand)

 

Can someone please advice me on the following:

1) Is it necessary to get a doll stand? I met some doll owners at an event and they said I should get one ready for my doll.

2) Any of you make your dolls wear a set of white clothing underneath their attire to prevent staining? A few doll owners I met gave me the advice.

3) What do your dolls wear when they're not out for photoshoots? Naked? Pajamas?

 

Thank you hhe this helps~

 

Clothes (2 or 3 outfits)
Eyes
Wigs
Eye putty
Tools for restringing
Magic eraser (for stains)
Silicon cap (to prevent staining from wigs)

 

Thank you SO much for this thread! Super helpful!

 

My "starter kit", which stood me in good stead for a good long while;

For stringing and sanding:

-240 grade glasspaper.
-Needlenose pliers.
-Bass guitar string, I think we used a B, for use as a stringing tool.
-3mm white elastic.
-Clear nail varnish (To cement the knots in the elastic).

For faceups:

-Can of MSC (Hiroboy!)
-Non-Acetone nail varnish remover, preferably a non-coloured or pale-coloured one.
-Magic eraser (UK folk - you can get this in Wilkinson, but often nowhere else)
-Chalk pastels (Various browns, pinks, peaches and yellows)
-Watercolour pencils (Black, three shades of brown, grey, prussian blue)
-Empty beer bottles and chopsticks (Put one inside the other and you have a perfect stand to hold unstrung doll parts to MSC them)

For clothing, eyes and wigs:

-White tack (Non-staining offbrand blu-tack)
-A pair of socks, the leg of a pair of jeans, scissors, and a needle and thread (To make a sock hoodie and a pair of doll-sized trousers)
-A couple of sizes of cheap acrylic eye
-Two colours of wig (Yes, I had the luxury of a dollie friend nearby, who lent me wigs and eyes and such to play with).

It looks like a long list, but a lot of the things are stuff you'll probably already have in your cellar, or can pick up locally.