"But I want them all!" - aka How do YOU choose?

Each of my dolls needs to look like one of my pre-existing characters - that's the main criterion, and a fairly obvious one since each of my dolls is brought home to be one of those characters in the first place. The only other thing I try and look for is to make sure that s/he will fit in with the rest of my dolls stylistically, and I tend to stick to CP/Volks for the most part to help that happen.

I actually can't even remember the last time I browsed a company website for anything other than clothes - certainly most of the dolls I've seen over the years and thought 'hmm, that could work' have been ones I've first seen here on DoA: it does tend to be the case that I don't even go looking for the dolls anymore, but they just find me instead

 

Before buying my first doll I searched trough many different sites for month before I finnaly decided to buy a Dollzone Lola.
My second doll was a total impulse buy.
I saw the first photos of him on the Angelheim website and fall in love with him although my first doll hasn't arrived yet and I didn't know if I would like BJDs or not..
They are both MSDs because I thought they would be cheaper (not really when you buy hooves and smaller)

My third doll... a friend told me that she'll sell her Luts Winter Head... and so I bought the head although I promised myself "No floating heads!" because I really want to own a SD size doll...
But I know what dolls I really want to buy (because I love the sculpt and they look like I imagine my OCs)... - I only have to wait until I have a body for the poor head...

 

I love tiny size, so I'll browse website and find for lovely face with right price

 

I chose my dolls by process of elimation

I chose my Minis because they are less expensive, but also space effecient, and had the head molds I was looking for. Unfourtunately the size limits their clothing/wigs/etc, but that just means I have to learn to make them myself ^^

 

It's a matter of face sculpt for me. I have to look at a doll and think "Now, that would be fun to paint."

After finishing the faceup and body blushing on my first doll (DZ Aimi) I've found that I'd like a little more to work with canvas wise. She suited the image that I had in mind for her, but I didn't have any fun painting her lips, so I've really been focusing on lips for my next purchase. Probably MiniFee Luka or Souldoll Mayu.

 

I act solely on impulse. There is no thought process involved at all; just follow my heart. Thankfully, these impulses don't come often. ^_^

 

Some people have a character in mind that they want--to borrow the word Madam Mau Mau used on her website--to "resinate". The whole process entails looking at as many molds as possible, listing down the ones that you're considering for your character and finally picking the one mold that will embody your character. That's what I did for my Lucien. Other times it's just plain and simple "love at first sight" and clicking "Buy" as soon as you see it. This happened to me too, with my Lyle (Souldoll Lev). And then there are times when you just can't get a doll out of your head. You even dream about it. That's how I got my first doll Amalthea (DOD Tender Shall) and IH Tedros.

 

Picking out your first to the next BJD can become an overwhelming event. Yes, there are many doll companies out there, and yes, they are adding new dolls to their stock all the time. For the beginner it can be too much candy in a candy shop that has every kind of candy in the world on display. What do you choose? Well lets take into consideration a few things before you make your choice.
1. Cost - how much do you plan to spend or want to spend.
2. Type - this is a very general list. Human, elf, animal, vampire, or ect. Male or female, colour or resin. Size - 80 cm, SD, MSD, Tiny, etc.
3. Accessories - an added expense but dolls need them to take on a personality. Wigs, shoes, clothing, eyes, or other items that make them a character of choice.
4. How your planning to use your dolls - as characters, historical people, for photography, Work, your doll collection, or just play.
5. Research, research, research is the last on the list and the most important thing a beginner can do before making a choice. Look at each company's dolls and take the time to make a list of each doll that your attracted too. Take down as much information on that doll as you can on index cards. Such as the dolls list of measurements. They can be found at the bottom of the dolls page. Then compare them to the other dolls you have on your list. Also, put in your comments about the doll and some information others on the list might have said about a certain doll or company. Some of this initial thoughts can really help you understand what your looking for in a certain doll. After awhile your get to be very well versed as to the pro and cons of each doll.
6. Check out a few of the doll magazine and web sits that inform people of what's new and what's coming up in the BJD world.
7. Take your time choosing your first doll. It's a big investment that will pay you back with a well organized resin crew.

Sorry this is so long, but it might help at least one person. Have I forgotten anything??

 

I've got a process of elimination more then a list of "wants" most of the time. I'll just look online mostly, however if I've already got what I want in mind (such as now, with a group of characters i want) it's gotta fit a few restrictions.
1) Cost. I will not go over $500, at all. maybe in a few years, but now I just can't.
2) Size. this really depends on whether or not I want them to fit in a group or something. If I'm looking for a pre-existing character, I'll want him/her to be the right size against the others.
3) Project size. I like to look for molds that require the least amount of modding. Obviously, this doesn't mean face-up, but things like skin color, ears or what have you.

That's really it. Other then that, once I stumble across something I like and have the money for, that's how I chose!

 

Some Newbie Thoughts.

My first was easy. Saw her, Loved her, Bought her.
For my second here is a couple of (unrelated) points that I have considered:
-Should she match/compliment my first?
-Joints. I am thinking of an elf-like girl. For me, the posability is important to this character.
-I can't sew. Can I find what I want to bring my character out?
-Check pictures, other than the company's. Soul kid Amy is great example of this. Her promotional pictures are cute, but you can't see her!

 

I have eight characters that I want to collect dolls for primarily. (I specified this because I'm going through my other collection-model horses- which as grown out of control). Other dolls might come along afterward or they might not. In addition they will have to be within a reasonable amount of money and in size with the others (ie a character that is shorter then Daniel (BB Weylin) might be an MSD sculpt)

 

I have found there are a lot of dolls I like but very few I'd actually drop money on. The sculpt just has to captivate me and keep my interest and attention for a while (by while I mean 'months') before I consider buying it. (I try not to fall head over heels in love with a limited doll, since what I like today I might dislike tomorrow unless I wait and see to be really sure, which is usually impossible with limiteds.)

I've also decided not to buy fullsets anymore, because it makes the doll feel less like "mine".

Other than that, they have to be Slim Mature Minies or Tinies, and not over-the-top expensive. I'm also completely in love with Fairyland molds. :P

 

I just keep looking at all the millions of sites until I find a doll that 'clicks' with me. Sometimes I change my mind and decide I don't want a doll that I'd picked earlier, or that I'm head over heels for one I didn't like first time around! I don't seem to have a particular 'type' I go for, though I do seem to mainly go for DoD, Luts and DIM dolls...usually male XD

 

I don't have a doll yet, but I do have an image in my head. I have a certain character I want to make as a doll, so I look for the face that resembles how I picture my character most...but I also take the body type and such into account. :3 Since the eyes and stuff can be changed along with wigs.

My friend got her first BJD for Christmas. She's not on this site though...and I don't know what it is. But the doll's eyes move. o.o Anywho. I can't wait to get mine eventually. :3

 

For me I think it's 2 things. All my potential dolls are based off of characters for one thing. My first doll(and only at the moment)just kind of hit me, like OMG she's perfect for so and so. I have and Iplehouse Ryushin on my wish list for the same reason He's just perfect for a character of mine....the other dolls how ever.....not so much. I had to look for molds that would suit them best and found most of them. I'm still undecided on a couple of them though....

 

I just look for what really suits the character in mind. Sometimes it takes months to find the perfect mold and other times it is an instant reaction.

 

[FONT=&quot]Oh well I havent personally replied to a choosing thread yet...
Do you just cruise through sites then stop when you find one you just fall head over heels for? Pretty much this. I'm super fussy and it took me years to find the doll that actually made me want a BJD. Luckilly I don't have plans to base any dolls on existing characters so I can just go for sculpts that grab me.
Do you look for something in particular? Realism, nice proportions.
Do you have a list and go through it? No.
Is there a process of elimination you have? When I bought my second doll I did have several I was seriously considering. I knew I wanted a mature looking male doll. I think I chose the the one I did because he looked the most versatile and interesting. I actually bought him without seeing usepics so I must have been convinced! I know I only want SD size dolls and I like to customise them so I tend not to look at LEs and full sets.
Any other ways/lines of reasoning you have? Yeah "Stop spending money on dolls!" plays in my head a lot. If I buy another doll it will have to give me something totally new I don't have with my current 2. (Although I think I'd like a Zaoll Luv to go with my Zaoll Muse it seems so frivolous - even in this hobby!) I'm not allowed to buy dolls unless I have somehow saved up some spare money and I can really justify them to myself.
[/FONT]

 

My first doll was actually love at first sight I was looking at some BJD sites and when I found her I was sure she was perfect for one of my characters... For my future dolls, the main criteria looking like one of my characters and matching my first girl stilistically

 

I actually SERIOUSLY think about it. I save the pictures titled with their model brand and such then do a lot more research as well as wait and see if I still feel the same way about them after a few weeks. I've actually taken off a TON of dolls from my wishlist because when I really think about if I really do want them and if I'd really play with them, then I start to really have doubts. I've taken two dolls down just recently from my list but still have the other two that I actually added first since I've just grown to really love the model so much. I have another doll that popped onto my list just recently though but again, I'm really debating whether or not I would want him and if I did, what sort of look would they have, would they be shown enough attention to keep, etc. So yeah, it's something I seriously think about, seeing as I don't want to buy dolls that will only just sit there in my room.