Can Body Blushing Go Too Far?

I think that any type or amount of blushing can never go "too far", aesthetically, as long as it's well-executed. There is certainly a certain threshold that can be crossed in terms of the amount of 'blush' applied to an area- you don't want blushing to cover so much skin that it looks like a rash, for example, not do you want it to be too vivid or jarring a tone- but that just follows from whether or not the blushing is executed in a way that's pleasing to the eye.

When you say "too far", Mariano, do you mean blushing that goes "too far" beyond an artist's comfort zone? Judging from the case that you described involving your artist friend, it seems that she may be either uncomfortable with doing detailed pubic blushing or unsure as to whether she will do it justice (or a combination of both). These are both perfectly valid feelings for her to have- it all comes down to personal opinion. If you're dead-set on pubic blushing for your doll, I'm fully certain that you could find another customizer willing to take it on.

 

In your opinion,is it wrong to have ALL parts of your doll blushed?
I don't think so. If that's what you want, then by all means, go hogwild. Plus, I would think that having every part of the doll but the private parts blushed would make it look weird if you were to ever want to look at the doll/pose it/etc in the nude for whatever reason. Personally, it would bug me even if I was just changing clothes. I think people get too squeemish about genitalia. And I only mention this specifically since your artist was so adverse to blushing that part of the doll, but okay with the full body, head-to-toe blushwork you're looking at.

I think this has been said on many a thread asking if it is wrong to do "x" with your doll--it's your doll. Nothing that you want to do to it/with it is wrong, because it is your choice. If I want to blush my boys little resin peen, then I will. If I don't, then whatever.

Do you think that FULL body blusing enhances, or can take away from, the beauty/value of your BJD?
I'm not sure how it would affect the value, because I don't really care about that. Now, if you mean the value to yourself, then I think it enhances that if you want it. But as for market value? Eh. Personally, I don't think about selling my dolls, and won't do so if I absolutely don't have to. That being, I don't know squat about market value and how customization might affect that.

In general, I think that blushing enhances the beauty of a BJD, though. There are things that don't appeal to me, like, hair for instance, but so what? Beauty is very much so in the eye of the beholder, so what enhances for one person might detract to another person. I can look at person A's blushwork on doll x and go "what were they thinking? they rined that doll!" But then Person B sees it and thinks "that's awesome!"

I figure as long as the owner is happy with their doll, then all is well. Like I said in the ealrier question, it's your doll. As long as you're happy with it, then who cares what the populace has to say about it?

 

As long as it's well sealed underneath, I see no reason for any amount of blushing to be overkill as long as it makes the owner happy. I don't see anything wrong with any amount of detailing a person wants to add or do to their dolls.
Personally, my dolls all have a good bit of blushing going on, including, for my mature dolls, their privates. None of their characters would be too keen on waxing, so they ended up with appropriate body hair; though, my boy would have more general body hair such as the chest and legs, but it got a little too daunting for my talents last time I blushed him, so he doesn't. Maybe next time.

And while that's all true, it's still within the artist's right to have that out of her/his comfort zone for blushing. Maybe they just don't feel they'd be able to properly do it. Though, this sounds like a selective case of being outside of that artist's comfort zone. If you want it all blushed, I'd find someone who will do it all for you.

The only thing I ever feel bad about with the blushing is when I forget to warn my friends who are undressing my dolls that they are indeed, all blushed. Usually this just results in giggling though.

 

It depends. Personally, I think it would be uh... beyond creepy to lovingly devote lots of attention to blushing the genitals of a child doll (note: I mean planning it out and stuff, like someone would plan out the shape and spread of pubic hair on an adult doll. Just quickly blushing it to make sure it doesn't look out of place with the rest of the blushed doll is fine). On the one hand, yeah, they're dolls, and that would compliment the rest of the blushing, but I would just feel like an absolute pedophile in doing so. I have been playing around with the idea of giving Peppermint full body-blushing to go with his stylized face-up, but I think I'm going to leave even his genderless lower area well enough alone, aside from maybe a few brush strokes to make sure it doesn't look bare compared to the rest of him. (Just for my own comfort of mind, not that I'm planning on waving him around pantsless for everyone else to see). Yeah yeah, children innocently run around naked and all that good stuff, and dolls aren't even real, but I can't help but start to question why an adult would be obsessed with making sure their child doll's genitals look "as real as possible" (especially if they then begin to profess said fact everywhere and post pictures). I'm sure there are plenty of innocent enough reasons to do it, but it still edges into the uncomfortable territory for me.

As for adult dolls, pfft, blush away whatever you feel like! I mean, Soom sculpts pubic hair into their Idealians, why would you not blush it, if you were doing full body-blushing anyways? I think it would be kind of weird to leave it out. (Question for anyone who owns an Idealian with company body-blushing, because now I'm really curious: what do the Soom artists do?) I think masterfully done body blushing absolutely enhances the value of the doll, and makes it look a lot more real in photos. Again, I think it's odd if it looks as if the genitals were the ones devoted the most attention to, because then that's obviously fetishizing someone's sexual preference and while that's all fine and dandy, I don't really like to be indulged into the sexual preferences of strangers. But just to make the doll looks like one cohesive whole - I think body blushing, including pubic hair and all, is definitely a very beautiful thing when done well (and properly!! with the whole body sealed before blushing) and I think it's just as odd when someone blushes an entire doll but leaves the genitals completely blank (that doesn't mean pubic hair is a must though, since even real people wax and shave and all that good stuff, and that's just the aesthetic preference).

For me, I think I won't blush my [future] bigger dolls, but that's because I feel like body blushing is too much of a hassle to deal with, especially if it's scratched off and stained by clothes and posing. Maybe if I change my mind later and decide that body-blushing is a must (say, if I do it and find it absolutely essential), then yeah some of the male ones will probably get just a bit of painted-on pubes to go with their adult characters and to go with the rest of the body blushing and styling (wig and facial hair).

 

Nope, blushing & body detailing can't go too far. If it can be on a body, it can be painted on a doll. : Some people do absolutely beautiful treasure-trail & pubic-hair paintjobs, which, when combined with good blushing, really seem to bring the doll's body to life.

The only time "too far" ever enters into it = Whether it's more blushing or more detailing than YOU personally like for your doll. Some people prefer the doll totally unblushed... some like manicures only.... some are happy with just blushed nipples... some people like the whole body fully detailed. Just find an artist who does what you want.

 

I have had dolls I bought second hand that the blushing was so over the top that the doll looked down right sunburned. So yes it can go to far.

 

In your opinion,is it wrong to have ALL parts of your doll blushed?

If your doll sits around with no pants (like a Monzo might) I'm thinking you should paint everything that shows. On the other hand if your doll is all about the fancy clothes, blushing is a headache because putting and taking off clothes will wear it off. I have a couple of dolls that I plan to have detailed body blushing on, just because I can and I want to try it, but the majority of my crew are plain from the neck down so I can cram clothes on and off them.

Do you think that FULL body blusing enhances, or can take away from, the beauty/value of your BJD?

If you are planning on reselling a doll, or are unsure if you want to keep it, I would say leave it alone. People who "collect" dolls usually prefer to have them as close to the factory state as possible, either blank or with just the factory painting. But if it's your doll and you plan to keep them, obviously the way you want it is the way it should be.

PS Aleens tacky glue attaches fluff very nicely to resin, and it comes off again if you want to change it.

 

In your opinion,is it wrong to have ALL parts of your doll blushed?
No; you blush how much you're comfortable with. You friend was probably just not comfortable doing blushing in that area, and neither would I. A lot of people have all of their dolls blushed, so it's not something new or unheard of.

Do you think that FULL body blusing enhances, or can take away from, the beauty/value of your BJD?
It depends on what the owner finds attractive or needed. I wouldn't want to have a doll that was blushed too much, but someone else would think it just fine. As long as you have a way to get rid of it, I don't really think it does anything.

 

In your opinion,is it wrong to have ALL parts of your doll blushed?

Not at all. This is something I believe should be left entirely up to personal preference.

There are definitely different styles of blushing out there. Some are hyper-realistic, down to the last freckle. In my personal view, leaving an area blank on a doll blushed in this fashion will actually draw considerable additional attention to that area simply because it wouldn't visually blend with the rest of the doll, rather than diminishing attention to the area. Similarly, a doll left entirely blank but with intense and loving detail in a single area -- any single area -- would have the attention focused there for the same reason: it has obviously been given different treatment than the rest of the whole. There are more impressionistic body blushing styles that only highlight major curves and shadows that might be a bit more forgiving of certain omissions, or in which a very simple application of color will more than do.

It the situation you're describing, it sounds like a matter of the artist's personal comfort zone. (I got it out of my system in figure drawing classes over the years... I just stopped noticing that any specific part of the body was anything more than 'the next thing to draw' and even the more nervous of my classmates at the time were the same way by the end of the first week.) I get that, even if I don't share the same issue, and it's something I think we as customers need to be respectful of -- though I think it's also something that it would be good to know up front from the artist. It sounds like this issue came up in the initial negotiations as I think it should, to prevent any surprises from arriving on the doorstep or conflict down the road once a deal has been otherwise finalized.


Do you think that FULL body blusing enhances, or can take away from, the beauty/value of your BJD?

It can be either. The obviously example of 'badly done blushing' is obviously going to detract from a doll's value to nearly anyone. Beyond this, again, it's probably going to be highly personal no matter how well the job is done. Even a truly remarkable blushing job is still only going to have appeal to people who don't actively avoid body blushing on their dolls in terms of a potential purchase, even if they might appreciate the doll in pictures. Some people don't want body blushing, and a few folks love sculpts completely blank -- I have one I don't think I will ever blush because he's so beautiful entirely blank, for instance. (I have some dolls body blushed, too, though, so it's highly sculpt-and-time-dependent for me.)

The easiest answer to this one is: does it appeal to you more when it's done? If the answer is yes, then it has certainly added to the beauty and value of the doll. As far as the wide world out there goes... I think this hobby is a little too varied for any solid answer. Fashion doll collectors may only like repaints, or only like mint-in-box dolls, for instance, and the same sort of 'collecting style' variances apply here, too, only they seem to be a good deal more divergent with all the options we have available in this hobby.

 

There is nothing wrong with blushing your doll's privates -- the times when I've body blushed, I've done the entire doll/ It would look weird to me not to. That said I rarely body blush anymore since it has to be redone more frequently as it tends to get more wear and tear through handling.

Blushing is like anything else -- it adds when it is done well and detracts when it is done poorly. Of course, much is also in the eye of the beholder and as long as the owner is happy, then that's what counts. As for monetary value -- provided the doll was sealed properly before hand and the artist used appropriate materials, then it can be easily removed. It's not a permanent mod, and shouldn't actually reduce the doll's value.

 

All my EID dolls had their private zones blushed in the most realistic way I could think of -you get what I mean. Why? Because I like it and because it's just another way of showing the realism of the sculp itself. If we apply realistic faceups to them, why don't we, if we blush them, do it in the most realistic way? I don't think it's anything like going too far -is it for a doll to have detailed genitalia or nipples too far? I think no.

Whathever you like is fine and if that artist doesn't feel comfortable, you'll more than surely find others who will. IMHO, it's beeing too shy. A human body is a human body and dolls are supposed to be realistic -in these cases, when one wants the doll to be as close to the human body as possible. That kind of blushing is just as 'justified' -I'd say 'as necessary', but some people might dissagree...- in realistic dollies as it is for an elven doll to have pointed ears, IMO.

 

Ironically enough, my most detailed body-blushing is on the doll that would NEVER show it off. I've only ever taken one photo of it. He's just a complete and utter prude and there's nothing I can do

One of my dolls has a treasure trail, but I can't remember if I blushed his privates accordingly. Could saunter over to the other side of the room and take a look, but, meh XD

Though actually one of my dolls has, um, what can only be described as a fantasy penis... ehehe. He's a Selkie, and the tips of his fingers and his toes are blushed black to give an idea of flippers. I don't really know what came over me, but I blushed the tip of his penis black too. It doesn't really make sense, but I really like it! It's like his little secret bit of body blushing... kind of creepy, but he's not a very creepy doll so I think it comes off cute.

 

In the case of Harlequin-Elle's Selkie, it just makes sense that he's blushed everywhere, since he has seal spots on his body (He's like a distant fantasy cousin of one of my guys, but much cuter Plus I don't remember him really wearing many clothes?

 

I think the only way body blushing can go "too far" is if the doll ends up looking like it has a rash or sunburn.
...or if I get a creepy pedo vibe. But, I don't exactly go searching for photos of dolls' nether-regions anyway. XP

Personally, my dolls spend all their time in fancy outfits, so I don't get them blushed, aside from their hands and possibly their neck or knees. I find that their clothes will rub or chip the blushing, so... kind of pointless to bother with upkeep that on a doll that's always dressed.

I did get my Steampunk Automaton mod, Planchette, blushed all over because she's always nekkid, and her stitching and mods are blushed as well. (She's got an "angel" body, so technically the only private anatomy she has is a butt to sit on.) ;3

 

I don't think body blushing could go to far. I'm perfectly fine if someone wants to blush their boy's "parts" in a realistic fashion, and gave him some hair down there too. Or if they want fur or scales completely covering their girl. If someone wanted their doll blank, go for it. Whatever they want, I don't care.

Personally I've completely blushed my fairy girl in a more fantasy style, her dainty bits are in a nice orange while the rest of her body was shaded in green- all to match her soom factory faceup. I find nothing wrong with wanting to blush your dolls "bits".

Full body blushing or mostly full body blushing can enhance the look imo, because otherwise it can look like a nicely painted head that could pass off as the real thing on a plain blank mannequin body. But I'm neither here nor there myself- I don't HAVE to have any. Only about half my dolls have any sort of blushing whatsoever.

 

My opinion would be that everyone is entitled to their opinion.