Character dolls vs. Companion dolls vs. Art dolls vs. ???

I collect them just to play, dress and take pictures of them.

I do not name them ahead of time, I barely name them after I get/find wigs, eyes and face up that suit them the most. So eventually, they do take on certain "personality" after a while.

I have really "poor" vision as how a mold may look like after face up and all. So, a few did not turn out the same way as my original plan. But they are still beautiful, so I am happy.

 

I'm new to the hobby too but the doll I have on order is being bought as an art doll. He'll probably end up with a name and a personality simply because that's what I do with my stuff (I name my car, I name my computers, I name my phone) but he's initially joining my household as a beautiful model I can design costumes around.

 

A lot of my dolls were purchased to be specific characters, but some were not. Those that weren't still developed characters and stories anyway. I've never had a problem with anyone not fitting in, or not being suitable for the character I had in mind. I love to make up characters and write about my doll's characters, so this hobby is perfect for that.

I should add that they are also companions, and I enjoy playing with them--this does not include sewing, however, as I don't have the patience for it

 

I bought Quinn just as a companion. Someone to cuddle when I was the only one in the house and got a bit lonely. I'm not particularly interested in sewing, photography, mods or face upping, and he doesn't really have a defined character. Shortly after I received him my boyfriend moved in so he's not needed to fill his intended role of Chief Comforter in Empty House either, but there we go. =)

 

I have two dolls, and while both were meant to be character dolls, one of them has changed considerably already (and I don't even have his wig and body yet! *laughs*) As much as I want to buy dolls that aren't for a character, I know I can't afford it... and anyway, they'd become characters on their own!

 

My first MSD was bought to play with because she was cute. She's not really what I had imagined before I got her, but I love her just the same. I had planned to get dolls sort of at random....if I liked a doll I'd save up and just have a general idea about its character....Carmine, my DOT, sort of got his character before he got here though....and then I found dolls to be specific characters of mine so I'm saving for those two....so I've really done it all ways now.....

 

My first doll is a Character Doll, and I think the dolls after will be the same

It's making things much easier for me, because I know which clothes I want, how to name him/her e.t.c.

 

My doll so far isn't a character doll. I bought him more for companionship than anything; I thought he was beautiful. :3 I play with him and just have him around really often, and I am surprised by his prevailing personality. So far it's still coming out, though I've had him for a few months now. So far I only really have one character doll planned for the future. I only really have general ideas of the personalities of the dolls I want to save up for.

 

My boy both is and isn't a character doll. . . He's my creative outlet, really. I sew for him, take pictures, toy around with him, but I don't really display him. Everyone knows I have him, but to me he has a solitary personality and doesn't want to be displayed. He doesn't look like the attention demanding type anyway. He's my friend when I'm lonely, and I dote on him like he was my son for it.

 

I love this answer.
I think one of the sweetest reasons to get a doll is simply because you want the kind of "companion" that will ALWAYS be there. And at the same time, will help you grow in your creativity and imagination.
I've always been more on the artistic side than anything -- so living life for me means always discovering something new and creating something different.
There are friends and best friends and the gang, but then they are real people who live their lives and don't always share yours.
But if you have a doll who can act as your friend AND your creative outlet -- then I think this is the best reason to possibly get one in the first place.

 

One of the things which attracted me to ABJDs initially was the idea that I could get one to fit one or more of my characters. I decided against this after a while, because I didn't think I'd enjoy the idea of working with said characters all flippin' day (I'm a comic book artist) and then turning around and they're STILL. THERE. However much I love those characters, I want them to stay on the page. Those characters are comic-book characters to me, and I think I'd feel odd if I made them into dolls myself, after all.

The type of imagination that goes hand-in-hand with the ABJD hobby I've found fascinating, and nothing like any other sort of imaginative pastime I've seen before. It's sort of half role-play, half-writing/plotting, half ... well, you know exactly the kinds of things I mean, haha! ^__^

For me, I love that individuality to it, and my doll therefore is unique to her own "universe." I had a character in mind for her specifically which came after I found her mold, a sort of loose set of points that I thought I'd like her to have. I don't know if it would be the same if I ever got another doll, though. I might wait for him/her to arrive and wing it

All that said, though ... I made a short comic with the Princes Edward V and Richard of Shrewsbury. I think character dolls of those would be suuuuper cute ;3; Teeny princes! 3

 

I'm not so sure the "types" are really mutually exclusive. I think it's very easy to have a doll that was purchased to be all-of-the-above.

One of my Breakaways, the Alabaster Prince, for instance is a character doll.... He's the resin version of my favorite Exalted tabletop RPG character.... He's also very much a companion. And an art-object. (My crew primarily "earn their keep" by sitting around being pretty display subjects and photography models-) I knew he was going to be all of those things when I got him. 'Same as with every other doll in this collection, from the very first to the most recent.

 

I go for character dolls. I already know them, but just have to find them a body... which is very difficult and expensive sadly. Otherwise I'd end up with hundreds!

 

all off my dolls will be made into characters i've already planned out.

 

I guess, my girls are pretty much all of the above. Abigayle is a charakter, that existed in my stories for quite some time now and when I saw Dollzones Feilian, I KNEW it was her. With Xiaolian, my Dollzone BB Ani, it was a bit diffrent. I wanted an Ani, because, she was cute and I thought, she could be like a little sister for Abby, now, Xia will probably change into Emilie ... she kinda told me her charakter a little late

Anyway: both my dolls are VERY strong charakters, as will my future ones, but they are a great comfort to me too. I play and cuddle with them and just need them there (which is why I ALWAYS take at least Abby with me, when I am away from home for a longer period of time). And then, they are my muses, my clothes models, my inspiration for drawings.

 

I'm pretty sure a lot of BJD are all of the first three you listed in your title. If you've had a favourite childhood toy, you'll notice that whether they started out with one or not, they develop a kind of personality to them, and the ability to be personalised, when it comes to BJD (thinking of mods and faceups here, as well as original clothing) runs more towards art than just dress up.
Guy's going to be my character doll but he's also a companion, I guess. I'm a people person and I love to plot out his story.

 

Sid was an impulse buy and Aspen will be similar. But I eventually want to get character dolls. I guess Sid and Aspen are like companion dolls. I mess around and sew for Sid but I dont really display her. ::shrug::

 

my first doll was a character very dear to me, so he had a name & character waiting for him when he got home, but he did get modded to be the character (he needed elven ears that his mold did not have)

and my second doll also kind of has a name and a concept waiting for her, though a lot less of a backstorie then my first boy.

 

I'm not much into the photography aspect of BJDs or the customization. (I'm a little afraid to...) Nesha is as much a companion as a sewing mannequin. But I adore him.