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

Originally I bought my first BJD to play with as I have collected dolls for many years. Play meaning changing clothing, wigs, and eyes and displaying them on a shelf. However, quite unexpectedly I discovered that my dolls developed their own characters. They inspired me to write photostories and to even want to sew for them. They don't just sit around on a shelf; they are an integral part of my life, like my kitties!

 

From the first moment I encountered BJDs, I wanted one to create in the image of one of my original characters, Gabriel. And when I first encountered them, there were a lot fewer molds, I was a lot poorer than I am now, and I couldn't find a satisfactory elf-eared mold, so I just let it go until a few months ago, when I discovered affordable elf-eared sculpts. So as I keep working on Gabriel, he'll become very much a doll in the image of an existing character (he's maybe about halfway there now). So he's a character doll, definately.

I do also look at him as something of an "art" doll, because it will take a fair amount of work to get him to what I want (I'll be redoing his faceup again later on when I get some better materials, and modding one of his ears when I get brave enough), and it's going to take some of my art skills to get him to the point he should ideally be at to truly be the character he's intended as.

He's not much of a "companion" doll, though. I have a cat who's companion enough for me.

 

I'm still a bit of a newbie but so far I haven't felt the need to create dolls of my characters or make a character out of my doll. He's mostly a companion with a little personality of his own. I sew for him, take pictures of him and carry him around sometimes. Yeah, I'd say I prefer for my dolls to be like little companions. :3

 

I've been writing a graphic novella for over three years now - I have even made an animated short based on it. When I came across bjds, I knew it would open crazy new doors for my story.

Seeing the character right in front of me makes it easier to think of them as real, and write and draw them more convincingly. I may even venture into the world of stop motion, which would take my video work to a whole new level.

So all my dolls are going to be character dolls/art pieces. But it is awesome to have something tiny and beautiful just chilling out with you

 

I've never been able to complete a "character" doll with my Volks 27mm dollfie, they always change and develop a new and unexpected personality. I don't think I could force a character onto a doll ether.

 

I'm brand new to the hobby myself, and definitely lean toward the character doll side of it. Somehow it justifies the expense more if I'm getting a version of a story character - I'm not sure what the logic of that is, but it works in my brain ^^;;;. However, my new (and only boy) hasn't quite decided which of two characters he is yet, although he's been getting really close lately.

I didn't actually expect to go in for the companion side of it; in fact, I was surprised the first time I read posts on forums about people cuddling with their dolls. Now that my boy is here, I cuddle or hang out with him all the time! I guess these dolls really don't let you pigeonhole them, do they? ^_^

 

my dolls are my companions and my creative outlets. I dont really make up a character for them before I buy them. I buy a mold that I really like and then their personality forms as I get to "know" them. I like to sew for them.. play with them and take pictures XD

 

One of the main reaons I wanted one was to sew clothes for them cause I just love sewing. ^^
But now they're here they mean so much more to me. They're friends, companions, toys, drawing models, fashion dolls and real characters with a life and personality.

I didn't buy dolls to make a particular charcter from a book or anything (e.g. parry hotter, inu yasha). But yeah, when I decided I wanted a mold I would get to work planning a background story, personality, outfit designs etc etc etc ^^

 

Nearly every doll I have or will get is a character doll of some sort. Most are original characters that I was never happy with finding model pictures to suit them. So now I make the dolls into the characters to get them out of my head and into some sort of physical form.

When I first found BJDs I wanted one because they were cute. When I found them again and thought about buying one, that was when I went for character dolls only. Now I've ended up with a fan character doll and there will most likely be another one coming at the end of the summer.

Rhiannon while she is a character doll has always been my creative outlet with clothing designs. All of them are played with because it makes me happy. I've been thinking about going as far as writing regular stories with them as characters just to give me someting else to write.

 

my dolls are all of this. they're objects of art, my own characters from my comic "Wasted World" and my beautiful expensive toys.

 

I originally got into them so I could play, photograph, create things for, etc. I got them because I liked their look, not because I had a character to fill - their characters came after I got them - I tried molding it a little to my liking, but I think they basically told me who they were and I worked out their stories in my head based on that.

After the story of these first two dolls formed in my head, I had a third character that needed filling in, so I was waiting over a year for the perfect mold for it - and I just ordered a delf Lu-wen to fill that role.

So my first dolls were bought because I loved their look - the next one is to fulfill a character. I suspect there will be a little of both in the future.

 

Hello everyone There are a lot of discussions about your doll's age, ancestry, character, and so on... Sometimes people (mostly non-doll ones) argue that it's extreme to put so much effort into the back stories of our dolls (I am totally in the opinion that it's great for them to have back stories, myself ).

So here's my question: does anyone have dolls who lack a name and/or a character? Maybe they sit on the shelf and look pretty and model for your art and photos, but lack a persona. This is what my porcelain dollies do. Is it hard to feel a connection to them like this, or do you think the deep connection many doll owners have is superflous?

For people who do have dolls with characters, do you think it would be odd to own one without a character? Would it be possible? Or do you sell dolls that can't form characters?

Hope that wasn't a repeat! Sorry for all the questions, I wanted to make sure this was more than a head count of who does what. Cheers

 

Oh, haha, I should probably give my response! All of my girls have names and characters, although I don't draw on them much unless I'm writing a photostory. Otherwise they just keep me company. Like, I don't think of how the doll would respond to something that just happened. I really enjoy giving them back stories. But I think it would be possible to love a doll just because it's pretty. Although I don't know if the connection would be quite as deep.

In short, I'm in the "name and character" camp, but can totally see the other side of this one too.

 

I wouldn't have a shelf of dolls (like your porcelain ones) if I hadn't named them or given them a character. I can collect ornate porcelain shoes or thimbles or stamps that way, but not something humanoid like a doll. Having a doll around without a personality is a bit creepy to me, so my dolls are either bought with a character in mind or develop a personality as time goes by

 

Hmm I use to collect Barbies and I never took them out of the box. My few Madame Alexanders did occasionaly but I never felt personally connected to them or an urge to name them. I have to admit when I first started lurking around here I thought all the character talk and such was a little... odd. It seemed a little much for me. Then I got my first doll... and now I am safely one of 'them,' lol. Though I do have a doll without a name and she just sat in her bag for a couple of months. I'm starting to work with her now and I don't think I put her away because she lacked a personality but because her personality was so different that what I had envisioned.

 

All my dolls have names & personalities. They may not be telling Me what they are, but they have them.

It's right up there with 'that's not right' for clothes. Darn it, doll, tell me what is right.:p If only they could.

[ok--If any of my dolls for-really told me a name or style of clothing, I would freak out like nobody's business.]


Ann in CT

 

I'm in the process of waiting for my first doll, but umm... I've only so far managed to name him. I don't have a back story for him either, maybe I will develop it as time goes by. But I think it's kinda cool that people have developed personalities for their dolls, despite people buying the same mould the doll would still have different personalty. I do occasionally find it odd when people refer to their dolls as if they are real, but at the same time I find it kind of sweet. I also find it interesting to how people develop each of their dolls characters, it's also nice to see them bond with them despite there only really being a one sided relationship. *shrugs*

 

I've only had my doll for two weeks, but nonetheless, she is still unnamed and has no story. She's got wonderful outfits and accessories to model, but I have yet to experience that "Aha!" moment. For now she just looks hot modeling her fun new clothes and wigs.

 

I usually give to all my dolls personality, and name, and i'll always try to gives prerogative to all of them,
But not to my fashion royalty, a fashion doll like barbie, as there's already several chracther so its don't need a brand new personality, backgroud and so it goes...

 

All my dolls have names and a personality, and character to go with them. It never even crossed my mind not to name them. I would have even given them a name even if I didnt think to give them a character. Ever since I was little, most my toys, like stuffed animals and figuriens, had names.. So I think it seems kind of odd to think about a doll that would be nameless and personality-less.. Id feel sorry for a doll that goes unamed at least. As odd as that sounds. Iv only ever not named things I didnt like.