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

My dolls to me are just models for photography and faceup…I name them cause I can't just call them abcde …but the main purpose they serve is really a creative outlet, my relationship with them is very much model photographer.

 

There are all kinds of reasons why people buy dolls. I think any reason is a good one--there are no bad reasons.

I like them because I find them extremely beautiful and attractive. I like the huge variety (and yes, there IS a variety! Try growing up when there were ONLY baby-dolls and nothing else! OK, Fashion dolls came along and there were those, but Barbie is hardly a variety--and definitely NOT when I was growing up. Now there a bit more variety to Barbie, but still not a heck of a lot. --With BJDs we have boys and male dolls that are as diverse as the female dolls, and fantasy dolls, and colors and shapes and styles and sizes...!!! Pretty much everything anyone can think of!

I like how they can all be customized--not just modding and faceups==but just putting them in different clothes and wigs and eyes... There's a lot of styling available for an owner.

I do not get my dolls to shell characters.

I do often give them names and characters of their own, but don't necessarily do more than that... such as write stories about them, although I might... There are a few I'd like to write about... But it's not the norm with me.

 

I am an artist and I was drawn into bjd's and dolls as more of a canvas, than an actual character. I am also in the process of designing my own bjd. It has always been about aesthetics for me rather than creating characters primarily because I don't really have OC's or characters I want to shell. All I this might change though if I do get connected to my dolls and they start becoming something more.

 

All of the above I guess?

The bulk of my dolls are supposed to serve as "resin avatars" for the characters I've been drawing/writing for over a decade (I first tried to make them out of action figures and failed. Spectacularly.). Some of them are "fan doll" but that's basically the same thing....character dolls.

Sometimes I pull one and just have it sitting near me so I can look at it (my SQLabs Chibi Tsusaka is on my desk right now! He glares so well for such a smiley thing) so I guess that counts as companion doll?

And I can't help but see them art. Someone sculpted them. Someone made that...it's art. Then I came along and painted/modded/styled/whatevered it, and that's art too...so there's many layers of art on it. PLUS the characters I came up are the representation of many many many hours of sketching, drawing, painting, obsessing and writing (or in my case, attempting to write) and then they had to be turned 3D to become dolls....so that also counts IMO. Then (if it's your thing) the photos happen. Not to mention my original reason for getting a BJD (other than "ALEX!!") was to use it as a model for drawing (yeah that's happened like, twice in the 6 years I've been collecting). So many layerrrrrssssss

So yeah. They're art dolls. Playable art of my characters that are sometimes companions.

 

I think I bought dolls mainly for my companions. One that can sit in my room and accompany me when I'm studying, since right now I'm in college and have to live in a dorm kind of ish house. That doesn't mean my dolls don't have personalities though.

 

I only have two resin dolls, which are developing into character dolls. I write a lot, draw a lot, etc. so I'm generally a creative person like most people who find themselves drawn to this hobby. What's interesting to note is I have not any intention of 'shelling' and pre-existing characters into doll form.

I'd get too attached to the doll.

So when I first buy a doll, they are ALL art dolls. No personality, no story, no name. I find them beautiful and I intend to use them as a creative outlet when I get a blockage (either writers block, painter's block, etc) and don't have the energy to go outside. They're also really pretty.

Eventually, as I get well into the process of eyes and clothes, wigs and after closer examination of how the doll seems to carry itself in the poses I try... I get a name. After the name, usually comes the character. Very slowly. I have yet to write anything for my dolls, draw anything, etc. The dolls themselves are the 'containers' of their stories.

So to start, I purchase dolls as art dolls. A few of them become 'characters' which I give a distinct style and name. Maybe a little story, but nothing like the published characters in my books or comics.

 

I admit, I honestly don't get the character thing. Personality, yes, elaborate story, not so much.

My on-order-doll has a name, because it was very clear that WAS her name, not because of a story surrounding her so much as a reference to things I like, and a look I was trying to achieve. She's going to communicate personality to me as she gets here based on how she moves, and poses.

I got into this because I like to dress things up, take pictures, and generally be weird about Arcadian-style stuff. I've played too much Changeling: the Lost (Shout out to @BrightFires, btw, for being a fellow gamer. Haven't touched Exalted in ages, but still...) Anyway, too much Changeling, and I think I'm a Keeper.

one of my partners says these dolls are going to turn into my little mannequin changelings. I don't have a problem with that.

 

I don't think I'd get the character thing unless writing/photo stories were involved - I mean I guess I'd understand it pretty well but not for me. BUT I write & do photo-stories - so I big-time do the character thing :d

 

someone mentioned "resin avatars" I really like that term. I guess that's what they are for me and a lot of people.

Some of my characters I've had in my brain for around 2 decades and I've been drawing them for a very long time. But doodling on a piece of paper gets boring after a while so when I discovered BJDs, boom! I'm just really happy that my characters can finally be "made flesh".

 

I buy BJDs for the character design. At first I had a designated personality for my boy Gabe, but when he arrived the doll portrayed a completely different personality than the one I had in mind. So the old and new personality kinda morphed into what it is now. Vice on the other hand wasn't designated one and his back story plus personality just kinda developed on it's own. Customization just followed suit.

 

I don't have major original characters for my dolls, even though I do write. I don't use them as models for anything other than photography, even though I paint and draw. I have ideas of personality for each one to a point, in that it directs how I want to dress or photograph them. But, I like them as an outlet to tinker with, I like them because they are pretty, and because it makes me happy to see them on the shelf. Above all, I like them because they are their own little works of art; a collaboration between the doll artists, the face-up artists, tiny tailors, and me as the curator who brings all the parts together. So I guess there isn't an easy answer for me. They are kind of everything at once.

 

I don't really do the character thing. Some of my dolls have a sort of personality or style but I think that's more just me liking a certain look on them. Mostly they're just pretty and cute things I like having around and crafting for. Sometimes I will have one sit in front of me while I'm on the computer to have something cute to look at

 

I buy my dolls (or at least wish I could buy the dolls XD) as art dolls mainly. Once I've done their face up, they usually come to life for me and their character arrives by itself as I create more things for them.

 

I've wondered this myself. I think these dolls can be whatever you want them to be. They are versatile, and that's part of what makes them so great. They come as a blank canvas and from an artist's perspective, the sky is the limit with what you can do with these dolls to make them completely unique! I enjoy the art of faceups and making clothes and wigs (even shoes at one point). The photography aspect is also fun. I have not gotten into the story telling yet, but I have seen a lot of novel writers finding inspiration for their writing in these dolls.

 

I bought my first doll as a companion but when she came home she seemed to say I'm Alice from wonderland.


Waiting for Littlefee Ante Elf.

At home
- Dollzone MSD Scarecrow Hal 2
- Ninodoll Namu Head

 

I dove into BJD for the hobby - to have something to craft for, sew for, etc. The developing backstory is kinda happening, but she's not representative of a particular pre-existing character. Somewhat a companion, although less so than a pet. I guess a quiet companion?

 

My first doll, was supposed to be based on Roy Mustang from Fullmetal alchemist, I had intended to create his uniform and everything... but it never happened, I think now they kind of evolved into their own characters and i'm actually contemplating changing his name because i dont think he fits Roy very, seems like hes telling me its something else lol My newer boys are not based on any characters and i have slowly started to change them to who they truly want to be.

 

I want to make costumes for the dolls that other people can buy the patterns cheaply or maybe eventually I'll make clothes they can buy. I'm looking forward to testing my skills either way (CAD and sewing)

 

I buy my dolls to play with them and take pictures of them.
I want to eventually sew for them, but I need to actually make time to learn how to. xD
I usually name them ahead of time but I let them sort of develop personalities of their own. >.<

 

I don't always have a character in mind for a doll when I purchase it. Sometimes I do, and sometimes I create a character while waiting for the doll to arrive, and sometimes I have a doll home for a while before I decide on a character for them. Having a character for every doll is my eventual goal though, I don't expect any doll to go without a character indefinitely.

I don't really want any dolls just to sew for, play with or display, either. To me, BJDs are too expensive to collect in that way. I do enjoy my dolls primarily by displaying them, but their characters are inherently part of their displays (since it influences their outfits, wigs, eyes, props and backdrops).

I'm generally very good at getting a 'feel' for sculpts from company/owner photos, so I've never had a doll come home and change personalities on me. I have modified dolls' face-ups to better suit their characters, but I've never altered a doll's actual sculpt.