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Does a lower Budget Force Creativity?

Jun 14, 2011

    1. I wouldn't say it FORCES them too, because they can always save up (this is a perfect example of me actually XD). I create things for my doll and find cute small things at stores around town that i think would fit her. I still save up and buy nice clothes and wigs and eyes for her though because i'm still working on my sewing skills.
       
    2. I have a limited budget and my money goes to blank dolls and crafting supplies, because I'm reasonably artistic and I do know how to sew competently. I have never bought clothing for any of my dolls. I make or find their jewelry and I'm starting to seriously make shoes and boots-I've got one girl with odd-sized feet whom I can't find any shoes I like for. I also like to costume my dolls in a historical/fantasy fashion and that dictates that I make most things. I do my own face-ups-they're not as good as some folks on here, but they're getting better and I can live with them. The only dolls I have with professional face-ups are ones I bought that way by chance-I prefer getting them blank. I'm looking hard at the wig-making question now-I have a couple of character dolls I've been searching for wigs for and can't find exactly what I want. I have boxes of wigs and a fair selection of eyes-those are the things I splurge on.

      Fortunately for me, because I was once a costumer, I already had a couple of sewing machines and a large fabric stash when I bought my first doll, so for me the choice to sew was a no-brainer. For someone who doesn't have those things, buying clothes might very well be a better option. I also had a large collection of jewelry supplies and though I had to invest in smaller beads, the basics were still there. But I've probably got thousands of dollars in fabric and jewelry supplies that I've bought over the years, so it's certainly not more economical to do it yourself if you have to start from scratch acquiring the equipment. It was just the right choice for me because I had the ability and I'd already spent most of the money.

      In the future I intend to make some break-down picture sets for photo stories. This is new territory for me and obviously you can't buy them ready-made. So lack of availability will force me to be creative and I will have some budget limitations as well. I also want to make an SD scale doll garden to photograph in-I've already got some of the plants potted and waiting for me to lay the site out. Some of the plants for this are pretty pricey, so that is an expense I can't escape, so I'll try to make up for it by being innovative with the construction materials.
       
    3. No... and your OP answered the question already. Those who do make their own doll-clothes use their creativity for sewing. Those who don't sew their own doll-clothes use their creativity for other things than sewing. I fail to see any difference between the amount of creativity involved in both people's methods of play. Furthermore, you see plenty of people with high-end dolls who do paint, modify, and sew, so clearly budget has nothing to do with creativity.

      It's ridiculous to assume that just because somebody doesn't make their own doll clothes, they're either uncreative OR they don't do anything with their dolls... Sewing is not the end-all-be-all of "creativity" or "doing things with your doll"; neither is painting.

      Hear, hear! :sweat Time.... that's the kicker.... Whether you made that doll's outfit yourself or bought it online, if you don't have the play-time for it, the end result is the same.
       
    4. As many people have said -- creative people will be creative, regardless of budget. However, I think a lower budget might force some people to become more resourceful about how they achieve their dollie goals, or to consider dolls for their collections they may not have considered before. In the end, though, I'm not really sure money entirely dictates how one collects or plays. I started out in this hobby with very little extra income, and so I bought less expensive dolls and did my best to make them nice. Now, my income is much more stable and I can afford to buy outfits rather than make them, and to buy fancier dolls. And I have purchased a couple of fancier dolls, and some spendy outfits, but as it turns out, I prefer my cheap dolls and my homemade clothes! So I guess my collecting and play habits haven't really changed that much.

      As for the argument that supplies are expensive -- the world is filled with cheap and free supplies, you just need to figure out how to find them! :)
       
    5. I think our budget is what we set it at ourselves. Also, I don't think budget directly influences creativity, but rather resourcefulness? Resourcefulness does require a bit of creativity to see a new or potential use in the available materials.

      When I first entered the hobby I was nervous about sending my doll off to a faceup artist. I also didn't want to spend a lot of money on a faceup which could easily be damaged. So I started trying to do my own faceups. It took a while, but I finally am at a skill level I can be content with. I think if I started out with more money upfront, I would never have tried painting my own dolls.
       
    6. I don't really think so. Even if I had millions to spare I think I would still make most of my doll things, I'd just have more dolls to make them for. ^_^ I like creating things and money wouldn't change that, plus I hate spending money on things I know I can make myself regardless of whether I can afford it or not.
       
    7. Woah, this thread with it's desperately contrived debate topic was for some reason necro'd.

      I agree that creativity is based on the individual rather than their budget. Creativity like any skill is developed through practice which has little to do with money.
       
    8. Limited funds might not be that big of a deal when it comes to sewing some things. If you don't intend to sew elaborate outfits, you can get away with a yard of most fabrics. I just bought a yard of linen (I had no idea what it was, but it felt like it would work for pants) and all I have done with it was make a top. I plan on making other things from it, but I have a lot left over. I like that I can make a muslin - or more than one muslin, as was the case with the linen top - and I don't have to spend extra money on a secondary fabric. I have enough to probably make 30 shirts from my yard of linen.

      I do find my creativity challenged with extra items, like trims, decorations, and random notions. Sometimes, I buy some fabric that I later realize I have nothing to match it - no buttons, ribbons... that usually leads to terribly-made outfits with trims that don't really work together.

      Time is a big issue. I've gotten a good book on pattern-making, and most of my patterns are close to spot-on... but even after making the same garment over and over, it still takes me a few hours. Even pants and my love/hate relationship with them on the doll scale still has me working a few hours.
       
    9. I make my own cosplay and when there is unused fabric, I tend to make clothes for my dolls. As stated in above comments, it doesn't really force you to be come creative, unless you choose to be that way, but sometimes I am a big spender when it comes to dolls. :sweat I totally remind myself to make clothes or props for my dolls instead of spending money cause I do not want to disappoint my dad by worrying about dolls more than life, :sweat but my creations tend to make my doll more original which is good! ^^ :chocoberry
       
    10. I could say that low budget forced me to create various things, doll clothes included, but on other hand, I know people who also don't have much money but they are not creative and they will never be. They just don't see the things that way.
       
    11. This applies to many areas even outside the bjd world. As an art student in college, I can say there's always a lower budget solution to anything. I've made my own bjd clothes as well. Necessity is the mother of invention after all.
       
    12. I'm not too sure, but I have been coming up with a lot of projects to sew for my dolls eventually haha. I have been inspired by so many cute outfits that I wanna make them some. And shoes and accessories too!!
       
    13. I suppose it depends?

      Some of the DIY stuff cost a mint.
      On the other hand, I imagine people would generally be more comfortable about messing around with a cheaper doll then a expensive one in terms of face ups, modding, etc.
       
    14. I think time more than budget dictates the form of what branch of creativity I follow. I had more time before when I first started so I sewed and made accessories. I know am too busy with work and other life aspects that photography and buying preset items are easier.

      Though budget probably does dictate whether someone does elaborate photography and such as well because photography is another expensive hobby to run concurrent with dolls.
       
    15. Sometimes, I think a lower budget means careful selection. When I didn't have a lot of money for dolls, I just saved up so whatever I bought was really really nice.
       
    16. I don't think so. Sewing is a valuable skill to learn. I'm learning how to bead clothing right now and it's so much fun to pick a theme and go with it. I still have my OT Obitsu's (which I love so much) so all of my current sewing time goes to them. I don't like to make clothing ahead of time for dolls I don't know the sizes of because I can't try it on them halfway through. I think that no doll is low budget so to speak because really....It's never gonna be twenty bucks for a BJD...Regardless of it's OT or on topic resin or vinyl...It's still a lot of money and you gotta get creative sometimes.

      For me if I can't buy it or afford it I just make it or modify an already existing item. I'd like to try my hand at making a fer one day.

      Also if you use your imagination you can actually save a lot by recycling. Instead of heading to Jo-Ann's for a specific fabric go to the thrift store and see if you can find something there to use.

      Knee-high socks make perfect knits already made and ready to be turned into something else.

      But I know not everyone has the time that I do to make most everything by hand. Because of my current dolls scale (1/6th and tiny size) a lot of stuf winds up getting handmade. Pillows, sets, flea market finds and making my own patterns by hand that won't give me a migraine trying to hand sew...

      And frankly I admire anyone who can make their own fur wigs. I wanna give it a shot but I'm scared I'd ruin the fur.
       
    17. I think creativity really depends on the person, and has little to do with budget.

      My creativity is more mental. Meaning I can write stories and create characters instantly. But I am terrible when it comes to visual creativity like creating things from scratch. Making my own wigs or clothes or accessories or faceups? Forget it. The best I can do is pick pieces that were already made by someone else (wigs or eyes or clothes) and mix and match it to be something I like.

      I don't think it would matter if I had a small budget or a large budget. It would probably be the same way. If I didn't have much money and wanted something, I'd probably just save up for it and find something out there that already exists or find someone who can make it for me.
       
    18. Necessity is the mother of invention. Invention is a creative process. Now, granted, doll clothes and items aren't 'needed' but the strong desire for them can spark some creativity.

      I am of the lower budget class so it's had me create things for my dolls. I find though that many of my hobbies are spilling into things with BJDs. For example, I knit, I make jewelry, I draw and paint, and I sew. Now, because of those skills, I can knit and make clothes, and jewelry for my dolls. My drawing an painting supplies (carefully) spill into my faceups. So I think, for me, I just had the means and the will to do these things.

      I think a lower budget also can spark new thinking; maybe not creative per-say, but a more careful selection of obtaining things for dolls. I'm finding that I'm very picky about buying things. I feel that if I'm not totally in love with something it's not worth the money. I miss out on a lot of LE clothes and items this way but I still have a wardrobe for my dolls that I'm proud of and I'll keep for a long time.
       
    19. I like to sew for my dolls, but everyone of them has his/her own style so sometimes I prefer to sew and some other times I simply buy things, small budget is not a problem if you search on ebay!
      I'm also picky and I fav a lot of things but in the end the selection is very strict and I buy only few things... I really can spend hours on ebay searching for shoes XD
      My Antigone is not an easy type so I usually sew corsets for her and she has a lot of shoes that are the result of months of searching online... I never spent a fortune for them but I'm really satisfied.
      I simply search, fav, wait for a better change, find the same object at a lower price and finally buy.
      I own some clothes from Dollheart, AngellStudio and Doll of Paradise, when I find something interesting I start to save money - you can do it even for DH because there are some months between a preorder and their releases, so I usually watch preorder and if I find something interesting I save money and after a while I go on their site (the one on ebay) to buy it.
      I'm more skilled in man clothing so I like to ask for commissions when it comes to dresses for my girls, I have a friend who makes amazing pieces at a very good price.
      For face up I really prefer to ask for commissions, I'm not so confident in my painting skills... I tried but I'm not patient enough when it comes to my dolls faces XD
       
    20. I am weird, when I have a budget too low then my creativity is too low because I have limited resources.