Does a lower Budget Force Creativity?

That doesn't sound that weird... depending on what you want to make, the cost of materials can surprisingly add up to quite a lot D:

 

Well, my creativity is photography, so props and high quality items to accessorize the dolls are my main materials. That and general photography tools. 'THAT LIGHT BULB COSTS HOW MUCH!?! '

 

Well, it really depends. If the price is reasonable in my opinion, and that goes for everything, I will buy it.

As a basic example: If I see a basic black or white T-shirt at let's say 5-10 $, and it looks good, then I will buy it. If it is 20-30 $, I will rip apart one of my daughter's old shirts (she wore it once or twice), and start making my own thing.

And DIY can get pretty expensive. I started to convert a nice Princess dress my daughter used for a single carnival event. This year, it didn't fit any longer. Thus I decided to make a Rococo dress for my girl (to match Julian). Now I went regularly to my handicraft shop, buying here one meter of ribbon, here 2 meters of lace, this and that...and man, I guess I have already spent something like 30 €!

I am pretty sure when I am fully done, I could have easily commissioned someone from the forum to make something very nice and similar at a decent price.

Despite having a limited budget, I very well think whether the thing is worth doing it yourself, or if somebody else can do it at a more reasonable price.

Of course there are some items, such as tack for a horse, which is a bit more difficult. And this stuff can get really expensive, as for the size it is best if you make these things exactly like the tack for the big horsies. Otherwise it will look again like oversized Barbie, no matter how well-made the doll is.

 

Well low budgets generally force individuals to think of new ways to get their needs met or do without. In this hobby I do feel that those with a lower budget have to bootstrap and do/make themselves. I am sure many people learned how to craft (crochet, knit, sew, etc) just because they wanted to make something for their dolls. I agree a lower budget forces creativity... but that doesn't mean that individuals with higher budgets aren't creative.

 

Tricky subject. For me the answer is YES! I cant buy a $30 pair of shoes for my boy and go to sleep knowing that that was food for the week. So, I spend $5 of my very small monthly disposeable income to make shoes. If I ever had a bigger budget darn skippy I'd be buying him shoes. But alas, I am disabled and home bound so I really have nothing better to do than make my doll stuff anyway!

 

I doubt there is much correspondence between a persons budget and their creativity. Just because someone has a very tight budget doesn't mean they won't save and save and wait to get the more expensive clothing they really want for their doll... and the fact that another person has limitless funds won't stop them from making every stitch of clothing and also learning to make shoes, wigs AND elaborate sets to photograph it all in. Creativity is a great leveller.

 

Well, it's certainly a factor in my case!! I got my first doll, then I got my first sewing machine! Kind of speaks for itself. While I remain jobless, I spend more time being frustrated in front of a machine and cutting material when I'd rather pay someone else to do the job right.

I also can't afford photography classes so I don't know how to properly operate a camera. When I post pictures of my dolls they often get ignored. I posted a gallery thread of my Pipos two days ago and not a single "oh how cute."

 

As a person with a low budget, I must say, having no money absolutely forces creativity!

As a result of having next to no disposable income, except for things that I absolutely can't do (wigs and shoes), I make all of my doll's stuff myself. So this means that I've sewn her dresses, made her underwear, stitched her stockings, etc, and that I've painted her face-up myself. Though it's hard sometimes with a limited budget, it's a lot of fun to get creative and DIY. Learning is fantastic, and who knows? Maybe I'll wind up making a little on the side when I've mastered it.

 

Although it may force creativity, I'd say that having a big budget unleashes creativity.

I'd explain it, I just don't know how.

 

I think necessity forces creativity: my first doll was msd size and male and in late 2006 I coudn't find the clothes I wanted for him because there were only childish things for that size, but I wanted a more mature style for him, so I started sewing clothing by myself!
I'm actually grateful for it because I still love to sew man attire and suits... shirt, vest and trousers are my favourite pieces^^

 

I don't think money is an issue when it comes to creativity. I agree with many people here who said that creative people will always be creative no matter how low or high their budget is. I knew someone who loved to paint but she didn't have money to buy the best tools, so she used chop sticks as art pencils and her paintings were stunning!! where there's a will there's a way!

In my case, I would be more creative if I had money(and TIME) because I could buy a sewing machine, art pencils, paint and all that fancy stuff to do face ups and outfits. But I don't have the money to waste on mistakes (I know I will make a lot of mistakes when I start sewing clothes or doing face ups) so I use the little money I have for dolls to buy already made beautiful clothes and so on.

So...I am a poor College student who prefers to pay other people for clothes and face ups^^;; and later on, when I find a steady job with a good paycheck I plan to start making the clothes and face us by myself.

 

I'd like to think that creativity is a gift or talent that cannot be "forced". That being said, having a low budget can sometimes prompt us to make more creative use of things we already possess or are able to trade for. Some of the things I've come up with when finances were tight are some of my most treasured possessions. As they say: "Necessity is the mother of invention".

 

Having no money certainly makes you more aware of what things cost and how you can make the best of what you have. I've always been a creative person, so while I will buy items if I can get them cheap enough I would rather make whatever I can myself if possible.

 

I have to say no for me.

I could have millions of dollars and I would still milk my goats and make cheese, face-up my dolls and make clothes and hats.

Why? Because I enjoy it. I like knowing that something is done properly as I am very particular. It gives me joy seeing things that I have created. So even if I were a millionaire I would still pull out a pair of needles to knit myself something to wear and I would keep my workroom full of stuff that makes me happy.

If anything having money makes it easier to be creative because it opens me up to more materials that I can use rather than having to "make do" with whatever I have at hand.

 

I've made some rules for myself: That I do the faceups myself, I make all the clothes, but each doll gets 1 wig and 1 pair of shoes and perhaps some eyes purchased for them. I like doing the faceups. I love sewing. I wish I had more time- right now I'm working about 9 hours a day and it's just not feasible for me to come home and sew. I veg and eat dinner and fall asleep. But I like buying fabric. I like creating. And I find that if you rummage the remnants bin, and buy a lot of on sale stuff, and bring coupons, and use the random things you find in your house, materials aren't that expensive. In fact it costs as much for me to get new fabric as to pick up a baby outfit from the thrift store and the fabric doesn't need to be taken apart.

I'm a bit embarrassed to say it, but I really love customizing my dolls in any way I can. It makes them mine and mine alone. I hope to learn to make wigs and shoes one day, too, but at the moment it's just not in the cards for me.

 

Well I'm really poor and and art student(hence why I'm poor XD). I don't even pay for my own dolls, i get them from family and my boy. I often have lots of ideas but it's honestly too expensive. I've spent months just scrounging up supplies to start doing face ups and body bushings .. and i feel it'd be cheaper to just buy them T_T. same with clothes(my sewing machine broke) and other expensive crafts. Professionals can just crank stuff out cheaper than i can.

 

^This. There's something so fullfilling in making stuff with your own to hands. No amount of money is ever going to change that.

 

a lower budget doesn't really force me to be less creative. i keep creating nonetheless and saving to be able to produce what i design. right now for example, i am out of funds for anything that's related to the hobby, i got myself into this big lay away and have to wait until it's paid off to spend on anything else, but still, i am full of ideas and i just put them on paper for now until i can have the money to go get the materials i need.

 

Gosh- I wish it did! I have such a low budget, and tons of materials, but I can't get myself together!!! That said I do have to look after my children and I am useless at all nighters now- yes it has finally caught up with me!!!

 

Though I tend to be on a pretty tight budget, I love to sew and do face-ups on my dolls because I enjoy honing my skills while giving my dolls the individual styles I have in mind for them. This does work out better for me money-wise because I use a lot of recycled fabrics from old clothes, but I feel that I would enjoy making them clothes even if that wasn't the case.