Does owning BJD's help you with your job(s) in real life?

Well, I don't have any particularly gainful employment, but I'm a writer/artist, and a theatre person (actress for the most part, but I've done just about everything), so yes, and vice-versa. My set-building and dressing experience will help me when I build rooms for dolls, doing makeup (I hope) will prep me for faceups (since it's a different animal completely from drawing or painting on a flat surface), and so on and so forth.

=^__^=
Anneko

 

In a strange way, mine do. I work in biology - Specifically, I'm a technician in the handling and dissection of both animal specimens and human cadavers, in a large university. My job is, understandably, a much misunderstood one amongst the less hands-on students (the ones who'd rather learn from books than from getting elbow-deep in their subject matter) and quite a few people are known to dread anatomy practicals. Using a couple of whimsical dolls in my inital presentation slides, and having them sitting on my monitor shelf in the pre-dissection lecture (and sometimes even in the room during animal work, even though I'd never allow it when we were working on humans) gives nervous students a bit of metaphorical hand-holding. One recent graduate said that he would have quit after his first exam series, if it wasn't for the thought of Peaches in her tiny lab coat and stethoscope cheering him on.

 

I have a very demanding, high-stress job at a large company. My BJD does not help me do my daily tasks or meet my deadlines, etc. However, at the end of said stressful day, he does help me unwind and relax just by giving me something charming, cheerful, and fun to focus on. Making simple clothes or items for him gives me something different to do and takes my mind off all the issues of the day. Even looking at something so beautiful and certainly made for enjoyment takes me out of my work stupor and brightens my evening. So, in a very real way, he does help.

 

my profession is human resources, and my job (the one that pays the bills) is tending bar. So to be obvious, no having bJD has not helped with my job...well not directly....

See I suffer from social phobia among other things, BJD brought me out of my shell enough to be able to go to events, and actually fake having an outgoing personality when I am at work, hence earning lots of tips.

BJD have also helped me with my websearching and researching skills, informed buyers waste less money

I have learned a lot from doing faceups, not in terms of skill, but in terms of attention to detail

Sewing...I have improved my skills, and regained some confidence since working on dolls. I lost a lot of confidence for NO reason after finishing the gown for a friend's wedding. She loved it, she looked beautiful, and it even lifted and supported her cleavage (F cup) so I have no idea why I lost confidence, but I found it unbelieveably hard to sew since then. Sewing for other people's dolls helps. Oddly sewing for my own does not. Since doing comms here though I started sewing for people again. Sad part it BJDs pay more for their outfits!

 

I used one of my dolls to make a project for university last year., I'm studying graphic design. My professor loved the idea and the final product of the project!

 

I don't work outside home, but I think they make my life happier so I can do my chores around the house as well as what needs to be done outside home in ways of errands. Before the dolls I was out of house at least 3-4 times a week just to escape and now I strive to only be away from home to do any errands 2 times at most so I get all my chores done faster so I can play more with the kids.

 

BJDs gave me a reason to pick up crafts and hobbies I would have never considered otherwise.

I usually just draw all day every day which after awhile it gets really annoyingly bored so I needed a variety of hobbies.

I was always interested in sewing clothes but I didn't want to make people clothes without knowing anything and ruin a large amount of fabric from any silly mistakes.

I plan to do an online sewing course to learn how to sew better and make patterns when I get my 2 SD dream dolls since I'll be using them as my models for the course. (not really interested in making people clothes)

I was also always into dollhouses/miniatures but had no reason to make or get anything until I got my lovely resins.
I got into polymer clay to make cute cakes and sweets for my dolls.

I'm into crocheting now after fighting the temptation when I bought some yarn to use as hair for a wig.

And now sneaking into paper crafts. Not like origami but like...making flowers and stuff out of paper with embossing tools.
Can never find not-obviously-fake flowers in the right size for my dolls...

Can't wait to see what I dip my feet into next! LOL

 

Not my current job... Of course I work with children so I could say that dollies are helping me get in touch with my childish side XD

But really, last year I graduated with an illustration degree and these dolls provide WAY better models than those cruddy little wooden ones you get at art supply shops. So they do help me out with that

 

This is an interesting question- I had to go away and think about it for a bit! The answer for me is probably no, owning a BJD doesn't help me in my current job- or at least not directly. I'm a lawyer, so not a whole lot of scope for creative thinking in that sort of way. However, I do like to think that it is good for the brain generally to get a full work out, so who knows- occasionally using the creative/artistic part of my brain may actually may make the whole work better. So in that case, maybe yes. Or at least that's my argument and I'm sticking to it.

Also, it strikes me that in some ways what you may really asking is how you can argue/justify BJD ownership to your family on the basis of your occupation. And arguing about something IS quite relevant to the work of a lawyer.

 

My dolls don't really help me with my money-earning job(logistics >.>)... but they are responsible for me having it in the first place. I probably would've been happy make end's meet on my government student-pocketmoney is there hadn't been that nagging "Need MOAR DOLLS! D:" in the back of my head.

Hobbywise though... it's because of my dolls that I picked up my pastels again, learned to figure out clothing patterns, re-discovered knitting and crocheting, poked at sculpting something after years... and the day might still come where I'll be comfortable enough with these skills to turn them into a secondary income, so... ^^

 

Not directly. I'm a teacher and an interpreter (soon to be researcher of child development), and children and teens rarely understand grown-up people who like to play with dolls The dolls, however, are my current creative output, one field where I can express myself freely.
This is also a great way to get rid of stress - photography, sewing, creating face-ups and just looking at dolls can all be rather relaxing activities ^__^

 

Unfortunately, no. I'm majoring in political science, with a minor in English..BJDs don't lend anything to my future job prospects Even vice versa won't work.

 

No.


... LOL JUST KIDDING. I mean, it has come in handy before. Sometimes I make clothes/jewelry to sell locally or at convetions (of the anime variety, generally) and if I make tiny ones for my girl doll it does attract customers.


I mean, I don't think it would ever be a REAL help at a REAL job. It is hardly something I would ever use as an 'excuse' to get a BJD. But if you want one and can spend your own money (without breaking your bank!) then you don't need a reason other than wanting one! (:


It's still neat to use them to draw in attention where you can, if you want to, though!

 

I've found, that when making things for dolls... it's actually sometimes more difficult (takes more detail focus) to make things small...

for example, making a bridesmaid dress with a friend, a tiny 1/8 inch "error" in detail stitching is for the most part invisible when it's worn by a regular sized person and viewed from "social distance".

the same error on an SD size out fit, is ENORMOUS, and very noticeable. even if the error is now 1/16 in!
and the smaller you go, the more the tiny errors in stitching (that we all make at some point) become more noticeable.

So I've seen myself also being pickier when I shopping to get human sized clothing for myself! (looking at the inner seam and how things are stitched as well as the details.)

 

My doll isn't here yet but once he is he'll be a great help with my university work and such.

I'm currently studying Media Arts but I'm specialising in Photography. More so I want to go into studio photography once I leave uni so he'll help me experiment with different angles, shots, lighting and the like without having to go out and find models that can work around my timetable for no money. It also gives me something different to put in my portfolio as well, which has always proved useful as it catches peoples attention when they're scanning through your works.

He doesn't help me bring it money as such but he might aid me in getting some kind of job or apprenticeship in the future

 

I'm currently majoring in technical theatre with a concentration in costuming and design, and having these dolls is already beginning to help, especially when it comes to practicing making small-scale patterns, experimenting with the movement and texture of different fabrics, practicing my stitching, etc. Not to mention the crafts that can be used along with them, like little jewelry-making, accessories, and such. And it goes without saying that I'm sure that once I get the proper materials, my studies in makeup will help when I attempt future faceups and vice versa~

It also helps that the costume shop manager collects dolls as well and finds learning about BJDs delightful, and my professors think they're the cutest little things when they're not dismembered XD

 

When I don't have people to photograph the dolls generally make a good substitute.

 

My dolls have indirect effect to my working. I think my dolls help me to cope through stressful times at work/school. When I have lots of things to do I just sit there and take one or two dolls in my hands. When I start to think of them my stress get's smaller almost every time. With dolls I can escape from reality and get some kind of "peace of mind".

 

Hmm... if it comes to "only" BJDs I guess they have nothing to do with my job or couldn't help me doing it. I COULD use it with children in therapy, but there are some special dolls made for this~
Doing the face up/make up could help me a little bit, I will be an occupational therapist when I finish my study, in Germany occupational therapist also work on fine motor skills, but I guess it will never happen that I use a BJD in therapy