Doll research *or* Buying too soon?

Before I bought my first doll I researched it a lot, it was hard for me to let loose of that much money at the time. Now, I don't regret it at all. I don't have her with me anymore, but I really did enjoy her while I had her.

Research is extremely important when purchasing a doll. I always like looking over pictures of dolls and seeing what can and can't be done with them, it's amazing what a little creation and time can do in some cases. Even if I haven't liked a doll, I've learned to love it. Dolls are an important part of my life, I couldn't see making a buying choice without really looking into it.

 

I feel as though I did *too* much research in the face of bjds. I remember asking for one more than 5 years ago with next to no knowledge other than "this is a pretty doll", and being so excited about it. Of course back then there were quite fewer companies as well. I didnt actually end up getting one back then in the end anyway.

Since then I've reasearched them so much I find myself often loosing some enthusiasim with it.

 

I think I did too much research, too. =,= I basically lurked/stalked this forum like crazy even before I became a member, and I'm glad I did because the search function is like my best friend. I never had to go to people and ask newbie questions because I found everything out on my own. It takes me a long time before I actually hit that "check out/make payment" button when I'm making a planned purchase...usually it's very planned. xD;; When my friend was ordering her first doll, she had to ask me everything every step of the process, haha so I'm glad I did my research! To me there's less panic after wards that way.

 

I fell in love with the sculpt nine years ago, but didn't buy my first doll until July of this year. Knew nothing about the hobby beyond "pretty...do want", and honestly for me that's the only way to do things. Jump in, realize I should probably learn something about whatever it is I'm doing, and figure it out from there. That's what makes it fun for me, and it's what makes it interesting and keeps me entertained.

It took 3 months for Masato to arrive, and in that time I joined the site, and spent days reading through all sorts of information on faceups, clothing, wigs, and everything else I could find. I'm fairly comfortable now with the idea that one day I'm probably going to have to fix/change his faceup, that he's going to need cleaning, that he will yellow in time, and all sorts of other things. I know a lot of stuff I didn't know before, and I'm sure I'll continue learning more about him for years. I think that's what makes it fun.

 

I really just found out about BJDs less than a year ago. However, I had been saving money up for a while, so I decided to use it for this. I've been lurking on DOA for quite a while, as you can see from my low number of posts, but I think I have done an adequate amount of research. I've looked at various companies, read up on face-ups (though I'm just going to get the default for the first doll!), and thought about where I want to go with this.
I don't think I've done too much or too little research. As a noob to this, though, I guess I'm not the best judge...

 

Buying a BJD without researching them is out of the question for me. I don't want to spend all that money on something I know very little about. x_x That's how I am. I have looked up so much about them.
I can see how people would jump into it if they have the money when they first see a BJD they want. It is very exciting to get one. Though excitement shouldn't be a reason to impulse buy.

 

I researched a lot to know which ones I want but there are a lot of things about customizing I'm still unsure about. And I had plans on making a hybrid with type "x" body but bought one with type "y", so I need to do even more research.

I think as long as someone is willing to learn, there is no harm if they jumped in & bought as an impulse.

 

IMHO, one cannot define 'enough research'. You should be always learning, or else you're a know-it-all and may as well open shop

Dolls are not always about customizing. Doll ownership often blossoms into wanting to do more with something you either adore or have not bonded with (which happens...) And some people just want a beautiful heirloom doll, and there is no harm in that.

Maybe we should discuss the strange behaviour of taking trophy wives or collecting bunsai trees lol (kidding.. that's just my humour..

 

and i also think that coming from an arts and crafts background, it makes sense to first ask, 'oil pastels? varnish?' and it's good to learn from other people's costly mistakes (and thanks to them for sharing!) but sometimes integral information gets missed at first read!

 

I vote for research..I want to be good for my doll. I want to keep my doll in best condition! and in order to provide that, research is must!

 

I'm still in the researching stage now.
I absolutely love the doll I'm going after and I've researched about him and the company with their feedback (That's my dad not trusting overseas sellers). And gotten myself basic supplies (Or information on where to get the basic supplies) so I can care for him properly when I get him. Because I've been brought up to know everything about something before I do it. I may still be jumping in on some aspects but the basics is all I really need at the moment. And I'm quite satisfied with what I know now.

I like researching stuff. Just not when it's for school work

 

The only research I really did, per say, was how to clean a BJD. That's really all I needed to know, in my opinion so I didn't go about using the wrong sort of materials and ruin the resin (because we all know if you clean with wrong substances, you'll be wiping more than just a face up away) otherwise, most of it to me is just do as I go (and common sense) like if a sharpie won't come off a wall, it most definitely won't come off a BJD (why people would was 500 dollars and a sharpie is beyond me...) Otherwise, it's a pretty simple concept. Although I've come to find that doing too much research can intimidate a new buyer; learning about all NOT to do to your BJD or how the simplest damage can be a waste of money can scare any new comer and cause them to not want to buy.
Though in my opinion, research or not, a doll owner is a doll owner. They'll learn the ropes eventually, whether it be the hard way or easy way.

 

I just recently purchased my second BJD. I had a Lati, but she has been recently sold. I have blythes so I know generally how important it is to care for your dolls. However, I just saw a picture of a DOT Shall and knew I had to have her. So, she has now been ordered and now I'm learning a bit more. I think its ok to do so if you have dolly knowledge.

 

I do a little reserch here and there but I feel like Im under standing what to do and how the dolls are and sch things like that but im not jumping in to buying one.

 

I research a lot before buying, the most important is home pictures for me. They say a lot about the doll. Also important to hear about the possible problems that may occure, so you will be ready to face them.

 

I've done a ton of research and I plan all the dolls I want to get.
However, all three of my dolls I've bought on impulse and weren't planned.
I think the research lets me know what I really like,
and when I buy on impulse it's because that doll fits in well with my planned.
Usually they are new, limited or at a good price so I just buy them.
The impulse happens when they just 'call' to me more than the planned dolls.
They end up forming their own personality instead of fitting into ones I already have.
I haven't regretted it yet, so I guess it works for me!

 

Normally I opt for research, even if it's just bare bones facts so I half know what I'm getting in to. Even then, however, about half the time I wind up deciding it's way too much to handle.

With the BJDs it was a little different. I was an internet kid [I am internet and so can you, kids] so I'd heard about dollfies, jeez, probably in the early...I want to say 90's? I was still in high school, at any rate. They were pretty and expensive and I wanted one but was a broke ass kid so that wasn't happening.

Fast forward to some odd years later after I've spent a year working two jobs. Dollfies are still too pricey so I ebay myself up some Angel of Dream dolls [that I loved but am now getting ready to sell because I have a new love]. I didn't know near anything about doll ownership so I chatted up a friend on DA with some and joined this forum to see what the hell I was getting into. The tuts were good but my skills, as goes that half the time thing I was talking about, were not up to par.

I've since decided to let the pros do what they do best and stick to dressing dolls and taking pictures. Way easier.

 

I was going to buy a certain doll right then and there.....until I did research and I found out that the doll I wanted before wasn't as great as the one I did research for.....Humans are fickle creatures...

 

It's an interesting topic, my friend has been talking me about these for so long and i've sort of asked her a lot about them and so i have someone close who can teach me 'the ways'.
But i'm honest in all sense to say im a newb in this sorta field but with hobbies u think they're things u can also learn along the way. I mean I already have a doll on the way and it was pretty impulsive to buy him, but as common sense i'm only buying one of the less expensive dolls (resinsoul) as my first. but trial and error i guess.. at least i do have that friend who knows what they're doing that i can as questions too and learn from her.

not to say i didn't do ANY research, i looked all over websites and such for diff types of dolls and reviews on them and such.

thou I can't tell u all the mediums and everything u need to do a doll face up . (thou then there are commission artists for newbs like me XD)

i mean this is a lot of money but it's not as if you're buying a 'living' pet for the first time, - that which u should really consider and research into.

also some people, like me, may not really find it as a hobby, I already have an expensive obsession so the reason I bought a doll is because (aside from my friend showing hes in my face - looking so awesome) i want to like, be creative and express myself thru my doll, like fashion wise, hair styling wise.

I know some people have a character and then get the doll for the character, tho for me it's different, i wanna make my own character with the doll~ aaannyways i think like a lot of other things it's something u can learn along the way and pre mature buying isnt really an issue..

 

I did a couple months of looking around and creeping here and there and then joined DoA before I invested in Ginger (AoD Zi Yuan) however after I got her I really became doll-savvy. I think it's important for people to know a fair amount about these dolls first since there are so many horror stories about people using dangerous materials on their dolls because they don't know anything about them.