Dolls modded / named after people?

People can do whatever they like with their dolls--it doesn't matter. I have two minimees of actors. Now to me, the dolls are the characters rather than the actors who play them, since it's the characters I fell in love with--I don't know that I would personally be able to bond with a doll representing flesh and blood real person, but that's just me, and I don't care what other people do with their dolls.

As for "pushing the line of unacceptable/creepy"... creepy and unacceptable are in the eye of the beholder. Unless you're doing harm to yourself or others, it's not unacceptable and in this case, I really don't find it odd or creepy either. Lots of people collect memorabilia of different celebs or characters, or write fanfic, or draw fan art etc. This is just another fan activity--it might not be for everyone, but we all play with our dolls differently and have different tastes. Just because some people like something that's different, doesn't make it any less acceptable. I'm with bunnydots in that people worry way too much whether or not it's ok that people do X with their dolls.

That's a good point, really. None of us are the original creators, and we're all going to have slightly different interpretations of the same characters--which is one of the things that I think makes character dolls interesting. I have plans for my two that do not uh, exist in the series, but that's the fun of fan dolls or fanfic and the like--you get to go places with those characters that the original creators didn't go.

 

My opinion is that these dolls should be display only if they are dressed and made to look like the actual person.

 

Basing dolls off of celebrities doesn't seem creepy to me. BJD collecting is so versatile that I don't see why it wouldn't be accepted. As for selling them: if there's a market for it, I say seize the opportunity.

Concerning bonding, it might be different than "original" dolls, but it would still happen. I'd imagine it would be like bonding with our dolls/action figures from childhood. Even though they weren't our own creations, they were still special to us in some way. I know I would be absolutely crushed even to this day if anything happened to my Legend of Dragoon dolls.

And if you want creepy, I actually kinda named and based my first doll after an ex of mine. I did the Kingdom Hearts' Nobody thing (added an X and mixed up the letters). So Daniel became Axlinde. Comparatively, I don't think the celebrity BJDs are that bad.

 

Woo! Glad I found this thread before I started one myself!

I think that everything and everyone has its/their limits, however where those limits lie are so individually different and the range is so broad, this is kind of a mixed bag!

I personally would love to mod a doll one day to look like Tora from Alicenine. I freaking adore him, I think he's gorgeous and there's something about his face that is just pleasant! I'd love to have a face like that to look at all the time! May sound creepy, but that's why we got into this hobby in the first place, right? To surround ourselves with beautiful dolls that we enjoy looking at!

As far as the celebrity BJD thing goes, I don't think its any different than when someone buys a Barbie in the likeness of a celeb (Cher, Britney Spears, Elvis Presley). We buy/make them because they have impacted our lives somehow, so I think its perfectly okay!

 

Well, my Die (Dir en grey again) WILL be made to look like a certain era of the band as the image is just gorgeous (leather and straps *gulp*) but I still may tweak the character slightly as all my other dolls's storylines do/will intertwine.

 

I always wonder what the person in question would think of a bunch of hobbyists creating a doll in their likeness to play with.

It would have to be WEIRD to discover a bunch of ladies (and some guys) who like your face enough to turn you into a plaything with lifelike private parts they can dress up and pose.

How would YOU feel if you discovered via the internet that some hobby group out there got a hold of your photos and liked your features enough to turn you into a toy? And there's even more than one! A whole handful of perfect strangers who've never met you carting around dolls of you on bodies with lifelike private parts, and they never even told you, asked you, or showed you.

It would creep me the hell out. That's for sure!

 

P.S. Alice Nine . Lots of Jrock fans around huh?

 

Yeah baybee!

Maybe we should start a club! xD JRock Dollfie Alliance! WOOP!

 

See, I think we need more of this kind of creepiness around here. It keeps things interesting.

 

Eh, weird stuff happens when you're famous; it comes with the territory. It makes for interesting stories.

 

How do you guys feel about this?
... it's spooky.

Do you feel that it's okay to keep these kind of dolls?
People can do what they want, I guess.

Is it alright to sell these dolls; using a celebrity's face, look, and reputation just to earn some quick bucks?
I don't really see anything wrong with this. It's not like you're stealing business from that person. Unless they're making dolls of themself to sell..

Would you be able to really 'bond' with a doll who isn't your own creation, but an existing person?
Me personally? No, I don't think so, because I'd always feel like the person was looking over my shoulder. Maybe if it was a doll of a long-dead person like Mozart, I could get into it more though.

Do you feel it's pushing the line of acceptable and creepy?
Yes. This is a little freaky. Make friends with real people, and have dolls too. But don't pretend you are friends with a real person by having a doll of them. (Because I'm sure this is what is happening in these situations..) That seems unhealthy. But like I said, people can do it if they want. I'm not their mom.

edit: after seeing Taco's post, I'd like to specify that I am talking about the real people, not any characters they may play. A character they play is like a character in a manga.. it's not a real person, so I don't think it's nearly as weird to make a doll of it.

 

I just about died laughing at the half-clothed versions of 'Jacob' and 'Edward' at Zellers the other day. They are CLEARLY physical representations of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight characters and not actual representations of Robert Pattison and Taylor Lautner. I mean, who knows what these people are like in real life? If you license your likeness to sell character-related merchandise (like dolls), then you're probably okay with fans using your likeness to create their own versions of the characters.

That being said, an actor might feel a bit creeped out about someone making a non-characterization doll of them in actual life (as in, "this is my doll, Robert Pattison"). I sure as hell would, knowing that people make sex dolls of celebrities.

I guess it comes down to personal decision and motive. You know the right thing to do. I'm going by the 'do unto others as you would have them do unto you.' I will probably make dolls based on the likeness of characters portrayed by actors, but based on the actors themselves? That pushes the creepy line for me...

 

Okay, I thought about it, and I would consider making doll representations of my kids, but only if they were okay with it.

 

How do you guys feel about this?

-I don't think there is a problem, neither the people can made their dolls cosplay a figure or be the figure itself, as long as the user it's happy it shouldn't care..

Do you feel that it's okay to keep these kind of dolls?

-I have though myself to get a Jared Leto Minimee head, I never did it because the heads are too expensive and I sculpt myself so I guest if I want to save some bucks I can just give it a try, but yes, I don't see why not...

Is it alright to sell these dolls; using a celebrity's face, look, and reputation just to earn some quick bucks?

-If you sell a doll it could be because you had to made it or paid for it, if you sell something, anything, than you have already paid, I don't see no reason why to feel guilty about it...unless you are mass-producing of course.

Would you be able to really 'bond' with a doll who isn't your own creation, but an existing person?

-I don't think I really got the question, if you want you can bond to a cat, or a flower pot, it's not the doll ho's at play here but the ability of the owner to love it's dolls...

Do you feel it's pushing the line of acceptable and creepy?

-Not really, if not I wouldn't have so many Hot-Toys...

 

Before I got into BJDs I had Taeyangs, specifically I had a bait one I modded to look just like my husband. XD The resemblance is uncanny, and I even gave him the same personality. Afterwards we decided he was lonely and made a Pullip version of me. His family has seen the dolls, and the reactions range from "Oh My that really looks like him" to awkward silence. XD and now that I've discovered BJDs I'm tempted to make more. (We can rebuild him. We have the technology, we can make him faster, stronger XD)

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery even in doll form I don't think there's anything wrong or creepy there unless you then use your creation as a voodoo doll or light it on fire or other equally crazy acts.

 

Well I've never named my dolls are based them after 'real' people, but all of my dolls are based after fiction characters...so I guess that kinda counts.

In my case, I kinda use it as an extension of my fanfictions...how can I explain this properly...

I have a tendency to become fairly obsessed with certain TV shows an book series and when I do, I usually fall in love with a pairing (slash or ship, doesn't matter) and then I usually end up writing fanfiction about it as well.

BJDs have just added another layer to that. Through the photostories and stuff, I can now do fanfictions, but with photos instead of words. Not only that, but it's very appealing to me to take characters that I love and have them sitting on my shelf staring at me

I don't know if I explained that well and I might have gone OT but whatever.

 

I could see some celebrities finding it down right disturbing, to really flattered.

Modding a BJD after an famous person is right on that line, teetering each way slowly LOL.

 

How do you guys feel about this?
Dolls which are intentionally modeled after celebrities? I think that if the owner really wants it... I mean, that's one reason we all love our dolls I think, because we can turn them into just about anyone.

Do you feel that it's okay to keep these kind of dolls?
Speaking as the owner of a doll who is modeled after a person, yes. I didn't intend her to become this artist when I got her, but she "told" me that she was all right with being this artist, and is very happy to be so. I in turn am happy to have her.

Is it alright to sell these dolls; using a celebrity's face, look, and reputation just to earn some quick bucks?
I would never sell my doll, but that is just me.

Would you be able to really 'bond' with a doll who isn't your own creation, but an existing person?
In the creating, I did bond with my girl. She is actually my favorite of my dolls, I think.

Do you feel it's pushing the line of acceptable and creepy?
I think it depends on the intent. Mimicry is the best form of flattery, and I think there are a lot of celebrities who might find it amusing or interesting.

As for my girl, I intend to take some photographs of her to send along to the celebrity she is modeled after soon. I will make note of any response I should get.

 

In my opinion, it's creepy beyond belief. If I became some sort of pop sensation, I would be mortified to see myself idolized in doll form -- Not just because it's modeled to look exactly like me, but because of what they may do to the doll. As in, make it act in a way I would never in real life, do things I never would, et cetera. Why even model the doll after a celebrity if they don't act like them?

But if they do make this doll act like the celebrity, it wouldn't be fun :< There'd be so many restrictions on what they can and can't do. You can't make a doll homosexual if the celebrity isn't (and you're hypothetically trying to keep the doll 'in character'), and you can't make it go on these grand adventures if the celebrity wouldn't do it.

In my opinion, it's a waste of a doll.

 

I don't see it as creepy at all. If I was famous and someone made a doll form of me, I'd be flattered.
Now if the person is doing something weird with the doll, that would obviously be a little creepy, but then I would consider the person's actions the creepy part, not the doll its self.

I would never own of those dolls, just because I love creating my own characters, but if someone else wants to, I say go for it.