Face plates? Or full head with Cap?

the versatility options for face plates is nice.. and if they're designed well i like them, but now having dealt with a faceplate with weak magnets i'd rather have the reliability of a full headcap. u_u

 

if a faceplate was secured somehow with a locking system, probably it'll be the best way. I would go for this system.
But then again, it really depends on the artists and their sculpts.

 

I haven't had any faceplate types really, but from what I've heard regarding the magnetic system (that they sometimes can have weak magnetism that leads to the faceplate constantly falling off or such) I feel much safer with the full head with cap version. I don't have to worry about the head pitching forward on a whim to knock the faceplate off, or having it become dislodged somehow and get lost on me. I can just imagine the horror I'd feel if I had one that happened to pop off while I'm downstairs in my place, where there's hard, tiled floors. The chance of a faceup chipping or it shattering into a couple pieces would certainly frighten me!

I personally don't mind having to take off the head to change out eyes either. With a full head, it gives me something more to grip onto. I swear sometimes I have what you could call butterfingers, and things just slip out of my grasp. That would be super inconvenient with something like a faceplate, with less to grip onto!

 

I have two with headcaps and one with a faceplate and while I love the idea behind faceplates I just dont trust those magnets to hold it securely.

Like others have said its esier to hide any damage or faults behind the wig with a headcap than it is in faceplate.

 

I like the concept of faceplates more than the execution...but I also think if I were regularly facing up my dolls I'd have a stronger leaning. I like headbacks and fixed expressions only because I have fixed ideas for my dolls and am not interested in the versatility of faceplates (yet)

 

There's something very elegant about a faceplate, but I think for aesthetic reasons, I prefer having a head cap so there's no visible seam on their head.

 

I prefer full head with cap without any doubt. I only have one doll with faceplate and, like some people have pointed out here, magnets tend to be really weak and they aren't secure. My doll's faceplate have fell so many times (even when I slightly turn the head) it's frustrating...

 

I really reeeaally prefer face plates. I think it's easier to take them off to customize and change clothes, and makes for an easier time having multiple faces for one doll. I also feel like it gives me better access to the eyes which are always a trick to get placed right

 

Full heads, definitely, from both aesthetic and practical standpoints. Touching a face-upped head to change eyes is nerve-wracking enough for me; I don't need to be worried about the face actually falling off, too. Also, I've always found the seamlines on faceplates to be ugly.

I don't take my doll's heads off to change eyes, so if I want faceplates, my Figmas are far more suited for that.

 

There are pros and cons either way. I have found I enjoy faceplates as @Cindilou02 said in the OP because a few lines have different expressions that is fun to have for the same doll. I love my Dollshe Saint for this reason and opted to trade away the headcap style head I originally had in lieu for the faceplate system. The downside is, because he's a larger doll, I ended up putting a bit of painter's tape on the very top of the faceplate so it does not fall off. My adult tiny, Batchix elf has a faceplate and I'm very glad for this since his eyes are tiny at 3mm in size. Because he is smaller, his face is lighter and does not have issues falling off. His head is so tiny I fear without the faceplate system, I wold struggle terribly to re-string him.

The good thing about headcaps is that I can and often do use the headcap to test the color of pastels on the resin color before putting it on the face. This has saved me many times from wiping a faceup due to the pastel looking off in combination with the resin. It's nice for larger heads because the weight of the resin on larger dolls demands more powerful magnets than any I've seen used so far. The opening of the head in large enough for my fingers to fit inside easily to change eyes, so this has never been an issue.

In conclusion, faceplates on very tiny dolls is the best and not so much on larger dolls. Although the versatile faceplate systems for different expressions would be worth finding a work around if the resin is too heavy for the wimpy magnets.

 

I have artist casts of the Batchix Clever Littles, 1 with a head cap and 1 with a face plate. It is much better for a doll that small (wig size 3, eyes 3mm or 4mm) to have a face plate because getting itty-bitty eyes in a head cap style that's so small is a NIGHTMARE (I am NEVER changing their eyes again).

I have a couple of dolls with a faceplate. My Soom ID51's have faceplates and their faces fit well and tightly and I haven't had an issue with them popping off. My big Dollshe boy has a faceplate and it takes shockingly little to jiggle his faceplate off. Having a silicone cap and his wig helps to keep it on, but its annoying to have it be so touchy.

I prefer head cap style and don't take the head off to install eyes so that's not a consideration for me. I also don't do face ups so can't comment on that aspect.

 

I think faceplates are cool, but my preference is full head as I just like them better. If the cap falls off it doesn’t freak me out that my doll is faceless

 

Faceplates! The original thing that sparked my interest in dolls (and eventually BJDs) as a child was watching behind the scenes footage of the crew that made the movie Coraline; the puppets they built were incredibly articulated and had little faceplates that had to be switched out for every change of expression. Dolls that have interchangeable faces that I can switch around easily bring me back to what got me into the hobby in the first place

 

I think personally I prefer the full head instead of the faceplate!

 

Faceplates for sure but that's because all the cute expressions of Unoa dolls stole my heart from the start and have never let it go. They just seem much more dynamic and lively. I don't like head-switching. It's easier for me to adjust the eyes (or eye mechanism) in a faceplate and so far, all of my plates (12 Unoa, 2 DollShe) stay on pretty well.

 

I think I would prefer a faceplate so that the doll can have a sleeping/alternative faceplate. And if I'm having a hard time getting something over the head, I could just remove the plate for extra room. Then again, I have no experience with either of them, so I couldn't say for sure.

 

Full head + cap for sure! They're easier to work with for faceups they don't have the weird seams, and they are usually just easier. I have had too many dolls with faceplate systems that don't stay on and it drives me nuts!

 

When it comes to these two, which one do you guys prefer??

 

I really love working with faceplates - easy to pop off for eye removal or change. When giving them a faceup, I like that mine lays pretty flat, whereas I'm always paranoid my heads will roll after I've finished spraying sealant and mess something up. ~

 

I prefer to have the head... although I have no valid reasons why, it's just something about them, they seem more complete