Face-up Brand Picky: What do you think?

Brand control? Like how high end fashion doesn't sell in certain stores or above a certain size. Those companies like to project an image of thin beautiful people buying their clothes, and it keeps them in business. It's aspirational. Selling a dream or lifestyle so to speak. I can understand why that type of method is used. Faceup artists have every right to only do what they prefer and enjoy. No business or goods provider is obligated to make everyone feel comfortable or included. It's like being in an elite club, and it makes some people feel special. If this is the brand image they want to give, it's their free choice to make.

On the other hand, it works both ways. You don't have to like it or support it. Say a consumer fits what the provider is looking for, but the potential customer doesn't like the snobbish attitude. They can take their business elsewhere to an artist they feel they're on the same page with.

 

This debate is really interesting, I've only read 5 pages and have to go in a minute but just wanted to add something, so excuse me if my points have already been addressed.

I have made my living as a freelance designer and artist since the early 80's (yep, I'm ancient) and over the years I have become keenly aware of my strong points and so have my clients. Creative skills are very much based in emotions, we need to like at least, preferably LOVE what we are doing to achieve our best work. That is a fact, creative people are not robots, we cannot turn on the switch and suddenly get the exact same result as yesterday. Obviously clients would prefer it that way, but work with artists, musicians, writers, etc for a while and you will realise that just isn't realistic. Some people call it artistic temperament but actually it's just a creative person becoming more and more aware of the conditions they need to produce their best work.

I have a doll head, it's a thing of beauty, I love it and I saved hard to buy it. I want a face-up on this doll that I simply don't have the confidence, or possibly the skill to paint up myself, so I go looking for a face-up artist. So I look at some portfolios and fall in love with a particular artist's style, but hang on a moment, they say in their blurb that the won't work on my brand of doll... OK, I might throw a mini tantrum and curse my luck... but why the hell would I want to go questioning WHY that artist won't touch MY doll? Why would I give it a second thought? I need whoever does my face-up to really care and love the head I am sending them or at least be curious about it, or neither I, nor they, are going to be happy with the results, are we?

Artist put limitations on the commissions they accept because they know where their skill really lies and they know this doll is your pride and joy and they want to do the best work they possibly can for you, because they are charging you! That's all there is to it. Why has arrogance even been mentioned? There are tons of face-up artists out there, just choose the one who thinks they can do a great job on your doll. AS for "business models", get a grip, I've seen what face-up artist's charge, even the most expensive on here, they could be putting their skills to much more lucrative use elsewhere, believe me! Face-up artists are doing it for a bit of spare cash but mainly because they love doing it, I don't think anyone's sailing round the Med on the yacht they bought with the proceeds, whether they accept Dollzone or not.

 

Why does an artist's preference when choosing which sculpts they like to work on need justifying any more then our preference when we choose which sculpts to buy? The artists aren't forcing anyone to commission them, or passing judgement on anyone's specific doll, they are merely taking in the kind of work they know they are good at and enjoy. In my opinion it's entirely up to the artist to choose what to work with and they shouldn't even have to give reasons for it, it could be for a billion reasons but I wouldn't take it personally or negatively if my doll was on their "NO!" list. I'd ask them if I was that bothered but I don't see why it's a problem anyway as there are load of artists out there; and if one of them just doesn't feel the love for your doll chances are they will screw up the job and have one angry, refund demanding customer and a damaged reputation!

 

I've been practicing to paint faceups for a very long time, and hopr someday to make a little extra money off of it. While I would LOVE and prefer to work on dolls that are more to my personal taste (realistic but not too realistic, migidoll, elfdoll, soom, etc,) I would never turn down someone's doll just because I found it ugly. I would do my best to make that person happy with their doll.

I find it insulting that some artists only work with certain kinds of dolls, but maybe they only know how to paint one kind of face??