First doll w/ or w/o a face-up?

I'm a noob, so I'm not sure if I have much say in this... but I would like my first to have a face-up because I have no expirence wit face-ups so it would be easier. But I would like to do it my self one day

 

I didn't really get a say in whether my first doll came with a faceup or not, because he was purchased second-hand and in person on a whim at a doll meetup. He came completely blank, which I was fine with -- he didn't have a set look or personality which defined him already, so I got to start completely from scratch. All the dolls I've bought since have also been blank....

...except for my newest! Cerulean, my Migidoll Mir and most recent acquisition (my 6th doll), came with a company face-up, as I bought him second-hand-but-still-new (he'd been a prize won in a contest, according to the seller). It was a completely new and different experience opening up a box and seeing him peeking out at me with an expression already on his face! His company face-up will eventually be taken off and replaced by a custom one, but for now I'm content to let him be while I wait for his new wig and eyes to arrive.

 

My first doll I got without a faceup, intending to do it myself - realistically I might have actually saved money if I had just had the company do the faceup, because the money it takes to buy decent pastels/acrylics is not insubstantial - but I was not a huge fan of the default faceup for my particular doll, and I would not have remained happy about it in the long run.

I like how he turned out too, so I figure it was a good decision long run!

 

First doll was version 1 Lapis from Aileendoll and since I didn't know how into the hobby I was going, I got her with the face-up. After that I realized I really wanted in and bought my own airbrush, I pretty much buy majority of my dolls without face-up and do it myself to save money. Unless I really, REALLY like the company one.

 

With my first doll I would like the face-up done, it would be easier for me.

 

The first several I bought had faceups. The first two I got new and I was scared to do the faceups, which didn't matter because I redid my second dolls face a couple months later and redid my first one not long ago because the company faceup was flaking off. The next two I bought second hand and I really like their faceup as is. The last couple I bought blank and did the faceup myself because I didn't like the company faceup. It's all worked out for me so far.

 

I got a cheap head to practice with (SD sized) and realized very quickly that without MSC, the faceup would never stay but if I wanted MSC, the cost of it+the respirator mask would be more than just sending my doll to someone else for a faceup. I chose not to get the default faceup because it didn't quite match what I wanted and started shopping around for artists who could do it for me.

 

I got my first doll with make-up, because I was scared to make one by myself. The default make-up was really cute and I liked it a lot. But then after a long while I wanted to try to do make-up by myself. The default wasn't suitable for my doll's character anymore so I did quite a few make ups to make it right. My other dolls came without make up, because I had already practised with my first one, and I will continue buying dolls without make up, unless they are second hand and I love the make up they already have. :>

 

I just posted about a similar subject in another thread woop.

Anyway, I while I don't have my first doll yet, I have been researching and shopping a lot. While the thought of doing a faceup with no prior experience scares me a little, I think getting a company faceup kind of takes away from the whole customization part of the hobby, but does save a little stress on messing up a $300+ item.. However, I'd save about 50 bucks for a blank doll instead, heh. I think I will get a blank doll, that way when I finally get her face right (after many, many tries, I'm sure..) she will truly feel like MY doll.

 

I fell in love with the company's faceup so I got my first doll with one. I haven't doine a faceup myself so I wouldn't how it would turn out and was afraid it may turn out badly.