Getting taller dolls

I can't say that I've had a particular "trend" in the height of my dolls... I started right in the middle with some 45cm-range sculpts, then dropped down to an 11cm sculpt before adding more 45cms. Then some 27cm range dolls showed up. A 60cm showed up, then departed again. More in the 45-cm range, a 32 cm, and an 18cm pet, before jumping up to another 60cm. I'm certainly not done with any size range, but there's definitely no trending of going up or down at all!

I can't say I've heard of 30cm dolls referred to as "large" before! The general appeal for me, however, is aesthetics and ease of constructing clothes for them. It's generally easier to find props for the smaller ones, but I do have some nice ones for the bigger dolls. And I didn't really have any idea behind my starting range, I simply found a sculpt I liked, and stuck with that scale for a while as the other dolls I was creating needed to be scaled with him.

 

My first dolls were 60 cm and I have to say part of the reason I was drawn to them was their huge size! To me, they were like big, awesome action figures! I collect figures as another hobby and larger scales always impressed me because their craftsmanship just seemed so much better...hence why I was drawn to bigger dolls at first.

All of my larger scaled dolls are vinyl Dollfie Dreams or Obitsus though. They are much lighter than resin and a lot easier to handle in my opinion so it is not overwhelming to me.

All my resin dolls at the moment are in the 40 cm range because I find them easier to handle at this size. Plus they're just so cute and easy to sew for! I'm afraid at the moment that anything larger than that in resin will be too heavy for me. (I am very weak.
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I started with 58-60cm dolls. Then they started getting taller and taller until I got to 72cm. Now I think that's too tall, so they're all shrinking again.

 

Yeah it seems like that's a pretty common trend, to start small and work your way up I guess. I started out in the hobby being so surprised to find out how big all the dolls in those beautiful photos actually were. I remember thinking then that even 42cm was huge, haha... So my first doll was MSD because that was all the doll I could mentally deal with at the time.

And now I seem to be getting a super crazy tall SD guy :'D I'm not sure how that happened... 71.5cm now seems cuddly not scary.

I see more tall dolls in my future in all probability......

 

I started with tinies because they were more cost-effective and I wasn't 100% sure about BJDs yet so I wanted to "test the waters". My first two were a Puki and a PKF, then after came my YoSD. Then a 70cm.

My YoSD is a limited and a very special girl, so her size meant nothing to me at all. I wanted big dolls ever since I joined the hobby and I got one as soon as I could, after seeing some in person and confirming that I did not find them intimidating. The dolls I saw before buying my big guy only come up to his nipples. Ha ha! I have another SD on the way and an MSD ordered. I really like the more mature, sleek sculpts. I also love my big guy because he can cuddle with me. It's not an especially rare sight to see him in my lap watching anime with me. Whenever I take him out, he rides shotgun and we cuddle wherever we are. When I took him out with some friends recently and we did a lot of walking, I got him up on my shoulders and I rode him around while holding his hands like you would do with a toddler. Being able to do that kind of stuff with him is what I really love about him and his size. I also love that big dolls have jointed hands, which gives them an extra dynamic and even more poseability.

I think having lots of different sizes is important. MSDs are so unappealing to me, but I recently ordered one and I'm very excited for his arrival. I like experiencing ownership of all the different sizes. I like seeing different poseability ranges, what kind of availability there is for clothes, wigs, eyes, etc. I like havig that dynamic when I do group photos, especially where everyone is interacting, where everyone is unique and different and it's easy to tell them apart and get a feel for their personalities. SD will always be my number one size, though. I love 'em.

 

I decided my 'scale' would be roughly 1cm for 1 inch, which meant that 68-70cm boys would be the norm for adult males... I've got 1/12, 1/6 (YOSD), MSD, & SD - my grown girls range from 58cm to 68cm. So although I got a 27cm doll first & then an EID, I hardly followed any progression.
As for why I LIKE the big dolls - I'm a costumer - it is SO rewarding to be able to actually sew a real outfit for my dolls instead of a make-do cause of scale kind of thing as one has to do w/12" dolls, for instance. I've made a tailored suit for my EID w/padded facing & all. It is a major pain trying to find 1/3 accessories sometimes but it's worth it to me

 

My first two were 60cm and I knew I wanted the bigger dolls. Most of my gang now are in the 65-73cm range. I do have two tinies which I got purely because of their Naga tails. I would have liked bigger but that wasn't an option. I like the 65cm size best

 

That didn't happen with me, I've only ever collected 58-65cm dolls. I don't think I'll "upgrade" to 78-80cm dolls and I'm not at all fond of mini sized dolls.
I have seen some beautiful tinies though, I might add some to my collection one day.

 

I'm a tiny gal too but recently I've ventured into MSD territory with mixed results. I hate two of the MSD bodies I got so I'm working to swap those heads back to yosd. The other two are satisfying enough to keep but I don't think I'll be buying more MSDs in the future. They're just too clunky lol.

 

I'm kind of all over the place; started with 46cm, then went to 62cm, then dropped waay down to 16cm, and the next four I got were 27cm, still waiting on another 16cm and two more 27cm dolls. After them, I have plans for a 35cm doll, a 72cm doll, and a 4.5cm doll! I love diversity, but I'll probably have mostly Yo-SD and smaller sized dolls (which is funny, because my roommate loves the big dolls! I do, however, plan to get a Trinity one day. They're really beautiful!)

 

My BJD world is Super Dollfie sized. I also have two 43cm MSD sized BJDs, they are children.

I once said I'd never have a BJD taller than 62cm... but then I traded one of my 60cm girls for a 70cm guy! I was pleased to see he didn't look out of place with my shorter girls and guys. Once he got in, he must have left the door open for the others, because now I have eight BJDs who are 65 cm and taller!

Linda S.
galatia9

 

It all started with the sculpts, definitely. I first became attracted to BJDs because of the age range and the fantasy parts and colors. The customizability potential was truly insane. But I never was terribly fond of child dolls, so even though 60cm seemed huge at the time, I inadvertently set my sights on SDs right away. I'd also read lots of accounts of owners who started with smaller dolls getting SDs and then not being able to bond with them because of the size difference. I didn't want that to happen; most of my grails were (And still are) SDs!

In the end I started with a 70. I wanted a 60, a specific limited 60 in fact, but due to costs and skeptical family, I chose to be cheap and buy from Bobobie instead of getting the doll I really wanted. But I have always loved Long from the moment I saw him, so I was very excited regardless. I thought that if I started with the biggest standard size, it might prepare me for everything beneath it. I wouldn't have to feel intimidated. And so far that has held true. I've since bought another 70 to keep my stubby 60 and all my MSDs, Tinies, and YOs company, and he's not too big for my tastes.

My second was an MSD. YoSDs are not terribly huge next to Tinies- they are noticeably bigger, but still a conveniently-sized doll. My guess is, if you end up liking YOs(27cm-ish), the biggest you'll ever be comfortable with is an MSD (40cm-ish), considering the size range you've dealt with so far. But if you do end up branching out into SDs someday, I'll be quite curious to see whom you pick to add to your menagerie!

MSDs are the most popular doll size, at least in my experience, but I still remain attached to my 60s and 70s. I've found that the bigger dolls are also quite fun to hold. They fit nicely into the crooks of your arms, and are good to snuggle (Not too roughly!), much like a beloved stuffed companion. I'm not the overly sentimental type, but I'd be lying if I said that I don't enjoy just holding my 60 while I surf the 'net or read a book. Also, as a photographer, I find them a nice height for fitting with their surroundings. Except in the case of tiny props and scale sets, if I want to get a picture of the overall environment, YOs and smaller tend to drown in the background, and MSDs look a tad too small, but SDs are just close enough in proportion that they can sit on small chairs or stand against fences and not look too out of place. It's an interesting phenomena, considering that they're just a tad shorter than a small child, and of unnaturally thin proportions as opposed to an actual human.

 

To be honest, I don't have an order in the sizes I got.
I chose a 45 cm doll as my first, because I had handled a SD before and remembered them to be big and heavy, while I could not picture myselve handling something in the yosd range, much less smaller. Besides, I'm not really the child doll type....
After determinating that the 45cm was not scary, and that I could handle them easily, I went up (grail being 60 and all) got myselve to Sd and later went down to a small head as practicce. If I can paint such tiny things, I can paint the bigger ones for sure- that was the logic behind it. Well Louis just changed my plans for him.... but the logic still stands^^
30 cm came after, no specific reason besides the -oh how cute, must have!
Then followed another Sd and lastly a 70 cm.
Never thought I would get one this big, and I'm not entirely sure if I want more (debating on changing one of my 60 into 70 because he looks sooooooo much better that way)
The last doll that is coming home is an animal doll (one of my initial no goes) and somewhere in the Tiny ramge.
No order at all, but I have definitively my preferences.
To play 45 cm, nicely posable and easy to handle
To sew for SD and bigger (my sewing mashine eats the fabric of smaller things....-.-')
To carry around 30 cm, light, easyly portable and very nice to handle^^

 

I always jump in between 40 cm to 65 cm but lately, I'm interested in larger doll 70+ size with more muscular type. But a problem that comes with bigger dolls, is...their clothes, especially for unique size doll...They are so difficult to find one with fit there body and actually suit their style well.

 

I'm with Teleri on this. Not only do I love sewing doll-sized costumes, but I've always prefered more mature sculpts; so a 72cm was the obvious first choice! I'm also horrible with size-comparison so is doesn't dawn on me how big/small a doll is until it comes. But I also want to see what a smaller one is like, so I got a 45cm. Then I'm going back up to 58cm, and maybe down to 16cm.
Though, it wouldn't be surprising if one day I'd try for a 80-100cm. (which us more than half my height)