How do you doll plan?

Currently I have a page for each of my dolls in my notepad on my computer (so, digital)... I realized early on I wanted to not have to double back and look for some simple pieces of info like where and when my dolls were acquired, so I put some effort into creating pages for the dolls I had, as well as potential dolls. Also helps to have heights, measurements, eye sizes, wig sizes there so I can reference pretty quickly. I drop images of the sculpt in there when I feel like it, or inspirational images.

But I'm not really a fan of planning things on the computer, so while the tactical info is nice to have accessible when I'm browsing the internet for accessories... I've neglected a lot of my dolls projects because I just kind of forget I had creative ideas that I also dropped in. I'm considering switching to a physical scrapbook to help me commit my ideas to longer-term memory. I'm hoping a more tactile process might feel more fun - and like an art project in itself.

 

I’m very organized for my career (executive assistant). At home, I’ve been a bit of a slob. I have a simple list of my dolls but I find I rely on google searches for measurements and general doll info. Photos would be nice, for myself but also for insurance purposes.

My collection is just large enough that I can’t keep all this data in my head. As to plans, I am less organized and follow my whims but after reading this thread, I’m inspired to create a Trello board to track all things dolls.

 

@maxxxamillion You've inspired me to use one of those many notebooks I have acquired for that purpose! I have so many dolls, that maybe committing a notebook to keeping all their info would be a smart thing to do! Would also be good for insurance/will writing purposes as well!

 

I just use a regular paper notebook-- nothing fancy, usually one of those old-school composition books with the black and white speckled covers. I keep lists of all the different projects I get ideas for, to-do lists for what I need to do to finish each doll that isn't done yet, materials and stuff I need to buy for projects, notes about the dolls' characters or stories as ideas come to me, whatever. Also sketches to test out designs for stuff I want to sew for them, and notes about ideas for how to go about putting things together that I want to make. It's kind of a jumble, not super organized, and probably wouldn't be particularly legible or coherent to anyone but me. I don't use any online stuff for doll planning really; the most digital I get with it is I have albums on my phone to organize any inspiration photos I save along the way by the doll they pertain to. As for any kind of record keeping, I have a folder in my file cabinet where I put all their CoAs and whatever other papers came with them, but that's about it.

 

I have a google doc right now where I'm planning out what my separate doll 'families' need-- what I have, what I need to buy, what I need to make/do. I have it split into sections for the dolls themselves, hair, wardrobe, and sets, and a section for everyone's pets. I need to throw in a section for key props, and then I need to replicate the whole thing for Marigold and her future siblings.

My older dolls don't take the same kind of planning at this point-- though I still get them things that strike my fancy sometimes, pre-sketch different faceup ideas... but they're already figured out as much as they need to be, they have props and wardrobes and don't really need 'worlds' built up for them.

 

I've been intening to do this for literlly years now, and have started three notebooks, which I happen across every so often when tidying and realize never got very far before I didn't get around to finishing listing the dolls I had at the time, let alone updating with newer additions - I don't think I'm organised enough to succeed in that sort of endeavour (and me a librarian - shocking!!. Honestly, I'm good with other-people's information and organisational needs, just not-so-much with my own).

Good luck with yours

Teddy

 

I am a school teacher so I am very organized at work...and sort of organized at home. I try to use my school breaks to catch up at home but I am not always successful. We'll see what this summer holds! It seems like a good idea and I think I would enjoy it?

 

I'm rooting for you to succeed. You'll need to update us after the summer, or something

Teddy

 

I use Notion for storing all my dolls information.
It can paste photo, also have a database-like pages, I can sort and filter and search in the database.

 

Well, I do plans in many ways.

Firstly, I always like to have a designed character before looking for a model that suits it characteristics. So I either write a caption/concept or I make a couple of sketches in my notebook.
I prefer to keep the doll's information on a paper-sketchbook.
Here's some sketch concepts:


About the character's name, I mostly ask to a friend for ideas or I search on Internet. I am terrible at name choosing.
The clothing or aesthetic choices is quite the same, I look for references on social media or Internet. When I find something that catch my attention, I save all the stuff on my computer. If I have enough time, I do draw the character with the chosen clothing.

When I have everything about character's design, then It's time to find doll models and faceups that matches with my ideas. I would consider this part the most difficult because there are so many to choose, lol.

 

I'm another scattered records and inspiration person. The BJDs I have and my wish list are on Airtable, I have various Pinterest boards of fashion inspiration and face-ups. I have an account on World Anvil for world building for my MSDs.

 

So I plan on getting two more dolls, one girl and another boy. I think I'm planning for the boy more so than the girl at the moment.

I usually just browse sites and look around for a sculpt that gives me a feeling like ,"hmm, I can see my O.C. in this one". I have an O.C. whom I've written a profile for in a notebook. His personality, style, hobbies, story, etc. And with all that in mind I browse around a vast sea of sculpts that I feel I can shell my O.C. into. When I do find sculpts, I generally just screenshot and make note of the price. I screenshot everything! Clothes, eyes, wigs, accessories. I need to organize a folder for him, but I'm a mess haha. Also back to the sculpts; I do screenshot their measurements so that if I see an outfit I like, I'll go back and check to see if it'll fit. If I find a site that has a lot of items I would like to buy in the future, I'll 'add to cart' till I'm done browsing around and then just screenshot that too so I'll have an idea of how much I'll be looking to spend in the future. I do have a sculpt in mind from what I've seen so far. I'm keeping my options open too, and I'm not in a hurry to get him. I wanna take my time planning him. I think I'm going to do a clothing color scheme for him too since his favorite color will be purple. Every outfit he'll wear will have something purple on it.

I'm still planning a doll I already have too. Shortly after I got him I kind of went on a long hiatus (few years), so I never got to finish putting him together. I like how he looks currently, but I feel like he isn't complete. He needs a certain outfit, new eyes, and I feel the finishing touch for him will be a guitar... which is pretty hard to find.

 

As I am getting ready to get my first doll, I think I might actually start some spreadsheets and tables to record some stuff. Things that I buy, things I want to buy, that kind of stuff. I might even start keeping a list of my favorite vendors/shops, like I do for my Lolita and Vintage clothing collections.

 

I have an honest-to-god excel document
I'll also second a lot of people here on pinterest boards! Though I also have a category to link said pinterest boards in my excel document...

 

I was speed reading this thread and didn't see that! I like this idea!

 

I use google sheets and have a multi-tab spreadsheet that handles the dolls I want, the incoming, and the dolls I have as well as accessories and clothes. The majority of my dolls are based on pre-existing original characters, and I used to have a Tumblr for each of them where I'd post pictures, art, and stories of each specific doll/character, but I stopped using Tumblr and haven't really come across any other platform I like. These days I just have a folder for each of them on my computer.

 

I don’t really plan honestly. They get here and kinda become who they are from what I have at the time, I guess. I buy wigs, eyes, and clothes when I have extra money to spare. They just get eyes and hair based on what looks best on them, and then almost all of my dolls share clothing. I don’t even really plan out faceups. I just kinda get out the supplies and then wing it. Maybe that’s why most of my dolls have the same faceup.
As far as wishlists go, dolls I want are just stored in my head, and everything else gets put in my favorites list on Etsy.

 

I like to keep a cute little notebook that inspires me to do all stuff doll related. It helps me keep track of what I want to do

 

I keep a folder on my favorites bar with a bunch of saved links, organized by doll! Since my dolls are mostly characters on my stories, I already have a lot of material to work with and all I really need to do is find places to get outfits, wigs, etc to suit what I have planned. Sometimes I also use PS to plan out things with photo editing, especially for faceup plans!

 

Most of mine either are based on my own ocs or particular styles I like. I actually don't store plans really unless it's faceup ideas lol then I store it in my cloud. Outfits are in a chaos drawer. For inspiration I skulk around Ebay and etsy since not many people actually have dolls that fall into my style lol