how important are props?

I'm sorry your backpack got lost.

For me, I like having them as photo accessories and because I like mini things in and of themselves. I collected them before I got dolls.

However, I don't think they're important for everyone. If you don't feel you need or want them, then you don't need or want them, that's that. ^^ You can still enjoy your doll without them.

If you DO want props and don't want to worry about things getting lost again, you could learn to make props! There are a lot of tutorials on YouTube and the like with great ideas for easy starter props, or check out the Sewing and Crafting subforum, there are some tutorials there too.

 

I think if I was more of a photographer than I am (i.e. I don't really do doll photography), props would be important to me. But as it is right now, I don't feel the need for them and would rather spend the money on more dolls or on things like clothes and wigs. Maybe if I start taking photos more regularly for some reason I'll feel the need for more props. I do have a few mini fans because I thought they were cute but that's about it.

 

I love props, sometimes the props really take the doll to a whole new level! Backpacks are essential for my adventuring dolls, and shoulder bags for street wear, hip pouches for fantasy garb. I have a guitar from volks that turns any doll into a soulful musician, and i found an awesome lantern that of course my dwarf cant live without.

I guess not everyone loves props, but i cant imagine having no props; props are important to my collection.

 

I only have a magazine for my doll and it makes a world of difference as she isn't the most photo-jenek doll

 

I adore props! And my SD gang has everything from fans to swords to purses, hats beer & wine, books, a globe, a compass, a crystal ball, pets, furniture & just about everything else a human or rather fantasy being could use.

I don't so much use them for photos but in my day to day doll displays. I like to have my dolls doing things rather than just standing around. One of my favorite props is a miniature Tarot card deck. I tend to go on prop binges when I search for & buying nothing but props, anything that holds my interest.

But as has been said, not everyone likes or needs them. I'm just a prop junkie after all.

 

In general, I love props and have quite a few held "in common" that just about any of the minions might end up holding or using in pictures. Many of my crew have also ended up with at least a couple of items that are theirs exclusively, ranging from very simple things (Sjhan's bamboo staff, for instance-) to very elaborate ones (Like Tien Jen's fully-playable miniature guzheng-)

The hands-down winner as far as prop-collecting goes over here, though, is Issun (my 1/12-scale Banji). He has an entire furnished and pretty elaborately outfitted shadowbox dolhouse all to himself. Yes. He's a spoiled little thing.

 

I think to some extent it depends on the character of your doll. To use pop culture references, I wouldn't consider my Lucius Malfoy (in the works) complete without his snake cane. A Bellatrix LeStrange, (darn, I may have to think about adding just for the clothes) however, you'd have the character with just hair and clothing. (Yes, I'm having a book/movie/fanfic weekend, does it show? Lol!)

 

I adore props! Use them all the time. I'm so sorry your backpack got lost i too had a few things disappear in the mail but rarely dolly items. How long ago did it get lost? If it was only a little while, it could still turn up.

 

I love props! For me, props are important for photography, but also just because I like small things and I like to display my dolls with size-appropriate items.

If you don't want to buy props from online, you can always try making scale props yourself or scout around dollar stores, consignment shops, thrift shops and yard sales. I have found loads of great props locally. I've also made a number of props.

As for the importance of props to my doll characters, some are more important than others. Tyler is blind and he absolutely could not be without his white cane (a prop that I made). Pax is frequently seen with his teddy bear (which I found at a yard sale). The others don't necessarily need props, although Remi likes to know where his pencils are, and Xander seems to really enjoy his new camera. Most of the props I have here aren't specific to one doll, but are shared among all my resin crew.

 

I think props are essential, but it's also generally hard to find good quality props in the correct scale that suit my dolls' characters' world. So I generally try to make my own props instead of buying them. Almost all my characters have at least one very important prop (that's a sort of symbol of their character), and many of them have multiple props that are very important to them.

 

If you asked me several months ago, I would have said props are hella important, but now, not so much. For awhile I was buying my resin kids all sorts of neat scaled odds and ends, but then I realized my dolls never 'used' them. I have all my props for them on display, but aside from the occasional photo with them, I think =I= enjoy them more than the dolls do. Maybe if I had like a legitimate diorama setup to house all my props, it would be different, but I mostly just my dolls on their own.

 

I really like props ^^ my MSD's both have chairs, a rocking chair and a peacock one, a book, a bed and my boy has a dagger ^^ I love finding things i can use for them! I really want to find a Staff for my girl!

 

I really like props, I think they add something to photos and/or displays (if you have the space for a display), and I'd love to have a ton of awesome props for my doll but I find that finding 1/3 scale props that don't cost too much is nearly impossible
and I can't make 1/3 scale anything to save my life, it always ends up being way too small

 

Props aren't important to me as i'm not interested in diorama or taking photographs of my dolls. I'm in the minority because I don't own BJD's to take pictures of them - photographing dolls fails to interest me. I have many non BJD dolls and it never really crossed my mind to take pictures of them, it wasn't till I discovered BJD's that I learnt just how many people find doll photography a necessity. I absolutely respect anyone who enjoys photographing their dolls with props, dioramas, doll houses etc but it simply doesn't appeal to me at all. The few photographs I have done in the past that I put on flickr were for reference purposes only, to potentially help out anyone who may have been thinking about buying that particular sculpt as they were all from lesser known companies but the photographs were nothing flashy lol. I don't need props so there's no point me wasting money on them.

 

I love props! I've amassed quite the collection over the years. They're handy for photoshoots. Like Gwydion, I use them in displays as well. I think it makes the dolls look more lively. I've even built a couple of sets.

 

Props - what I live for LOL LOL LOL I was collecting miniatures LONG before BJDs existed (well, the Asian polyurethane resin ones). I've a whole set of tiny glass liquor bottles from the 70s! (college days....) and a cabinet full of 1:3 scale china that again, I had BEFORE the dolls. So of course once I found out about BJDs I went nuts. I've furniture, 2 bookcases full of tiny books, pictures, weapons, sewing stuff, easels, on and on and on - then of course there are the things like back packs, handbags, cigarettes, food. I've 2 Vespas, an off the road beach buggy thing, a tent, lanterns, Christmas stuff (as in, tree w/decorations, wreaths, etc etc etc) - dioramas of course... Just oodles of stuff. Cause I love it. I do photography, but I also have my dolls lounging about in the living room, complete w/all their stuff, which makes me smile to see
Oh, & did I mention all the toys for the kids? HA!

 

I like props, they're not 100% necessary for me but I like finding cheap ones while I'm out and about. Got a Barbie music set for under 3 dollars and it's got a littler guitar and tambourine, along with tiny pieces that work with my Resinsoul.

 

As I consider my dolls mostly as giant action figures, props are essential to me. As they need very specific props in 1/3 scale, I started to make mostly everything myself. However, I am always happy when I find something ready-made. Maybe a 3D-printer would make things much easier? But part of the fun for me is to do my research, think about materials and how to construct it, which often does not go without failing, and then to take a picture with the doll in full outfit. For this purpose, I often keep stuff which you would normally throw away. I have a big box of "strange stuff". Right now, I am keeping this for my future Tony Stark workshop diorama. I am planning to have him lying around several unfinished project, which need to look a bit strange and technical.