How long did it take you guys to learn?

It's taken me about a year or so for me. I'm pretty confident on my knowledge (at least confident too give an hour long presentation in front of 1500 people ). I think I was lucky though. I lived with an Asian girl who was a passionate collector of BJDs and I was friends with a guy who made resin figurines for a collectables company. So I had a lot of good mentors. I still don't know everything, I don't think anyone really does

 

There really IS so much to learn around here XD I think it took me a month or two to become familiar with most of the companies and popular molds, but as far as information about how they're made or faceup techniques or whatever, I don't think I'm anywhere near learning it all :0

 

I know I will never learn all the different companies or the different heads and such. I just know what I like, and what I don't. To mean it's easier that way. I love learning but more how I can do better for my BJDs' not how many names I can memorize or recognize on pics. But who is well made, cost effective and won't need constant repairs. MK

 

Ah, did you know the "experts" (woot for random experts) say that challenging your mind will help ward off senility?

Betcha didn't think your hobby being complicated would be good for your old age.

 

I am also just a beginner when it comes to BJD. I've been buying any magazine I can get my hands on related to BJD. Haute Doll and Fashion Doll Quarterly have been the best so far. Then I just check out the websites in the magazines i.e. ads or articles. Then spend hours pouring over all the info on the websites. I've been reading the book BJD Orbyrarium and have found a lot of useful info. DOA is really great for info. I never knew there was so much info and choices for BJD.

 

I've been involved with bjds for a bit over two years now, and there's still lots of stuff to learn. Rather than trying to learn everything about everything at once (extremely overwhelming), try focusing on the topics that most interest you and then go from there. I've also spent a lot of time perusing company websites, but there are still lots of dolls that I'm not familiar with. It's sort of a continual learning process, but that's what keeps things new and fresh

 

I've been into them for a long time. I first saw/heard of them at Otakon several years ago. I kinda backed off of them because I didn't even know where to begin. Then I met a friend in college who taught me a lot about them and now I can say I've been seriously researching them/working with them and learning about them for close to a year now. All the girls at school who are into them... we all learn from each other in different areas. I don't think it's possible to every truly have a complete handle on all the information. There is just so much and there's so much coming out and changes so much that it's probably impossible. Sometimes I even see how much I still don't know, regardless of being into the "scene" for a year. There's just so much to learn and see and all, and especially getting into it at first is soooo overwhelming.

 

It was a year ago this month that I bought my first BJD but I'd been exposed to them for a while before that thru a friend who graciously let me play a bit with her's & gave me links to the major companies & US stores. I spent months just browsing & asking questions of her then when I was finally ready to order Jennifer at Dolls & Friends talked me thru the process & answered even more of my questions.

So it's been about 2 years now since I really started looking & I still don't know everything about these dolls & seriously doubt if I ever will. There are always new companies starting up & new molds being released & it's next to impossible to keep up with it all. I do have a good grasp of the basics, am familiar with many companies, can restring, change eyes & do enhancements. I haven't done a full face-up yet since I simply haven't needed to & my plans for body blushing everyone this summer went out the window due to some health problems but in theory I know how to it.

With a friend, I've been giving programs on BJDs to several local doll clubs & I'll be going solo with that this December as my friend will have to work that night.

I can't tell you how long it will take you to get a working knowledge but reading the boards, visiting company sites, asking questions & experimenting on your dolls will all teach you about them. We all had to start somewhere.

 

Just terminology took me about a month, month and a half, because I'm freakily good at memorising random junk ^.^

After about a year and a half, I feel confident I could probably answer most, if not all, of the usual newbie questions, although I've been doing loads of research for my book so I lot of that I learnt in a short time.

 

What are some other good books to read about BJD?

 

2 years ago...and still learning..^^

 

LOL, I hear you. I first got interested in BJDs about a year and a half ago (maybe two years?) when one of my friends got one. At first I thought she was crazy at the time for spending so much on a doll, but I still liked them. I lurked around DoA for a while to learn, and picked her brain a lot too. I've been collecting for about 8 or nine months now, but I'm still learning! It also seems like a new company is popping up once a week! (Or at least one I haven't heard of yet. >_<)

I kind of like the fact that there's always more to learn though. ^_^

 

Being new to the community and all, I'm clearly still learning... haha.

I remember when I first got interested in BJDs was... ~4 or 5 years ago, I think? Because someone on a site I went to had pictures of them, and I thought "Ooh, that's kinda cool". At that time, all I knew about was Volks. I saw how much the cost and just kinda was ";_; I can never have one... *pout*" For the next few years I'd every once in awhile look around at BJDs (slowly I learned there WAS more than Volks' dolls out there!) but I still never started saving or anything because I was so sure I just 'couldn't' get one.

Well, now I'm really starting to get into the whole community and stuff and learning so quickly so much that I didn't know before @_@ There really is a lot to learn, it's almost overwhelming! But it's fun. =P No matter how long it takes you to learn, it's fun. I'm pretty sure you're always going to be learning new things, I know I am, at least.

To learn what I DO know? It's not much, but ~2 years of general online BJD-related lurking (off and on) plus however long I've been on the forums (learned most of what I know after joining here... XD). I have a general idea of terms and some of the more... 'important' things to know. I'm a far-cry from expert, but at least I'm comfortable. n_n;;

 

I've been in the hobby a little over a year now and ;A; still learning.
i don't think its possible to learn it all XD unless your like a genius!

 

I think even people who've been into the hobby for years are still learning...I mean, there are new doll companies and new dolls being made all the time, so there's always going to be something new, y'know?

 

It has only been a few months for me but I guess I already know all of the basics... Thanks to the friend who pushed me in this hole of hell... (I hate her... my ruin is all her fault XDDD)

What I wanted to say is that you've got plenty of time for learning things about BJD's, I guess that you always learn things about them... in fact, the more difficult is to learn the basics... when you're done with that well... everythings fine and you're only mad about those horrible things that makes a big hole in your wallet everytime your heart's beat XDDDD (Yak ! I love them, I want my little family to be finished soon ! ! ! )

Anyway, as for conclusion, even if all seems dark at the begining, it all clears soon enough for you to become completly mad XD

 

I didn't even know BJDs came in multiple sizes until last April... I've had a passing interest in BJDs ever since I saw the Dream of Doll site, but I figured it was a rip-off to get a doll that freaking expensive... then I realized how freaking big they can be... Now they're suddenly worth it!

I'm not really sure how to say how much time it's taken me to feel less ignorant... Though I've learned a lot since joining these forums...

 

Don't worry about it ^^ It's so addictive that you'll start spending hours at a time just staring at doll pictures, drooling over clothing sites, and hunting down new ones to repeat the process with.
Er.... at least.... << >> << >> That's what I did.
I think I'd consider myself at least fairly knowledgeable about BJDs.....but I did experience the same thing as you when I really started to look into them. At first, it seems as if there's an inexhaustable supply of BJD information and an infinite number of BJD brands and sites...... but before you know it, you'll be disappointed at how 'few' there are. It is confusing at times, but enjoy the thrill of *not* knowing! I find that, looking back on it, I was a lot less picky about molds and clothing when I first started to get interested in BJDs, because I just hadn't seen a vast majority of what was out there. Although....... maybe being picky is better for one's bank account.

 

I don't think it takes that long... DoA was here when I really got interested. All I had to do was read through stuff here (admittedly, it's a lot, but I like reading up on stuff! ).

But as far as identifying sculpts--I doubt I'll ever be good at it. There's always new stuff happening, too--so it's good to check in on DoA and other sites now and then!

 

I bought my first BJD about a year ago but didn't really find out too much about them. They are pretty, I like them so I started to collect them!
I knew they came in different sizes and there were several companies, and they were made of resin and are completely customisable but that was about it. Since joining DOA I have learnt so much more!
After having my third child (squishy one, not resin) my brain has vacated, aka Homer simpson style ("alright, thats it, I'm outa here ... footsteps, door closing... unsure of return date!) so I am limited to how much I can fit into what is remaining. But what I know I like, and I know where to go when I want to know more!
So to answer the question.. Don't know everything, probably never will and I'm happy with that!