How much do you aspire to know about BJDs? O_o;

I so understand how you feel. I've known about BJDs for a long time, two years atleast, but only recently got into them about two weeks ago. ^^'' My friend would use the term 'BJD' now and then and I always forgot what it meant. She'd have to say 'dollfies' for me to clue in. X''D But in two weeks I've learned so much! I find it all so facinating, but I doubt I'll ever know as much as some of the more crazed fans. I'm the type to know a lot about one specific thing that I love instead of the whole genre.

I knew about Volks first, but got sent the link to Luts and instantly fell in love with the CP DELFs. As soon as I saw EL I knew I had to have him, so I saved up all the money I could and now he's in the process of being put together! ^-^ I've seen some other types of dolls that I like, but none appeal to me as much as EL. I've realized just how popular he is from visiting these forums, which I didn't know at the time, but I don't mind. He'll be a piece of me and have his own originality. I really can't wait to get him. *n_n*

 

Personally I can care less how much I do and do not know, it's not a popularity contest but that seems to be the case in every fandom. Just because you don't know what the chemical properties are of the resin your bjd is made out of does not make you any less of a BJD owner.

 

I can't identify most heads or eyes or dolls on sight either! However, there's a lot of reference material out there, and more important than knowing everything is knowing where to find out about things.

For some people, knowing all that brings them a great deal of satisfaction. For others, it's just knowing about their own dolls. Like most things with dolls, their primary purpose is to make you happy, so if you're happy where you are, I don't think there's any problem.

Besides, if you're at a doll meet and can't recognize a doll, asking the owner about it is a great way to start a conversation.

There are only a very few reasons I lose respect for doll owners, and not being an authority is NOT one of them.

Marcia.

 

I don't aspire to be a BJD expert of any kind. With new companies and dolls popping up constantly, it would be a difficult task indeed. However, I will admit seeking out info on my two favorite companies, Volks and Dream of Doll. It's not out of pressure though - it's out of sincere curiosity.

I wouldn't worry about lack of knowledge - it comes little by little over time. There is a lot of information out there and it's a lot to swallow, so take sensible bites

 

It's alright if you don't know everything, don't want to know everything, or don't have the time to know everything.

I really wanted to know as much as possible about bjds before buying one because I didn't want to buy the wrong one or do the wrong thing to her/him.
I also wanted to learn about them because I was completely obsessed and in love and eventually wanted most of them. Well, now I'm pretty okay with my family of three (might make it four or five in the future, but I'm fine with three).

Now that I have a few bjds, I know a lot just from having them around. Dawn's a Serendipity, so I know something about Serendipity dolls, Cami's from CP/Luts, so I know about them somewhat, and Moon--a Chiwoo--has Volks limbs. So... yeah... I know a little about what some of the companies are about.

I think we all learn in our own ways and learn what we need to know. There are others to help along the way--that's what DOA or places like DOA are here for.

 

I think you should know what you need to know to make a smart buying choice (not paying too much if on eBay etc) and if you want to do faceups/buy clothes you need to know about sizes and techniques.

 

I can't help but try to know everything possible about a hobby I'm into. I need to be informed. The first thing I do is go into research mode. I look at every doll from every company when it comes out. I read about advantages and disadvantages of different molds and look for owner feedback.

I don't think less of someone who doesn't want to know every little detail but I think it is wise to do some research before jumping into any endeavor, especially expensive hobbies where expensive mistakes can be made if you don't know what you're doing.

It always blows my mind to see someone say "I just bought this doll; what is it?" because that's just so not me.

 

Basically a doll meet-up consist mostly of admiring each others dolls, taking lots of photos, and just checking out the different dolls and wigs and such. So don't be afraid to go to one, especially if it's one where people bring more than dolls. The fun is being able to try different wigs and stuff on your dolls, not in technical discussions about this and that. But it is cool if there are people who know about doing face-ups, or air-brushing or re-stringing, because you can learn alot.

It really is up to each person as to how much they want to get into this hobby. And that's what it is, a hobby. Some do earn a living off of it, others are into it for the art, some because they just enjoy having dolls. Whatever it is, never be intimidated.

 

I guess I know a good amount about BJDs, but that's only because I wanted to know what my options were. I did alot of looking around, comparing companies, comparing dolls, and just plain reading up here on DOA. The only things that I think are important to know is what basic size your doll is, and who makes it.

 

spot on, my thought exactly...

at the end of the day all hobbies are a learning curve... I think as long as you know things like... General care... how to clean them, that certain products can damage them... etc.... then the rest can be learnt after buying one...

and lol to learn/memorise everything about eyes, bodies, etc etc etc would take yonks and yonks and yonks and youd never get a doll...

 

I don't really know a lot about them, but I'm learning! ^_^ *constantly reading faqs and bugging other people with questions* I just want to know a lot, because I love these dolls and I love reading about them, and I want to know what to do and don't.. if I don't know something, I'll just ask..you don't know anything untill you learn, and everyone who's an expert now, was a newbie once. Nothing to be ashamed about..

 

I fail completely at BJD knowledge. I would flunk the exam. I know a lot (relatively speaking) about CP dolls but not much else. Most people found Volks first...I found Luts, and I am totally in love with Luts dolls so I know the most about them. I am pretty much hopeless at most other companies, especially Volks. I can recognize Isao. And Heath! >> And I think I finally got Tohya and Koyha straight in my head! *proud*

I mostly rely on my more knowledgeable friends to fill in the gaps. They'll talk about such and such a doll and I'll be like, who? But I am slowly getting better... because I've been spending more time here and seeing lots of fifferent dolls in the galleries.

I barely did any research before buying my dolls...I saw Chiwoo and was instantly in love, and I bought him as soon as I coukd, and then El, and soon there will be a Shiwoo. There are other dolls I want of course, from other companies, but I don't scour the net for info on every company...not then, or now.

But honestly, I don't feel a burning desire to learn everything. If I want to know something about a particular doll/company/wig/eyes I will ask...but I don't go looking.

And I don't feel it makes me any less of a BJD owner. Everyone approaches doll ownership differently. I love my boys deeply, and that's all that matters.

 

How much do I aspire to know?

I don't know much now... but whether I want to or not, I know I'll learn more. Like with any hobby, a sort of wisdom comes with age in said hobby. You learn things even if you never cared to, just because you hear about them so often.

Such a thing, of course, occurs a lot faster when you're a member of a community. You may feel ignorant in the presence of some people who are elders in the hobby, but even now, you already know more than someone who never becomes part of a community. By discussing topics about dolls with other owners, you gain knowledge you normally wouldn't have.

As for whether I have less respect for someone who knows only a little about dolls... Absolutely not. Everyone was new to it all at one time. ^_^

I do believe that people would be better off knowing more about a doll before they just jump in and buy something. Comparing what they like, what they don't like... prices and such... but that's just my way of doing things. I'm not about to call someone elses way wrong, because everyone has their preference of how to do stuff.

 

i think it's really up to you what you want to know. i only just recently got into BJDs in the past few months and i felt that i should find out more about the dolls before i immersed myself into the hobby... O.o i spent ages lurking around websites trying to find out more.. and it's awesome the amount of information i can get from just lurking around the place.. all purely unintentional, i must say XD but really fun to know~

not knowing as much as another doll collector does not mean you are not qualified to be one yourself!! :grin:

 

Everything~! Just like Valentine! (^__^)

x3 Haha...

But... I hope to one day be very knowledgable and helpful to anyone who has a question, and able to answer their question and be helpful. That's what most hope though I guess.

I know a lot more about Volks then other companies, but that doesn't mean I won't try to find the answer. It doesn't bother me that I don't know everything, because no one here does (again, except for Valentine) and I have fun learning about the new companies and dolls. (^_^) It's part of the hobby, it's what makes it fun, the constant expanding.

 

Hmm.
I'm a library worm, so I enjoy learning all I can from everything -specially if I have the slightest interest on the topic-. But I'm not like I must know, it's more for fun. I don't like to show off, and if there's something I don't know, I'm not ashamed in any way. It's a hobby.

 

Well I think the important think in bjd is love, knowledge comes from hanging on doa far to oten :grin:

 

*blushblush*

I don't know everything...yet. But what I don't know, I want to learn, particularly about CustomHouse and Volks, as they're my favorite companies. It's not a popularity contest, it's not bragging rights, it's just how I am. On Gaia, I used to hang out exclusively in the Q&F forum (before they split it into separate forums), just to find out more information about Gaia and then answer others' questions in turn. I like knowing things about what I love, and I like sharing that with others.

Besides, I can't participate in other areas, like faceups, customization, sewing, ect. My crew ends up being pretty stand-alone (Crossover photo stories? What're those?), so I'm off in left field by myself. Heck, I can't even come up with thought-provoking questions to spark discussion. So mostly I lurk, and learn, and try to answer questions as they come up. =^^=

 

i don't really think about it much. i just try to let things come to me. i learned that with liking music. instead of going out and hunting down the coolest best things. let it be a natural process and let it come to you. i don't seek out to learn things about bjd's i just find things out somehow.

i still consider myself very new to this hobby, but i don't worry about.