How much modding is too much?

Oh now I get it, people mod their dolls cause they feel they need their dolls to be more special and different from others so they mod it. There isn't anything wrong with that, even those ugly mods. They may look ugly to us but an angel to them, yeah? Lol

 

Essentially, yes.

I don't think it has to do with making them more special than someone else's doll. They just want to make thier doll more distinct, special to them.

In the end, what I'm saying is that an owner can put in as much modding or as little as they like, it's up to them because they bought the doll for themselves, not for you or me or anyone else.

 

Well thats basically what i tried to say really. Lol. But also they could also possibly be thinking, "This doll needs SOME modification...yes." but when the sandpaper gets in their hands, they go modding happy(Trigger happy? XD). It happened to my friend when she attempted in making Voldemort.

And basically yes, they DID buy it for themselves. It's not like anybody is expecting you to sell it...well some people might...but not alot.

 

Splynterhayde, I agree with you on this one, especially post 160. I too think many people objecting to modding limiteds are consciously or subconsciously thinking about their own chances of owning that doll.

It's the same thing when people claim companies shouldn't release limiteds, because it is 'unfair' to those in this hobby who aren't able to get one. But it's not about them. The limited doll in question is in possession of an owner, it's not public property and it never will be. So why not leave it up to the owner what he/she wants to do with it. It's not anybody else's business.

 

I guess you've gone to far when all you have left is a mangled wad of resin...

Or when what you have looks like a zombie that got hit by a bus

 

Actually, I'd like to see that. Well executed of course.

I agree that too much is when a mod project went too far and the doll can't be salvaged, but is that bad? For my first mod project I went straight ahead and hacked a large part of my doll's face away. There were no preceding small mod projects like sanding noses (actually I still kind of fear doing that) or cheeks.

I jumped right in with my first mod project, because I thought "If it goes wrong, I ruin a head. Whose business is that, but my own?"
It wasn't a limited head, but it was a rather popular head at the time considering there was a bit of a bid war for that head and it wasn't sold separately by the company. I bet some other people wanted that head too.

I'd be more careful with a limited, because they cost more and I wouldn't want to lose it. But still, it's my business if I want to heavily mod it. Someone else would have wanted that limited? I'm going to sound like a snob, but tough luck, I bought it.
I don't feel unfair if I bought a limited and decided to never sell it. Someone else would want to buy it? I'm not selling.
I also wouldn't feel unfair if I bought a limited, played with it everyday, and never put pictures online.
How would those two scenarios be different from modding a limited when it comes to fairness? We're not really entitled to other people's dolls. There are limiteds I'd love to have, but then I should buy them and not try to co-own them by telling the owner what they can and can't do. (As what several others have mentioned in the past few pages.)

Modding is only too much when there's nothing left worth keeping, in my opinion. Sure, I've seen modded dolls that made me flinch and I would have done things differently, but most likely my mods made others flinch and they would have done things differently.

 

Comicbookartistboi- I was simply using him as an example and stating my opinion in the thread. I was saying that it's the teeth and ears that makes him different from a homme Ivan- everything else is the same. If you were to mod one 'cause you wanted the chin, but didn't want the teeth and ears, couldn't you use the human version that anyone can get their hands on? I'm not telling you what to do with your dolls. I was saying what I thought, and that was all. If you want to go ahead and sand the entire face off your doll, I'm not stopping you, I was just saying what I thought, and honestly, you shouldn't get mad at me. We're all entitled to our opinions.

 

I think that it being when the doll is completely changed from the original sculpt as to where you cannot even tell what doll it was is way too much, because if you intended to mod it that much, you could have just sculpted your own doll and not waste your money on creating a new doll from an existing one.

I plan on modding a Dollmore Lisa Rubix Doll into a tanned Goddess Bastet doll but I love her facial features and would never go as to...reworking anything, adding things such as ears, tail, tanning, face up, etc. sure why the hell not, but I wouldn't mod the whole doll to a point where it would have been cheaper just to make one myself.

 

How much modding is too much is really dependent on the owner and what he/she wants. To me, it would be an unintended and undesirable outcome that happened during the modding process. Something that came out the way an owner wanted it to is clearly not too much--it would be just right Sometimes people get a little too overly involved in what other people are doing with their dolls--the only limits with what can be done with these dolls are what the resin can hold up to and the owner's own imagination. Everything else is a matter of personal taste and shouldn't be foisted on other owners--even if the doll in question is an LE or whatever. BJDs are made to be customized, and customization is one of the central features of the hobby, so worrying about other people modding their own dolls doesn't really fit in with that. My only concern is that people wanting to do custom work on their dolls have access to good information on modding before they start so they have the best chance possible of getting the results they want.

I agree 100%, and it's something that everyone should keep in mind. We don't buy dolls (at least I don't and I expect many others don't as well) with the idea that they're being kept for the community at large. They belong to the individual owner, who may never decide to sell that LE everyone's been lusting after anyway. What would be a waste is for someone to not get the full enjoyment out of the doll that they shelled all that money out to get, because of an idea that modding certain dolls is wrong.

Not everyone has the ability or desire to sculpt a head from scratch. Working off an existing head (even if the amount of work is extensive) is not the same as starting from nothing.

 

^ This, especially the last part. Some people are talented, amazing artists but may be absolutely god awful sculptors. And the scultping process is in its own right, complicated, tricky, and can be very expensive and time consuming. perhaps as much as buying a doll to mod it to look completely different would be. The difference between the two being, of course, that the owner in question is more comfortable remodeling than creating.

I don't think he was getting mad at you. He was merely disagreeing with what you're saying. This is a pretty good debate, so naturally differing opinions would pop up. And wether or not an opinion is deemed personally to be correct in someone's eyes or not, respect for the individuals involved in the debate is key.

He even asked for you not to take offense or take it personally. Though I do understand your example with the Homme Ivan versus the Limited one. His teeth and ears do make him unique, as does the skintone, which may be why a customizer would possibly want to choose the Limited Ivan in the event that he wants a super pasty doll to begin with.

Oh yes, and also, for the record, I obviously agree 100% with Silk and Taco. . In the end, a person who mods a beautiful doll and makes it Frankenstein's monster was the one who put down x amount of money for the right to do that to that doll. As community members, we reserve the right to critique, or even balk at bad ideas (for say, offensive things done to a doll like adding a scrotum to the forehead, or whatever.), but ultimately, it is definitely up to the owner of the doll to decide what is and what is not too much modding. Because in the end, we didn't pay for their doll. As long as they don't intend to beat someone literally over the head with it, then it's thier business. Even if it's a limited doll. Thier are limited editions of literally everything in every hobby. It is what makes a hobby unique, and though it may seem unfair, it makes it evermore the challenge for the collector to get ahold of that 'rare item'. Regardless of wether it's a car, hockey card (did you know the most expensive hockey cards are like, platinum plated or something and are like, 200,000 dollars?), or a little resin man or woman. To be honest, sometimes having limited editions of things attract people to the hobby and keep the hobby's 'economy' going. It's good that there are limiteds.

I would also like to say, though, that I sympathise with those who see a limited doll and can't get one, for whatever reason. And it is very frusterating indeed to watch a doll you've been pining for first go sold out on the website, see other people get these dolls, and yes, even do things you do not like to them, like mod thier features, repaint them, split them, or I don't know, put them in girl's clothing. I understand the jealousy (and honestly, that's what it is) that can come from seeing what you would deem as a 'wasted doll' when you feel you could have done better with it, and would have loved it the way it is. It's simply human nature. So I do get where the other opinion stems from.

Oh, I see what you're saying now. I originally thought you were trying to be sarcastic, so I was only trying to further explain my point. XD.

I do see what you mean by over-modding, though. It doesn't matter if the mold is limited or not, but on occasion, for my personal tastes anyway, there is such a thing as going a little mod crazy.

For instance, you just *might* have gone overboard on modding your doll if:

You start with THIS


And end up with THIS


Though if you want your doll to look like a mummified Nosferatu, that is completely up to you.

edit: And oh my god, for the record, I would *love* to see a doll look like a zombie hit by a bus. But five bucks said somebody guessed I would say that. Sounds like something you'd see onegrayelephant do. =D. I think it could be done. And well, but it would be a very extensive project.

 

My only problem is with poor "quality" mods. Not sanded, not acccurate for what they are trying to portray (i.e. added a third eye that looks like a drill hole without lids, unless that's what they want, chuckle). Now I do understand that people need time and experience to learn who to do things. But I think that I would, if I was doing this, go back to a previously (not that well done) modded doll and redo (refine) it.

A well executed mod is the same as a well done face-up. It will be beautiful even if you don’t like it.

I do agree with the "artist" doll statement: if a person buys a one off (and I mean only one of this sculpt in the world), then the person should not mod it. I mean why did they buy it in the first place. It would also be an insult to the artist/sculptor as well. But that isn't what we are talking about. I don't think that there are any of these here on DOA, but I could be wrong.

 

I'm in the camp that says unless the dolls head's about to cave in, then mod it anyway you like. Seriously, if it belongs to you, then you should be able to do with it what you want. However, if at some point during your moding your realize you aren't achieving the look you want, then maybe step back and see if you can get some else to help. *but* other than the other's taste, and the amount of moding the resin can take, there should be no limit. Everyone else just needs to get over it, it's not their doll.

 

yalissa: I do understand where you're coming from, for sure, especially with artist dolls. One-offs are special because the artist made them to be sold with the qualities they gave them to be made special. However, say if it's a one off limited mold, like Madoka, even if the artist intended her to be kept exactly the way she is, someone who could not otherwise get the mold elsewhere may buy her, may remove her face up because he/she wants to make the doll a boy and wants him to be more manly, and sell the body or else mod it to be male. It could be taken as rude by the original artist, defintely, but I think also, if an original work is going to be sold by the artist in such a customizable, exclusive hobby, then they have to keep in mind from the beginning a possible outcome like that. If it were me, though, I'd be saddened if someone modded my original work right away. Though they still paid for it, so it is out of my hands.

 

If I want to make my Soom Io or my Elf El into a doll with lots of mods, like a hinged jaw for example, that is my business. If someone does not like it, that's tough. I bought the doll for me. It's for my enjoyment. Do I owe it to anyone to keep them mint? No. I might envy someone cause they have a Volks Renee, but if they want to mod her, that's their business. If they ruin the doll, that's ok! There are some out there that can fix it, more or less. But it's no one's business what they do with their doll. They bought it, they can do what they like.

My 2 cents!

 

I have had people have a go at me for opening the eyes on my bobobie cookie because there is an open eyed version of him (chocolate). However, I wanted a dreamer and not an open eyed doll, and it was easier to mod a sleeper than an open eyed mould...plus chocolate's mouth is open and cookie's is not, and I loathe that chocolate's mouth is open. My doll anyway, my choice. Neither cookie or chocolate are limited, other people can get a cookie if they so want one.

If I had gone for getting the Glati head along with my Glati body (which I didn't, the face is too kiddy for me), then I would have gone and stuck a massive horn on his forehead. I'm sure that some people here would have wanted to hunt me down if I did that as Glati is limited, but hang on, my Glati is going to be a unicorn, why would I not put an alicorn on a unicorn? The mobs do not need to go at me now though, he's using a non limited AoD WanWan head ;P

My dolls of course, I can do what I want to them...though of course I won't go making them into piles of dust :P I can put alicorns on, open eyes, make them all high elves, whatever I wish. As long as they are done well, what is the harm in it?

 

Well to be honest, I've only seen eight mods in my life. Three good ones, and the rest were sucketh. Lol, but yeah, it would be pretty funny to see someone go Modding Happy once in a while, least they find it...fun? I dunno. I've never really attempting in mods myself ever since the Voldemort incident.

EDIT : Actually I'd like to see a zombie being his by a bus, it'll be pretty amusing. And if the day comes where i see a modded doll like that, I'm so saving the picture, crappy mod or not lol.

 

:/ I know for a fact that it hurts me when I see limiteds that are modded, such as three of my dream dolls, Topaz, Suigintou, and Shinku. I love each of the sculpts and the sets that they come with, and seeing them changed makes them, that modded doll, seem useless to me. But then I start to think about it, just because they're limited, does that mean that they're not necessarily the same doll? And that they're not able to be modded just like any other doll, just because there are so few?

I know when I was looking at my next, at first I wanted the exact precious doll for one of my characters. But the sculpts got more and more specific as I went, and I finally found a beautiful mod of Luts Delf and I knew I wanted to attempt further with that as inspiration. If that Delf was a limited, I know I still would be saving up for it, just to mod it. So what right do I have to be picky when looking at someone else's doll, because then I might as well not mod at all. Besides, some of the limited's mods are really pretty And I fall in more in love with the sculpt then. In fact, I even was looking first at the limited Lishe vampire version for her, but I would still need to mod her anyway. I hadn't even been bothered by the limited attached to the prospective secondhand price. I think that when I realized I really started to contradict myself.

And does the modding really make it lessen in value? Mods make them rise in value sometimes, and there is always someone that can mod it again to what it was or better!

 

I have a Soom IO head and I have debating since I got him to have his eyes modded open slightly, as well as him having piercings [which to me there is no debate, THAT will definitely happen. ^^;] People ask why would I want to mod the limited, why would I buy it if it wasn't what I wanted the way it is, etc, etc...well, for one thing, I wanted IO for THOSE LIPS. *0* Those gloriously puffy, lusicious, pouty, sexy lips that are just SOOO signature of IO...in my opinion, they are PERFECT, that's why I bought him in the first place.

However, after staring at the head for a good long while, it appears as if his left eye, just slightly, ever so slightly, is more opened than his right one.No modding's been done to him, I just think it's a minor flaw in the casting [anyone else own an IO whose noticed this, out of curiosity ]. So in a sense, when his actual eye modding is done, I think I'll view it more as a correction. ^-^ But that's just me.

One-offs though I believe are a bit of a different story...for example, if you owned an original piece of artwork [let's just use DaVinci's Mona Lisa as an example] would you paint over it simply because it was 'yours' that you bought? I'm not talking about restoration, the same holds true for BJDs, [like if you wanted to restore the face-up]. But I think painting over a one-of-a-kind painting is sort of the same as modding a doll of which there is only one in the entire world. It almost 'ruins' the artistic integrity of both the work itself, and the work put in by the original artist to create such a one of a kind, unique piece. I can't say the Mona Lisa would be quite as beloved and respected by fine art collectors if someone who owed her decided it'd be neat to repaint a bikini over her dress. xD;;;

But as stated before, there are no laws or rules set in stone. If you own a OOAK doll, you have every right to do with it was you please. *shrugs* ^^;

 

i figure if youre buying a limited, its for one of two reasons: the base is good for what oyu want to create, or, youre simply investing, and the doll will sleep in a box in a drawer or safe some where for a while till an oppertune time to take it out and sell it again.

 

me personally i don,t do a lot of mods, nut i think one can do how he/she pleases if you buy a doll it is yours to mold as much as you like...