If you could make the hobby your job would you?

Nope. I did it with another hobby (writing) in which I was lucky enough to make a good living for a full year, but it totally killed the fun I was having in it, to the point I eventually quit. So I won't make the same mistake twice. That being said, some friends of my still professionnaly write so I guess it's all personnal matter.

 

I think that’s totally true, and a really great comparison here...I write because that’s sometimes the medium I have to use for some projects and while it’s definitely a craft with creative aspects, even fiction feels more like work when I do it for anything other than pure fun. I’m published so I know the deadlines, the rejections, the editing etc (and I have excellent and friendly editors)...I’m taking a screenwriting workshop because evidently I’m a glutton for punishment...and I gotta admit that it’s busting my chops pretty darn hard! It will be a while yet before I have anything presentable that makes out of a slush pile. I feel the same way at the beginning when I learn any new craft.

 

No, as I’m currently doing that with another hobby right now. Sometimes the best way to see if you can do it is to try.

 

It's hard enough dealing with the career I'm quite happy with when dad goes into thinking making me depressed is good for me mode. It would be even worse if I was in any form of creative profession

 

Because you have the skill and passion, I think you should go for it! Not a lot of people has the opportunity or guts to make income using their skill and passion. I don't know much about being a seller in this hobby, as I only buy, but I wonder if you would make enough for a living? I suggest you look more into it, and see if it's a sustainable job Best of luck to you!

 

I think it really depends. If I had the opportunity to sculpt and design a doll to sell, I'd do it in a heartbeat, but anything else like sewing clothing, most likely not. I enjoy sculpting more than sewing...but if anything, I'd like to open a physical BJD store. Since I'm mildly fluent in Chinese (my grammar and accent can use some work...) I may be able to pull off being a dealer, but it's hard to say.

It's a really niche hobby too; there's a lot of competition and yet there's a smaller audience. While I think I'd enjoy certain aspects of the BJD business, I'm more than happy to keep it at just being a hobby.

 

Definitely not. It would cease to be a hobby for me, and become a chore. I have tried doing what I love for work, and it just irritates me. I love my job now, I work at a craft store, but I would never make my "love" my job, yknow?

 

I personally could never make it my full-time job. I give high props to those who can but I burn out every easily with creative things being put in a job-like light. While I'd consider taking side commissions involving the hobby for a little extra cash, I'd rather keep dolls my hobby and downtime.

 

I probably wouldn't, I prefer separating work and hobby in case I start finding my hobby a chore and tiring because it's work....

 

Nah, I like having a hobby completely unrelated to anything else I do. Besides, I'm lucky enough to have a day job I like, so the stress of being self-employed wouldn't be a good trade-off at this point.

I've done some commission work with some of my other hobbies, and it can really suck the joy out of it, as others have mentioned.

 

If I make this hobby for my job, I'm afraid I will have to look for a new hobby very soon.)))

 

My dream is to sculpt amazing dolls and start my own doll line. BUT I'm a writer. And I don't know how to sculpt! So the writing takes up most of my time. Even superseding art which I used to do all the time.

 

I don't think I have the self-discipline to be self-employed. Also, although I like doing my own face-ups and making wigs, I don't think I'd like the pressure of having to please people other than myself.

I envy people who have the talent, drive, determination, and luck to earn a living through their hobbies and art. It must be so rewarding.

 

If I realistically could, I so would. My day job requires hours every day of unpaid overtime, and while I'd like to calculate how much I actually make hourly, I'm afraid it will be depressingly low. But on the other hand, if I were to try to live off of dolls, the only thing I can somewhat do is sew, and I know that it would be hard to make a reasonable amount of money from sewing (time plus materials versus how much people are willing to pay for things). I do like to daydream about it, as my form of escapism >.>

 

Interesting question!

I've been an illustration free-lancer for years, so I sort of know how things work... BUT for some reason, I don't have a huge desire to do something bjd-related. I'm not great at sewing or designing outfits... I'm OK at sculpting, but don't have the passion to sculpt bjd heads and bodies (I like 2D a bit more). I do my own faceups, but don't feel proficient enough to do it for anyone else. I suck at retail and sales. Wow... I really don't know!

I guess I wouldn't make it my job, then, because I don't see a way to do it and enjoy doing it.

As for advice and pros and cons...

I'm sure no one gets rich doing bjd-related jobs, so you just have to really want to do it for itself! It's likely you will barely break even, maybe make it something that will earn you something... but if you prefer making money to spend on a hobby, this probably won't be the thing to do.

If you really like doing it, you shouldn't get burnt out or not want to do things outside of work. But let's face it, sometimes you need a break and not do bjds as a job and as a hobby, so that could be a downside (not enough time, need for breaks).

Business and money knowledge. Small businesses are notoriously risky things, mostly because people don't know enough about the business/money aspects. Sure, it's great to have that creative passion--but you also have to know about the business side of what you're getting into to make sure you aren't going to get into trouble.

Most people who get into these kind of jobs just HAVE to do it. They just start making things and can't stop and make plans for ways to promote and sell their items. Luckily there are places like Etsy where you can be a hobbyist and try selling some things to see how it goes without breaking the bank or having to quit your job first. But it's still not an easy route, and most people do it for the love of it... and maybe some extra cash--but that's offset by the amount of time and effort you spend on it.

 

i would compleatly have this hobbie as a job being able to spend time on something i love for a living sounds like the most perfect thing for me i love makeing clothing and its been a dream of mine to actully sculpt a doll of my own and have people want them

 

I don't think I'd ever do it full time (like not in place of my benefitted full time occupation) but I'd love to eventually get good enough at certain aspects of the hobby to offer services as a supplement to my current full time job.

Just to be able to open faceup commissions or body blushing or something to do when I'm not at work to give me something to do and maybe make a little extra money on the side... Make this expensive hobby work for itself a little.

 

I hope to eventually start expanding my creative pursuits in the bjd hobby soon, right now I’m just waiting to have space in my room to have a place to start.

I was always interested in fashion from a very early age, but then majored in graphic design and illustration, but from time to time I always doodled designs that I always wanted to fulfill with to my dolls. So hopefully time will tell.

 

Of course I would, but only if I was uber wealthy and could hire someone to do all the stuff! I like brainstorming and designing but would rather hire professionals to bring my visions(s) to life. (I'm never satisfied with anything I do).

Although...if I was wealthy I might instead consider hiring the pros to teach me the how. I know there are tons of online tutorials and videos, but I've found that I do best learning in person. Also, my time and energy is limited. But if I was wealthy, I'd be getting my hands into all sorts of stuff with all that free time!

 

You need income and insurance to survive, and part of what makes a hobby joyful (to me) is that it's removed from all of those real world consequences. The moment a hobby became a job, it would lose so much of its intrinsic reward.