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Inspiration for a Character?

Nov 17, 2006

    1. I've been writing seriously since I was about 14 (I'm 21 now) so I already had a bit of experience in character development. Personally, I looked at the molds, and there was one I was drawn to. I looked at her and I decided on the mold, then I got a picture and browsed the wigs, trying different wigs and eyes through photoshop. Her personality basically just came to me. I wanted a mischievious doll, I knew that already, so many dolls looked sad and I didn't like that. I took the parts I wanted and developed them and found out other things about her. Then I named her. I spent a lot of time talking with a bjd owning friend about her.

      Oddly, I'm not comfortable writing about her yet. It feel odd but since I've given her a physical body (even if it's resin) I feel like I need to know her more before I write about her. Even in photo stories.

      A thing I did that I found helped, I went out shopping for her. I didn't actually buy anything, I went shopping in normal shops and asked myself "If Elly were here, what would she buy", and I came up with all sorts if ideas. I think you can tell a lot about people by the kinds of things they surround themselves with so try thinking of the kind of things your doll might buy next time you go out shopping.
       
    2. all these ideas are wonderful and its really incredibly interesting ^^ thanks to everyone for sharing! :D
       
    3. dub post >_<
       
    4. My dolls just seem to take on characters of their own as I sit & look at them. They don't start out as portraying any set idea in my mind but rather tell me their tales as I get to know them. Sometimes as I first look at them, I get a strong impression of what they'll be like, other times it takes a while & sometimes even when I think I know them they'll surprise me with another tidbit about themselves.
       
    5. We talk...we just talk.

      A lot of them don't come as photostories since those are more illustrative. Me and my boys just sit together most of the time and chat about random things. And over time I learn a bit of what they like, what they don't like, and what things are important to them.

      Perhaps they don't have a very distinctive personality or fancy backgrounds, but I treat them like I'd treat people, and they are alive when I see them ^^
       
    6. when I first got my doll, it didn't really have a personality... at least I didn't notice much. There was also the trouble with naming him. Keeping him with his factory name is kinda sad even though he has a good name to begin with. I think it took about one month until I actually gave him a proper name. Even then it's the name of a manga character, Rosiel from Angel Sanctuary. Not that I want him to have that kind of personality, but I just like the sound of the name. As time went by, I notced that he's very loving and innocent as Rosiel is in the manga. I didn't try to put a character for it. I just let the doll develop his personality over time. I've had my doll for about 3 monthes, and I still haven't figure out the entirety of his personality... I think it's still developing.

      One thing that can influence the doll's personality is the energy of its environment. It might sound crazy and fantasy like, but everything has energy. For example, colors and music have energy. If you listen to sad song all the time, then it's likely you will also become sad. If you look at the color red a lot, you might find yourself very energetic and maybe even more temperamental than before. Everytime we touch something, some of our energy is transferred to it and some of its energy it tranferred to us. Therefore, it might not be a good idea if you want your doll to be innocent but have it listen to SexyBack all the time. lol
       
    7. Hah, I don't have my dolls yet but I have already searched an planned the wigs and eyes and even clothes and names.

      I'm basing TOO and BEE-A off of me and my boyfriend. We've been together for quite sometime now so this is all worth it. ^ ^
       
    8. I've been having trouble with my boy's development myself. I originally had his personality planned out, but when he arrived it just didn't work. He was supposed to be very sweet, but when I photograph him he either looks like he's going to play a horrible trick on you or is hiding something. I'm definitely going to try out some of these ideas to get him out in the open. :)
       
    9. I gave my dolls personalities when I got them, with the sculpts in mind. though I have a few fictional stories written for class none of those characters suit any dolls.
       
    10. I Promised myself that I would only Make Dollies from my Pre-existing Characters......ive slipped a little bit since then though XDD
      but I always seem to plop them into storeys or Rp's eventually =P
      But Most of them are characters that I have had forever (My oldest one was made when i was like 10-ish, so she is about 7 years old ^-^ )
       
    11. Query

      One of the things that I love about BJDs, and that a lot of other people love about them as well, is the fact that they have the potential to be so much more than unchanging art objects. A large part of the enjoyment for many owners seems to be working on their doll(s), in some fashion. Taking photos, buying or sewing outfits, changing the look of a doll to better suit the image in one's head, these are all actively creative processes.

      My question for you is this: What stories or things, outside of the dolls themselves, inspire you to work on or with them?

      Movies, books, TV shows, music, paintings, etc. What reminds you strongly of BJDs in general, or your doll in particular, and really brings the hobby into active focus for you? What inspires you? And, just as importantly, why does it inspire you?

      Personal Sources of Inspiration

      As a long-time anime fan, there are a few series that pop to the top of my head as being very BJD-related, some more directly related than others. The two most directly related that I know of are Rozen Maiden and Angelic Layer. Both contain stories of dolls very similar to ABJDs. In Rozen Maiden, the dolls have their own inner soul and life, moving and speaking independently. In Angelic Layer the dolls have a sort of life, but it is provided by their owner, or "Deus". These series strongly reflect for me the differing views that dolls either A.) have some kind of personality or soul that is all their own, or perhaps lovingly instilled by the person who designed or crafted them, versus B.) dolls, like imaginary friends or RP characters, are an extension of oneself, and would have to sense of life to them without an owner.

      Less directly related anime series worth checking out that may resonate with BJD fans include Chobits and Key the Metal Idol.

      As far as non-anime things go, I also find inspiration to work on my dolls from movies like Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal. They both have intricate muppet characters, and while a puppet is not an ABJD, when you get down to it a lots of the same skill sets are involved in both. Sewing, sculpting, painting, and creating realistic movement in a stylized body. Making an object seem alive and full of personality.

      The Toy Story movies are good for making one imagine the secret lives of your dolls (and other toys, if you have any) while you're away, and are a little bit more light-hearted and kid-friendly to boot.

      Written stories that give me doll inspiration include The Velveteen Rabbit (which vindicates my horror of the NIB phenomenon), and the stories of Thumbelina and Tom Thumb (which make me think of my tiny, Indivar, and all the cute outfits I want to make for him).

      I could go on (and on, and on), but I won't. Maybe I'll expand the list when I can think of some more adult-oriented, literate things to include :sweat . I've been watching/reading a lot of my childhood favorites lately, and the current list reflects that.

      I would love to hear what inspires you all, and maybe gain some new sources of inspiration myself.

      (Mods, if this is too vague and/or artsy a topic, delete or relocate as necessary, with my humble apologies.)
       
    12. Vladimir was inspired by a few things. The major one being my favorite musician, Kozi, the guitarist of the now-disbanded Japanese band Malice Mizer. He is also inspired by World War II-era Soviet Union, particularly his clothes right now and his character's political views as well as attitude.
       
    13. the show Joan of Arcadia (JoA, so its called :lol:) gave me my love of dramedys
      and Eion (is pronouced OWEN) Colfer books gave me most of my charecters names and bases for personalties
       
    14. I've got an odd one--I love the Franco-Flemish illuminations in manuscripts from the early fifteenth century.

      My Too & Bee-A are distinctly based on that style picture, and their faces lend themselves to it well.

      Have to get Michel (Too) his chuasse finished one of these days.

      Ann in CT
       
    15. In the course of browsing these forums over the last month, I've noticed that many of you mention buying a doll because it "fits a character" you have, and there's often references made to some apparently extensive backstory such as "you know, when so-and-so fought the evil lord of darkness and thus obtained the red vampire eye of power", etc., etc. (a rather poor example, I know. XD)

      This leads me to wonder, are you all amateur authors? Are BJDs your method of embodying the characters from fantasy stories you invented in high school or for books you continue working on? Is this the reason you were drawn to BJDs in the first place? Or did you begin buying BJDs just because you liked the dolls, and their 'character' emerged of its own accord, unexpectedly?

      Is there anyone who collects BJDs purely for their physical aesthetic value and has no intention of inventing a backstory or personality for them?
       
    16. Well...I do write. ^_^;; FanFiction, though. I also want to be an English Lit major. However, I didn't have anything in mind when I bought Nathaniel. I just saw him and thought, "Wow, this is the boy I want." Out of all the boys I saw, he was the one I thought was the cutest. Yep, I based my choice solely on looks. xD

      But after I got him, I thought about what kind of person he was...even though he's not a person. ^_^;; I named him Nathaniel simply because it's my favorite name ever and the name I wish I had...even though I'm a girl. Ha. There was no deep meaning behind it.

      I still don't have a backstory for him...but I sort of have his personality. I see him as someone similar to me...so I guess I added my traits to him. xD But I didn't want a doll to create a character. I wanted something to play with. Someone I could dress up, spoil, take pictures of, and just have fun with. That's all.
       
    17. I write a lot. I write short stories on my own and I roleplay with many different friends all the time. Through that, I create loads of original characters. My most favorite characters, the most developed ones, the ones I'm closest to... they get a doll form so I can have them around me all the time, because as ridiculous as it may sound, it's amazingly comforting to have them near. Especially my Oko, he is by far my most developed, most beloved character, and it means a lot to have him here with me in a physical form. :]

      All my friends tell me that if I could just get my act together and magically obtain the attention span required, I could write a great book. And I don't doubt that, but ohhh. I always know how to start, and what might happen, but I just can't put it all together. Amateur author indeed..
       
    18. My head. :lol:

      Deej is little peices of a bunch of my friends, my boyfriend and my dad's personalities all molded together into one hilarious little shit of a man. :lol:

      Audio is totally random, but I love his character.
       
    19. I am a writer, but most of my dolls - both owned and planned - are actually my characters from my roleplaying games. This may change in the future though.
       
    20. As for me... I just gave my doll a name and a character description. But I have no plans on giving them a story or anything. I want to feel that they are part of me not creatures from other world.... :)