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Inspiration for Doll-Sculpts

Aug 17, 2009

    1. When a company makes a doll sculpt, do you think that a certain person, celebrity, character, or loved one is the source of the inspiration for the sculpt?

      It's not too unusual for authors and artists to draw from other sources when creating new works and I'm curious if anyone knows whether this is actually done in the doll world or whether or not there is speculation. This isn't necessarily copying, because usually there is a significant difference, but there are definite similarities most of the time when this is done in other mediums.

      If this is practiced, what are your thoughts on it?
       
      #1 Leenah, Aug 17, 2009
    2. Wow. That's never even occurred to me but it's a great question! Just where do our dolls "come from?" I've been watching the progression of the Luts 5th Anniversary DoA doll for a while now and am absolutely fascinated by the process they use to get to the end result. But I never thought, "well, what is the inspiration for making it a doll in armor in the first place?" I guess popular movies, gaming and literature (of all different kinds - from classic books to comics) play a big part in the production of dolls though. Certainly in the case of fantasy dolls. We see a spate of vampire dolls after a movie like Twilight is released. Lord of the Rings is probably responsible for a number of the elf dolls. Very interesting!
       
      #2 DarkStar, Aug 17, 2009
    3. I think sometimes they definitely do. There are a couple of dolls that resemble celebrities a little too much for it to be mere coincidence. Angel of Dream Nicole looks a lot like Angelina Jolie, and Iplehouse Luo bears a striking resemblance to Brad Pitt.

      I don't really have any negative feelings towards it. It's kind of neat to know where the sculptor's inspiration comes from. :)
       
      #3 Miss_Pygmalion, Aug 17, 2009
    4. I've always thought Soom Beryl looks like Devon Aoki. And Luo of course.

      I don't doubt that the companies do draw on the likeness of celebrities.. not sure I have a thought on it. I mean, so long minimees are still happening and they're not making a doll that is sculpt like one person entirely but name him/her something else and deny all connection...
       
      #4 navci, Aug 17, 2009
    5. A lot of the Zoukei-mura sculps for Volks tend to have familial similarities, I would think they are based off an idealized person's face, and then stylized into doll form but that's just my guess. Mr. Ohashi specifically says he tries to make versatile faces,

      "What I pay attention to the most is to make an SD that the owners can change the look of into exactly what they want when they want to change face ups, glass eyes, wigs, and the overall image of SD. I especially give some freedom in the shape of the face so that it will be suitable for many types of face-ups."

      Only the Dollfie Dreams and Chii seem to be specifically based off a character. Even when Volks does anime collaborations with their SDs they don't merely translate the pointy featured anime face into resin, they turn it into a more realistically stylized face.
       
      #5 usagi665, Aug 17, 2009
    6. If you want an eerie Angelina resemblance, check out Soom Deneb. (The roomie is convinced she's the Amano-drawn offspring of Angelina and Famke Janssen(sp?).)

      Soom Corvi bears an uncanny resemblance to Johnathan Rhys Myers, which is almost impossible to see in the company photos, but in holding a Minimee head of the actor and the unpainted Corvi head side by side? It's downright amazing. The height of the brow, and the angle of the nose, are about the only stylized elements -- the lips are even 'dented' in the same spots, and his nose looks more prominent because his brow line is much higher.

      Soom Sabik? Especially the WS elf version, throw one of the spiky rock star wigs on him, and he strongly resembles David Bowie from Labyrinth.

      Iplehouse Luo, oh yes. He's quite the Brad clone. :)
       
      #6 surreality, Aug 17, 2009
    7. I really agree with this. I've not followed the sculpts of Volks too closely, with the exception of the Rozen Maiden series of dolls, and they don't really look like the characters they are named for. I mean, there are similarities, but for the most part, they look very different and depending on the face-up, even more so.

      On another note, I remember seeing something a while back about one of the Disney princess films that was made (one from the late 80's-90's stage, so The Little Mermaid, Alladin, or Beauty and the Beast) and the artist who did the character design for the princess was based off of either a sister/wife/girlfriend or something like that. It was really fascinating and that's what sort of made me think of this topic.
       
      #7 Leenah, Aug 18, 2009
    8. I know the answer! The Little Memaid was based on actress Alyssa Milano ;)
       
      #8 Stratolily, Aug 18, 2009
    9. I never really knew of her, but looking at her smiling is surreal. It looks so much like Ariel.

      I like the idea that dolls are based off someone. I mean, not necessarily a celebrity or famous character, but maybe a loved one or just someone they saw on the streets and liked the look of.
       
      #9 Fennec, Aug 18, 2009
    10. I believe Souldoll's Tae was based on Choi Seunghyun (TOP) of Korean hip-hop group Big Bang, both in sculpt and in default faceup. Tae | TOP

      It's part of what attracted me to Tae so much. :)
       
      #10 The Commodore, Aug 18, 2009
    11. I would say they do draw on real life to achieve their sculpts as artists in any media do. Personally if I could have a doll made of a stylised version of anybody on earth, it would be my partner....who bears an uncanny resemblence to Saint. I also have a Lishe in my friend group, even down to the audacious curves and come to bed eyes (I once even customed a doll for her to look just like her)
       
      #11 effigy, Aug 18, 2009
    12. Rainman was inspired for his Monamei(sp) sisters by his daughters, by rumor, and told about the inspirations for several of his Rainy dolls on the webpage, under doll history for the individual dolls(?). I cannot remember clearly.:sorry:

      Ann in CT
       
      #12 Ann in CT, Aug 18, 2009

    13. Plus their doll Kanguk that they have in the pictures with Tae totally looks like GD!
       
      #13 raewhitewolf, Dec 31, 2012