Is it Creepy?

Honestly, just talk to her and explain that it's really obnoxious. Ask her how she'd feel if every time she shared something hobby-related, you made comments about how gross/weird/stupid it is. Regardless of her intentions, if she's a good friend she'll stop. If not, well, maybe that's something you need to work out.

 

A lot of my friends say they're creepy so I just don't talk about them much. They accept that it's a part of me. I'm lucky in that my mother gets them though.

 

I own none yet, but I’m sure once they’re home, my folks will mention something like that. I remember in grade school bringing in an american girl doll (soon after the release of Chucky) and someone actually punched her.
I find the faces charming, unrealistic but still holding realism. I know that people have a tendency to relate that to negative things but I’m actually very excited to get my Luts home.

 

Oh, punching is definitely going too far.

I get people thinking they're creepy. As a kid, I was uncomfortable with dolls that looked too real (but was still fascinated) and never let a doll watch over me while I slept. I've gotten past that -mostly. But I get it. However, people should know better than to say whatever comes to mind for the just sake of talking about themselves and their issues. Unless someone is insisting they hold the doll or pushing it on them, good manners say they should hold their tongue.

 

I think the aesthetics of the doll heavily influence what people think about them. For example, a doll with a better quality faceup, clothing, eyes gets a more favorable response. The truth is, not everyone can afford to spend so much money to get those results.

Also, good photography plays a role too. I find that when dolls are photographed to just look like dolls people tend to be more judgemental than when the dolls are photographed to look more artsy.

 

Haaaaa! Loving this thread! Yeah, I've heard dolls being described as creepy SO MUCH. And even people asking me to change the doll's position because they were looking at them and it was freaking them out. I think I like that many people are a bit phobic about dolls. It's humorous to me, but I respect their indifference.

 

I posted some pics of my dolls on Imgur and Lordy the comments >< Someone actually called my Jack "Spoopy" Now being the old hag that I am lol I had to look up this word and literally facepalmed. "Spooky and creepy at the same time" I think a lot of people have more issues with adults collecting "dolls" I've had guys I know tell me my BJD dolls are creepy but they practically lick my Thor, Ironman and Alistair DoA action figures. I'm not sure what the difference is between them for some. Maybe they are still haunted by movies like Chucky and they think Jack might come and poke their feet in the night with a fork

 

Lol. I recently had my first "omg that thing is creepy!" moment. One of my co-workers wanted to see one of my dolls so I brought one in. I did not know that one of my other co-workers had a serious uncanny valley issue. She was not trying to be rude, but she was rather disturbed by my doll. She also has a thing with spiders.... so I felt the need to tell her how Doll Chateau makes dolls with spider bodies. The look on her face as she exclaimed "WHY would they DO THAT??!" was priceless.
No more dolls at work when she there... and if she ever comes over I wanted her not to go into the room at the end of the hall.

 

I'm rather flabbergasted myself about the spider dolls - sorry I've arachnaphobia...
About half the people I know find dolls creepy. That's fine - that's their thing. I don't mind unless they keep making a big deal out of it at which point I tell them to shut up LOL

 

Most people just gawk at the price and any time I talk about dolls they'll so 'so how much did that cost'. It's mostly my family that thinks it's absurd. Others think it's cool. And then the people who are afraid of dolls thinks it's creepy. Lol.

 

I don't know how many times I've been told my dolls are creepy already... I've never cared much, I asked people why they think they are creepy and always was able to give them a nice explanation as to why this and that thing is as it is.
For example I lately heard a lot that my little girl Synti (she's a Dollzone Senna with company blushing) is creepy as hell. It's mainly because of her faceup... (you can google it and you might understand the poeple, I've no good picture at hand currently)
I always explain people that that's supposed to be her character. She's a little demon rabbit who's name means "sin". She's a manifestation of so many sins so of course she is supposed to look kinda creepy. But her character is so lovely and just like a young child. And many people then have to agree "Well... She isn't that creepy after all..."

 

I guess I've been pretty lucky by having been around mostly artsy/creative people when I do bother to bring up my bjds in public. I can only recall one occasion when anyone called my dolls "creepy", and that involved a Pullip I brought to a campus anime club awhile back. My parents are either not bothered by them or find them intriguing, associates appreciate the time and effort put into them, and my classmates and instructors have either taken an interest in them or been indifferent at the very least.

I can really relate to this. I've never been afraid of dolls, but I used to have an issue as a kid involving anything that might be staring at me. It often unnerved me to the extent that I didn't keep posters up of favorite movies on my walls if the characters involved in it might be staring out at me from it. Anything with eyes had to be displayed in a way as to not be looking my direction, or stored out of sight. I eventually got over it, and am comfortable enough to not be bothered by it anymore.

On the subject of movies creating a negative influence on the opinion of dolls in society: I get the concept to a degree. Especially during a time when people where more superstitious and fearful. But now...it does seem a little silly to me. Chucky and Annabelle are fictional characters in movies, after all (and yes, I'm aware that Annabelle is based of true accounts, which are questionable at best) and there is a line between fiction and reality. Chucky isn't real--he's the product of a movie, and I find it a bit odd sometimes that people can't differentiate between what is real and what is fiction and make assumptions that something fictional could in deed become fact (I just don't see how a child's toy could become possessed by a serial killer's soul and run around on rampages. There's no proof something of the like could even happen).

But I digress. I tend to rationalize things, and can separate fact from fiction. I also don't really believe in supernatural entities and deities, so that impacts my ability to believe in things like dolls becoming possessed or spooky things like that.

Personally, I'm fine with people finding dolls creepy, as long as they can be respectful about it. I personally find people fitting the Stepford Smilers description (and religious zealots, for that matter) to be creepy, but to each their own.

 

When a friend said my bjds' eyes were creepy, I think she was complaining that the set-in eyes were realistic and reflective and not matte-painted like kids' dolls. I love the realism; I think the eyes are beautiful. My dolls are not supernatural. So much judgment...

 

I understand people finding a doll creepy. I understand them commenting on it once. Maybe twice. After that it just becomes obnoxious.
I think you should ask her why she feels the need to keep commenting on photographs if she doesn't like dolls... Just tell her that being negative about her hobby isn't going to change your mind about your dolls, and it's only hurting your feelings. (Or tell her she's hurting your dolls' feelings and REALLY creep her out!! LOL!!)

 

Honestly saying they're "creepy/gross/will kill you" was probably one of the worst things said to me about the hobby. I was running a forum with some friends and we had a new guy join us recently. At that time I was really excited to get Vala for Christmas and I was extra, extra, happy/excited to get Avalon back from getting his faceup redone.

Had the guy constantly insult my hobby for almost a full month with warnings from all of us to just chill. I was told by one of my friends to not take it personally but it still hurt my feelings a lot. The guy stopped coming around not long after I got Vala and he expressed his desire to and I quote: "Break them for you." Like he would be doing me a favor by destroying something that meant a lot to me. And he wasn't joking.

I don't know what my friends did to him. He cut it out after that remark though. And I wasn't uploading full colored pictures, they were embedded links to my DeviantART or photobucket. It was very, very clear what they were by the links.

It's happened a few times after but I made it clear - don't like it, stop commenting on my pictures then please. I don't insult your hobby don't insult mine.

 

The people who are aware of my doll hobby are pretty supportive, happily, and have a good sense of humor about the funny/unusual parts of it (As am I-- it does have its funny parts). I'm a big horror buff, as are my closest friends, so we actually joke about the creepy doll thing a lot. I've definitely joked about purposely getting tracking eyes for mine.

But for the people who are dead serious about dolls being scary or malicious, I tend to roll with it-- someone told me about how dolls can be possessed, with obvious implications, and I told them that if my dolls did get possessed because they said that, I'd send them (the dolls) to haunt them (the person). My greatest talent is delivering obviously ridiculous lines in complete deadpan. It's difficult for people who don't know me well to tell if I'm joking or not. The reaction was pretty great, hahaha.

Now, if someone actively tried to damage my dolls, we would have a Problem. But that hasn't come up yet-- I'll cross that bridge if I get to it. No point in worrying.

 

If you love it who cares. I have heard the same thing. It' your hobby, not theirs. Go with what you love!

 

I LOVE your sense of humor! XD
You have me thinking of a movie (FX?) where a special effects guy had a 7-foot monster puppet just inside his front door. It had a motion detector that made it roar and lurch forward when the front door opened. That trick became very useful later in the movie!
Now you've got me thinking - yes, tracking eyes, but also glowing eyes, talking and moving with a motion detector! All in good fun, but maybe ending up as a great security system!
Keep having fun!

 

Haters gonna hate, and we know there are tons of trolls out there on the internet, and many who might be people we know personally. They obviously aren't into dolls! Something about them freaks them out (uncanny valley or just some sort of phobia), and many people react with fear turned to hate (because that's how they deal with fear).

I've never ever found dolls to be creepy, but I know people who do think that way, and plenty of others who I don't know, but feel so strongly they NEED to comment and look when they could just turn away!

That's why it's important to find places where there are like-minded people you can share your dolls with, like this forum or other groups on and off-line. You can't please everyone, after all!

 

I don't tend to share my hobby with people I'm not very close with because I don't want to deal with that reaction. I think my dolls are amazing otherwise I wouldn't own them ^__^ If someone sees value in art, I will share them with that person, but I've even gotten the "that's creepy" reaction from one of my high school friends who went to art school who I was very close to at one point. Some people won't ever understand, and that's okay. I know this is a very niche hobby. While I'd like it if they were more popular, ultimately I'm fine just enjoying my dolls and other hobbyists dolls!