Is modding respectful to the original art?

For as much as BJD's cost, I think it's irrelevant to ask if it's respectful or not. For that much money you can do whatever you want with it.

Although it does make me angry to see nice dolls that people have butchered with cheap bad makeup, bad hair and bad clothes...now that is a crime...

 

I don't think it is disrespectful to the artist.

I think some people buy for what it already is and some buy it for what it has the potential to be.

 

I would day it's not disrespectful, but I can honestly say it's wholly respectful of the original to change it. I somehow doubt the original artist would care very much if they knew one of the dolls they helped create was being modded. I view BJDs as a lot of people view cars, or computers. The modding business for cars & computers is so big nowadays that there are whole companies devoted to it.

At the same time, I think a modded doll won't sell for as much on the second hand market as an original, unmodded doll, but that's just me.

 

Is changing the decor in your new house respectful to the old owners if it has just been done?
Probably not, you are exerting your opinion that it could be better or just different.
However it belongs to you and therefore is yours to do as you wish.
If artists do not want modding they can not sell their dolls. As soon as the doll belongs to you it is your right to do as you wish to it.

 

Rather than it being disrespectful I think that spending the time and effort to modify a doll into something you really really love is a sign of great respect and, for lack of a better word, love for the artist.
I have never done any extensive modifying myself but I have followed a number of mod projects on DoA and I recognize just how much time and effort are given into these projects. As an artist I would feel very pleased to know that someone was inspired to put so much work into a project based on something I had created.
It is another story perhaps if someone says 'this is ugly I want to change it.' But I generally get the sense that modifications are made with the thought of 'This is good but I think I could create something even better.' Which I think is fantastic.

 

i don´t think it is disrespectful, i see it more like team work, being the team made by people that don´t know each other to create an unique work of art

 

This is actually why i haven't changed my I-Ra. She's limited with a limited face-up and I feel like if I give her a new face-up I'm destroying what D.O.D made. Though her face-up looks like its fading and I don't have the guts to give her a new face-up.

 

Seeing as the ABJD hobby started out as one based on customising, I don't think modding is at all disrespectful. I can't see why an artist who makes dolls for this hobby would become terribly offended at people modifying the final cast product - it comes with the territory. If anything, they should expect for this to happen eventually. I can understand if they became disappointed after seeing their work unattractively damaged though.
I would go as far as to say that, in my opinion, new commercial ABJD sculptors who are shocked that their finished sold products are being modified haven't researched their target market well enough to know what to expect.

I don't think respecting the artist goes out the window when you buy something though. It is yours to do what you want yes, but there still are respectful and disrespectful ways of dealing with the object. Burning the Mona Lisa after buying it would be disrespectful. You have every right to do it, but it would still be disrespectful. However, how you treat an object and whether or not it is respectful is different for different mediums.

 

I think it's fine to mod a doll as much as you want and defintly no disrespect to the creator. Everyone has different tastes and like to make their dolls more unique.
It's no disrespect to the creator, because you bought the doll so surly that says you like the doll they created and work put into

 

I myself look forward to all the amazing things people will do to their dolls. Getting a BJD is like the precursor to your birthday that you know is going to be great, but seeing what you can do with him or her is like opening up your presents and having cake with your friends.

 

Huh! I was thinking 'it's not wrong, it's art but it's not like cutting up a painting..'
and then I started thinking why that was really an exception. and then I started thinking if it would really bother me if someone cut up my painting and put it together in a montage of another painting/their own and still gave me credit for the part of painting that was mine... I think it would be interesting to see! I imagine some doll sculptors find mods of their sculpts fascinating.
but yes, given the nature of these things, it's sort of in the bargain to accept mods to your work.

 

i understand the question - i think it's a good one! and probably each individual artist feels differently, but in general they understand that people customize their dolls, so that makes it okay. plus there are many made of each, it's not like there's only one in the world - and even if there were, they understand what this hobby is.

 

Thank you- this right here is all that really needs to be said about this discussion in the shortest way possible and I adore you for stating it.

I also want to say that I am incredibly happy to see a modding debate thread where some of the replies have such a positive view of modders. There have been many of these threads that just rip modding apart and as someone who loves modding, it's always heartbreaking. Will there always be things done to dolls we may not personally agree with, yes, but we should respect the person's right to do so. They see something in the doll we don't, and that's what makes this hobby wonderful.

 

I agree, Bird of Hermes. While I don't think I would ever attempt to mod something myself, I have a great deal of respect for those who do. I kind of feel as though once the art is sold, it is the full property of those who bought it, and while credit should be paid to the artist [not bootlegging a mold, etc.], modding the work is not an offense.

 

I ran a thread like this a couple of months ago! Glad I'm not the only one.

Maybe the mods can combine the two?

http://www.denofangels.com/forums/showthread.php?382734-Modification-Ethics&highlight=ethics

 

I don't think it's disrespectful. I think it's interesting to see how many different things people do, starting with the exact same doll. Also, I think if I ever produced dolls myself, I'd be interested in seeing how creative people are about making it into their own unique doll.

 

This. Just this. The entire hobby is founded on the basis that every doll is something to be customized by the buyer in some way shape or form. The 'art' part comes when the buyer takes the doll home to make it what they want.

 

I think I actually read something at one point or another on BJD collectasy, about Charlie from CCC where he stated that he, as an artist that makes dolls hated seeing his molds modded, or excessively customized. But that's pretty ironic coming from him, when some of his dolls aren't really intricate when it comes to face ups to begin with, and have had known cracking issues with the resin. I think when it get's down to it, it's your doll, and you can do what you want with it. And no one else has the right to tell you otherwise. It's a hobby, and if your not enjoying it, it wouldn't be worth having.

 

I see nothing wrong with modding a doll to one's specifications. Sometimes changing eyes and hair is just not enough. Plus, BJDs, unless OOAKs, can be a sort of paint by numbers type deal where one can get a beautiful, but blank, body and face to begin with and turn them into something remarkable and something THEY need/want. And that, I think, is beautiful and unique, something I have loved seeing in the BJD community.

I can see how seeing modified OOAKs could cause a pause, though. But, even there, the owner paid for them so it's only fair they can do with them as they please.