Is this "normal?" (using same sculpt for multiple oc dolls)

Even if they don't, if it works for you just do it
But I had friends who for example owned like 5 Luts El back when he was popular, and they all looked crazily different and were supposed to all be own OCs.

I personally can't do it, because I have a hard time detaching the character from a face once I did use a specific head for an OC. Using the same face, even with different face-up, wouldn't really work for me unless it's part of the design (like twins for example, or stuff in fantasy settings).
I could make an exception for different skintones, and because there are some heads I'd really like to own more than once, but also only if they aren't in the same story so to speak. Like I love Granado Enoch, I have him in tan and would like a NS one too, but the latter only works because he's not in the same character group and would look vastly different as well.

Only thing you gotta deal with is that others might have a hard time telling them apart as different characters if they are pretty alike.

 

That's the beauty of this hobby. You can do what ever you want. If you feel like getting several of the same sculpt you go for it. I have several different sculpts for the same character. Some think it's weird but it works for me.

 

Yeah, definitely! It's not common, but I've seen it being done and it's been great. I've even done this myself, kind of. Had a Resinsoul Mei and Fei. They are the same sculpt, Fei just has sleepy eyes. Different characters and faceup! I no longer have the Mei because I ended up changing the time when that particular character's story takes place and they didn't end up being in the same era as my current crew, but I definitely wouldn't be against the idea of doing something similar again in the future.

Faceups can do so much to transform the look of a doll. Especially if you plan to have different bodies.

But overall, it's your collection. The most important thing to think about is if having the same sculpt is something you would enjoy. Would you feel like you'd be missing out by not having that variance? Even if the same sculpt would work for several characters, is it the sculpt that would the BEST for all of them? These dolls are pretty expensive, so taking your time to consider is a good thing - regardless of which decision you come to.

 

I have serveral of the same head sculpt on different bodies - two of them are twins (one girl, one boy), the other two are their cousins (probably - the exact relationships in the large extended family are convoluted. One is definately a cousin, the other might be a half sister...).

I really should get a picture of the four of them together at some point....

And I have two of another sculpt as siblings.

Again, lacking in a goiod picture of them together...

And two of another sculpt as completely unrelated characters.


Teddy

 

The great thing about dolls is a lot of them are blank canvases. A face up can change the sculpt entirely. For this purpose, I believe the same head can be used time and time again. Now, if its the same face-up (say, the default one with no changes) it might be harder for others to tell the difference between your characters but if you can tell the difference (and don't mind having to state which one it is from time to time) then what does it really matter? This hobby is all about you, what you enjoy and how you respond to such things...we're just observers and our opinions don't really matter so long as you're not hurting anyone.

 

Wait, do you mean multiple heads of one sculpt on different bodies for different characters, or one head to go around on different bodies/characters?^^ I am confused...

 

Definitely, have fun with it! It will save you money in the long run so, that's a huge plus.

 

I own too Soom Elivs
One in tawny, one in cream white.
Both are two completely different, non related characters. I will post photos when they arrived/are finished

 

oh man. I have so many sculpt multiples. so. many. And I love love love all of them. I also know of many other collectors who do as well. Its perfectly normal for many of us - especially those of us who've been in this hobby long enough to only have had a few sculpts to choose from when we started out!

 

I plan on doing this with a doll that comes with different expression faceplates. I didn't even have any plans for the characters before I saw her. I just looked at the pictures of the faceplates, and *boom*, a character for each face popped into my head. Maybe that's not the same, since the faces have different expressions and are therefore not identical, but it doesn't seem too different.

Also, people have actually been doing this with dolls for over a century, if not longer. In antique dolls, or at least the repros, the same head mold is used to create dolls of different races and sexes. And if you think of the dolls as "actors" or "actresses", it's even easier to understand. Actors with different costumes and makeup play dramatically different characters. I think dolls can easily be the same.

 

I think the answer is different depend on one's own thinking and interesting.
With me, I really don't know why but I have an impression with Volks' Chris/Lucas family (Christ, Lucas, Theo, FCS SD-F-16... and so on). Indeed, I'm having a twins, with the same sculpt but different face-up.
In the recent Dolpa 42, I ever saw a row of at least 5 diffrerent SD17 Kiriko (although the face-up style is really different) from a vendor at these that really made me surprise. (So regret that even if the vendor kindly gave me permission to take the photo of these Kiriko quintet, I'm not sure about the right of using that photo so I can't upload it here!)
However, a closet full of same sculpt doll could be a nightmare...

 

It's not super common in the BJD community, but in other doll collecting communities (vinyl doll, fashion doll, etc) the same exact sculpt with different faceup is often sold as an entirely different doll, and serious collectors will try to get every faceup! How they're painted (and the color) can completely change the look of a doll, and even if it couldn't, it's really up to you how your OCs are shelled.

 

I wouldn't call them OCs per se, since they only got names and a basic kind of personality, but I got three Volks F-35 here that are three completely different "persons": George (F-35 boy in WS on a Tenshi boy), Gracie (F-35 girl in NS on an SD girl body) and Yolanda (F-35 girl in WS on an SD13 girl body). Due to their face-ups, they look vastly different, and I just LOVE the versatility of that sculpt. Also not OCs per se since one is basically a "cosplay doll" but the other "twin pairing" I got is two FID Stellas, one Peach Gold, one in Light Brown. One's face-upped and dressed to look like Claire Redfield from the Resident Evil movies, the other one's called Maisie and is, indeed, an OC of mine. Again, they look totally different. Important thing is - it works, so if it works for you, go for it!

 

I have both Homme and Elf Ducan from DOD, but with their styling both my boys look totally different to me I think it’s amazing how people can style the same sculpt so differently, so to have that in the same collection would be really cool to see!

 

I prefer to have all different dolls for different OCs, including all different bodies. Still, I have had some heads I reused from an old character to a new one, and I've had two of one sculpt at a time as two unrelated characters. I don't do it often at all, but it has happened.

 

You should do whatever you want! I tend to fall in love with sculpts and will want to own different versions of them (skin tone, sleeping heads, etc) and they all turn into different characters. It's the beauty of this hobby as well. The same sculpt can look so different depending on the faceup you give them.

 

I think is fine. Is your choice too~ You also mentioned that they’ll have different faceup, so that will help distinguish them!

 

Face ups and wigs can change the look of the same sculpt so much. If this suits your needs then go for it. I think it would be really fun to see the same sculpt styled differently sitting next to each other.

 

That's really a question of personal preference.
Faceups, wigs...can make one sculpt look so very very different, it's not like all your dolls will look the same. Thus there is no objective problem, besides preference. And even if you would like to have couple of idenical dolls, it's still not a problem -- they are your dolls and they are supposed to make you happy. You, not other people! Just go for the heads if they suit you!