Just an object?

Basically, they're just objects to me, beautiful, fragile objects but not something I carry around to have sitting beside me while I watch tv. They do have names & backstories & a little universe all their own. And I love playing with them changing clothes & looks & setting them up in displays.

While I wouldn't purposely treat them roughly, I have been known to have a stack of nekkid dolls laying on the floor when I'm in the midst of big clothes change. But heck, at least they can't fall of the floor.

 

As much as I know that my boys are "objects" it never seems to stop me from feeling like they're more. They're, like a pet to me. A companion that never speaks that loves you no matter what. Granted, no they can't love, they're inanimate, but they are at least always "there" for you, quite literally. I tend to notice that I feel negligent if I don't coddle or carry around my MSD like I do my SD. But I can't say I honestly feel bad, I just feel like I'm not equally dispersing my affection for something that means a great deal to me. My boys and I have been through a lot within the time since I got them, and I'm happy they're there with me.

I guess all I can say is, they just grow on ya, in some sort of a way. <<' But not everyone's the same, not everyone feels the same way I do. And I understand, and respect that some people don't. ^____^

I must agree with this though, when I first got into the community, I would have never thought I would gain an attachment to them. Yes, my drawings are my life, but so are my dolls. The ones that I can customize (By doing face ups) are nothing but blank canvas' that I breathe life into. I think this is exactly when I fell in love with dolls as more than just a "thing," but as a glimpse of one's mind's eye. When I see a person's doll, it's like looking at their artwork, you can see through a tiny hole the tip of the iceberg which is their mind. My dolls are my way of speaking without words, as I figure most artists, least those in graphical arts, feel about things.

I feel there's a time when you "break out of the shell" with dolls, and realize these things can do whatever your wildest dreams are, and that feeling is empowering; be it a princess, or a mutant were-cricket with six heads and a thorax with a dancing frog tattoo on it. They are only grounded by their possessor, they are not bound by our worldly restraints.

And then still, it is your call, to say weather they are more than just an object.

 

As a writer, I feel that I could make up all sorts of characters, whether they are important or "side" characters. So finding a real body to have the character reside in is super important to me.

I guess it's because I've written for so long under the guidance of invisible muses is what makes me want the doll to be extra special; I could always make new "invisible characters", but a body is the most important to me. That may be because they're pricey and I need to protect them.

I would hate replacing a doll. Not just because of the price, but because I get attached to how a body looks or such. I want to make sure they're "healthy" (not yellowing, don't chip, have a good face-up,) so to me, dolls are kind of like children.

Maybe that's a silly idea! Heehee!

 

As a lot of these people have said, the dolls are an object. But its not surprising that many of them have an emotional connection with their dolls.
For me personally, my dolls are my companions. They embody characters that I have loved and labored over for years before I obtained the doll. Their personality's represent the type of person I generally surround myself with and even wish I could be like. It's very comforting to be surrounded by the characters you've loved for so long. And when you get them, its just amazing. Exactly like watching them come to life within your doll.
I haven't had my doll for very long, about five months, but I am still very protective of him. Other people touching is fine but if they fall its that rush of worry, "Oh my god, Is he ok?!"
I love my dolls very much. =>

 

To echo what some others have said upthread, my crew are soundly in the object camp... But they're objects that I'm very fond of, and very attached to.

I do play the "character game" with my dolls... All but one have names and at least some degree of backstory. It's very hard *not* to anthropomorphise these guys... But I honestly don't have any illusions about them being more than toys.

 

They are mostly just for muse. Besides the fact that they are amazingly beautiful ^^; I hvae characters in my head which I can't picture, and sometimes, sometimes I find a doll that will do it for me. And for me, that's magic right there.

 

Hmm. I'd probably treat mine as a beautiful ornament, but also as a plaything, and perhaps a visual representation of a character to use in stories. I can imagine making a character around a particular doll, and giving that character a backstory and a personality, but the doll in the end would just be an embodiment of that character.

 

I consider my dolls as little persons who live in the same house but unable to take care of himeself, so I have to do.
For me, they are just 'little persons' who live and, sometimes star in a story. But they ARE NOT THE characters of these stories.

I don't choose a BJD from a pre-idea I have but only but feeling between us. I ask myself : As we will live together, will I be able to see his face everyday ? Will HE be fine with me ?

Sounds weird for you, doesn't it ?

 

I've kind of wondered lately, if dolls can sort of serve as one's own self-cheering crowd. There are sometimes a point in my mind, which doesn't feel like myself, which doesn't seem to like me. Perhaps extracting that from my mind into a cranky doll or giving some interaction with a character that doesn't agree with that viewpoint helps eventually remove or not let that self-doubt effect oneself.
Sort of an odd viewpoint I've been thinking about, and I probably sound nuts, but food for thought.

 

It's really important for me - to have some kind of imaginary world inside my head. And it is even more important to stay away from constantly remiding myself "it's all not real". It just ruins everything.
I like the way children play with their toys so much. Yes, they know that a doll can't talk. And yet they pretend to have a dialog with her and absolutely don't care about whether that conversaton is real. It's what you feel that matters. Humans are just pieces of meat, love is a chemical reaction, dolls are pretty pieces of resin... Keeping these facts in mind makes me feel like a perfectly normal and sane realist, but it doesn't make me feel happy.
So that's how it is.

 

I treat my dolls much more than actual objects. No, I don't refer to them as my sons or carry them around with me 24/7, but I don't think that's a requirement for them to be something extremely special to me. If I'm not physically playing with my boys such as holding them, brusing their wigs, sewing, etc. then 90% of the time I am actively imagining their characters, RPing them, writing their stories down myself or drawing them. I have been working on some of these characters for over ten years and they are as much a part of me as my real life family and pets.

I am trying to teach myself the difference between the doll and their actual character, that the doll is just a shell and that the character still exists with or without it, but I'm finding this extremely difficult to do. I know some people view their dolls and characters in this way and sometimes I envy their ability to do so, but try as I might, once the correct doll comes home and I feel that connection, for me, in my home, that doll is IT.

It's a little more difficult when it comes to character dolls, such as my future plans for the video game characters Sora and Riku, as I realize other people have fandolls of these characters as well. I guess for me it would be like mine are MY originals wheras theirs are THEIR original...but I think that's starting to get off on a slightly different topic.

Anyway, no, I do not treat my boys as mere objects, I am very careful with them and if I feel something is not going on right with their storylines or some such, I am that much more gentle with their doll form. It's meant to be therepeutic and in some ways it really is. Sometimes it's not.

 

It is pretty clear that Agnes-Agatha is not a doll owner or enthusiast, and is just here to defend Mijn Schatje.

From my own part: Yes they are just dolls, but humans get emotionally attached to their houses, their land, their possessions - why not dolls too?

 

Have you even looked at a bjd, made your own painting or any kind of artwork? Because it wouldn't take a 13 year old with their first copy of photoshop to realise at least some work goes into creating a bjd.

It's like saying we should disregard great paintings because they were done on canvas and hey, what do you know, a lot of paintings were done on canvas. And some even go for some high prices! :O

I would NOT go as far to say my dolls are sentient beings, but I did put a lot of work into my dolls. And with art, you put some of yourself into your art and I see my dolls as an extension of that.

It's like how my teacher mentions second life can have a great affect on the creator's of their avatars. Whatever you do to your lil humanoid object, it reflects a part of you. Your hopes, your dreams, your personality, what you are like.

So yeah, even if we do boil it down to them just being resin hunks of plastic, we are attached to them. Otherwise, why would we even bother owning them?

 

At the moment, I don't have a BJD as I'm still waiting for my first, but already little stirrings of a personality for her are starting to come through....I'm sure to guard her very carefully (as well as my boyfriend ) since I have about 7 other people living in the same house as me, 4 being near my age or younger and disruptive T_T;;

I don't many friends, the most being two or three as I've moved around so much and lose contact, so I guess Luna (my incoming DoC petsha) will be my friend ^^ She'll also be my secret keeper and recreational activity and sewing model

So no, she's not just any object or thing for me....she's mine. I'll take care of her, and...well, who knows? I'll just wait and see- *fidgets* - I'll be sure to post again in her, as to how I treat the little resinoid as well as how others that'll be regulary exposed to her do...

This topic is so interesting~!

 

In a neglected (and dusty) part of my mind I know they're just highly articulated, customisable chunks of resin that don't talk back; but I cant help but feel that to me, they're just a little bit more than that. I spend so much time with them; painting faceups, sewing and making accessories that eventually personality grows and then I write up a short backstory... It just rolls on from there xD

 

They are just a chunk of resin, freaking expensive chunks of resin that I adore so much ahaha...
I feel stupid being like this, but I am willing to save up and work for dolls I want. I think they reflect a part of you, so it's a form of expression for me. It's partial entertainment, partial artistic expression, partial indulgence.

That's how I see them: Objects. I love them nonetheless, but I don't see them as anything more than just objects I fancy.

 

they are dolls. toys. expencive and pretty toys, but never-the-less just toys. That does not mean that i dont pay attention to them, or damage them on purpose or anything... hey, they are actually more important to me then some people, but never the less, they are just toys.

 

I treat my dolls very well, but I don't handle them like fine china, I mean, I photography them in trees and all that. They get dirty and I rinse off the dirt. They get little scratches and I sand them out. I dont EVER drop them or anything, but I dont put on the kid gloves.

 

They are inanimate objects, which means.. they are inanimate and objects. Expensive, fun to work on, but inanimate and stuff.