Keeping Factory Faceups

I can't art. I'll always have to get someone else to do faceups for me. So far all of mine are factory faceups. Since most of my dolls are Volks, and none of them are even FCS or were bought blank, then you don't even have the option to NOT get a factory faceup.

 

All of mine have factory faceups, mostly because I can't do adult faces, they all look like babies with adult bodies.

 

I keep the default. Too pricey to have someone else do it for you... Try practice heads if you want to get into it. Practice, practice, practice! I'm planning on trying but I'm no good at it rite now.

 

I've wiped heaps of company faceups and replaced them with my own shoddy work haha! It's always made me so much more connected to my dolls!

I might have thought twice about it if it was a limited edition release or fullest or something, but ultimately I figure it's my doll and I need to be happy with it, or else why do I own it?

 

When it comes down to it, a company faceup is painted by a person exactly like any independent artist or you yourself. If it's a basic faceup, it's probably not even that much effort for them because they repeat it often and it's likely less unique and elaborate than a custom artist face. If you like it (or if it's a limited release and you're trying to preserve its resale/collector value, which it doesn't sound like the case), then keep it stock. If that's not what you want, just wipe it and enjoy your dolls the way you like. Especially if you didn't pay extra for it, you're not really out anything.

Personally, I also like doing the faces myself but I've had two dolls that came painted by default (and one of my incoming ones is too). For one and the incoming one, I just saw their company faceups as placeholders until I could get around to doing my own. The third one, I like the faceup so I'm keeping it. There are no rules for how to enjoy your dolls.

 

I’ve wiped company face ups too. Sometimes I just don’t like them. That said, I have two dolls who’ve kept their company face ups because I actually like them, and I’m a bit more careful with those dolls. There’s a feeling with my own face ups that I can just redo it if I mess it up, but with company ones... if I mess them up I’m screwed!

 

I've never been drawn to factory faceups because they seem too simple for me. It's hard because I will find a doll I want in stock, but I don't want to pay extra for the faceup. Although I recently bought a head that came with a faceup and it's so nice I can't wipe it. Which is sad because I really wanted to do my own on this sculpt. So I know how you feel. You should look for one that is blank, then you won't feel bad, or lose the extra money you spent for the faceup. I wouldn't try to do something temp because when you wipe it off who knows if it might damage the existing one.

 

I've always liked to draw and have added a bit here and there to non bjd dolls' faces to make them more in line with my inner idea of who they really were, inside. So it was an easy transition to think of wiping or repainting a factory face up on a bjd. I did my first two bjd face ups on Realpukis and was fairly happy with them until I joined DoA and saw the amazing incredible face ups done by actual artists. Acck! But still, they are my little Pixie and SoFee and I love them.

That being said, I have two more Realpukis on order and I plan to keep their factory face ups with just a few slight alterations. I'll know more when I see them in person.

 

Some of faceup are difficult to clean it when they old. I heard volks will not easy to clean. So I will clean it andw sent To an artist to do the faceup

 

I like the face up already on my dolls when I shopped for them I fall in love with the face up job as well so i don't see the need in changing it since I'm already happy with it. I've done my own face up's on monster high dolls but I'm not ready to destroy a BJD's face just yet either. maybe if I ever buy a blank head or get one for free to mess with.

 

Could always just get a second head in the same sculpt, have both a factory and custom! Why settle when you can have the best of all worlds? Personally I've done both custom on my 1/4, but then left my E-an with her factory faceup.

 

I started the general doll hobby repainting Monster Highs, and I definitely think that helps you get really comfortable with it. I'd say try that sort of thing, see if you like it/can get results you like, and then decide from there if you want to start trying faceups on your bjds.

Honestly the only time I've gotten a company faceup I was really disappointed with it... I have only kept it so far because I hoped It would sell better. In my personal experience I feel like a company faceup could never be as good as an original, personal faceup... Even if you're an amateur like me. I feel like it helps you bond with your doll, you know?

 

I have neither the time, ability, or materials to do faceups. But I love the factory faceups of the dolls I have, so it wasn’t a big deal to me.

Given that I don’t wear makeup, I can only imagine how horrifying any faceup I attempted would be (the last time I wore makeup was for a school play in middle school, and I’m in my 30’s).