Open eyed vs closed eyed dolls vs in-between

I would definitely only get open-eyed dolls, but I can also see the appeal of closed-eye dolls. A sort of dreamy, restful look, I would guess? But it does remove the ability to get creative with making and swapping eyes, too, so that would prevent me from buying one as well.

 

I’d like having a closed-eye head (or faceplate) alternative for one of my most beloved dolls since it opens up a lot of options for posing, photographs, etc but personally I don’t think I would buy a closed-eye head otherwise. Eyes are one of my favorite aspects of BJDs so I think it’s not for me.

 

For me it’s really about the character that doll is portraying, if they have one. I have two Supia Rosy heads incoming- a Dreaming head that will be the character’s “human” looking head and a regular open-eyed head that will be modded into her rather creepy true goddess form. I could have just gotten two of the regular heads, but I like the subtle variation.

I have noticed, though, that male sculpts that veer towards the more realistic side tend to have pretty small eyes- like Granado’s Gabriel. So lovely, but so squinty! I think that’s just a stylistic choice on the sculptor’s end, though.

 

I prefer smaller eyes for my characters and dolls usually. I always love looking at dolls with half closed eyes but somehow they haven’t made their way into my collection yet
I’m not a fan of close eyed sculpts at all though, I have 1 closed eye face plate and it’s only because I plan to mod it

edit: pressed send too soon

 

I'm really fond of the "half-way" Dreaming eyes, myself... I do have completely closed-eyed dolls in my crew, but for most sculpts I do like seeing at least a little bit of eye.

 

I like faceplates better and having a open and a closed one, but when itsnt a option its not a problem, as long as the doll is pretty

 

I personally wouldn't purchase a doll that only came with closed eyes, but I love dolls that come with optional face plates or whole heads that have optional features for the same sculpt (I love 1:6 action figures, so the idea of multiple optional hands and heads is exciting to me). I own a Fairyland Chic Line Rou, I was super excited for optional plates and other magnetic parts, but they weren't that popular so I only own the two original plates that were available at the time of release (the default opened eye plate, and the closed eyed one or SP, as they call it). If I could own optional plates or heads for all my dolls I would, but I wouldn't purchase a head with closed eyes, if that was the only option -- I don't mind modifying the heck out of my heads, but opening eyes is not one thing I love or enjoy doing (I don't mind doing it if I really "have-to," but I rather not). (:

 

I am really not fond of the closed eye look. Or the half closed. The half closed always look like they are halfway through a sneeze to me. Closed eye are slightly better, but still just no. I just don't feel like they are even close to as expressive. Plus I love all the different eye types and colors>.<

 

I love sleeping or "romantic" faceplates/heads as an alternate option, but I wouldn't get a doll that only had a sleeping or half-closed-eyes face/head. It takes too much of the versatility away, IMO. Same reason I don't like super strong expressions unless they're alternate faceplates/heads. I just prefer that a doll's "default" be something with a fairly neutral, open-eyed look.

 

I love half closed and closed eyed dolls. There's something thoughtful and mysterious to me about them and while I totally get why people don't see the appeal they speak to me.

My favorite dolls ever (Dollstown Soph A and Alice in Labyrinth Chloe) are both half-closed eye heads and I love the haughty feel I get from the Chloe and the dreamy feel I always get from my Soph. My first doll ever was a DoD Tender Yen so I think I was just wired to like the half-lidded eyes somehow.

Meanwhile I have 2 closed eye dolls (Rem. Lydia, Drayton #1) and I probably would have had a K-Doll Kamyu if I had had more money when I first started collecting. I think there's more versatility to the closed eye heads than people think, but there are definitely some limitations. Sometimes limitations force me to think more creatively though.

 

I love dreaming-eyed and sleeping dolls. One of my earliest dolls was a closed-eyed head and I did worry that I wouldn’t like the lack of eyes, but honestly I barely notice. The dolls’ personality comes through easily, even without eyes.

my favorite doll has extra heads, and on some I modded his eyes to be more open, leaving the original eye size to be more like narrowed eyes, and modded one into a sleeping head. I love the sleep face, it’s probably my second favorite of his heads.

I liked it so much I took one of the extra heads of my first doll and modded those eyes closed too. I’m working on his faceup now and I can’t wait to see it finished!

EDIT because I forgot one of my most favorites "sleepers" - my LTF Pong Pong v1. His sleepface literally looks like this XD and I love it. He's the only LTF I use the sleepface for. It might be the only one I have...

 

I have two dolls with narrowed eyes (a Dream of Doll Too in the "Tender" variant with half-closed eyes, and a Dream Valley Elvish) and I think they're more versatile and expressive IRL than the company photos manage. It definitely makes it harder to photograph in natural light.

I love doll eyes as an art form unto themselves, so I don't think I'll ever have a closed-eye head in my collection.

 

I typically prefer open eyes, but occasionally, I like half lidded eyes, depending on my character. Though I have no interest in a fully sleeping faceplate. It feels too limiting for photos. If the doll came with an extra sleeping faceplate at no extra charge, I might play around with it, but I wouldn't buy one unless I had plans to do an eye opening mod. (Which I've done once and don't think I'll ever want to do again.)

 

Dolls with partially closed eyes have a special place in my heart because the very first doll I ever fell in love with had them - and I'm still trying to figure out what sculpt she was. I do feel that dolls with these heads aren't as versatile so I've actually resisted all my urges to get these dolls, but now that my collection has expanded somewhat I feel like I'm free to get more 'niche' and not-as-versatile dolls as well.

Completely closed eyes though, I'd only get them as an alternative/extra head. I like being able to look into my dolls' beautiful eyes.

 

I love a semi-closed eye, but I don't think I'd go for a closed-eyed doll. Maybe if it was a really good deal to get a second head/faceplate, because there's definitely potential, but it's not something I see me spending a lot on...

 

I have open eyed dolls, semi opens, and a pissed off lookin one with the smallest eye slits, thats Dream Valley Foxy, who i ADORE. I dont really care, as long as i vibe with them tbh.