Planning your doll family? Did you have a plan? How did it work out?

I write lists. Ever-changing lists. Currently I plan on owning about 16 dolls, and I already have more than half of them (counting floating heads, anyway). When I first got into the hobby I'd put a doll on my wishlist if I thought it was pretty without any thought, but now I think, who would this doll be, who is their character, would they fit in with the other dolls, etc.

 

How do YOU plan your doll family?
Eh, I don't really have plans. I initially started this hobby with the intention of owning dolls I like aesthetically. No real rhyme or reason. I also don't do character dolls. The ones I own might have some personalizing but no back stories, etc.. I don't photograph my dolls much so that isn't so much an issue. But I do prefer dolls that look good together.

Atm, I own two four sisters and I'm content with that. One day I'd like to own one of each four sister, a SwD Nana, F03 and a tan F01. So for a total of 7 to complete my collection. Completion seems like an almost foreign concept in this hobby. ^^; While I do like other dolls, they just never seem to stick around. I get more enjoyment out of owning my four sisters than other dolls. So I guess I've found my niche. :3

Has that tactic changed?
My first doll doesn't look that much different from the dolls I collect today. She was an MSD that wore frilly clothes. I now own SDs who wear frilly dresses.

Do you feel there is a "best" way to do it?
I don't think there is. Attitudes change. Monetary situations vary over time so it really depends on what fits the situation.

 

Right now, I only have 2 dolls I really know I want to get. Haven't worked out their stories yet but yeah, right now I really only see myself with these dolls. (They really appeal to me because we have similar facial features though I am not claiming, at all, that I look like them. Too pretty!) Plus maybe one boy, since my 2 deam dolls are girls haha! I think when I finally have them, I'll think of them more as siblings rather than children.

Though after reading through this thread, I feel that this will change once I am allowed to run wild in the marketplace. Bracing my wallet for when that happens!

 

Personally, I started just buying dolls that I liked. Their personalities came after. But, a while ago I started writing stories about them and now all the dolls I looking towards buying are characters in the story. So I've kind of reversed how I plan my doll family out.

 

I usually look for a sculpt I can use for an existing character of mine. Usually from DnD or one of my stories. If I find one I like a lot that doesn't fit the bill for one of my characters I may still get it and just let the character come from the doll. I have two coming that don't fit my current characters so we will just have to see.

 

I fell for one doll and then decided to create her story.After creating her story i decided to get all the main characters in BJD form,and that would be my doll family.So, it's a matter of the three things for me.

1} Instant attachment/attraction to a sculpt.
2}Fitting in with the other dolls in my collection.
3}Fitting the characters role.

 

I seem to have two ways of planning. I have a list of doll sculpts I want because they fill a character but I also have another list of sculpts who I just love and see potential in. The characters already fit into a little "family" In that there stories are mostly interlinked. But I will probably end up with a few dolls who's characters will have to come to me after I get them home and see how they best fit.

 

I'm just starting my doll family, so I think I'm still in the "oooo, pretty!" phase. Pretty much, I look at lots of pictures, and when one sculpt sticks in my mind, I decide that's one I'd really like to have.

At that point, I start thinking of how I would customize that doll to make it into something special to me. Once I know the general look that I'd be making the doll into, a personality starts emerging. At that point, it goes on my wishlist.

I think, if I'm fortunate enough to grow my doll family enough, the strategy will probably change. I'll probably look more to fill "gaps" in the family by finding different expressions/ages/feels from what I already have.

I guess we'll see! ^_^

 

I originally planned to get only one doll. She was my very first dream doll. But then she got phased out. So I looked around and found two that I wanted. I wanted sisters, and was determined to get just the two of them.

That all changed when my friend put up one of her dolls for adoption. She wasn't a doll I originally wanted, but she was gorgeous, and going for such a good price that I caved. I thought to myself, okay, two dolls tops.

Everything just kinda snowballed from there. At first, I told myself "I'll only adopt [specific number] of dolls", but the number kept increasing. It started with a bunch of third-hand darlings up for adoption at good prices, then expanded to dolls that I wanted that were only available from the companies. Now I'm just setting a limit (20 dolls maximum, regardless of size) and only putting the ones I really, absolutely am in love with on my wishlist.

I think that the best way to do it is to just consider major factors: if you can handle the family size, what they're for (just pretty decorations in your bedroom, or something that helps you do something else like writing?), and of course, if you can realistically afford them.

 

Ive been selling off my older dolls, because my tastes have changed and I have a whole new idea for what I want to be my collection. So I'm just starting off with one doll. Since I'm out of work temporarily, I wont have cash to start adding to it so Im just focusing on investing in doll clothes over time. So that way when Im back to work I'll have plenty of clothes for the girls to share! In the past I made the mistake of not buying doll clothes instead of just adding another doll. Which lead to what I call, 'Nakie Dolly Syndrome'! lol
I really just plan to focus on my girl right now.

But for the future, my doll is named Freya and she is a Delf Miyu. And I want her to have a big sister and a little sister.
So, I'm just planning on looking around for what dolls I think would go well with her. So far, I have my eye on my dream doll, a Volks Tae. I like it when I see dolls that all kinda look similar. They share some features or at least look good in a group. Not everyone is like that, and Ive seen lots of nice variety in doll families. But that's just the direction I want to go when I start to rebuild my collection.

Most doll families though are dolls that catch our eye and we just have to have them.

 

I choose my dolls based on how they look - if I like their appearance, they come home. I've always picked my brood that way, and I always will. I try and keep the sizes and genders balanced, but that doesn't always work if I can't find a doll that speaks to me.

 

I hadn't really thought about my dolls as characters with back stories when I got my first, it was more a case of 'ooo pretty' and lucky chance. Now that I'm waiting on my third doll, I've started addressing the idea of who she will be before she arrives.

It's a new concept for me and I'm enjoying that aspect of it more than I thought I would, but I don't think I'll plan stories or characters first and then decide to fill them. That's just not what BJDs do for me. I'm far more shallow of a collector

 

Originally I only wanted to make custom Irisviel von Einzbern (from Fate/Zero) but then she would need Kiritsugu by her side. Then I thought if I have both Iri and Kiritsugu, I need Illya as well. If there's Illya, there should be Shirou as well. But then I would need Saber as well... My other thought was to make dolls of my character from story I'm writing. But there are just too many of them. So in the end I'm not really sure how things will turn out. I want that 65cm Obitsu male since he would be perfect boyfriend for my Sayuri. But I also want Sayuri to have at least two younger sisters (Dollfie Dream and 50cm Obitsu). However, my mom wants Yo-SD girl.

 

to be honest i have a plan but it keeps changing because i have a big family so i want to make sure all my kids r included =) but im having a hard time since i have 6 kids mostly boys xD

 

How do YOU plan your doll family?
My dolls fit original characters in my stories. When I decide to make dolls for a story, then I know what characters I have to fill. I start looking for sculpts that I think portray their personality well, and when I decide which ones I make a list. It usually takes a while to save up and buy, so I have time to change my mind on what fits and adjust when beautiful new dolls are released.
Has that tactic changed?
When I first started, I only bought dolls that I liked and made up their personalities when they arrived... but I feel that this gives me waaay too much reign for impulse buying. I ended up buying too many dolls that I just "liked" instead of "loved" and usually sold most of them after that new feeling wore down. So, I decided that I needed to have a plan beforehand to keep myself from overbuying.
Do you feel there is a "best" way to do it?
For myself, yes. I do better when I know what characters I need to fill and that I need to pass on certain dolls if they don't fit the aesthetic of my collection or the personalities of my characters, even if I think they're beautiful. It keeps me in check and it keeps my collection from going too far overboard. :P
But, I don't feel that there is a best way to do it for everyone. This method works for me, but it might not work for someone else.

 

I don't plan out my doll family but I look for dolls matching my already existing group. That way I'm open to almost any new doll and don't have to keep looking for that one perfect doll. ^^

 

I don't plan at all I just pick ones I like and then fill the personality. I don't think my way is the only way or the right way. I applaud those that can stop at a set number, but I know that the only thing that holds me back is money.

 

I used to want to buy dolls because they were pretty, then I started think that some looked like my characters. Now I've caught myself planning out which dolls would be which character in my head. Though I don't plan on getting anything smaller then a 40 cm.

 

There are a few specific dolls I have planned for myself, the entire reason I'm into the hobby is because I saw a doll that could have been a specific character of mine and it sort of went off like that. There's also dolls that I want that I'd have no plan for and I like that idea. It's mainly the fun of making something out of nothing, right? Sometimes even in the case of full-sets.

 

I have no plan. But truly, I don't want myself to. I pick the doll first, then the character. I do try to love love loooove a doll before buying it though. I don't want to use characters from stories I've written though- I feel like that's too binding.
But I want my family to have a bit of a "flow" too. I don't want it to look completely disjointed, and I do take that into account when picking out tinies sizes or MSD sizes (you know, that 40 vs 43cm huge difference :X) I'm very fond of tinies though, and I just think it would look too ridiculous to me to have an SD next to a Puki. I DO start planning when I'm waiting for them to com home. I have 4 dolls coming and they've got the beginnings of personalities, outfits, names, styles, face up ideas, wig ideas, but nothing's set in stone. If they get here and just AREN'T the personality I had in mind for them, hey, I won't be heartbroken. I picked a beautiful sculpt first and foremost- so I just take in stride and keep going.