Pros and Cons of Large Dolls?

I imagine this'll be moved to "large dolls."

But here you go:

Cons:
1. They're heavier than smaller dolls.
2. They require more space than other dolls.
3. If you want to carry them they are also awkward to carry and you should probably buy a proper doll carrier.
4. They are less balanced than smaller dolls (higher center of gravity).
5. They are more expensive.
6. There aren't as many scale knick-knacks floating about.

Pros:

1. They are easier to paint. (Details are bigger.)
2. They are easier to sew for.
3. Depending on size, it is easier to find clothes and wigs and such, but I dunno about Zeniths. I think they're 70cm, so they're probably a pain.
4. They ... uh ... look more impressive?
5. They can beat up all the smaller dolls.

I think it depends on what you want to handle. Have you ever seen a doll this size in person? If not, you might not be prepared for how big they really are.

 

Monkeycancer, it isn't really black and white like that. While some people may dislike how much they weigh, others will relish. Some people might find smaller sizes easier to sew or paint with. Some people enjoy different qualities in their dolls. ^^;

It's really a matter of personal taste; a good way to find out if the size works for you is to actually own it! For things you might worry about (like getting clothes or deciding a style) you can scour the marketplace and the gallery to see what other people do with theirs.

 

Size is its own reward/punishment. Bigger dolls are more impressive simply because they are so big and command your attention. And with it comes increased bulk and weight which make them more difficult to handle and store.

That said, the larger sizes definitely do benefit from increased detail. There's simply more space for embellishments to their clothes and more depth for you to look at in their eyes. That also said, stuff for large dolls cost more because there's more material involved.

Availability of stuff is just a function of popularity. 60 cm is just the most popular size. I've found 45 cm stuff relatively lacking. But anything bigger than 60 cm are really lacking.

 

I find the weight of the larger dolls more comforting, but I stopped carrying them on my arm at fairs and events all day, because my arm would feel numb and painful at the same time at the end of the day. ^_^;

I like the size, because it's easier to find more mature molds in this size. There are slim and mature minis around, but there are still a lot more mature SD sized dolls I can pick from.

Misbehaving elbows depends on the joints, but also on how tight the stringing is. Of all my SD sized dolls that had "misbehaving elbows" fixing the stringing helped a lot.

 

my only concern of large dolls is their stuffs (clothes, wig, etc) are more expensive than smaller ones ^^

 

My 60 cm girl is easier to sew and knit for, but harder to pose. Joints were somewhat flyaway until I sueded with hot glue, this helped. I don't take her anywhere but if I did I can see it would be hard without a proper carrier. But she's happy sitting in her oversized chair strumming her mandolin...

 

I actually took my 60 cm out of the house for the first time today, and he's already cumbersome to hold and carry, so it was not fun when out and about. *needs a carrier bag* xD I can't imagine having to handle a Zenith since they're huge. Other than that, its pretty cool when you want them to stand out. Cuz they do.
Personally, I like the size. Clothes are definitely more expensive though. I heard clothing for dolls larger than 60-65 cms are hard to find.

 

i like the #5 of pros XD
yeah,.. i am currently so-to-speak "upgrading" to bigger dolls. they make a greater impression on me, and so im selling my msds and currently waiting for SDF Annette!

 

I would say no. I have three large dolls ranging from 58cm-67cm,
and three small ones, ranging from 14cm-45cm. They are all pretty
sturdy, and none seem to be breaking/disintegrating despite their size. ^ ^;;

However, I have to say I prefer the larger dolls – for me, they are a whole lot
easier to make clothes for, and also a lot more impressive as it was mentioned earlier
(I seem to like the mature sculpts a lot more as well, which is hard to find in
the smaller size, but that’s just a matter of opinion/taste).


- Enzyme ^ ^

 

There's no difference in durability between MSDs and SD's. MSD may be a little thinner but a lot lighter and SD's a bit thicker and a lot heavier, so in the end they're both equally as breakable.

Anyways, I just recently got an SD of my own after nearly a year of owning two MSD's and... Well, first of all, I've been to many meets and held/played with many SD dolls but I never noticed just how HUGE and HEAVY they are until mine arrived on the doorstep. His foot fits right across my palm! His one thigh is thicker than my wrist! And the elastic is thick and mean mean mean, the joints designed to withstand the tension and the weight - I was so used to my wittle tiny MSD boys and their thinner elastic that I got two blood blisters from just trying to pose the new guy not an hour after I pulled him out of his box. And I'm considering an even bigger boy to bring home so I dunno how that's going to roll.

I think I still prefer the MSD size but these big guys are so much more impressive and there are more mature sculpts. They definitely are a pain to maneuver and take places - no fitting them in my purse and going places.

Clothing... is not much more expensive, but I have a tendency to fall for the really expensive MSD stuff so there isn't as much of a difference between sizes with those stores. And nothing is harder to find than decent clothing for MSD boys; SD's have it a lot easier unless they're an awkward size, but that's pretty much the same across all categories of sizes in that regard.

 

I have YoSD, MSD regular and long-legged, SD10, SD13 girl and long-legged boy, and Crobi M-line (and an SSDF on the way), so I've got a fair range of sizes. In terms of storage and portability MSD and smaller win hands down, although I've found that carrying them in my purse makes me too nervous anyways so that's not a bit plus for me ^^;;. As heavy as an SD carrier can be, I'm happier carrying one of those around. As much as I love my little guys, SD and up tends to hold my attention more, and they're more cuddly somehow, if that's what you're going for.

In terms of clothing availability, pricing, etc., I think it has as much to do with the sculpt as the size sometimes. Some sculpts are close enough to other companies' sculpts in size that they can share clothes, while others are different enough to make it a challenge. I buy a lot from Volks, and price-wise there's little to no difference between the sizes ^^;;. It's actually YoSD stuff that I feel is overpriced a lot of the time . . . but then it's harder to make.

A bit OT, but my favourite part of having a range of sizes is how cute the big ones look with the tinies ^_^;;;;

 

--Little dolls tend to look child-like, like their sculpts aren't very mature (generally).
--The clothes seem too expensive for something so small and are often made more chibi-like.
--MSD outfits that appeal to me are found a lot less often than SD-size.

I definitely would like smaller dolls for cheaper prices, convenience, and space but haven't found MSD that truly appeal to me.

I have loads of amazingly detailed, well-made clothes in the 1/6 scale for relatively very cheap,,,but I found its very hard to find similar in the BJD world. Coming from this, I won't pay $70+ for a small outfit of less detail, if that makes sense :-P For some reason, I feel like I am getting my money's worth with SD-sized things (more or less LOL)

 

I started off with a SD, eventually bought a tiny and freaked out because they were too small for me. I tried a few different ones - Garden of Dolls PpoPpo, pukipuki, minifee Shiwoo and they were all too small. The Shiwoo wasn't too bad, but he seemed too girly for my tastes (I've since seen another male minifee and fallen in love so they could be back on my wishlist). I ended up selling them all. Then I went to a doll meet and fell in love with a Littlefee Ante. I now have a few tinies, a Littlefee Lishe and El, Beyla as well as a couple of MSD sized, Rosette Armeria and Marguerite and Bambicrony Sunday. I find that I don't mind them as lot as they're not extremely tiny but the larger dolls tend to keep drawing me back. Bigger is always better. The smaller dolls can be fun to sew for but the larger ones have more impact when you pick them up and hold them. If you're drawn to larger doll, I suggest you stay with them. The only drawback I tend to see with a Souldoll Zenith is that the head looks a trifle small in comparison to the body for my tastes. It depends whether that is likely to bother you. I know a few of the Zeniths came on the market after owners purchased them and I tend to wonder if that is why. Otherwise he's a really lovely sculpt. I was seriously tempted by the Centaur version but the $100 shipping fee people were talking about put me off.

 

I only have two dolls, one is 69 cm and the other, 63.5 cm and I LOVE them both. No regrets buying larger dolls. I think the pros outweigh the cons. They don't take up that much extra space, and it's not like they weigh 10 lbs. or anything. But the larger dolls appealed to me from the beginning. I do think it's a matter of personal taste. The elbows tend to act up a bit, but it's a minor issue for me and the selection of clothes isn't as large, but again, not a problem for me. Not to say I won't ever get a smaller doll, but based on my personal experience, I highly recommend larger dolls. I noticed this thread is older, but thought this might help you if you're still undecided.

 

I am considering a larger size doll as my first purchase (hopefully soon), can you please explain what you mean by "sueded with hot glue". Is it in reference to a "buffer" of glue in a joint somewhere that restricts movement slightly? Thanks.

 

Large dolls are heavier and less easy to do activities with than smaller ones.
Their faces sometimes have a harder edge to them, sometimes I find some weird large doll sculpts.
Stuff for them are more expensive and since they're out later than the others, there's less stuff for them.
So, if you really like mature types, go for them anyway.

 

http://www.denofangels.com/forums/showthread.php?222920-Hot-glue-sueding-tutorial There's a tutorial here so you can see how to do it. ^_^ It does give the resin some "padding" that helps the doll stay in poses better.

 

I have one doll so far, an Iple House YID that runs about 63 cm (or 25 in). Even with larger figures and porcelin dolls and having seen and held others' large bjds. it's still been a culture shock. I think because they look like mini mannequins, and let's be honest, if a mannequin suddenly showed up in your living room, you'd be a litle freaked no matter how much you see them in stores. So in my sort of Sybil relationship with him at the moment, I'd echo the pro of a conforting weight. I like handling him and he weighs enough to in my lap or on my shoulder like a small child. If you want a doll to haul arond at a con all day, then you definitely want a smaller doll.

Ironically, I'm still contemplating a 70 cm doll. But I don't think I could handle a lot of large dolls in the house. They do take up more space per doll and I have small house and other competing space hogs. It is the mroe mature sculpt inlarger dolls that draws me, but I'm hoping the trend towards mature-looking smaller dolls like SoulDoll's Vito line continues.