Realistic-Idealized & Mature Vs. Stylized Youthful-Dolls: Which Do You Prefer?

In your opinion, has the BJD market changed, is there now more demand for "mature-realistic looking dolls"?
Yes. I remember looking at Super Dolfies 4 or 5 years ago, they were more big eyed and "doll like." There is definately more demad for mature sculpts, which the companies are catching on and providing.
If yes, what do you believe brought about this change?

To be honest I have no idea.

Regardless of age, do you have a preference (realistic/and/or/mature vs youthful/and/or/stylized)?
Yes. I like my boys realistic, girls cute and big eyed XD I have no idea why, I guess it is how I see the ideal type for both sexes in my mind, Men to be mature and elegant and girls to be cute and sweet. I guess my dolls are idealism of what I like a certain type of that gender to be... I probably am not making much sence, excuse my poor english >_<

Is it just a fad, in a constantly changing hobby?
I don't know, but I know if they stopped making mature looking boys I would stop buying boy dolls as I came back to looking at BJDs after 4 years last year to find the mature sculpts appealed to me, before, 4 years ago I thought they were cute but nothing I would spend $ on. It was the mature sculpts that drew me in and made me actualy want a doll.

 

I'm 24. I prefer more mature looking dolls. However, I love realism so I can chose a younger looking doll if she or he looks realistic to me. I love anime but I don't like dolls that look like anime. I think that the reson for this is that I love photography and art. I look dolls from an artistic point of view more than from the collector point of view...

 

I definately prefer the more realistic, mature sculpts. In fact, it was the discovery of more realistic sculpts that finally drew me into this hobby. I had been aware of BJD through anime conventions, but the anime-esque sculpts, (which were inevitably girls), didn't do much for me. It was only after I began idly looking into BJD a bit more that I discovered dolls with a more realistic bent and I was hooked.
Which makes me wonder....am I one of the 'new breed' of BJD folk..? I'm 29, so I suppose 'older', (well, adult in any case), applies. though I have no prior interest in dolls/fashion dolls etc...
Hm...
In any case, I hope the mature, realistic look isn't a fad. I also hope that the more stylized sculpts don't completely fade away. Variety is a great thing.

 

I'm in the 'older' group (45), and my first 2 dolls were semi-realistic mature sculpt. I'm now tending towards the more realistic mature dolls. Much as I like the more stylized dolls to look at, I cannot see myself getting one.
For me its about eye size. I find I prefer dolls that either take smaller eyes, or are squinting or frowning.

 

I personally prefer more realistic-looking dolls, because I think it takes more care, and I think they're more beautiful. They are still idealized, but I think I'm getting my money's worth more from dolls that are more realistic-looking, for some reason. Also, I think it would be harder to apply personalities to my dolls, as I'm planning on doing, if they didn't look exactly human, per se.

I haven't been in the hobby long enough to notice trends, even differences between age groups, but I personally think it's a very personal thing. I think that some people, regardless of age, like realistic dolls, and some do not. I'm not sure if it has to do with the TYPES of people that are now being drawn in to the hobby or not (as in, other interests), but I do think this, like the preference for realistic or surreal or abstract art, is a very individual thing, and I'm not sure exactly why this trend has emerged, if indeed it has. All I know is that I find more realistic dolls more beautiful, and want them more.

 

I never liked dolls before BJD's, I thought they were too realistic and I was tired of seeing the same things over and over. Especially when it came to fashion dolls. They just didnt intrigue me. I love BJD's specifically because they are unique, and dont have that "adult" or realism that many classic dolls have. Even without it, they can still remain to look real with certain angles and photography. I think it's the best of both worlds.

So yes, I do prefer younger-looking dolls. But I do admire mature BJD's, and think many are beautiful. My heart just doesnt flutter as much with them.

 

I'm only 16, but I kind of have a personal taste for 70cm dollshe boys. Their a little more masculine and older in my opinnion. : D

I actually really love a lot of sculpts. Just some arent for me. ^^ Realistic, is something I prefer.

 

I prefer sculpts that are not necessarily more realistic, but that look more "finished" to me. IMO, some sculpts are very basic and look like they could be taken a few steps further to be more successful. Since many realistic molds are more detailed, they fall into the "more finished" category, but there are plenty of less real-looking sculpts that can also be included.
I think that the exploration of different types of sculpts (animal, realistic, fantasy) are a natural progression of the hobby. As people get a better grasp on the materials and techniques, they start trying new things.

 

I think that more compaines have jumped into this market because they see that this is a great way to make money and works of art.Second,that they felt "Hey,I see that every other company only makes 'child' looking sculpts.So why not make realistic!".
So usually people whill try to out sell another vendor by selling different murchandise or selling at different prices.However,I think that the pices will stay the same with a great deal of these sellers.

 

I don't care what "category" a doll falls into as long as I like it. I am an old fart of 38, with no interest in fashion dolls, and I like both styles of BJD.

I just realized this recently, when I painted a Volks School B (rudimentary anime features) and a Limho Mano (hyper-real creases & crags everywhere) within a month of each other.

 

I definitely prefer more realistic molds - heads and bodies. Photographically speaking, for me, the more realistic molds are capable of having more projected upon them, as static still life studies....than the more doll molds. Although, artistic expression is absolutely still viable with those sculpts...just not for my vision.

The one thing I find fascinating is the ultra-realism we've seen the hobby move towards and I find that those molds lend themselves to a "fetishization" that the other dolls don't seem to be able to contain. The dolls can be seen as fetish objects regardless of "realism" but the minimee heads, for example, truly move into the idea of almost being considered as a means of magic "not being itself the object of worship, but a means by which man is brought into close contact with the deity."

 

At 51, I definately fall into the category of older collector. I personally prefer the more realistic sculpts-- both child-like and mature. I create fashion and costume and I find the realistic sculpts a more appropriate venue for this. At the same time, I enjoy realism that is stylized as opposed to an exact copy of a famous face. Just as I try to put something of my own creative essence into my work, I like to see something of the artist in the sculpts they create.

Marie

 

I already responded with some abstract intellectualist diatribe (I'm really good at that, and also boring people to death), but I figured I'd put in my own personal feelings.

I'm 26 and I suppose I fall into the "older" (i.e. older than teen/YA); I don't prefer one type of doll over another. To me, they are all pretty and well-made. I pick a doll based on what suits a particular character I'm planning. For the most part, I guess you could say that since most of the characters I plan are more mature, I prefer mature, realistic dolls. But that's not to say that I'd never buy a stylized, youthful doll.

 

Do younger (10?-18-years-old) BJD-owners prefer the younger, "less-realistic" looking dolls? Why, why not?
I am 13 and i prefer around the realsim you get with elut's Delfs. Although i do like Bishonen House and that kind of realism, i think BJD's are ment to have a non-humanlike beauty.

 

myself, I prefer the younger looking dolls because most of my characters are of the "uke" variety... but lately, I've been looking for a mature look for some adult/manly characters I have in mind.

 

I'm in my later 20's and I'm not sure that I like very mature dolls as opposed to younger. I do like adult dolls but more one's that look like boys or androgynous as opposed to "manly" bodies for a doll

 

This isn't really a "debate" so would probably fit better in the "General Discussion" section.

I personally like the realistic dolls. That's what you'd expect from me given that before the BJD era, I was really into art dolls. I didn't buy too many because the art dolls tended to be priced at even more than the average BJD, made out of materials that were fragile like porcelain or even wax, and hard to find and buy because the Internet wasn't invented and many dolls were one of a kind, so if you did see something you liked the odds were it was already sold before its picture popped up in a doll magazine. Realistic BJDs have all the qualities I liked about art dolls and in addition are more durable, more available and easier to buy.

It seems obvious that when BJDs were first invented they were targeted more towards fans of anime/manga and now the hobby is reaching out more to the art doll audience and the fashion doll audience.

I don't think the age of the collector has anything to do with the preference for doll realism. You get a lot of younger people enjoying the realistic looks of Minimees and Bermanns, and a lot of older people who like cute little stylized tinies. It's just personal preference.

 

I think people like more realistic BJDs because if they weren't looking for more realistic dolls,they wouldn't spend so much money and just go buy an obitsu or dollfies that look less realistic and less expensive.For me,i like the more realistic dolls because they can photograph nicer and have really beautiful sculpts.

the age does not really matter because i have a friend that is in the 'older' category and she just adores tinies and kiddish BJDs and another friend that is below 15 years of age that likes the dollshes.