Standards Are Too High To Find "The Right BJD"

If the doll is ALMOST perfect, you can always sand the nose a bit less pointed or commision someone to do so.

 

I definitely know what you mean- I went through this myself when searching for the perfect sculpt for my vampire OC. I wanted a male 70cm+ doll able to pull off a realistic-looking slouch, and a face with a smirk since he's one of those that gets giggles out of draining peeps of their life-juices. After doing a LOT of research and looking at different sculpts, I found the perfect one! Like Fin Raziel said, you'll find the perfect one eventually.

 

I had to hybridize to make Liath, but it was totally worth it.

Tanith's character had a tiny little nose. I got a Galena head, who has anything but. I've played with the idea of sanding it, but it's more major than just rounding off a tip and she's so perfect otherwise that I'm thinking maybe literary Tanith's nose just needs to grow a bit!

I've been looking for Royce for 3-4 years now. Spiritdoll's Thuja head was closest to him, but their really muscular 70cm body doesn't work. I wrote them and found out I could get the head on a Proud body, so that's what I'll probably do. The Proud body isn't perfect either (not tall enough in comparison to Tanith), but I might just have to settle. He's a real extreme physical type (broad shoulders, very narrow hips) and I've not found a body that I think suits anywhere.

 

I don't think standards are really an issue considering the prices. I know I'm really picky when I look for ones I like...of course, I'd be lying if I knew what exactly made me want certain ones. It's easier to point out why you don't like a certain one over why you do.

 

Have you ever heard of HZ? Every sculpt they have is dark and serious.

 

I was incredibly picky in the beginning, I researched endlessly, saw all the pictures and read all the threads... only to finally buy a doll that despite being utterly gorgeous never clicked with me. I sold that doll eventually, and now have 4 dolls of what was my 'second choice' back then.

So yes, I do think it is possible to be too picky. For me to be able to enjoy this hobby I had to learn to 'go with the flow' more, take a doll as-is and not trying to make it fit some kind of ideal in my head that it is never fully going to be since, surprise, I didn't sculpt the doll.
Eventually it is that 'click' that makes a doll work for you. If it's there it doesn't need to be perfect, if it is not then chances are even perfection won't work.

My suggestion would be to A) buy that sculpt that you love except for it's pointy nose. Such a tiny flaw you might learn to love, but if not you can send it to a modification artist.
B) try and go to meets and see dolls in-person, as they can be very different from their pictures. It's a great way to see more and who knows maybe you even find another doll that you feel that click with.

 

^ This, totally.
I'm not pointing fingers at anyone, but I think sometimes there's an implicit expectation in this hobby that you will find your "One True Doll Love" or somesuch, and then all will be perfect in your hobby life. I'm not saying it won't happen or you won't find the doll that matches your standards perfectly, but if you (general you) enter the hobby absolutely expecting that will happen, you're bound to be disappointed very quickly.

I know I was -- until I realized that I had to change my expectations. In my case, I was trying to fit a doll sculpt into an existing OC in my mind. Face it, just like a boyfriend/significant other , a physical doll is never going to live up to the ideal in my mind. But when I stopped stressing about the "perfect doll" and just bought the dolls I thought were attractive (and then shaped a character around them), I stopped being so anxious about finding perfection anymore, and was actually enjoying the dolls for what they already were.

On the other hand, apart from looking for a good sculpt that you can like, there's nothing that a little modding and/or face-up change can't fix. If the OP is looking for a doll that is less "happy" and more dark... a face-up change can work wonders. I've seen sculpts that have looked everything from bright and cheerful to dark and menacing, and it was simply because they had different face-ups.

So, definitely keep looking at more dolls, but also just go with the flow and what strikes your fancy! Sometimes 90% good is better than 100% perfect.

 

I spent a lot of time looking through picture as well to find the right dolls. It's a very difficult process and I envy people who fall for a mold and create the character around it, instead of having the character first.

Eventually I ended up going with one I wasn't insanely in love with, both because the only other one I could see was far too much money for my budget (and only came in female), and because I liked how he looked in the (very few) owner pictures people had.

I'll admit when he first arrived I didn't really bond with him, but after a kind of long time (sadly), I started to fall in love with his look. But it took a while of taking pictures of him to do so.

My second boy was a bit more difficult. I wanted a doll with pointed ears and the only ones I could really find were female. It took a lot of looking to find one who I liked and it was actually his profile that I ended up eventually falling in love with. I still have a hard time taking his picture, though, because I'm not entirely comfortable with his face.

I'm actually currently dealing with a difficult time finding a doll I want. I'm looking for a girl who doesn't look quite so girly because she is going to be a transguy. Hard times. x _x

 

I know I tend to look more at the doll as a whole and I am able to ignore small things I don't like. I also am very picky and routinely turn done dolls for small things that other people love. I've learned that each person's tastes are completely individual and I try not to get hung up on what other people like or dislike about a mold

 

Hehe I think my standards tend to be high sometimes, I need to flick through millions of photo before I am able to decide which doll I want. BUT sometimes I see one picture of a doll and I'll know its the one right away