What defines ABJD?

Did I miss something? Which dolls that aren't either (a) asian or (b) created by board members in the same style as DoA-allowed dolls are allowed here? The second of these terms is a concession to the creativity of our members, I think, and seems like it's a good allowance.

The Rules state the following:

Really, I think the distinction is about aesthetic and marketing. A Sybarite's features are very different from even the most "realistic" ABJD sculpts (Soah/Estelle/etc.) and is marketed to a different kind of person (a Gene/Tyler fashion doll collector.) As far as I can tell, Sybarites come "made up" and there's no real acknowledgement in the advertising that you can change eyes/wig or that you can wipe her face easily and repaint. The focus is, therefore, less on the creativity of the owner helping to create the doll and more on the collection and display of doll fashion. In fact, in the Haute Doll advertisement I found for her, half of the description was about the creator of the outfit and accessories, not on the doll itself. Thus, the creators of the Sybarite envisioned a very different kind of "use" for her than the use that the majority of ABJD makers have for their dolls.

There's no good/bad here...it just seems almost like the two are different hobbies. Naturally people will enjoy dolls however they like--Barbie collectors repaint faces and reroot hair--but the intent of the maker is what DoA seems to be taking into account.

I could be wrong, but I think that's why the mods consider the Sybarite as being different from the ABJD. Hope that helps!

 

But, I agreewith what Darkwood said. There's a certain marketing niche that BJD that belong here go under completely different from fashion dolls. I think there are many other sites that she would fit it with like minds, but here I don't even think you'd find many like minds here because the dolls kind of are different... We have a lot of collecters of fashion dolls here I think, but I don't come to DoA for fashion dolls. Volks dollfie aren't even allowed here.

Does she have removeable eyes and wigs, how tall is she?

If ever in doubt about what you can you can't post, what is and isn't inappropriate, PM a mod. They can tell you in definity what is and isn't, and you can discuss it with them as well, mods don't bite hard. (^__~)

 

what exactly is a Sybarite? ::never heard of it before::

 

Here ya go:

http://www.marlbe.com/barbie_dolls.cfm?prodid=05-SURREAL

 

the Sybarite is really interesting, but a very different look than the ABJDs.

 

There was a discussion about this awhile ago and it was pretty much determined that even thoght the Sybs are resin, and are ball jointed and strung, they really fit more into the world of a Fashion Doll more than an ABJD.

Although the point I made back then (wish I could remember what that thread was called or how the topic came up) was that there were certainly similarities between the Sybs and ABJD.

I also like Fashion dolls, although I haven't bought a new one since discovering ABJD over a year ago, and to me the Sybs are well, not attractive, even though they are a closer cousin to my ABJD than say my Tonner dolls. I just don't like the look of them.

I think one of the reasons a Syb wouldn't fit here is that this forum is specifically geared towards Asian Ball joint dolls (key word, Asian).

Perhaps another style of forum that dealt with all ball joint dolls, in a more generalized way would suit them, and the others that are bound to crop up as cross over Fashion/BJD.

 

Those are all REALLY god questions Pirate Wench. I wish I had some better answers for you.

ITA that the line between the two is becoming hazier, and I actually think it will continue to do so for awhile. Which, makes concrete definitions more difficult!

Fun and interesting discussion BTW

 

thanks for the info! Wooooww are they expensive! But i think they're lovely.. but i definately like ABJD style more. Narin and Unoa! and now luts mini-fee!

 

Well it's funny cause, if I'm reading right, Sybarites ARE ABJD. They're ball-jointed resin dolls and made in asia. ^_~

 

To me it's a pretty clear difference in style. Fashion dolls like Sybarites don't look remotely like ABJD. They look like exactly what they are....large versions of fashion dolls. They might be resin and ball-jointed but the style is totally alien to ABJD. I think Darkwood hit everything on the nail. ABJD also have a different focus overall then fashion dolls. They share some things in common (like well...fashion of course!) but in other ways they are very different (such as ABJD focus on customization, modification and "bonding").

In the end we must draw the line somewhere. As we've said before, the forum is big enough as it is without including every BJD known to existence. ops:

 

But I think they're more classified as fashion and can't really customize them like ABJD? I don't know but this is interesting.

 

TRUST me ( I have been an OOAK customizer of fashion dolls for years) ANY doll can be customized.

To me, that isn't a defining method of outlining the difference.....

 

*Nods* Thanks, Gayle...only customizing I did with a fashion doll I repainted one's eyes cause the paint was coming off. Only brown eyed "white" Barbie I've ever seen. So no, I really dunno why they're not allowed here. ^_^

 

Even from a customization standpoint it's different. A customizer might do up a fashion doll and sell it, but is it very likely that the person who buys it is going to take it and re-root the hair and perhaps repaint it? I never got the impression that it was. I could be wrong though. But that does happen quite frequently with OOAK and LE ABJD. In fact I'd say it's a very different attitude from the companies that make these dolls themselves. Volks actively promotes people to change their dolls...customization, modification, sanding, coating, changing eyes, changing wigs.....in general these dolls are very geared towards change and customization in order to personalize them. I don't see that same attitude from manufacturers of fashion dolls. I don't really expect to see that, because they have a different focus.

But like I said before, I think the main difference is simply style. The two types of dolls aren't even remotely alike.

 

This thread ties into something I was thinking about myself, with the release of the Soom Mini Gem. What about marketplace selling? We now have a doll that we seem to agree is an ABJD, in the 1/6 size. Would a sales post of say, Dollfie Plus wigs no longer be OT because there's this ONE doll allowed here that could use them?

I'm in no way advocating that should be the case, or anything really. I'm just curious, as Pirate Wench is, about where you draw the line when the boundaries keep shifting. ^^ Interesting debate.

 

I wasn't trying to say she should be allowed here, I can see how she's a fashion doll. However saying that she's not allowed her because she's not an ABJD in the basic definition of the turn (A Ball-jointed doll from Asia) was silly because she is in facy an ABJD. Just a fashion doll version of one. :F~

 

But when we use the term ABJD here we mean Asian-style Ball joint doll. Not a ball joint doll from asia. That's what Aimee even states in the rules. It's not about where the doll is made, otherwise we wouldn't have the artist doll area and dolls like Liebchen wouldn't be allowed. ^^;;;