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What do you tell people who dont know what bjds are?

May 31, 2007

    1. I tell them that is barbie but better. You can change the eyes, hair, and you can move the arms and legs different to a barbie. And the best part cool to play with!:D
       
    2. I would tell them that they are handcrafted dolls that can take about three months to produce. They are only made if you place an order, they're not something you can buy off the shelves at your local Target. BJDs come in many different sizes and styles, and are fully customizable in their hair color/style, eye color, face-up, etc. Sometimes the price freaks people out, so use your judgement on whether or not they need to know that (unless they ask XD). I would tell them that due to the BJD design, it allows them to move in a similar manner to humans (ball and socket). The locking joints allow them to hold poses as humans do. You can bring a couple pictures of other dolls to show them that they can be cute, punk, fantasy, adult, child, teen, etc. Show different companies. From my experience, people are more open if they see one they like or can relate to. Good luck!
       
    3. I essentially ramble about the creative purposes for them, so I say something along the lines of: "they're customizable, poseable dolls, you can change out the eyes and hair and paint them, make clothes, mod them..."
       
    4. I explain that they're customizable dolls from Japan, Korea, and China. If they're friends or coworkers, they generally understand customization projects (like Kid Robot's Munnys and things of that nature) and I let them know it isn't that different, just a lot more expensive ^^;.
      This happened to me at my last place of employment... a coworker asked me why I "collect those creepy dolls" but when I explained it in a way she could understand (she collects and customizes munnys and other things) she actually seemed interested in doing the same!
      To people who don't understand the customization bit, I explain it this way: That as an artist, I like to paint things; as a collector of art, I like to buy beautiful things; as a writer, I like bringing my characters to life in some fashion outside of words. It is really strange how BJDs fit into every aspect of my life so perfectly, now that I think about it... but anyway, when I explain it that way, people tend to understand.
      Usually, the only dolls I carry around with me are tinies, so I don't get a lot of people asking me...
       
    5. LOL! It doesn't matter how enthusiastic you are about telling people about them, they always seem to look at you like you are from another planet. Although I'm sure they have hobbies we all find wierd too, right?
       
    6. Modern Barbie and you can change the eyes , the hand , add parts like cat ears , bunny ears or wings :lol:
       
    7. I explain that they're art dolls made of resin that are highly customizable. I find it helps explain their cost. :D
       
    8. I live in low income housing so my neighbores are usually down in the community room when I get my dolls, I tell them "Yep its another one" and they usually ask me to bring it down when its dressed...cause I want to do box opening vids before I show them. I explain that I like photography and how they look in a artistic way...so they don't confuse me with another girl who lives in my building and carrys a doll(not a bjd) around and talks to it and jokes that its her boyfriend. One woman always looks at me funny, but a couple of people really like them o.o
       
    9. I usually tell people they're collectors' asian art dolls.... ;v; It makes it sound a bit cooler and more special than a regular doll, hah
       
    10. I just tell people exactly what they are and what they're made of! ^.^

      I go into detail if they get more interested. I mainly tell them it's an amazing doll you can customise any way you want and that they appeal to adults. If they ask what you do with them, I would just say they're cute to have but also really fun to photograph and to use as art models, or to make clothing.
       
    11. I always tell people that they are mostly form Asia, they are collector's art dolls, they are super cute and in lot of sizes. And I am able to talk about them for long hours :D
       
    12. Luckily who asked me about this question has a bit knowledge about its price.
      When I say ball-jointed dolls, they can figure out some Japanese figures..but in a bigger size and higher moving ability
      Some people will equate them with barbie or children dolls.
      I dont mind at all as I know they dont understand
       
    13. My boss asked me this today. I started to explain that they're ball jointed and made of resin and she immediately interrupted me saying "oh yeah I've seen those. They're like a porcelain version of an American girl right?". Ugh! I just told her I would show her sometime because they're not really close to that. I showed her a picture but she then kept saying it was a Barbie. I gave up! :lol:
       
    14. This is so weird, but I spent over an hour and a half talking to a guy I have worked with for almost a year, but don't know especially well personally, about BJD's. I covered almost everything I think, like first it was basic stuff like what they are made of, what resin is, how much they weigh, how they're put together, the different "standard" sizes (like MSD, SD YoSD etc), and then on to stuff like the different resin types (and how to tell the difference between some of them), yellowing in resin, the manufacturing process, clothes, furniture, face ups, doll brands, where the dolls come from and how to order them, the second hand doll market, limited release dolls, the casting process, why they cost so much, safety gear necessary when modding or using MSC, even down to why people mod dolls and how a good mod can actually increase the value of a doll and like literally anything else doll related you could possibly talk about lol. And he was so interested like he kept asking me questions and offering suggestions about stuff you could do to a doll to mod it.

      We sat at my computer and looked at examples of dolls (I took him to the Iplehouse website, Ringdoll, Dollmore, and Luts), I had to show him the difference between a blank head and a head with a faceup and explained how different a faceup can make the same blank head look (When I showed him the two different S.I.D. Felix faceups from Iplehouse as well as the blank head he was like "Wow! He looks so different!" it was funny). We looked at clothing and I explained how the "base doll" prices on websites are a bit misleading because they don't include anything, like no face up, wig or eyes or anything in most cases, and then to show him we "built" a custom doll on Iplehouse together so he could see the different choices and prices. We even looked at doll furniture and stuff.
      It was actually really fun, I love talking about and explaining my hobby with people, but this was one of the most random doll conversations I've ever had. Turns out he knows a bit about modding stuff because he paints and does model cars and miniatures himself.

      Afterwards he said he likes the boy dolls better because they look more unique because there are lots of female dolls out there besides BJD's like porcelain and barbie and tonner, but very few male dolls except for like ken, and he looks exactly the same almost all the time, so male BJD's are "really special" his words lol. I had to agree with him, being a boy doll lover myself lol.
      The very very best part was, when I walked by his computer later that night he was on the iplehouse website looking at Dexter ^_^ I don't know, but I think I might have started someone down the resin path, or maybe helped push him along if he was already interested before hand.
      Very cool experience and I just wanted to share.
       
    15. That is really cool! I've done the same, I think. Or at least started it. When I worked in the mall, I used to take a few of mine with me sometimes, usually Loki, my DZ Mo. My manager fell in love and now has been researching every company she can think to look at. She's trying to find the perfect fantasy girl doll. One of the other ladies in the mall met Loki when I was shopping for jewelry for him and she was SO excited over him, and now I can't walk in the store without her asking about him. She also met Amir when I took him out for his birthday and gave the little Pharaoh some Egyptian incense as a gift. Amir was very pleased with this. :P She wants a doll now, but her financial situation hasn't allowed her to yet, so she just plays with and cuddles mine. I hope someday both of these people can get their own. :)
       
    16. It's always a pleasure to introduce somebody to the hobby as most non-bjd/doll people have no idea of the scope and depth of the industry. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this upbeat and wonderful story! :aheartbea
       
    17. It's wonderful to find someone who shows high interest in the things we like. I enjoyed reading this, thanks for sharing! :) the ones I've talked with about BJDs were put off after I told them the price and they didn't want to know anything about it, afterwards. So I haven't even tried to 'convert' anyone after those experiences.... He seems like a very open minded guy =D I agree with him about the male BJDs, I also see boy dolls as 'really special' lol
       
    18. Thank you for sharing your story. It is great if your co-worker gets into the doll hobby. Mostly everyone at my workplace is creeped out by dolls in general and as such I am viewed as being a little strange. How refreshing that your story was a positive one!
       
    19. It was such a fantastic experience and I too am very glad to have had a good one, rather than a bad one. A lot of people seem to have this aversion to dolls but are even further put off when you tell them that some very limited edition dolls can sell for over 3000 dollars. He wasn't put off by the prices when he asked me about my own dolls, he wanted to know why they were so much money, which lead to the entire conversation we had lol, he just kept asking why.
       
    20. I'm mostly curious about two things: 1) how you guys got started on the subject, and 2) how you had time to do all that at work.

      Gosh, I can't even load but maybe 2 pages on Iple House at work because it loads so slowly. By the time my 15-minute break is up, I've had the chance to look at two outfits. :\ I can't even imagine perusing multiple sites and giving an in-depth lecture on the subject at my leisure at the office.