What drives you to buy a bjd?

Other than because I want to and can, what sort of answer are you looking for? Do you mean why I choose doll A over doll B? I'm not trying to be mean, but could you elaborate on your question please?

 

I want to see past role playing characters of mine brought to life. I want to be able to touch them and see them. I want them to be more than ink on paper.

Other than that, I want posability and matching resin. Then it's just a matter of finding a company who can get the features of my character most correct.

 

Usually because it's a doll I absolutely love everything about or it's a doll that fits into some sort of idea I had in my head, like my newest doll I've been wanting a vampire for forever but I never found one I really liked and then I saw DOD Elf The-B and realized he was absolutely PERFECT, and I realized I just had to have him.

 

In a sad way, I want a bjd because I can't have a pet. I want one to take with me places and take cute photos (so pose-ability is high on my list).

But when it came down to picking one doll out, it was love. Plain and simple.

I like you're reasoning Maniah. Maybe I'll have a character one day that I want to be more than pen, paper, ink, and dice.

 

I look at dolls all the time. I spend hours going through the different companies and the different ways people make each one their own via google, DOA, Deviantart, and etc. I love about 90% of what I see. And I want just as much. But what actually motivated me to find the doll I want for purchase was weird. I have seen tons of Albertas and I love the concept. It's beautiful. But I saw one and it was like a light on, needle into a bug, situation. And it is that doll I want to own. Not just the sculpt, but that particular doll. But I'm a strange duckling like that

Daikini, you didn't tell us what motivates you?

 

For me it's mostly a matter of character; does the doll fit the character I have in my mind? Is their expression matching? Their features? And after that comes poseability; mainly because my first doll was a doll leaves and his poseability is far FAR superior than my crobidolls and my minifees and luts dolls.

On the rare occasion I just fall in love with a doll regardless of character it's because I just look at them and feel an inexplicable eagerness, a need to own that particular doll over all others. These special dolls tend to give birth to their own characters by themselves; I'm always happy to watch them develop!

 

I buy the doll because I want it. Pretty simple, lol. I see, I wants, I checks my bank account and weep, I plot and save...I gets.

 

Usually I don't actually buy a doll until they have named themselves - I'll just be looking at sculpts and one will pop out at me, and sometimes a name just pops into my head and it's suddenly perfect and I'll know their entire backstory and where they fit in my dolly world, and then I just cannot wait to bring them home haha.

 

Uuuuuuuuuuusually I start creating a character, then decide I want a doll for it, and then start looking for a doll tat fits. The doll's face is typically the most important factor in deciding which one to get, but sometimes the body plays a part too. Size isn't usually as much of an issue for me because I already know I have a strong preference for SD-size dolls, so I automatically look at those first.

There have been a couple of exceptions to this, but they were both limited edition fullsets and I really wanted the dolls and their outfits. Of course, I wouldn't have bought those dolls at all if I hadn't liked the actual dolls (the same criteria as above came into play) and the fullset outfits.

 

It depends on the doll's purpose.

Some dolls I buy because I think they're beautiful and affordable. At time same time, I consider what kind of outfits I can buy or make for them.

Other dolls are based off of my characters. I have a picture in my mind of how my characters look, and try to match that picture. Of course, the doll has to be affordable for me, too.

 

I fall in love with the sculpt I want it but price is a huge factor in my decision. There are more expensive dolls that I like but sometimes I'll make myself settle for something less expensive instead. Or I'll wait till they clearance out or there is a big sale. I just cannot rationalize spending several hundred dollars and up for a doll. I buy used a lot. It's easier on my wallet and often I can get the sculpt I like or one very similar for a lot less. Patience is a big virtue when it comes to buying dolls I have found. Not jumping to buy something just because you fall in love with it can really pay later...

 

Most of the time is because I like the sculpt and it goes well with some of my characters. I have never truly willed to buy a doll just because it's beautiful or it's rare. If I like the sculpt, it fits my character and I have money to buy, I'll go ahead and buy it. Otherwise, I may think its prety, but on other owner's hands (:

 

I interpreted the question as why I've decided to get into the hobby (as I'm currently awaiting the arrival of my first doll) and that's simply because it combines many things I enjoy doing. I love photography and handicrafts. Myself, I'm not that into fashion, but I love to style and design. So for me, why I found interest in BJDs, is to have something to sew to, design, to style, and to photograph

Considering the "what makes you buy a doll" is, so far, the chemistry between me and the aesthetics of the doll. As I see a sculpt I generally visualize a style for that doll. A looks. An appearance. Like looking at a model. I roleplay a lot, and I've written several novels, but I haven't yet gotten into making characters out of dolls. Perhaps I'll get there in time, but for now I enjoy looking at different sculpts from different companies, to fantasize over their potential. Also, the price is a important factor for me. When I get my doll home and I find it to fulfill my expectations, I will probably allow myself looking at more expensive dolls that appeals to me, than what I'm currently doing

 

Two reasons for me:
1) Love at first sight and I just have to get them or
2) They fit an important OC of mine

 

Photography is a huge factor for me. I first saw doll photography online over a year ago and I thought it was a CG drawing. When I realized it was a doll - I was shocked, and dazzled, and hooked. I've always loved taking pictures (usually of my pets and crafts) and I LOVE any and all arts and crafts. So it was a match made in heaven. It just happens to be a more expensive match this time.

 

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?

I did have books of artists BJD's before consumer dolls were available. There were utterly fascinating for the various associations at play and a lot of artists went very far in handling them in a variety of ways. So when they became commercially available it was only a matter of time.....and yes, photography is important though I still have a long way to go in that regard. Which is funny since I'm an accomplished art photographer but don't take photographs of people so taking a photo of a doll is a new experience in lighting and posing and expressive skills that aren't part of my other photographic work.

 

Because they're pretty :3
Haha, mainly because I can bring out my creativity and imagination.
I can fully customize it and then take photos. It also, in a way helped me be more patient and careful.
And also, having a forum like this one, meeting new people and being in a community, made it much more worth it. ^^

 

Three reasons:

1) I have always wanted to make doll versions of the characters whose stories I am telling. So when I see a doll that strikes me as one of those characters, I ... want it.
2) Ever since my first BJD came home, I have known that I just love these dolls as dolls. I am curious about different companies/artists and how they make their dolls - the way they are sculpted, the way they are engineered and strung, even the type of resin that is used. So some dolls I want to own just because I am curious about them (and they appeal to me, obviously).
3) There are some artists whose work I just can't pass by.