What is the doll hobby to you?

I have always loved dolls. To me dolls are a comfort as well as works of art. However they are still dolls and I do play with them. I carry one with me everywhere, Normaly my tiny. My favorite doll is my girl Skyler. I have bonded to her to the point she is almost real to me....Not in a weird way. I love how they do seem to let you know what they want. Skyler is a very happy girl but stubborn
This is m baby Skyler


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I know exactly what you mean,BladeRunner. These dolls help me escape in a way and create my own fantasy world,but they also give me a creative outlet. The possibilities are literally endless because there is always something to make for the dolls or a new story to write.

 

These dolls give me another world to look into; one that I otherwise wouldn't be attuned to.
I joined dA because of my dolls. If not for my dolls, I never would have bought acrylics or clay and made things. I probably still would have never drawn anything since early grade school, who knows? I made OCs and RP characters because of my dolls, and now almost none of them are related to my dolls.
When I'm sitting around with nothing to do, I can turn to my dolls and the many things surrounding them. It's not all about movies and games anymore. Now it's about art.

 

I used to hate dolls when I was a child. They freaked me out, and I still have nightmares about dolls coming to life sometimes, it's a part of me. But now I'm the owner of five BJD dolls and few others.
Like Oakie, dolls are what makes me want to create things on my own, and without them I would never have started making things. And I learned how to sew because of dolls x3
I don't take pictures of them so often but, I like to look at them, to cuddle them. I do not consider them as children or pets or whatever, they're beautiful pieces of art where I put a bit of my soul.

 

Eh, well! That's a good question to be honest. First of all my dolls are creative outlets for me, they stand in as models for photography and painting -and are by far a lot more patient than any human being, and much more still in most cases-, they allow me to create fashions since I sew for them and I've created a whole elaborate universe together with my best friend in real life for them and can roleplay in as well as write about.

When I'm upset or angry looking at them, holding at them and playing with them is the best salve; it takes my mind off the things that hurt or anger me and I can soon feel a lot better. When things get challenging or particularly hard or tiring at work or university I can look forward to my dolls waiting for me patiently at home too! And last but not least, they're also a wonderful pastime as just playing with them or changing the clothes is quite fun and nice and keeps me occupied for a while as well.

 

To me, dolls are an outlet for expressing my creativity. I've always loved painting and creating characters and this has given me another outlet to do so. I've also been learning a lot of new skills in attempting to make a BJD like sculpting and casting, which have opened even more doors for me in terms of artistic expression.

 

Well, at first it was a "I have to have one because everyone I know has one, and they are cool" thing. But then I saw how much they were, and I was so young at the time that it just wasn't possible to get one. I'm 28 now, and have had a doll for 3 years, and a new one is on his way home to me.

One is a Soom Yo-sd, the other a Souldoll SD. When I bought these dolls, it was a different mindset from the past. I wanted one because I thought I would like it, so I bought a yo sized doll to 'test' it out. I ended up really enjoying the doll, and making things for him. It became a constant thing, and source of inspiration. I am not hugely active and do things everyday with my doll, but he's there and he's apart of my life. It was enough of a push to get an SD, and I find that it's not so much about the dolls, but my creativity.

I never had something for myself that I was able to keep, I guess. I've sold many things, or they've gotten lost, damaged or stolen. Mostly damaged or stolen...so I was afraid to have nice things. I consider my dolls nice things, and they are so close to me now that I could never bring myself to sell them. I greatly enjoy making things for them, and the challenge to make things in scale for them is amusing and so fun!

These guys are expensive for me, but I hope to one day have a large-ish resin family! They're like pets, but without the feeding, pooping and barfing on the bed thing that animals tend to come with. XD!

 

Hm, to me...they made me feel better when I used to live alone and had no friends in the area I lived in. Now I just really like looking at clothes online and wigs and eyes and dolls themselves. It really takes my mind off from real life things and give me something to fill in my time with ^ ^ I don't think it's as much an artistic outlet for me, I mean, I do their face-ups and sew for them and draw their characters, but I somehow don't see sewing as "art" and doing their face-ups is more irritating than relaxing for me and drawing their characters...well, I could do that without the dolls anyway? So I don't know. XD I don't use them as models, simply because I prefer real models or looking for reference online over anime-ish-looking dolls (and I mean, seriously, most dolls have LONG legs which is not very realistic).

 

The bjd hobby to me is special. It has brought out my creativity in drawing alot more since I have not drawn in over a year(still a little bit rusty but I'm capable of practicing and getting better). I enjoy making up the characters and seeing what the personas the doll chooses to have. I love seeing how versatile a doll can be with faceups. This has been the best hobby for me to enjoy next to lolita.

 

To me the hobby is my way to express myself. I've had a tough time these past few years, and 'lost' myself. I'll admit it, I still have scars and issues left from that time but these dolls remind me so much of before that, and are bringing it back to me. The hobby is like a savior to me, it is such a great outlet for everything I am feeling. It helps me with every emotion I'm feeling, and every time I feel something, I instantly think about things I could do with dolls, photo shoots, outfits, everything to express that moment. I think I'm going to explode when I get my first doll, she already has a name.

 

The other day at work I was very very tired and sore (retail during the holidays, not fun) and I only made it through the last two hours by imagining lying on my bed at home, nuzzling Chaeri on top of her head. Yes, you can laugh. But the thought comforted me.

Guess what I did the second I got home.

 

Bringing my characters to life my doll, my characters are an extension of me, my mind, and my imagination. I love them dearly and this hobby brings the physically to life!

 

I love dolls as beautiful works of art that I get to play with. Like touching the statues in museums . I also get to add my own touches. They fire my imagination for sure, but not in that I make dolls into characters or anything. I have named dolls after characters I created though... And on one occasion wrote a story with two my girls which have an original world. But that's about it. I don't look specifically for dolls to embody characters.

I have also learned to sew and face-up the little buggers! Though I hate doing my own face-ups (I can never work clean!) I need to save the money and I'm OK at it. So that's more creative things I never thought I'd be able to do!

 

I guess I would have to say they're a creative outlet for me. I've always been one to make things and collect things. With BJD's I can do both. I get the collecting thing plus I can customize them with wigs, eyes, clothes and if I'm feeling bold even mods and faceups. Also it's fun to create characters. Thus far with my bjds the doll is what causes the character. I haven't had a character in mind and went searching for a doll...yet. I have based some of my dolls on characters (both mine and from a book) but most of them are just "regular" girls. However I have some ideas to order some girls based on characters I've made, characters from books and even one based on a real living person.

 

This may seem unrelated, but my favorite part of a video game is character creation, and if it's lacking in that department then I can't play the game. Also, the first thing I do when I begin an idea for a book is plan the characters, even before plot and setting.What draws me so much to BJDs is the fact that they are so customizable and personal. Other then that, I love to sew, but mostly on a small scale. Before I always made plushies or fabric dolls, but now I can make outfits and costumes for my dolls.

 

Like many have said before me, they are my creative outlet; which helps me relax. I love to make things for them, whether it is clothing, minatures or soon to be housing. I usually slip into a daydream sometime throughout the day imagining what I could create next for them and I am in my happy place.

 

With the 'doll hobby' I'll include the sculpting of dolls as well, because this is the main reason why I'm in this hobby.

For me it's a creative outlet, and even more important, a way for me to get in 'zen' mode. Tinkering with dolls - especially sculpting them - is relaxing; it calms me down.
The world around us has changed considerably in the last few centuries, but when it comes to creating dolls/ sculptures, we still use many of the methods and tools someone from the 14th century used. (except the casting in resin of course) There is something... magical knowing that you are connected to people living centuries ago, because you do the same craft.

 

my dolls give me a world outside of my own. sad to say, but ingrid is like my only friend and dolls are just a way for me to express myself creatively.