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Why are dolls so meaningful to you?

Apr 23, 2016

    1. I'm pretty terrible at making stories up for my dolls, although it's something I want to try doing.
      But this hobby is all encompassing for me. I sew, I paint, I photograph... The dolls are one tidy little outlet for so many of my interests! I've also met a lot of really great people because of them, both locally and on-line.
      Basically... These dolls mean a lot to me. Just looking at their sweet faces is enough to make my day better :)
       
    2. At first I just thought they were pretty and wanted one. After he arrived though, I got more into the writing side of the hobby. I'd been making characters and writing stories for them long before I got into BJDs and since then have come up with a story and world for just my doll characters. On a more personal note, I've used them to help me get through some tough emotional times and each one helps with a different sort of problem, character and personality-wise. Even if I'm just holding them in my hands, they offer comfort without judgement and without trying to give me ways to fix the issue. Fixing can come after a small cry.
       
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    3. I dunno I just love the beautyness of 'em and enjoy the way people ask me something about them.

      If I get some visitors, they are just always an eyecatcher and give spaces to talk about. ^^

      Even now... they sit in a vitrine with some lights in the back. It's absolut worth it stareing at them ^^
       
    4. I'm glad that this hobby give a positive influence for you :3nodding:

      I start the hobby because I love the artistic aspect of the dolls. I work in a fashion industry and working with my doll is like styling a small scale male model where nobody will specifically judge me for the "wrong styling/wrong outfit/wrong color match/etc". I love it when I can have so much freedom to outcome my imagination and idea into something. In this case into my doll. I don't have that privilege in my work space. So getting into dolls can give me a refreshment.
       
    5. I was also one of those who originally wanted one because I though they were pretty. But then as I began to collect more I became so much more attached to them. They became more meanigful to me that just something pretty. A lot of them I put pieces of myself into their characters. So maybe they're like a healing thing now? I dunno. I just know that the ones I have now, I'd be devastated if something happened to them.
       
    6. There's several reasons, but the two easiest to explain are pretty simple. The first being that I like pretty things. I collect figures and other little doodads if they catch my interest for aesthetic reasons. I'm a sucker for pretty things that are tangible and I can hold in my own hands.

      The other reason is because it gives me a way to make my characters tangible, so to speak. In stories and drawings they aren't something I can pick up or visualize (minus the drawn ones) and while I enjoy sculpting figurines, it's extremely time consuming and I haven't gotten much done with that. On the other hand, I can find a doll and customize it any way I like, not to mention the ability to move limbs and pose them and etc etc. More or less, it gives me a way to interact with my own imagination in ways I couldn't see working otherwise.
       
    7. Many reasons but mostly they represent me in a way, their characters are part of mine and without them it would feel rather sad.
       
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    8. Well... Two reasons for me. The first being that they're all works of beautiful art, and all are fully customizable. Art has always been a huge part of my life, so it's really wonderful to have a different form of art besides all of those oil paintings and sketches and such. The other reason would be that, like a lot of others on here, I love making characters. It helps me cope with anxiety and just.. Makes me feel better. Plus, I feel like they're someone I can rely on and whatnot.
       
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    9. @plantgauze , same here! I've always been very interested in new forms of art, art is a very important part of my life ^_^ Lucky me I don't have anxiety, but playing with my doll (doing researches, planning her future clothes, crafting stuff, taking photos..) sure relaxes me and makes me disconnect from stressful things like work, my noisy neighborhood, etc. My boyfriend has anxiety and as soon as he started a hobby with the same passion and interest as we have (building aircraft and formula 1 models) he got way better. Finding what makes you feel good and calm down is essential, especially if you have any kind of anxiety or get stressed easily ^_^
       
    10. Firstly, for me there is nothing better than creating a persona and a history for something so beautiful. You can watch the doll come alive right in front of your eyes. I have always had a knack for writing stories, and now being able to use physical characters is a bonus.
      Secondly, not only has it brought me closer to my friends, but it has also gained me more friends in the dolls themselves. They make me feel safe and loved, and i love them in return.
       
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    11. I suppose I have just always loved dolls. As a child I had a handful of different dolls and I loved nothing more than playing with them and looking after them. I suppose BJDs are the adult version for me. ^_^

      I've also always loved arts like drawing, painting and sewing so my dolls are an outlet for that too. They allow me to be creative. I also agree with what others have said about how they're a great escape from the responsibilities of reality that allow me to de-stress. Even just looking at them always makes me smile. :)
       
    12. For me, it's mostly the characters. My OCs have meant a huge ton to me for years before even hearing of BJDs and they're on my mind 80% of the time, between thinking of their stories for my book or dolly plans. XD
       
    13. I love how creative I can get with these dolls. They're something I can put most of my ideas onto and out of my head, and something that keeps me thinking of what to do next with them.
       
    14. I've always had a love of toys and designing things--my dolls give me that little bit of extra that seems to inspire. And they're something that I've worked and earned (though I don't like sharing them with anyone!).
       
    15. i grew up thinking i'm lazy , untalented ,not creative but when i started collecting these dolls I've so far been inspired to create them difference crafty stuffs like flower crown and such :) they keep me company at the moment lol..
       
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    16. me too , its like i can't keep them in the same exact look for too long , not even a day i'll trade their clothes with each other LOL
       
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    17. Dolls are definitely a comfort thing for me! When I was a young kid I was always kind of seen as weird by my peers, and although I now know that it's partly because I'm autistic, at the time I was totally confused about it and ended up opting to create characters and fictional worlds by myself instead of talking to classmates. Something about it was really relaxing, and exploring relationships is still one of my favourite things to do with OCs! I think someone else mentioned this as well, but I also used to play a lot of the The Sims for that reason.

      So I guess when I discovered dolls, and BJDs specifically, it just seemed like the natural next step to exploring characters! There's something really satisfying about seeing a character that you feel so dearly about in a physical form, and when I'm feeling down it's nice to be able to focus on them. :)
       
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    18. I just started getting into the BJD hobby, but I also have some other dolls in my home. I think from when I was young I felt embarrassed having dolls, I didn't want to play with them and felt rather sad because I always loved them, especially when I used to see BJD on deviantart.

      For me dolls are just fun to have around, to be creative with them, to give them life with effort and imagination. It gives me, and I'm sure a lot of other people, a lot of creativity and a community to share it with. I had found people who also share the same feelings as me, it just makes me very happy to see so many different types of dolls and new designers!

      Besides that, I just loooove having a BJD in my hands. So magical!
       
    19. I have a few reasons.

      1) I've always liked well-sculpted figurines and such.
      2) I've always liked art, and the fully-customizable aspect appeals to me greatly.
      3) They provide a physical representation of OCs I've had kicking around for years.
      4) They're pretty, and I'm not, so I live vicariously through them, fashion and attractiveness-wise.
       
    20. I've always loved and respected dolls for as long as I can remember. To me dolls are both a form of art and in a way their own living, breathing person (more so in the case of dolls already made by a sculptor and that only come in one form like porcelain dolls). However, I've found that with BJD's its a little different. I understand why a lot of people would call their dolls family, because they are since you're the one that put all the time into taking the artists naked sculpt and making it into a person. But although they are family they are also art as well. Its this unique relationship that owners and BJD's have that really attracted me and caused me to seriously want to get my own doll one day ^^
       
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