Why did you buy your first doll?

I was taking an online drawing class with Jane Davenport. In one of the classes she spoke about using a doll as your muse, to pose to help you learn drawing figures and faces in different angles. I didn't love the brand of doll she used (Blythe) but did a search for ball jointed dolls, and fell down the bjd rabbit hole and the rest is history. Myou is my fave brand but I also have Blue Fairy, Rosen Lied, and Illusion Spirit dolls too.

I got my first, loved her so much, others have arrived since. The first was all about drawing, then when she arrived she has so much character and personality that story ideas came into my head and when I saw beautiful dolls more have come home to add to the story. I can totally see why ppl have whole rooms of dolls, I never thought that would be me, and I still want another but don't think I want more.

There will always be another pretty face to tempt me, but I am buying with discernment now, for specific characters in a story. Yes they have become companions, never saw that coming either, they are becoming therapy doll on many levels, helping with art, I would like to make them clothes when my body lets me, hands are not good with fine motor skills so sewing machine only and only in good weather. but yeah, these resin dolls changed my world, in a good way. I would like to try photography with them but limited dexterity and the new laptop hasn't the memory to edit n layer as I'd like to but I can see why people are drawn to that aspect of the hobby.

Something that I hadn't expected, is how much character and personality the dolls come with. I can have a plan for who a doll will be in a story, buy because I am drawn to that doll, then when they arrive, more than once they have been someone else entirely, its still been good, just different. I've learnt to go with it, have ideas but not be too fixed about who they are until I meet them. My latest Myou Arthur I am totally in love with, I wasn't going to admit to that, till I read others saying that too. I love them all for different reasons and look forward to seeing where they take me in my creative journey.

Its interesting to see what draws people into the hobby, there are just as many reasons as characters in the doll world and how we interact with them its fascinating.

I hear you, that was me too.

 

I had admired BJD for a long while years ago I bought one from ebay but didn't really like it once received so sold it but now coming back to them last year and seeing all the ones on offer decided now was the time to get serious and join the BJD gang my first was Fairyland chloe as I just loved her face.
I loved the fact that unlike the dolls I had from my mums collection you can pose BJDs better so more scope with them

 

I too admired them long before I bought my own. I was going through a really rough time in middle school, I was bullied a lot, didn't have much for true friends. The same goes throughout high school too but I still kept my eye on the Bjd's. I finally got up the guts to buy one off of IG this year. A real minifee chloe from 2010 box included. Needless to say I was so overjoyed.

 

I've been into anime figures and action figures for several years now. I was vaguely aware of bjds for some time, too, but I ended up going to an anime convention where I got to see Resin Junky/Pikko-chan's dolls in person. That led me to look the dolls up on YouTube and realize that they are perfect for me because I've always wanted a physical representation of my characters... especially one that I did not have to draw.

So in short, I got my first bjd because I wanted to shell the characters from my story. Dolls just help the characters and story grow so organically.

 

The main reason I got my first doll was just because she was a beautiful thing I wanted to own. Lesser reasons were that I wanted to try faceups and have fun dressing her up.

 

I first decided to buy a BJD because I couldn't really personalize/customize the types of dolls I already had without them losing their value.

The idea of being able to do those things and still maintain (or even increase) the value really appealed to me.

I also wanted a fully poseable art model with "realistic" proportions that I could carry from place to place and practice drawing.

But, the actual reason I chose the doll I did was because she looked "sad," and so of course I had to buy her and try to "cheer her up." This was...13 years ago, and I still have a bit of a problem with feeling sorry for inanimate objects.

 

I’ve been a doll person with a capital “D” for as far back as I can remember. I’m especially drawn towards articulated dolls, including puppets and marionettes. Lol, I even love those jointed faceless wooden artist’s models.
Let’s just say that perfect, gorgeous, highly articulated dolls were my ultimate grail dolls.
Well, back in 2004 or 2005, I was on my way to a panel or something at AWA, when I got a glimpse of the most intriguing figures....? .....mannequins? ....marionettes? .....dolls....?They were over at a table in the Artist’s Alley.
It was very crowded, couldn’t get close, and I really had no time to stop and try to get closer to check them out anyway.
However, as soon as my panel was done, I immediately went back to the Artist’s Alley to try and find them. Of course both they and their owner had completely disappeared.
Fast forward, and someone on an anime/BL forum I belonged to was raving about “these gorgeous incredible boy dolls”. Dolls that were “real boys”, not just girl dolls dressed as boys. How they were so real looking and beautiful, could stand on their own and be posed... etc.
She posted links to what I believe was Amiee’s website displaying her own personal lovelies, and to Den of Angels.
I checked it out, and realized that the intriguing figures I’d seen at AWA were probably BJDs as well, and thought that perhaps I had just possibly, finally found my perfect grail doll!
Lol, so that’s what I was thinking, and hoping, and trying to believe, when I took the plunge and bought my first BJD off of eBay.
Keep in mind, this was back in the very early days, when eBay was sort of the defacto go-to place for buying BJDs here in the U.S., and was still pretty safe.
Naturally, I mistakenly started small, with a 1/6 sized Custom house Petite Ai, which I hoped to turn into a cute little boy. So I was rather disappointed by her slightly limited jointing, and one piece pudgy baby type torso.
I was also quite taken aback and somewhat dismayed to discover what a strong and determined little personality she had!
Lol, she simply would not let me turn her into a boy!
Fortunately, while disappointed... I was not totally discouraged. So I promptly sat down and bought four more BJDs, minis, the next size up this time. Lol, and all definately listed as boys! Needless to say, with a house now full of BJDs, I obviously haven’t looked back since.

 

I found my first boy on Depop! He was being sold for WAYYY cheaper than he goes for, despite being legit- I think the seller didn’t know how much he was worth lol. I got him for probably $200-$270 cheaper than he should’ve been very lucky find! She hadn’t spelled the company name right (granada, not granado) so she was clearly pretty unclear on the whole thing lol. He had been up for sale for over 6 months! Definitely not a place you would normally find dolls, but I’m so glad I did! I couldn’t pass up that opportunity, and I had been interested in dolls for my entire life and after doing a ton of research I found him!

 

He was a DZ Raymond. I bought him because he made my heart stop and I couldn’t stop dreaming about him for a week. At that point I had never spent so much on anything since buying my car! To this day, he’s the only one I ever got around to making a proper display for. My other dolls are sort of involved in each other’s stories, but not him. He stands alone. I’ve grown so much in the hobby since him, I create my own characters now and rarely buy full-sets anymore, but he will always be the king of my collection.

 

I bought my first one cause I love to bring my characters to life. Since I am super unhappy with my drawings I needed something to work on bringing my loved characters to live and then a good friend of mine found a photo of a bjd on Instagram and show it to me... so this is the story of how I sold my soul xD

 

I really wanted to paint and coordinate them! I still lived with my folks at the time, and I figured I'd never have the guts to tell my mom I wanted to save up like that for a doll. I tried really hard to make one, did the whole sawdust and wood glue and styrofoam thing. I managed to make like... a leg. It wasn't a good leg.

What a mess!

 

I saw pictures of BJDs and thought they were sooooo pretty. The prettiest dolls I've ever seen. And I fell in love with the idea of customizing them different ways, and how many joints they had. So I wanted a pretty and poseable doll!

 

I wanted bjd for a long time simply because I loved them. I like beauty itself, I like poseable dolls, I like create, especially create characters and stories.
But first bid I bought because one book character strongly wanted material body

 

I was being forced to accompany my little sister to a Jonas brothers concert and it was my compromise—I would endure that horror if I got a doll.

 

I bought my first to mainly display it and take occasional pictures. ^^

 

As I’ve said before I saw Dollshe David K & I was blown away at how gorgeous he was & had to have my namesake. Is is the most beautiful/handsome male bjd I own after him was his husband Drake from Iplehouse.

 

I first saw bjd was about 10years age.
The reason I brought my first doll is I have money to pay lol.

 

I first discovered bjds through a video Kawaii Pateen did on tokyo dolls party. It was intriguing to see all the types of dolls there were and I thought they were beautiful. A year or two later I find supiadoll and had a hard time choosing which one I liked, though in the end picked Roda since I really liked her face up and how she looked in the promo pictures.

 

I bought my first doll because i wanted to make this beauty become a part of my life.

 

My first choice was just soOOO pretty to me. I debated for way too long before purchasing. Now my wife wants one of her own, of the same, and mine hasn't even shipped yet!

The model is a secret for now!