Wiping a Limited Face Up

If it is a standard/basic release doll, but it has a special or limited face-up, then I tend to think one would just be better off from a monetary standpoint looking for a basic head to wipe if they want to wipe it. In the case of a limited sculpt head, and one wants it for the sculpt, then all bets are off. Of course, it isn't my place to say what anyone does with their doll once they have it.

 

I usually order my dolls blank, but when I bought one of my Draytons, he still had hist company faceup on. It was the *first* thing I changed about him. It was blank and boring. I'd rather 'lose' some potential money I could get when reselling him, and have him as I want him. WIth the LEs it's generally so, that I don't understnad what's the point in keeping dolls, as if, for the potential buyer rather than for ourselves. We'd 'lose money'? Ah, big deal... it's a hobby not a business (even though it seems to be the case with some :P )

 

How do you feel about people wiping the face-up of a limited doll?

I don't care one bit, they can do whatever they want, I have little to no say in the matter. Face-ups aren't meant to last forever, if they were then why use sealant and do so much for the resin to not stain from the mediums we use to paint them with?

Do you feel that the value of the doll drops because it doesn't have the original face up?

Not at all, it's the sculpt I'm in it for, not the face-up.

Sure the price can go up in some cases if the original face-up is intact, really depends on how popular the given sculpt is, or the face-up could have been replaced by some other artists work jacking the prices up. There's a lot of factors in this that could make the prices go up or down all depending.

Also, would you buy a limited doll without the original face-up, or is the actual limited head more important?

Of course I would buy one without face-up. I always wipe the face-ups anyway or get them home blank as I really have a grudge against company face-ups and their unwillingness to be wiped along with wanting to 'wake them to life' myself. So, limited or not, the face-ups go bye-bye.

 

I always feel a sense of guilt when ever I wander if I could erase factory/limited face ups... Being an artist myself.... that is someone else's artwork... I guess it's like getting a Rembrandt or a Monet and painting over it. I just can't seem to do it.

 

As an artist I'm sort of of two minds about this. On one hand I have a couple OOAK Art Dolls that are off topic for this forum. They may have been customized from fairly common toys, but are Display Dolls and not to be played with. Their clothing and accessories are permanently attached to the dolls and stands. Changing anything about them would devalue them as collectors items. On the other hand, if literally the ONLY thing that makes the doll limited is the faceup/blushing and/or outfit and the sculpt is a common one straight from the factory unmodified, I'm not sure how this is limited, even if like only ten were ever painted that way. If it had custom modifications to the sculpt as well as the paint, then it's limited. The OOAK Art Dolls I have were modified from the original molds before painting. Thus they are literally OOAK. Then again, you are paying for someone's art. But even a Rembrandt or a Degas needs cleaning and repair occasionally.

I've bought 3 LE's with face up, AS Gavin, Soom Euclase MD, and Soom Chalco MD. Gavin still has all original blushing, because I like him like that, though he needs a new face up cause it got damaged. Euclase I got full body blushing and when I actually saw it in person, the only thing I liked was the faceup. I've wiped the rest. Chalco I only got the faceup, I really liked it in the photos and I still like it. As for the rest of the Soom LE's I have I got them all blank cause I have different ideas than Soom does.

I guess what I'm saying is the sculpt matters more to me that the paint job. But then I wouldn't ever buy a doll where the only thing limited was it's paint job/draperies. With enough effort and time I could copy every unique thing about it if I really wanted to. That being said, if I like the faceup, limited or default, I'll pay for it.

 

The way I see it is that if the face up doesn't work for my character, it's gone.

There is no need to keep something you can't fully enjoy just because it is limited or popular. Same with face ups from very popular artists, if I don't like it or doesn't fit my doll's character, it's gone without any regrets.

 

I don't really care about the fact that anything is limited. I'm not in the hobby to get dolls with high resale value because when I get a doll, it's mine to keep. I don't sell them. I also prefer to do my own faceups anyway. Company faceups can be nice, but the probably don't have the exact look I'm going for.

If someone else wipes a limited faceup, I don't really care. They obviously aren't buying it for the resale value. They're doing what makes them happy so I say let 'em do it. In the end, it's their doll and their money.

 

I would only wipe it if I absolutely hated the face up and was sure I wasn't going to sell it later.

 

I just don't think I could wipe a limited face up. The face up really defines the character for me, and I usually build a character around the doll rather than buying a doll that suits a character I already have. I'm trying to decide if I can bear to wipe my AES since her face up no longer exists, even though when I get her a body it may not match in yellowness. I don't think I would spend the money on a limited doll with a special face up if I didn't like the face up. I just wouldn't buy the doll. If I really loved the sculpt, I would probably order it as a basic rather than a full set (this is what I did with my MNF Liria). I sorta waffle on discontinued dolls with their original face ups. I got a Delf Miyu with the original face up and part of me was like "this is Delf history she cannot be changed!" and part of me said "this face up is chipped and dirty it's got to go." (she got a new face up) And some default face ups for discontinued dolls are really unattractive and the doll would be greatly improved if repainted. And with really old, yellowed dolls I want to see if I can de-yellow the resin, which would mean repainting the doll. But it does come down to why and how you value the doll. It's different for everyone.

 

No, I would never wipe a limited face up. Unless it was horribly damaged. That being said, if I want a doll with a different face up... I would buy it with out said face up.

And yes, I do think a limited face up does effect price. If a doll have a limited face up I would be more willing to pay more for it. (As long as a liked it.)

I have no issue with buying a doll second hand with our with out the face up. Though if they wiped the limited face up before selling it, it will bug me a bit.

 

I just wiped off my Shinku's face-up along with my Reisner, both LE dolls. I wanted to give my Shinku a fresh look because she's ten years old now and even though the face-up was still undamaged, it was very out of date looking. As for my Reisner, I never liked the original face-up that much. I'm almost done repainting him and he looks much much better already. I have no plans on selling either one of them so I don't really care about the value dropping. As for buying LE dolls without original face-ups, I don't see a problem.

 

Eh, I'm actually in the process of having that done now. I am getting ready to send out my Volks SDCute Renee to have a new faceup. It isn't that I think her default LE faceup is bad-- it's quite cute, but I know that she could look even better.

I think as long as you have a good artist do it, it's fine. Don't wipe it & replace it with a shoddy one if you want it to retain or gain value.

 

How do you feel about people wiping the faceup of a limited doll?

Indifferent. It's their doll, their choice. If they'd rather have a different faceup, they should do what they prefer.

Do you feel that the value of the doll drops because it doesn't have the original face up?

Probably somewhat because it wouldn't be the complete limited doll, but I don't think it would be a dealbreaker for finding a buyer.

Also, would you buy a limited doll without the original face up, or is the actual limited head more important?

It would depend on the specific doll. If the original faceup was a major part of what I liked about it, then probably not, but if I didn't feel strongly about that particular faceup I'd still consider it.

 

How do you feel about people wiping the faceup of a limited doll?

Nothing is sacred.

Do you feel that the value of the doll drops because it doesn't have the original face up?

I guess it doesn't matter to me that much because I do so much weird stuff to mine nowadays that they probably aren't worth a whole lot to anyone else anyway. I figure most people go for the sculpt rather than the faceup? Pretty much anything can be recreated. Unless someone is specifically a fan of that company or artist's faceups or the doll has some kind of specific one-off thing like a tattoo, I only think it really affects the value for someone who wants a finished doll.

Also, would you buy a limited doll without the original face up, or is the actual limited head more important?

I'd rather buy it that way. The sculpt is more important, and I've found that most company faceups don't look like the ones in the photo spreads anyhow since they are hand-done. I'm more of a tinkerer than a collector and doing the esthetics is the main event for me so I haven't yet encountered a situation where I'd really for true want a doll with a pre-done faceup. Not limited, but I liked Dollzone Benjamin's default faceup; however, I really felt like getting the blank doll was better in my case since I was on the fence about minis to begin with, it forced me to think harder about whether I wanted him (yes) and what kind of things I was going to do (terrible ones.)

 

I wiped the faceup off my limited and he has a new faceup now! And I have zero regrets except that I didn't do it sooner. Ah, he fits his character soooo much better now

 

I've been wiping limited face-ups for millions of times! I kinda focused my love on the actual sculpt and also greatly enjoy the diy process. Dont really care about how limited the doll was

 

How do you feel about people wiping the faceup of a limited doll?

I don't care. While I know some people would croak to see these wiped, I never go into buying a doll for its face up or its outfit. I really prefer to buy my dolls clothesless and blank. I have never wiped my LE Postman Bao's face up, but not because it is limited per se. I just love how it fits my character. His original outfit is never in rotation.



Do you feel that the value of the doll drops because it doesn't have the original face up?

Yes and no. I feel the doll isn't necessarily worth less, although when it comes to the secondary market, I feel it should not be priced as high as the same LE doll that is complete and original.

Also, would you buy a limited doll without the original face up, or is the actual limited head more important?

Head is definitely more important, so I would rather buy it blank.

 

How do you feel about people wiping the faceup of a limited doll?
If the original faceup was gorgeous already, like Volks SD16 Megu, then I would be sad to see it wiped.
Do you feel that the value of the doll drops because it doesn't have the original face up?
Any doll sold blank is worth less than the same doll with the company faceup. But on the other hand, if the doll is sold with a beautiful new faceup that is an improvement on the original, than the value would go up.
Also, would you buy a limited doll without the original face up, or is the actual limited head more important?
The actual head is more important, and if I really wanted the doll, I would buy it without the original faceup.