Would you change your doll after hearing someones negative opinion/criticism?

if they are just ripping at you/your dolls... their words are meaningless... it only has meaning if it is 'constructive'. There are some doll that no matter what anyone does I think are just plain ugly as sin (right from the original makers creation). No one can possibly "like" ever doll made, we all have our own tastes... I see a doll I think is ugly I think "thank god someone loves you because I sure couldn't" . And if something someone say (negatively) makes you feel like changing it.... think hard... why do you feel the need to make the change?
to please the other person.... or because you actually are recognizing something YOU think should be changed too? If it's to please the other then don't. Otherwise take a good look and see what YOU think should be changed...to please you. And remember some ppl just are not happy if someone else is ;p so they will try and make you unhappy too...

Tiku (someone who is about 2/3 blind *literally* and STILL is working at photography )

 

i strongly agree with lady tiku ^^

dont let people's taste change how u see ur dolls!!!
and it happened to me with only 1 of my dolls 9hes a volks) so size-wise he was off with my family
and my friends made so much fun of him in a mean way to the point where i felt like selling him..!!!!!

but then i sat with him and put all my other dolls away for a while, focused on why did i fall in love with him in the first place, went shopping for more clothes and accesories for him and now im happy again with him! i know i surely will never sell him he make me smile

hes still not finished yet though but i dont mind!!!! and now hes so badass the ppl who insulted him are not allowed in his fanclub lol

 

Oh man, I'm really sorry that happened to you! That sounds like such an awful experience. Some people ARE just mean, and enjoy making others feel bad about the things they love, but I know from personal experience that telling you to just let it roll off your back really isn't helpful. I definitely agree with Lady Tiku that not every person will like every doll [lord know there are some dolls I find hideous], but I'd never make someone feel bad if they liked them, because everyone has different tastes, and as long as there's SOMEONE out there to love and enjoy a doll that I really dislike, that's what matters. I have a friend or two who love dolls that make me cringe a little, but I'd never criticize them because I know they love them, and it wouldn't benefit anyone. In fact, a lot of the time when I find out someone loves a doll that I really dislike, I try to look at it with a fresh opinion to try and better understand what it is about that doll that the person DOES really love.

I tend to be the type of person who takes negative opinions and criticisms to heart, and so it's really hard for me to ignore them. At the same time, though, I don't think I'd want to change my doll unless there was something about him I was unhappy with in the first place. The hobby is, first and foremost, something I do to make MYSELF happy, after all.

 

Nope, nope, nope. My dolls are for me not anybody else!
Some of my dolls are amateur as hell but I love them just the way they are!

 

I would think if the negativity is from someone close to you, as you say it is - it's just a case of the green-eyed monster, jealousy! Don't take it to heart unless it's the opinion of someone whom you respect. And usually I wouldn't respect someone who was mean and rude to me either, so don't worry about it - certainly don't change your dolls because of it!

 

I wouldn't alter my dolls, and I wouldn't get mad, I'd get even! Seriously though, one of the unfortunate factors of the internet revolution is that consideration and accountability almost don't exist anymore and for a lot of people they just start going without thinking about what they're saying and without regard for others. In some cases they don't even even mean it, it's just offhand nastiness because they can. The only thing to really do is to develop a thick skin and say "I'm rubber and you're glue whatever you say bounces off of me and sticks to you!"

 

There's a big difference between criticism and a negative, maybe downright vicious, opinion.

I second what Lady Tiku says, do you want to change them because someone told you so, or did you realize that there might be some truth to their words?
I'm not one to change my dolls just because someone wants it, but sometimes a second opinion can help in realizing that your view on your doll might be a bit distorted (just like with new lovers ) and I received comments that made me re-think a few things.
However, these comments were usually worded nicely and constructive, not "OMG LOL DOES YOUR DOLL LOOK SHITTY LOLOLOL" or "I HATE LONG WIGS ON GUYS!"
Don't change them just because you feel like you have to cater the needs of some other person, only change them if you feel too there might be something off with them or if you are truly unhappy with them.

And please guys, keep jealousy out of this topic, I hate it when people directly assume someone is jealous.
Some people really might just not like your stuff and get the urge to rudely say so, not everyone is automatically jealous of you. That's a rather egoistical and snobbish way to handle critic/rude comments and in my opinion pretty far from the reality in most cases.
Are you always jealous when you dislike something? I bet not.

 

Don't worry, dear... Your friend sounds like my mom. My mom said that my Tedros looks like a girl and ugly transgender when I faceupped him for the first time, without any constructive suggestion at how to make him looks more manly I find it's different to do a makeup on human face and a doll, especially with different gender. *he is in my icon with (like) 5th faceup, but my mom still dislike male doll with or without beard so.. wiped him and store him for a year now! Gee*

I still love his blank mold, my first purchase through "internet shopping helper" when I still don't know that major companies accept wire transfer. The "helper" charged me for a price equivalent of Iple's boots
Now I'm waiting another doll with faceup to see how the artist do it *or send him to nearby faceup commisioner*

 

This. Feedback should involve more than just a crude "omg, your doll is UGLY" remark. It should give you pointers, tell you what you could improve and - ideally - give you a few compliments as well.

As a sculptor, I have to constantly deal with all kinds of feedback and not all of them are positive . If a comment is just a rudely worded opinion, I usually ignore it and continue doing what I did. Everyone's taste is different and we don't all have to like what I own, make, buy or sell.
If it involves just a tiny bit of information about what the person thinks is wrong with it, I'm taking a step back and look if there's some truth in it. When I agree with said person, I change it, if not, I ignore it. Same goes with a well-worded feedback message.

Just because someone doesn't like your doll, doesn't mean you HAVE to change anything. You are still the owner. And if you are happy with how your doll looks, you shouldn't change anything.

EDIT
@yellowguitar: from what I can see from your avatar, that actually looks like a pretty decent face-up. Especially if this is just your fifth. I think your mother is too harsh.

 

Well I haven't gotten any negative comments that were outright rude. If I did, I would respectfully confront the person. I don't think rude or ill mannered people should just a pass to be disrespectful because "it's their opinion", it only allows them to continue to act this way towards others.

But I have gotten comments about my dolls that did make me change them or explore other options. I didn't change them to gain approval; I changed them because it was a valid observation and deciding to change them was my choice.

 

Many people who are not in the doll hobby find dolls creepy and unsettling. It's the Uncanny Valley effect. But that's no reason to rip into your dolls. Just try to shrug it off and if you want real constructive crit on your photography try a photography forum (I PM'd you a link to a good one). Your dolls are for you and as long as you are happy with how they look that's all that matters!

 

It would depend where the "serious negativity" was coming from.

I recently started using a different lens on my main camera, and my photography has gotten noticeably worse because I haven't quite figured out what I'm doing with it - if someone made a suggestion for which settings to try, I could appreciate that. Whereas if someone's using their camera phone and just wants to show off their new doll, that's not a helpful comment at all.

I've seen people try to create historically or culturally accurate settings and get things a wrong and it can be helpful for them to hear what's off (Kimonos that are tied wrong, uniforms from the wrong era, etc), while telling someone that their first attempt at sewing is ugly and amateurish is just rude.

And when it comes to the "that's creepy" comments, I think that's just part of having dolls. It comes with the territory, y'know?

 

No way! Each one of our dolls is special , even if it's not, in other people's opinion, perfect or stylish or beautiful. They are like any art. Nothing is for everyone.

 

The only person your dolls have to please is you. I love seeing owner photos ... and appreciate them even if they are not 'my style'. Anyone who says something negative beyond constructive criticism is simply rude or they just 'don't get' doll collecting.

I've had people come to my house and look at the dolls and know they are creeped out ... sometimes they come out and say it, sometimes they don't. I even had a service man come to the house once and tell me I should get rid of a certain doll (a brand new doll .. not antique) because she was harboring 'evil' vibrations. Geez ... I just smiled kindly and said thanks .. who knows, maybe he had a bad experience with a doll when he was a kid. poor, poor, soul.

 

Since I still don't have my doll I have not experienced that before although when I tell family and friends they are supportive. If or when I DO experience this there is no way at ALL I would change my doll for someone else. The only thing that could make me change my doll is ME.

 

I agree. There is a huge difference than constructive criticism and someone being rude. Just remember, their words and comments have nothing to do with you.

Never let someone make you second guess anything. I wouldn't change my dolls because of what someone said or did. If you are happy, then that is all that matters.

I have not seen your flickr images, but I bet they are fabulous! Be proud of your dolls. If you change them, do it because YOU want to.

 

I agree too
as sais Siccah «There is a huge difference than constructive criticism and someone being rude.«

Often people prefer to say that «it's horrible» instead of «I don't like it»
for me it's a huge difference
You cannot like every doll you see : everybody has his own taste

but doing criticism just for hurting people
this is not fair

If this person is someone you know well
you should tell him/her that it hurt you : no because she/he didn't like what your done but because there is only negativity in his/her word

I hope that you will continue with passion your hobby

 

I love my family and have put alot of time, thought and effort into creating their personality, developing characters and finding appropriate 'looks' for them- even though sometimes (quite often!) when they arrive they have their own ideas but now I feel like drastically changing them.... :'(

Everyone should learn, eventually, that they can't live their lives in order to please other people--particularly if those other people are cruel and thoughtless regarding your feelings. Other people have their own lives to live, and you have yours. You need to be true to yourself. That doesn't mean you totally ignore other people's advice or thoughts... you need to think about them, to see if they have pointed out something that has merit. But liking or disliking dolls is definitely NOT something that you need to take advice or comments on! It's your dolls and what you enjoy--They have no say!!! (Unless it's about some other thing, like you should be saving for college or a car... but ultimately, that is up to you, too, to do the thing that makes the most sense to you! --If you are an adult, anyway. Unfortunately, non-adults, no matter how mature, are still subject to some say by their parents--they have to wait until they can get out and be on their own to be free of that.)

Has anyone experienced this kind of attitude before?
Everyone has opinions (and many feel WAY to free to lay them on everyone else!)... but you should only listen to the ones that make sense to you. People will tell you all kinds of crazy things, but you can't just follow everything without question! It's like that saying: "If all your friends jumped off a cliff, would you do that too?" Please, let the answer be "no"!!!!

How did you handle it?
Negative stuff is always no fun at all. That's just life. I try to get over it and tell myself that some people need to learn to be a bit more kind, even if the comment is a valid one!!! Geesh. They must have some bad crap going on in their life to be spreading all that nastiness around--particularly if they are a friend! I also think I would reassess whether such a person really is a friend--or really is someone I should be around and pay any attention to! This means, if it's a close relative, you have to try and minimize contact--or try to build up some emotional defenses against them, because being mean and cruel is bad, no matter if they have your best interest at heart or not!

Most importantly, did you go as far as altering your doll in some way as a result of your feelings towards what was said/the person who said it??

NO. What I would do is keep my dolls and my doll activity away from them. They obviously don't like it, so why should I share??? You don't need to share every aspect of your life with everyone you know! It's not about hiding or being secret--it's about what you wish to share with whom! TMI, you know? Just don't! Share the right things with the right people--as in, people who like your dolls--share your dolls with them.

I know people who don't like dolls. That's their right, as it's my right to like dolls. It's not smart to keep putting my dolls in their face, right???

 

I tend not to make too many comments on things I don`t much like. I do think some people are just blurting out whatever comes into their head.

To answer the question, I might be upset enough to want to change my doll, it might make me question my taste or feel inadequate. Mind you, I have changed my dolls so much it hardly matters.

I think I shall try to find something nice to say about some of those dolls I am not keen on, as it is always nice when people comment in some positive way.