Doll F.A.Q.

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Last FAQ Update: 06-15-10

:bulletblue::bulletblue::bulletblue: ABOUT THE DOLLS :bulletblue::bulletblue::bulletblue:


:bulletwhite:1. What kind of dolls are those?
The majority of the photographs are of asian ball-joint dolls, or abjds, or bjds, depending on who you ask or how familiar you are with the hobby.  A ball-jointed doll is any doll that is articulated with ball and socket joints. You can read more about them on Wikipedia. They are hugely popular in Japan, Korea and China, and are just starting to become something of a luxury hobby in Europe and America.  I'll answer some general questions about them here in my FAQ, but if you're really interested, I suggest you check out Den of Angels, aka DoA, which is pretty much THE forum community for BJD hobbyists, in terms of resources and research info.

:bulletwhite:2. Did you make/paint/create them?
No. They're rather a complex piece of engineering and although there are people in the hobby who do sculpt and make their own dolls, I buy mine from companies, mostly in Korea and China who specialize in making these dolls. They are customizable, and by that I mean, their makeup can be painted, you can change their wigs and eyes and you can add to or alter the sculpt through modifications. However, without practice and experience, it's usually better to commission an experienced hobbyist to do the more complicated mods for you. Resin is a tough material, but you can't just slap a sharpie on it and expect to get decent results. (That was doll humor. NEVER use a Sharpie on a bjd. You'll ruin it.)

:bulletwhite:3. Where did you get them?
There are about a bajillion bjd companies out there nowadays.  Most doll photographers on DoA will list the individual doll's sculpt either in their pictures or in a FAQ much like this one. Since most companies are in other countries, you almost always have to purchase them online, unless you are lucky enough to attend a convention where they are being sold. When you buy one online, they are usually made-to-order, which means there is usually about a 30-60 day wait before your doll will be shipped, as resin takes a long time to cure, depending on the weather, etc. Seth is from Dollzone, Ruijin and Caidy are from Fairyland and Zeev is from Angelheim.

:bulletwhite:4. How much do they cost? Why are they so expensive?  
A lot. No, seriously. This is an expensive hobby. There is no "cheap" doll in this hobby. Even a doll in the lower price range is going to run you at LEAST a couple hundred dollars.  Prices vary by doll, size of doll, and company. Dolls can come as basics, meaning just the doll without any "faceup", which is the painted on make up and blushing, can come with faceups or can come as "fullsets", meaning they include an outfit and wig, etc. Most, but not all companies include a free set of eyes with a basic doll, but then you must add in the cost of purchasing wigs, shoes, clothing and accessories. I only have four dolls and I have probably already invested close to $3500 on them. Like any luxury item, they are a costly expense, but I make sacrifices in other areas and save carefully to be able to afford them. Unless you're willing to do the same, this is probably not the hobby for you. Asking about "cheap" dolls usually only gets most bjd enthusiasts cranky, I've noticed.

They are expensive because they're custom made, flexible, imported and beautiful pieces of art. In the hands of the right person, they can become even MORE so, just look at some of the dolls I have favorited in my 'Beautiful BJDs' collection: etchedglass.deviantart.com/fav… . I don't judge people for how much they spend a year on their hobbies, others should extend me the same courtesy. They make me happy and inspire my creativity. End of story.

:bulletwhite:5. Where do you buy your clothes for them?
The majority of my dolls' clothing comes from Dollmore , partly because they're one of the few companies that make well-fitting clothing for 70cm dolls, and partly because they are a popular company that people often run splits on via the DoA forum. I also buy a lot of clothing and accessories second hand through the DoA marketplace or ebay and etsy. I prefer that to ordering direct from the companies and ending up paying large EMS shipping bills for $20 worth of clothing.

:bulletwhite:6. What do the acronyms stand for?
AH = Angelheim (Doll company)
DZ = Dollzone (Doll company)
FL = Fairyland (Doll company)
CP = Cerberus Project (Doll company)
IH = Iplehouse (Doll company)
SD = Super Dollfie = 60cm (Doll size)
MSD = Mini Super Dollfie = 40-43cm (Doll size)
SSDF = Super Senior Delf (Doll type)
MNF = Minifée (Doll type)
BW = Beauty/Beautiful White (Skin type)
NS = Normal Skin (Skin type)
WS = White Skin (Skin type)
RS = Real Skin (Skin type)
MSC = Mr. Super Clear (Doll painting material)


:bulletblue::bulletblue::bulletblue: ABOUT MY BJDS/CHARACTERS :bulletblue::bulletblue::bulletblue:


:bulletwhite:1. Are you selling them/Can I have them?
Seriously? No. What would you say to someone who came and asked you if they could have your favorite pair of shoes, or your mp3 player? That's just rude. Unless they are listed as "For Sale", then no, they're not. Please don't ask.  

:bulletwhite:2. Your doll looks just like "__insert fictional/OC character here__"!!
No, actually, they don't, and honestly, nothing pisses off doll owners more, to have an original character be compared to some other fictional character. A lot of time and work goes into perfecting each doll's look and while some of mine are a work in progress, none of my dolls are based off of anything more then what they are supposed to be- themselves.  Some people DO base their dolls on fictional characters, etc, and more power to them, but mine aren't. Most of all, don't compare my werewolves to Jacob, my vampires to Edward, or anything else I post to crap from Twlight. It's a pet peeve of mine. Obviously.

:bulletwhite:3. The setting of your character's world seems eerily familair! and/or What setting are your angels/werewolves/etc from?
Character concepts of Seth, Zeev, etc and the world they exist in is loosely based in a private story line RP that I and a friend play around in, a world which we've based on and borrowed elements from several of our favorite books and games, including Neil Gaiman's Sandman and Neverwhere, as well as some influence from White Wolf's World of Darkness for flavor and a whole lot of cracky ideas to fill it out.. As such, I'd never claim any sort of copyright over the concepts, but the characters themselves, and the Disillusioned storyline are most definitely mine and I ask that others not borrow it without permission. Seth himself was based and adapted as a side character not in the main storyline of the game, re-written to more openly accommodate with various other stories and world with fellow BJD RPers.

:bulletwhite:4. Who painted Seth/Zeev/Roo/etc?

At this point in time, all my dolls have the company default face-ups. I'll update this if that ever changes, which it probably will.

Zeev's hand blushing was done by me.

:bulletwhite:5. What materials do you use for your painting/faceups/blushing work?
Rembrandt soft pastels, Liquitex Acrylics, Delta Ceramacoat Interior Varnish,  Mr. Super Clear UV Flat, and Crayola Watercolor pencils

:bulletwhite:6. Can I draw fanart of _______?
Sure thing! I would be flabbergasted and flattered and freaking thrilled! So much alliteration! I'd love to see it too, so please share! Wow, that's a lot of exclamation points!


:bulletblue::bulletblue::bulletblue: ABOUT MY PHOTOS/COPYRIGHT :bulletblue::bulletblue::bulletblue:


All art & photography contained in this gallery is ©etchedglass, formerly known under the banner Kytz Kreatyonz & Tigrez.Com 1995-2010

Brushes used and other credits can be found on my Graphics Journal: Etched Glass @ LJ - Credit Links

:bulletwhite:1. Can I use your photos/dolls as avatars/sigs/banners/representations of my own OC/character/RPG person?
As I state on the front of my profile: My dolls are already characters on their own. DO NOT USE them as representations of yours. So, no.

:bulletwhite:2. Can I use your photos as stock/for photomanipulation?
As I state on my profile: My photos are not stock and should not be used or altered for RP, avatars, layouts or other uses without my express permission. So, no. Unless a photo is SPECIFICALLY marked as stock AND in my STOCK gallery folder, it is not available for use as stock.  

:bulletwhite:3. Can I use your photographs as drawing references?
For pose, lighting, and anatomy references, yes, sure! I wouldn't mind a link back in the artist notes for credit, of course, and I'd love to see the end result! :) I will not allow using my photos as reference from the dolls as an aid for your own character creation. If you're not sure, note me and ask!

:bulletwhite:4. Can I use your characters in fanfiction?
No. While I'm flattered you'd even be interested, that's not level of creative control over my own characters that I'm willing to hand over to just anyone.


:bulletblue::bulletblue::bulletblue: ABOUT MY CAMERA :bulletblue::bulletblue::bulletblue:


:bulletwhite:1. What camera do you use?
I use a DSLR Canon Rebel XS with the standard EF-S 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Yeah, I have no idea what that all means either, it just takes pretty pictures, ok?)  Prior to that, I used a Samsung Digimax A402.

:bulletwhite:2. What image editing software do you use?
Adobe Photoshop CS3

:bulletwhite:3. What lighting setup do you use?
For the most part, desktop lamps, natural lighting, and christmas lights. Nothing technical or fancy, I'm afraid.  You can sort of get an idea of my usual set up from this omake shot from a photoshoot I'd been working on.



© 2010 - 2024 etchedglass
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lajvio's avatar
I really like this!! When I have more time on my hands I maybe will update my own FAQ again, since your were so great! :D