As I mentioned in my post the other day (about being recast friendly), I have slightly different feelings towards the recasting of artist dolls. In short, I'm against it.
That's not to say I'll necessarily judge people for owning recast artist dolls- I might just a tiny bit, but even then I won't exclude them or get angry. It's not my place. I would just not buy one myself.
Though I'm aware that doll companies are not large businesses like what we tend to think of "companies" as being, I think there's a significant difference between BJD companies and one-person operations. Artist dolls are made entirely by one person- or maybe a few people. They want to make something special, and it's not usually for the money that they're doing it, it's because they are artists and want to create something beautiful. Sure, artists who work for companies do that too, but there's a lot more people getting paid (the money from sales is spread thinner), and they have a regular salary. There are quite enough people buying legit dolls to keep them employed. However, artists who work for themselves must rely on their sales- they don't have definite income.
However, the argument, "if you aren't going to buy legit anyway, then they're not losing money" still does apply somewhat, so I really don't judge buyers too harshly.
Though it may not make perfect, rational sense, I just think artist dolls are extra special (all dolls are special), because of that one person's time and love going into the doll. Though I do wish artist dolls were easier to get, it makes sense that they're not. That's why I won't buy recast artist dolls- I want the doll made special with love, I want to support the artist directly and help keep them doing what they love.
I feel like I should mention, I do think there are exceptions- the only one I can think of (though there may be others) is Kinoko Juice Kiki, because it's actually impossible to buy legit if you don't plan on going to Japan to get it, or managing getting one secondhand for a crazy price. We won't be buying legit either way, whether or not recasts are available.
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Monday, December 8, 2014
Weebly?
I happened upon weebly because one of my classes is using it for our final project, and I thought it might be an option for my BJD clothing and aesthetics store/commissions center.
I made the website, but I'm not sure it'll work. I don't pay for weebly, so I can't use the business options in a store- like keeping track of how many items have sold and preventing people from buying in-stock items. I was going to post commission slots as products, but since I can't limit the number "in stock," that won't work so well. I was planning on making slots free, so that if you or I decide I'm not the right artist/craftsperson for the job, neither of us would owe the other anything- thus, I can't keep track of how many commissions I have that way. I'll have to look around more at other artists' commission methods.
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Why am I Recast-Friendly?
Being an artist, I can see how it could be confusing to people that I'm recast-friendly. How do I justify buying and supporting recasts? What are my own reasons for buying recasts? How can I be accepting of others who buy recasts?
The reason I buy recasts myself is a bit petty: I am an unemployed college student, and I really can't afford most legit dolls (I can only afford recasts, even, with birthday and holiday money). Yes, I know there are affordable ones, but I don't see the point in buying a doll that I don't love. I do plan to buy legits in the future, as I'll hopefully have some kind of job towards the end of my undergraduate studies, and after graduation it's fairly likely that I'll have a real job in my field (in which even starting rates are quite nice). I might even try to obtain legit versions of whatever recasts I've bought by then, because I want to support the sculptors since I love their work.
However, the reason I do not discriminate against those who own and buy recasts is much more altruistic. I want this hobby to be as inclusive as possible. I want the single mother who loves dolls to be able to join the hobby. I want the teenager, whose parents won't let them buy something so "frivolous" and so expensive as a legit doll, to be able to have a doll. I want people to be able to buy ball jointed dolls for their children or younger siblings without being so worried about the cost of replacement.
My little sister LOVES my dolls, and though I value Emmaline very much, whether or not she's recast, I know that if part of her gets broken, I can more easily get it replaced (though the real issue then becomes the fact that recasters can be hard to work with, considering the language barrier- but so can legit companies). I'm more nervous with my sister playing with Miu, as he's legit and just FEELS different- the resin really feels more delicate. Perhaps that's just something particular to Nobility Doll's resin, but it would also be hard to order any replacement parts.
A very important thing that informs my recast-friendly outlook is that in all aspects of life, I try my best not to judge people. I don't know the backgrounds of recast owners. I don't want to judge someone based on the fact that they might own a recast- they probably have their reasons. Sure, there are a few things I WILL judge people for: being bigoted (sexist, racist, homophobic, etc), being abusive, directly hurting other people. But, owning recasts does not fall under any of those things.
"Directly hurting other people" does not include buying recasts rather than legits, because though the legit companies do "lose" money, it's not even really "lost money." This relates to my sentiments about the music industry, as well as the media industry as a whole (movies, TV, software, books, etc). If someone buys recasts, pirates music, movies, or software, anything like that, it's not really costing the companies money. How can I say that? Well, if someone buys a recast, they probably are doing it for a reason and would not buy the legit version if that was their only option. Just like if someone pirates music, they're not "stealing" money from anyone, because they wouldn't necessarily buy the music. They could be testing it out, and if they find out that they like it, many of them choose to buy the albums, concert tickets, or band merchandise, which is all money that goes back to the company, and more importantly, the artists. Though recasting doesn't help legit artists as much as piracy helps musicians (it does, because it gets the music out to a larger population who may then want tickets and merch), the principle is the same. I've seen many recast owners talking about how they bought recasts in order to see if they wanted to invest in a legit- and many of them actually did end up buying the legit.
I own a recast (and plan to buy more) because of my own personal financial situation. I don't judge others for owning recasts, because of my morals: it's not my place to judge anyone else. I justify owning recasts because I could not buy the legit version of my doll even if it was my only option- saving up is even out of the question because I ended up needing to spend a lot of my money on food and necessities after I got to school (so if I had waited, I would not have been able to come up with the ~$500 [not including shipping] to buy a legit Minifee body and a legit Unoa faceplate and head back)- thus, neither Fairyland nor Alchemic Labo actually lost money.
I hope this clarified things a bit. I think I'll write another post about recasting of artist dolls, because that seems to be a special issue, particularly as of late.
The reason I buy recasts myself is a bit petty: I am an unemployed college student, and I really can't afford most legit dolls (I can only afford recasts, even, with birthday and holiday money). Yes, I know there are affordable ones, but I don't see the point in buying a doll that I don't love. I do plan to buy legits in the future, as I'll hopefully have some kind of job towards the end of my undergraduate studies, and after graduation it's fairly likely that I'll have a real job in my field (in which even starting rates are quite nice). I might even try to obtain legit versions of whatever recasts I've bought by then, because I want to support the sculptors since I love their work.
However, the reason I do not discriminate against those who own and buy recasts is much more altruistic. I want this hobby to be as inclusive as possible. I want the single mother who loves dolls to be able to join the hobby. I want the teenager, whose parents won't let them buy something so "frivolous" and so expensive as a legit doll, to be able to have a doll. I want people to be able to buy ball jointed dolls for their children or younger siblings without being so worried about the cost of replacement.
My little sister LOVES my dolls, and though I value Emmaline very much, whether or not she's recast, I know that if part of her gets broken, I can more easily get it replaced (though the real issue then becomes the fact that recasters can be hard to work with, considering the language barrier- but so can legit companies). I'm more nervous with my sister playing with Miu, as he's legit and just FEELS different- the resin really feels more delicate. Perhaps that's just something particular to Nobility Doll's resin, but it would also be hard to order any replacement parts.
A very important thing that informs my recast-friendly outlook is that in all aspects of life, I try my best not to judge people. I don't know the backgrounds of recast owners. I don't want to judge someone based on the fact that they might own a recast- they probably have their reasons. Sure, there are a few things I WILL judge people for: being bigoted (sexist, racist, homophobic, etc), being abusive, directly hurting other people. But, owning recasts does not fall under any of those things.
"Directly hurting other people" does not include buying recasts rather than legits, because though the legit companies do "lose" money, it's not even really "lost money." This relates to my sentiments about the music industry, as well as the media industry as a whole (movies, TV, software, books, etc). If someone buys recasts, pirates music, movies, or software, anything like that, it's not really costing the companies money. How can I say that? Well, if someone buys a recast, they probably are doing it for a reason and would not buy the legit version if that was their only option. Just like if someone pirates music, they're not "stealing" money from anyone, because they wouldn't necessarily buy the music. They could be testing it out, and if they find out that they like it, many of them choose to buy the albums, concert tickets, or band merchandise, which is all money that goes back to the company, and more importantly, the artists. Though recasting doesn't help legit artists as much as piracy helps musicians (it does, because it gets the music out to a larger population who may then want tickets and merch), the principle is the same. I've seen many recast owners talking about how they bought recasts in order to see if they wanted to invest in a legit- and many of them actually did end up buying the legit.
I own a recast (and plan to buy more) because of my own personal financial situation. I don't judge others for owning recasts, because of my morals: it's not my place to judge anyone else. I justify owning recasts because I could not buy the legit version of my doll even if it was my only option- saving up is even out of the question because I ended up needing to spend a lot of my money on food and necessities after I got to school (so if I had waited, I would not have been able to come up with the ~$500 [not including shipping] to buy a legit Minifee body and a legit Unoa faceplate and head back)- thus, neither Fairyland nor Alchemic Labo actually lost money.
I hope this clarified things a bit. I think I'll write another post about recasting of artist dolls, because that seems to be a special issue, particularly as of late.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Soon: Commissions!
It's been a while since I've posted! Getting adjusted to college life is harder than I had expected, but I'm getting there.
I've decided that I'd like to open commissions for doll clothing and accessories as soon as possible! In order to do this, I'm setting up a flickr account specifically for my portfolio, creating a facebook page, and I'll be editing this blog to feature links for information. I'll also be opening some kind of a store- I have an etsy, but I need to figure out something that would work for reserving commission openings (I'll look around at what other faceup/etc artists use).
Hopefully, it won't be more than a month before it's all set to start!
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Working on a Problem-
I'm aware that my images keep not working for some reason! I think this is because I'm using Google Drive to host them rather than downloading them and reuploading straight to the blog. It's a real hassle to download from Google Drive so that the photos end up in the right place in my file system... but that's what I'll have to do. In the meantime, I apologize!
Emmaline's Faceup and Tattoo Progress
I thought I'd post what I've done with Emmaline so far! I've used about three layers of pastels to blush her face and to add colour to her tattoos, and acrylic paint for eyeliner. I'm waiting for my coloured pencils to come! I also need to buy more red paint- I'm all out.
I might actually remove the moon part since it's closely related to Vahrun's character and story, and I think I want to keep it just a four seasons tree anyway. I want to do a moon-themed piece elsewhere anyway >u<
So that's it for now! I'll upload more when I've done more work on her.
 |
| First two layers of pastels |
 |
| Added colour to her tattoo- original owner, Vahrun, did all the linework here |
 |
| Added colour to her tattoo- original owner did all the linework here |
 |
| Added linework for the outline of the leaves |
 |
| Added eyeliner, with her new eyes in! |
 |
| I think I'll remove most of the bottom liner though- it's too dark for her. |
 |
| I think I just want her to have top eyeliner- more natural on the bottom, and cutesy |
Friday, August 22, 2014
Dolly Shoe Review: Eden Doll
Pink Lace-Up Booties
Seller: Eden Doll (eden.doll)
Product Name: MSD 1/4 Fashion Ankle Boots [Pink]
Price: $13.50
Price: $13.50
Shipping: $2.80
Shipping/processing time (to Massachusetts from China): 13 days (including a weekend)
These shoes were described as having an inner length of 5.9 cm- the seller noted that they are "a little bit smaller size than normal." I thought this would be good, of course! I measured them, and they seem to indeed be around 5.9 cm.
The shoes are also available in several other colours- I had a hard time choosing!
They're still pretty big on Emmaline, but you can't tell that her feet are swimming in them because of the cut! As with the green shoes, they look adorable from the front.
The shoes are also available in several other colours- I had a hard time choosing!
They're still pretty big on Emmaline, but you can't tell that her feet are swimming in them because of the cut! As with the green shoes, they look adorable from the front.
However, like the green ones (though I think to a lesser extent), they look a little out of proportion from the side.
A little detail I thought was pretty cute was the bottom of the shoe!
Another little thing that was cute their business card (shown in my first picture): it had a fan printed on one side, and below it, it said: "Please cut along the line to get a mini paper fan." The paper is nice and sparkly, with flowers on it.
Overall, I'm very happy with this purchase. I like how they fit Emmaline- they're a little too long, but they look nice otherwise and it's harder to tell that they're too big. The shoes are made well and with good quality materials. I think I'll replace the laces with tiny ribbon, but that's not an issue! The twine they used does look like shoe laces.
The price was definitely reasonable, considering the great quality of the item.
The description was completely accurate, and they look just like they do in the seller's photos.
The shipping time was good, and I feel the charges were reasonable.
I would definitely order from this shop again!
A little detail I thought was pretty cute was the bottom of the shoe!
Another little thing that was cute their business card (shown in my first picture): it had a fan printed on one side, and below it, it said: "Please cut along the line to get a mini paper fan." The paper is nice and sparkly, with flowers on it.
Overall, I'm very happy with this purchase. I like how they fit Emmaline- they're a little too long, but they look nice otherwise and it's harder to tell that they're too big. The shoes are made well and with good quality materials. I think I'll replace the laces with tiny ribbon, but that's not an issue! The twine they used does look like shoe laces.
The price was definitely reasonable, considering the great quality of the item.
The description was completely accurate, and they look just like they do in the seller's photos.
The shipping time was good, and I feel the charges were reasonable.
I would definitely order from this shop again!
Dolly Shoe Review: Evasdoll
Recently, I bought two pairs of doll shoes on ebay, so I thought I would review them! They came from two different sellers, so I'll do it in two parts.
Seller: evasdoll
Product Name: "1/4BJD Boots/Shoes Supper dollfie MSD Luts green new #S85-2"
Price: $19.99
Shipping: Free
Shipping/processing time (to Massachusetts from China): 8 days (including a weekend)
Despite Emmaline's tiny moe-line feet, I decided to try these shoes. Her feet are officially measured by Fairyland at 4.5 cm (my measurement is about 4.25, but I was using official measurements as I ordered them before I got her). These shoes were described as having an inner length of 6 cm- a bit too big for Emmaline's adorable little feet, but I thought they were too cute to pass up. I'd eventually be buying or making her some socks anyway.
I measured the inner length of the shoes myself, and the seller's measurement seems to have been right on. They just look so much bigger on her than I expected! Her feet are kind of drowning in them. This, of course, is my own fault and not that of the seller! They were 100% honest and accurate when describing their product.
They're pretty cute from the front, especially if I stuff them with a little quilt batting so her feet don't sink down into them so far, but I think they're just a bit too long compared with her leg length!
Overall, however, I am very happy with my purchase! Even though they don't fit my doll the best, I was expecting that. Otherwise, they're made well and with good quality materials.
It was hard for me to spend twenty bucks on a pair of tiny shoes, when I only spend around five to ten dollars on a pair of shoes for me (unless they're very special!). However, I realized that the doll shoes out there that are being sold for only slightly less than that are of considerably worse quality. So, I decided to splurge (yes, $20 is a splurge...) and buy some nice shoes. I guess, considering the doll shoe market, $20 is perfectly competitive.
The description was completely accurate, and they look in person just like they do in the seller's pictures.
The shipping time was amazing: they arrived 11 days before the first predicted arrival date! 8 days is great, internationally, especially since there was a weekend included in that time period.
I would definitely buy from this shop again! Just, maybe I'll try some YoSD shoes next time. >u<
Light Green and White Bow Shoes
 |
| I decided to try using a backdrop- I don't want to keep looking messy! >u< |
Product Name: "1/4BJD Boots/Shoes Supper dollfie MSD Luts green new #S85-2"
Price: $19.99
Shipping: Free
Shipping/processing time (to Massachusetts from China): 8 days (including a weekend)
 |
| Emmaline modeling the shoes |
Despite Emmaline's tiny moe-line feet, I decided to try these shoes. Her feet are officially measured by Fairyland at 4.5 cm (my measurement is about 4.25, but I was using official measurements as I ordered them before I got her). These shoes were described as having an inner length of 6 cm- a bit too big for Emmaline's adorable little feet, but I thought they were too cute to pass up. I'd eventually be buying or making her some socks anyway.
I measured the inner length of the shoes myself, and the seller's measurement seems to have been right on. They just look so much bigger on her than I expected! Her feet are kind of drowning in them. This, of course, is my own fault and not that of the seller! They were 100% honest and accurate when describing their product.
 |
| The proportion looks a bit off from the side... |
 |
| Without quilt batting, her feet sink in! |
 |
| Standing from the side... |
Overall, however, I am very happy with my purchase! Even though they don't fit my doll the best, I was expecting that. Otherwise, they're made well and with good quality materials.
It was hard for me to spend twenty bucks on a pair of tiny shoes, when I only spend around five to ten dollars on a pair of shoes for me (unless they're very special!). However, I realized that the doll shoes out there that are being sold for only slightly less than that are of considerably worse quality. So, I decided to splurge (yes, $20 is a splurge...) and buy some nice shoes. I guess, considering the doll shoe market, $20 is perfectly competitive.
The description was completely accurate, and they look in person just like they do in the seller's pictures.
The shipping time was amazing: they arrived 11 days before the first predicted arrival date! 8 days is great, internationally, especially since there was a weekend included in that time period.
I would definitely buy from this shop again! Just, maybe I'll try some YoSD shoes next time. >u<
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
My Dolls
Here are my current ball jointed dolls~
I got him as a graduation gift from my mom in June 2014.
I bought her second hand in August 2014. I'm her fourth owner, I believe! I think she has finally found a home with me. She is based off of a character I made for the story I'm writing. I'm still waiting for my MSC to come so I can repaint her! Her wig is still a work in progress.
I bought her in 2013, some time around December I think. This is actually an old photo of her- I haven't gotten around to getting any good ones of her new faceup!
Miu
Miu is a Nobility Doll Miu! I liked his sculpt name, so I kept it. >u<
I got him as a graduation gift from my mom in June 2014.
Emmaline
Emmaline is a recast Unoa Lusis head on a recast Minifee Moe Line body. She was made in light tan resin.
I bought her second hand in August 2014. I'm her fourth owner, I believe! I think she has finally found a home with me. She is based off of a character I made for the story I'm writing. I'm still waiting for my MSC to come so I can repaint her! Her wig is still a work in progress.
Freya
Freya is a Hujoo Freya (as was the case with Miu, the sculpt name stuck!). She's made out of ABS plastic, not resin, but she's still a ball jointed doll, so I thought I'd include her!
I bought her in 2013, some time around December I think. This is actually an old photo of her- I haven't gotten around to getting any good ones of her new faceup!
Welcome to My World
Hello~
I've decided to start a new blog here, specifically for my ball jointed dolls, related crafting, tutorials, and reviews relevant to the hobby!
My name is Nephaelia (you can call me Neph if you like). I've just begun to get into the BJD hobby. I got my first ABS plastic BJD in 2013, my first resin BJD in June 2014, and my first MSD in August 2014.
I am recast friendly! Every recast owner has a reason, and it's none of my business to judge where someone bought a doll, how much it cost, or why they chose to purchase it.
Before getting into BJDs, I repainted Monster High dolls, and I'm still into working on them- they may show up here as well as my ball jointed friends. I'm into many different forms of art, including sewing, painting, crafting props, jewelry making, and photography.
I'm far from being an expert on any of these things- I'm still learning ways to improve my faceups and crafts. Sometime in the not-too-distant future, I want to open an online store for doll clothes and accessories, but I want to get more practice first! Maybe, someday, I'll even take faceup or blushing commissions!
Thanks for visiting my blog! More posts will come soon.
I've decided to start a new blog here, specifically for my ball jointed dolls, related crafting, tutorials, and reviews relevant to the hobby!
My name is Nephaelia (you can call me Neph if you like). I've just begun to get into the BJD hobby. I got my first ABS plastic BJD in 2013, my first resin BJD in June 2014, and my first MSD in August 2014.
I am recast friendly! Every recast owner has a reason, and it's none of my business to judge where someone bought a doll, how much it cost, or why they chose to purchase it.
Before getting into BJDs, I repainted Monster High dolls, and I'm still into working on them- they may show up here as well as my ball jointed friends. I'm into many different forms of art, including sewing, painting, crafting props, jewelry making, and photography.
I'm far from being an expert on any of these things- I'm still learning ways to improve my faceups and crafts. Sometime in the not-too-distant future, I want to open an online store for doll clothes and accessories, but I want to get more practice first! Maybe, someday, I'll even take faceup or blushing commissions!
Thanks for visiting my blog! More posts will come soon.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)