#for the bjd one i've been out of the community for a few years now so i'd have to research

[psychoticwillgraham]

yknow how they say 'write what you know'? well i thought of a hannigram oneshot that's SO niche concept wise that it's pretty much just a thing for me, which is a doll collector au, specifically ball jointed dolls where they're both collectors and first meet at a local meetup. i just want an opportunity to yap about bjd's and work my blorbos into it ok. or a version where they both collect fashion dolls and hannibal does doll customs and will makes disturbing horror sculptures out of old dolls. is this anything.

[fairykukla]

People drama, doll drama.

Many years ago, when I got into the BJD community, I met a lot of fun local people. When we decided to create an event, some of those people volunteered to help.

And I noticed right away that there were specific social circles. Not really cliques, but there was a specific person who had volunteered who seemed to repel some of those circles.

Now, I'm a big fan of adopting "misfit toys". I prefer the company of unusual people. I hate clique behaviour, and I do my best to be inclusive. I've made some amazing friends by reaching out to people who the crowd wanted to push out.

So I didn't think any more about it, assuming that the other social circles were being snobby.

(this gets long, but feel free to peruse the drama below)

But here's the thing; this one specific person was very toxic. This person was clearly struggling with some mental health issues, and would abruptly throw a temper tantrum over unpredictable shit. They were extremely emotionally manipulative, and would regress to childlike behaviour at strange times. Several members of the group tried to get closer to this person, and they had a series of "defenders."

But it wasn't helping. The reason why it was a series of defenders is because they'd get close to somebody and then start emotionally manipulating them.

And this person was representing our events in the world.

I finally spoke to my people and indicated that I have a new policy; if this person throws a tantrum, we need to be very gentle, and say, "We understand that you're going through something. Go ahead and take a few minutes to compose yourself. There's a quiet space over here where you can take all the time you need, and then you can come back and play with us when you're ready. We understand getting overwhelmed, so we will be happy to welcome you back once you are calm again."

This is toddler tantrum 101. One of our members was a teacher, and had run several preschool programs as well. "Why didn't I think of that?" She asked. I told her it was because we all assumed that this person was an adult; but this was toddler behaviour.

So that's what we did. And the "quiet space" was universally loved because *anyone* could go take a moment! Once this person realized that they couldn't monopolize the group with their issues, they stopped wanting to participate in meets.

I finally spoke with this person privately, and shared some of my personal information with them. Suffice to say, they were very much bothered by some of the things that make up my life and personality, and gracefully withdrew from the group.

And then tried to trash us online, which I was prepared for. I suppose was a good thing because people saw that this person had blown up yet another friend group and was no longer in our company.

This person had very distinctive dolls, with lots of dark themes and very amateurish face ups. This person also had a constant influx of new dolls despite complaining about their meager income.

It's been a good long while since I've spoken to this person.

I just spotted their dolls posted for sale online. Some of the folks are listed under the make and sculpt name, but most are listed like the person doesn't know what they are.

And I'm really torn about whether I want to try to rescue some of those poor dolls and fix their face ups and whatnot, and being afraid of associating with this person ever again. I'm also mildly concerned that there's drama lurking here; did the person have a shitty break up and their partner is selling their dolls? Did they leave the dolls behind when a roommate kicked them out? Did someone steal the dolls? Are the dolls being sold by a family member because something happened to this person?

Yikes!

[meanae]

Heya! You seem like the main authority on bjd I know of, so I figured you might be the person to ask...

Does anyone in the community have any good resources for making/sculpting your own doll? I've had a specific dragon in my mind for years now, but (dragons not being popular for some reason and the main makers having all but vanished), there aren't many places to look. None of the offered models were quite what I wanted, either—mine wasn't a feral dragon, quite, but not as on the humanoid side as most dragon anthros are. So I figured I'd try making one, though I have little idea where to start on that. I know a bit of 3d modeling, but not actual sculpting with my hands, so is casting off a good printed model a thing? Are there any resources for what kind of joints would be needed, especially when working with a non-human doll like a dragon tail or wings? She's been a beloved oc for years now, so I wanted her doll to BE her and not a repaint of anything else, but usually my work sticks to digital media so I'm a little lost porting her to a physical object, lol

Anyway, hope you have an awesome day! Your collection of dolls is gorgeous and I love the work you've done on the customs you've shared here

Hey there! these are a lot of questions, lets see where to start... First off - don't (ever) let the hobby intimidate you into not doing what you want to do. Making your own doll is a huge task with a steep learning curve, especially when it comes to joints. As for resources in general, I unfortunately don't have any links at hand. There's the BJD Sculptors group on facebook, and I know that there are a few videos on youtube from doll people on how to make joints in blender and similar programs.

Casting from a 3D print is a thing, yes! You'll have to print, sand and prime the doll beforehand though, or go through a caster who does that for you (like FantasyDoll!). If you plan to make the doll only for yourself though, I wouldn't bother with casting; 3D printed dolls are a thing, as Frapzilla proved (or Eve the cat studio, or Elleodolls..).

There is no 'you need this joint' guide on 4-(or more) legged dolls. Most, if not all joints are basically a sphere in a concave space; it really depends on the design and the kind of movement you want that determines the final shape. Maybe take a look at Dreamvalleys Dragons?

I absolutely recommend sketching out the full doll first to get a feel for proportions before diving into sculpting/jointing. Otherwise you'll have to adjust things later on, and while that's not that annoying in 3D, it's an absolute pain with real sculpting... speaking from experience here x.x I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any more questions :)

[thorn-amidst-roses]

your BJD, wildrose, is beautiful. i've been meaning to buy a bjd for a while and youve inspired me to finally do it. do u have any advice for a first time buyer?

Thanks!! And yeah, of course. :)It helps to do a TON of research first - figure out what kind of doll you want (material, size, style). This can actually be the hardest part, so reading up on the pros and cons of different dolls and asking yourself questions is a great place to start. Do you like bigger dolls, but you want to carry them around and worry about their weight? Then vinyl dolls like Dollfie Dream or Granado Vindoll might be perfect!There’s a ton of different styles now compared to back when it was pretty much just “Anime or Semi-Realistic”, so the best thing to do is join a community like DoA and FB to look at pictures. If you see a sculpt you like, ask the owner about it! This can also introduce you to some new or lesser-known makers.If you want a doll to represent an OC or character you like, posting pictures or descriptions to the community can also help find dolls that resemble them.Also, decide how much you’re willing to do for yourself, or commission later on. You can buy dolls in any state from completely bare, to naked with a faceup, to fullsets that will include wigs and full outfits.Once you’ve got an idea of what kind of doll you’re looking for, set a budget for yourself and start shopping. If you see a doll you love, but it’s a bit outside of your budget, try checking out secondhand markets or posting WTB threads - you can get some good deals that way especially if you’re willing/able to do a little work later on to clean up a doll with some issues.If you find a doll you want online, make sure to research the website! Doll makers usually have their own website just for their dolls, but some won’t sell to certain countries, or have dealers in your country who can offer perks like cheaper shipping and layaway. If you’re in the US, here’s a few places to check out that carry a wide number of brands for you to browse:BJDivas -  Home of the 12-month layaway, and they’re constantly adding new brands!Denver Doll Emporium - Great service, and they often get exclusive deals with Fairyland.The Junky Spot - Smaller selection, but they deal with lower-priced dolls, and vinyl dolls like Parabox and Obitsu.Doll Peddlar - They carry a bit of everything!Fabric Friends and Dolls - I haven’t purchased from here personally, but I see them recommended a lot.Alice’s Collections - I think they’re actually based out of China, but they’re absolutely wonderful to work with and carry a wide variety of dolls and lower-priced clothing.Outside of these, be sure to check any shop you find - a lot of shady sellers pose as legit shops, and if the price looks too good to be true, it probably is. The communities are always happy to vet a store, no one wants to see a newbie get ripped off. Be careful on sites like eBay and AliExpress, a lot of the listings are fake - but some legitimate companies like Dollmore DO use eBay. When in doubt, ask for help!After you’ve found your doll and purchased it, the last bit of advice is to settle in for a loooong wait unless you’ve bought secondhand. You can guess about how long that might be based on the company’s track record - some will take a month, and some, like Dollshe, are notorious for sometimes taking a year or more! The important thing to remember is that these are specialty goods, made WHEN you order (and if you get layaway, sometimes production doesn’t start until the doll is fully paid off!), and if you order during a discount or freebie event, the wait may be a bit longer because the companies get slammed.On that note, do try to be patient - it’s common for people to call BJD shops “companies”, but often times it’s just one or a few artists running the whole show.When you finally get your doll, the last thing I’d recommend is to give it a careful look-over, make sure it wasn’t damaged in shipping - if you have any questions about what is or isn’t normal for that company, again, the community can help answer those questions. Doll companies are most often very willing to help if there was an accident in transit, but you need to let them know ASAP!After that, that’s it, you’re done. :) Enjoy your doll!