| Welcome to the World of Ball Jointed Dolls! |
It is a world of Inspiration and Beauty.
For the First Time Buyer (Like Me!). Some things to think about:
1) Think about what you want.
What are you looking for? A certain look? A certain body type? Do you want something realistic? Or something more
Anime style? And what size doll do you want? BJD come in sizes ranging from 4 inches to 35 inches! Do you plan to
make your dolls cloths and accessories? If you do, what size doll are you comfortable making things for? The smaller
the size the harder but less expensive. The larger the size the easier but more expensive. And what about makeup?
This is called a "face up". Do you plan to design your dolls looks yourself? Or do you want something professional? At
least for the first time? This can add to your dolls price.
2) Now Research!
Ask around! Look stuff up! Cruz the Internet! There are plenty off sites with information out there. Find them! Find
whats right for you!
Here are some that I like. But remember to always check reviews!
www.eluts.com
www.dollsoom.com
www.souldoll.com
www.dreamofdoll.com
www.doll-zone.com
www.ibgdoll.com
3) Get What Makes You Happy!
No matter how you look at it if you don't get what you REALLY want, you'll like it but it wont... It wont DO anything for
you. So look and keep looking until you find the doll that inspires you! Don't go for the doll thats cute but cheap
because thats what you can afford. Or the first cute one you find because you might find one some where else that you
like more. Look around! Window shop until you find the doll that makes you stop. Makes you think:
"That's her(or him)! That's the one!"
And who knows, the perfect BJD for you could cost as low as $100, but it could cost as high as $800. If it's more than
you can afford "right now", Save! Just save until you can afford it. And treat yourself. Reward yourself for working hard
and saving your money. Buy them some shoes, or an outfit, if your not confident in your abilities to do a Face Up, buy
the pro-default. You can always change it later.
Just get what makes you Happiest!
4) Pick a reliable source to buy from
No matter what your doll costs this is alot of money! Your Money. So always read the reviews left by other buyers before
ordering. Contact the source yourself. Ask them questions. See how long it takes them to get back to you. And always
check out their shipping! Who do they use? Depending on where the company is located and where you live the
shipping charges could be either really cheap or really expensive!
For instance: I live in the united states and I like to buy from eluts.com, which is in Korea. They use EMS shipping. So
when I buy from them the shipping costs could be anywhere from $20 to $100. It just depends on what you buy and how
much it weighs.
EMS is REALLY fast though. Once its shipped your order could be on you door step as soon as 4 days after you order
it. From Korea! And their tracking is very detailed.
5) Decide.
More to Think About.
Decide if this is something you REALLY want. Now that you've looked around, researched, found your doll and want to save
for it. You have to decide if this is a hobby you want to maintain. Even if you buy your doll at a really low price this is an
expensive hobby. And One is never enough. Now that you've thoroughly explored what this hobby and all it entails you have
to decide if its worth it to you. BJD is a fun hobby but also a big one. Cleaning, restringing, maintaining your dolls face, cloths,
shoes, accessories, storage... All this can be very expensive. So you have to decide if this is a creative outlet you want to
pursue.
This is not a short term hobby.
What are you looking for? A certain look? A certain body type? Do you want something realistic? Or something more
Anime style? And what size doll do you want? BJD come in sizes ranging from 4 inches to 35 inches! Do you plan to
make your dolls cloths and accessories? If you do, what size doll are you comfortable making things for? The smaller
the size the harder but less expensive. The larger the size the easier but more expensive. And what about makeup?
This is called a "face up". Do you plan to design your dolls looks yourself? Or do you want something professional? At
least for the first time? This can add to your dolls price.
2) Now Research!
Ask around! Look stuff up! Cruz the Internet! There are plenty off sites with information out there. Find them! Find
whats right for you!
Here are some that I like. But remember to always check reviews!
www.eluts.com
www.dollsoom.com
www.souldoll.com
www.dreamofdoll.com
www.doll-zone.com
www.ibgdoll.com
3) Get What Makes You Happy!
No matter how you look at it if you don't get what you REALLY want, you'll like it but it wont... It wont DO anything for
you. So look and keep looking until you find the doll that inspires you! Don't go for the doll thats cute but cheap
because thats what you can afford. Or the first cute one you find because you might find one some where else that you
like more. Look around! Window shop until you find the doll that makes you stop. Makes you think:
"That's her(or him)! That's the one!"
And who knows, the perfect BJD for you could cost as low as $100, but it could cost as high as $800. If it's more than
you can afford "right now", Save! Just save until you can afford it. And treat yourself. Reward yourself for working hard
and saving your money. Buy them some shoes, or an outfit, if your not confident in your abilities to do a Face Up, buy
the pro-default. You can always change it later.
Just get what makes you Happiest!
4) Pick a reliable source to buy from
No matter what your doll costs this is alot of money! Your Money. So always read the reviews left by other buyers before
ordering. Contact the source yourself. Ask them questions. See how long it takes them to get back to you. And always
check out their shipping! Who do they use? Depending on where the company is located and where you live the
shipping charges could be either really cheap or really expensive!
For instance: I live in the united states and I like to buy from eluts.com, which is in Korea. They use EMS shipping. So
when I buy from them the shipping costs could be anywhere from $20 to $100. It just depends on what you buy and how
much it weighs.
EMS is REALLY fast though. Once its shipped your order could be on you door step as soon as 4 days after you order
it. From Korea! And their tracking is very detailed.
5) Decide.
More to Think About.
Decide if this is something you REALLY want. Now that you've looked around, researched, found your doll and want to save
for it. You have to decide if this is a hobby you want to maintain. Even if you buy your doll at a really low price this is an
expensive hobby. And One is never enough. Now that you've thoroughly explored what this hobby and all it entails you have
to decide if its worth it to you. BJD is a fun hobby but also a big one. Cleaning, restringing, maintaining your dolls face, cloths,
shoes, accessories, storage... All this can be very expensive. So you have to decide if this is a creative outlet you want to
pursue.
This is not a short term hobby.
www.iplehouse.net
www.dollfairyland.com
www.leekeworld.com
www.crobidolls.com
www.resinsoul.com
www.Bobobie.com
www.dollfairyland.com
www.leekeworld.com
www.crobidolls.com
www.resinsoul.com
www.Bobobie.com
| Now That You've Thought About It And Decided You Can't Live Without A BJD... Let the Fun Begin! |
| Antique Lilac has Great Tutorials and Free Patterns on how to make Wings! |
The Story of Our Lives... (Because "Days of Our Lives" is copyrighted)
| B-J-D |
Doll Modification and Painting
Clothing
Body Blushing
Face Up/Make Up
How I Make Patterns
A Video
Dresses
Shirts
Pants
Skirts
Shorts
Jackets/Sweaters
CosPlay
Accessories
Furniture/Scenery
Jewelry
| Also Some People enjoy making Photo Stories for their Dolls. Or Stop Motion Videos. I like these a lot. So I have decided to try my hand at them! I like stop motion best but... that takes LOTS of time so I may just go with Photo Stories. But you never know. It may work out for me. |
Doll Care and Your Health
Magazine Articles I Enjoyed
- For Face-Up Removal and Protection
- This is what I use!
The Storie
The Daydreams/ Side Story