BJD Forums, Photostories and more 'weird' doll behavior
The BJD community is certainly an interesting one and I learned about some new things when I got involved with dolls. I had never been on a forum, never heard of a Photostory, and I had no idea what Pullips, Pinky St or Dollfie Dreams were. There was a lot to learn! Luckily you have this handy guide. :P Use these buttons to navigate or scroll all the way to the bottom to learn about dolls related to BJDs.
FORUMS
Ball Joint Dolls have many fans all over the world. We gather together to discuss new dolls, modifications, conventions and meetups. The groups that we gather in to do that are online and they are called forums.
The largest (and oldest!) English-speaking BJD forum is Den of Angels. It is worldwide with about 45,000 members. It has a wiki, newbie area, marketplace, company reviews, owner photos, a feedback area (and scammer alerts!), galleries you can post your photos in, and loads of other useful resources.
The next largest online group of BJD fans is the BJD Addicts group on Facebook with around 9,000 members. Your membership must be approved by a moderator.
Dollchemy is a much smaller forum that includes BJDs and related dolls. Although it is small, it's friendly and informative. It requires an intro thread to be posted to gain access.
Dollieh Sanctuary is a smaller forum that includes a wider variety of dolls. You do need to register to gain access.
Idollization is a smaller forum that includes some other toys. You do need to register to gain access.
Our Indianapolis-based doll group has a Facebook group so that's here too. Visitors from other areas are welcome. Your membership must be approved by a moderator.
((ALL OF THE OTHER FORUMS I KNOW OF, CLOSED. If you know of any others, contact me and I will post them as well.))
Click on this box to go Join
How Do Forums Work?
Forums are not as complicated as they look! Think of the forum as a whole as if it were a tree. The subforums are the "main branches" or the biggest sections of the tree. Sprouting off from each subforum, there are "smaller branches" or threads. A Thread is a specific topic of discussion carried on, in order, by posts or the "leaves" of the tree. A forum can have many more (or less!) subforums and threads than this, but you get the idea, right?
Forum Behavior
Being a member of a forum means several things: being polite to the other members, first of all. Here are some basic forum rules, if you've never been a member of a forum before.
SEARCH -> Search for an answer to your question. Whatever it is, it has likely been asked before. Duplicate threads on the same topic make more work for moderators.
BE POLITE -> Imagine you're asking your question to the little old lady at the library. Don't curse, be rude or use explicit terms. If you have to reference a body part, use a euphemism. (For example: Say 'ween' or 'crotch area' instead of D**K or P***S. There are very young people, grandmothers, and everyone in between on these boards, so use your best manners.
DON'T SPAM -> A lot of forums have post count requirements to access other areas like their Marketplace. Make them count; don't just post a smiley emoticon and think that is a post. Contribute something, even if it is just your opinion.
STAY ON TOPIC -> Forums are created to discuss a certain subject and only that subject. This is not the place for personal details or information about anything except that subject. Many forums are divided into subforums to keep all of the threads better organized. When posting a new thread, make sure that it is on topic and in the right subforum.
READ THE RULES -> Most forums have their own special rules, so read those first. Some forums or "boards" only accept certain kinds of dolls, while others accept all kinds. It's important to know what is acceptable on each forum so that you don't lose your membership.
Group Orders, Commissions, Splits & Trades
There are a couple of practices that take place on forums that I was not familiar with when I got into BJDs like Group Orders.
A Group Order is when several (or many!) people get together and pool their money to make one order with a company. This is done for a couple of reasons: EMS shipping is very expensive. If you can get several orders together in one box, then you only have to pay one smaller shipping fee instead. Also, sometimes a doll company or artist will only make one batch of a certain kind of head or doll and sell them all at once. A good example of this is the Minimee heads: You could have any head in the world you wanted made, but you had to order at least 10 of them. No matter how much you love a head, no one needs 10 of the exact same head, thus a group order is made.
A Commission is when you send your doll to another BJD owner and pay them to modify it for you. You can also commission clothes/props/etc but most commissions are for modifications including faceups. There are some VERY, very talented faceup artists out there who get $100-$200 (and up!) for each faceup that they paint for other people and they are (arguably) worth it. If you don't feel confident in your ability to perform a mod, commission someone else to do it!
A Split is when two or more people buy one doll together and split up the parts. The two most common splits are Head/Body and in the case of a fullset, Head/Body/Outfit. Because it is one order, one person must have all the money and make the order and have it shipped to them. It is then that person's job to make sure that everyone gets the parts that they want.
A Trade is exactly what it sounds like: two people exchange dolls or doll goods of equal/semi-equal amounts, usually at the same time. This is arguably the most risky practice in BJD Culture.
All of these types of transactions require a lot of trust. ALWAYS research the person that you are commissioning BEFORE you send money. This kind of "sale of service" can and does go wrong. It can and does also go wonderfully for many people. Don't forget, it's okay to tell someone you don't want to work with them because they have no feedback or bad feedback. It's your doll so be careful.
Below is a VERY short list of some AMAZING faceup artists; there are many more as well.
Forum Marketplaces
Forum Marketplaces are incredible resources if you can follow the rules and do your research. You can often buy secondhand dolls, (sometimes at reduced prices!) or clothes, eyes, etc. This is also how you will find customizers, seamstresses and even wig makers that cater to BJDs. Follow some basic rules and you can buy, sell and commission with relative ease.
How to recognize/post a good sales post:
-> First, read the rules for buying/selling on that particular forum and note if they have any specific requirements.
-> At least a few CLEAR, well lit photos that show the condition of the doll and any damage, up close. The more, the better.
-> Description includes Company Name, Mold, Skin Color, Price. If not in size-specific subforum/group, state size as well.
-> Price...I cannot stress this enough. Either name a set price or put it on Ebay. Do not ask people to PM you "offers"**.
-> IF there is damage or yellowing, it is noted; it's best to document this with CLEAR, well-lit photos.
-> Additional fees are noted clearly such as shipping or PayPal fees. *
-> Do Not buy or sell a doll that is not in the Seller's possession as the time of sale. (exception: Splits, see above.)
-> If the doll is a recast, the ad should CLEARLY state this.
-> If possible, the doll should be shown next to another doll, and/or with a small piece of paper that has (handwritten) the seller's name and the date.
-> A specific shipping date (or window of dates) is given in the ad.
*Sellers are not supposed to charge PayPal fees to customers under PayPal User Agreement, but some still do anyway.
**Unless it is a very damaged doll, and even then it's still better to give a price range.
BJD CULTURE
The BJD community has it's own culture, truly. Here are some of the terms and behaviors you'll commonly see and become familiar with in this hobby. I'd like to stress that NOT ALL owners do/feel these things. It's perfectly normal to find your own favorite ways to enjoy your dolls, but these are some of the most common:
Bonding
Bonding is the process of accepting and styling a doll to your preferences; for some people this is emotional, for others it's just a question of finding the right style or faceup to fit their doll. Bonding is different for everyone: Some people feel it right away, and sometimes it takes months to bond with a doll. Not all owners bond, but many do.
Profile
A profile usually lists the character's name, what kind of doll they are (and perhaps wig and eye specs), and some (brief) interesting details about their character such as age and backstory.
Backstory
A backstory is what happened before your doll came to you. It can be as realistic as a Mom and her kids or as fantastic as a Demon Mage battling against Unicorns and Dragons. Back stories can be as simple or as complicated as you'd like, and can contain as many (or as few) characters as you want.
Character
Dolls are often given personalities by their owners. It is very easy to assign a character or personality to a BJD because they are so lifelike and can be almost as different as humans are. Some people create characters and then buy dolls to fit those characters, but some people fall in love with a doll and then create the character to fit the doll. This can be done before or after the doll arrives, depending on which you prefer. This can be as simple as, "My doll's name is Loli. She is a goth girl." or all the way up to elaborate novel-length stories. A doll's character is often used to decide what they would wear and how they would pose, etc. Sometimes a doll's character is based on a real character such as a manga hero, rock star, book character or even a celebrity. Just as often, the owner makes up the character themself. The first thing that a character needs is a name, just like a pet needs a name. Then an age, race and ethnicity need to be determined. After that, it's pretty much wide open. Some people don't do any more than that and some people write pages upon pages exploring the character they have created including likes and dislikes as well as important events in their character's life or things that make them special. Some people even give them families and lovers, which may or may not be represented by other BJDs.
Meetups
Meetups are how fellow BJD owners get to know one another. Forums are often used to arrange these meetings to collectors but they are often open to new people, as long as they are respectful. (There are some invite-only BJD clubs, but you likely won't even hear about them if you are not invited.) Many meetups are in cafes, coffeehouses, bookstores, parks and even peoples' homes. Follow some simple rules and you will be well on your way to making friends in the BJD hobby.
#1 - DO NOT touch, pick up, or photograph someone else's doll without their permission!
#2 - Wash your hands before touching dolls.
#3 - Be very careful when you do touch a doll. Do not to touch the faceup, at all.
#4 - Ask Questions.
#5 - Have fun!
Meetup Tips
Don't undress dolls in public.
Don't ask how much they cost.
Keep it about dolls, especially your 1st meet.
Keep food and drink away from dolls!
Confession Blogs
Confession blogs are one of the less pretty sides of the BJD hobby. They tend to flourish on Tumblr because of their laxer rules and the ease of anonymity. If you want to read the National Enquirer of BJD hate...click the button. I suggest skipping it though since that "blog" has ruined the hobby for more than one person.
PHOTOSTORIES
Probably the most common BJD behavior that you will see is Photostories. A PhotoStory is told by taking pictures and describing what is happening in them or by writing what each character says. Here is an example of a very basic photostory:
INSERT PHOTOSTORY HERE
The best photostories include essential elements like good character development, interesting storyline, well lit photos, realistic dialog and interesting props, poses or backgrounds.
The first thing that you should do when writing a photostory is to decide what is going to happen, how it affects the characters and how you are going to show it with your photos. Hopefully your pictures can tell a story alone and your writing is interesting enough to read without pictures so that when you combine the photos with the story, you have something really fun. The two most important things are the photos and the story. So we will tackle them separately. First the story part...
-Are your characters well developed? Do you have a good sense of how they would react to other characters or situations?
-Is there a plot or story you are trying to tell?
-Are there elements of a good story such as humor or suspense? Do your characters learn a lesson or succeed at something?
-Is there anything fun, sad or interesting happening?
-Are your characters reacting true to their personality in both action and speech?
-Is the story too long or too short?
-If your story is in chapters, can each chapter stand alone and be interesting by itself?
-Is everything spelled properly and does the story make sense?
-Is there a beginning, a middle and an end (or cliffhanger end)?
-If your story is fanfiction or written by/strongly inspired by someone else's work, is there due credit given?
The other part of a photostory is the pictures that you take. There are a lot of things you need to take into consideration when creating a photostory; like your lighting and set when taking photos. The best photos are well lit, focused and in an appropriate background. You don't want to have the perfect story illustrated with photos that are grainy or very pretty except for silly background things like your cat's bum or your dirty laundry. You can draw up a storyboard beforehand to help you lay out how you want your photos to look or to plan the physical actions that happen in the story. If the story is set in a doll-scale environment, make sure everything is in scale; that means if almost everything is in doll size, then don't take photos of them with your people size stuff, either using it or in the background. It's fine to take photos of dolls with people things, but they can really ruin a story set in a doll world. Whether you choose to use doll size or people size for your story, stick to it.
It's important that the characters in the story emote, or show their feelings. Twenty pictures of your doll in the same pose from different angles is not a good photostory. Change their pose and position to other items in the picture such as other dolls or furniture. Think about it...when you talk to your friends, do you stand stock sill and never move the entire time? Consider the composition as well; a character that is going through a bad time probably won't be smiling and centered in a photo. Likewise, a character who is experiencing something good isn't likely to be off to the side with their head down or facing away from the light. Your doll does not always have to be the exact center of the photo, and this is another element that you can use to inject some emotion into your photostory. You want your readers to be able to feel what you are expressing instead of you just telling them. Posing is also important so that it can eliminate the need for boring text such as "She touched his face" or "He turned his back". 'Show, don't tell' is a good maxim to live by when shooting a photostory.
A few last tips:
Use as much dialog as you need for each photo so that you don't have to post a very similar photo just to finish the writing part.
Funny goes a long way.
Make sure that what's happening in the story is what's happening in the photos as well.
Plan on taking a lot of pictures that you won't use and only use the best ones.
Don't be afraid to try something different, because the whole point of BJDs is to be creative.
Set up shots you like and then shot them from a variety of angles and distances, you may be surprised how interesting some photos can turn out when you try new things.
Make sure that your doll stays in character throughout the whole story and is the same character in all following stories except for character development.
Just keep in mind that none of these are hard and fast rules, but guidelines to writing a good photostory. The only real rule is that you have fun with your doll. After all, if you aren't having fun, what's the point?
YOUR DOLL SITE
Once you shoot your photostory (or even just photos!), you can choose one of several ways to share it with the world or keep it to yourself. Many doll owners choose to share, so the question then becomes how to share. This is usually decided based on two or three factors: what you want to share, cost and upkeep.
The cheapest and easiest option is just to host your photos on a service. There are many sites where you can do this for free and you can upgrade to a paid account for extra features. You can share your photos or keep them private. Some services allow you to build albums or sets to keep groups of photos separate from each other. You can also choose to post these photos on forums or blogs if you choose. There is little to no maintenance required to host photos other than uploading them.
The next option is a doll journal. Again, there are many sites that offer this service for free. You can pay for extra features or photo hosting on many of these sites although some do host photos for free as well. Since keeping a journal is less intensive, and can be cheaper, many owners go this route. A doll journal is often written from the viewpoint of the character, but some are not. A journal (or blog) often contains stories, photos and tidbits about the character. A journal does not have to be updated regularly, but it's more common than not.
The other option is to create a website. You can find some free hosts, but in my experience, they can be difficult to find. A better choice if you want to build a website would be a paid service. A doll site does not need to be extensive or complicated, but some are. Websites can be from either perspective as well, but are more commonly designed to be the owner's. Websites require the most in terms of upkeep and cost.
MORE RESOURCES
All of these links are excellent, but this one has the most tutorials in the most areas. For more specific information, check the more specialized sites below:
PHOTO EDITING
OTHER
RELATED DOLLS
Often in this hobby you may hear about or see other kinds of dolls, especially on forums and at meetups. Almost all of these dolls are vinyl or plastic, not resin. Most, but not all, are 1/6th or 27cm, similar to Barbie. Here are some of the dolls that cross over into the bjd hobby the most:
DOLLFIE & DOLLFIE PLUS
Volks makes these tiny, vinyl cuties. They are not the same thing as a Super Dollfie. Dollfies are 27cm tall, and are similar in size and purpose to a Barbie and cost around $20. Dollfie Plus is very similar except that it comes with a resin head instead of vinyl. Dollfie Plus costs about $20 as well. Dollfie and Dollfie Plus are cute and are a good substitution for younger BJD fans as well as artists who just want a figure for illustration. They are NOT true resin BJDs, but they can still be fun. For more information about Dollfie and Dollfie Plus, please visit the link below:
DOLLFIE DREAM I, II & III, DOLLFIE DREAM DYNAMITE, DOLLFIE DREAM SISTER, MINI DOLLFIE DREAM
Volks makes all of these dolls as well. Dollfie Dream is a little different. DD is a vinyl 60cm doll. It costs about $200-$250. There are several versions now. Sometimes BJD owners temporarily use DD bodies for their extra heads. Some people even use them on a permanent basis. They are a cheaper option, but again they are not the same as a Super Dollfie. Dollfie Dream also has a competitor called Obitsu that is very similar, except that it is made by another company. Dollfie Dream have vinyl optional heads that work with their bodies. Some have open eye holes similar to a resin head and some have closed eyes that use decals or stickers for eyes instead. You could alternatively paint your own eyes on the closed eye heads. You can buy some optional parts for these dolls.
OBITSU
Obitsu are similar to Volks vinyl Dollfie lines. They offer a variety of sizes, heads and optional parts.
MOMOKO
Momoko is another 27cm vinyl doll. She is a Japanese fashion doll similar to Barbie.
BLYTHE & PULLIP
Pullip & Blythe are 27cm plastic dolls with good poseablity. They have huge heads that contain special eye mechanisms.
PINKY ST.
Pinky St. is all the rage with it's tiny interchangeable parts and limited releases. Pinky St. are very small, but very cute!
MONSTER HIGH
Monster High is an American fashion doll known for "spooky" or "different" skin tones and interchangeable parts.