I thought it might be handy to gather up a list of basic
ball jointed doll terminology and acronyms. It can get really overwhelming,
especially when you're first starting out. I know when I first got into dolls I
made a list of each term I came across with its definition. It really helped!
Fortunately, you guys won't have to do that, as you can just read this post.
FL- Fairyland
BBB- Bobobie
RS- Resinsoul
5*- 5 Star Doll
CP- Cerberus Project, famous sculpters who work with FL
MoC- Mint on Card (dealer)
DDE- Denver Doll Emporium (dealer)
A few examples of famous doll model acronyms (usually doll
acronyms are based on the name of the doll type itself):
Mnf- Minifee
Pkf- Pukifee
F60 or F65- Feeple 60 or Feeple 65
SSDF- Super Senior Delf
SDF- Senior Delf
DF- Delf
KDF- Kid Delf
ZZD- Zuzu Delf
SDgr- Super Dolfie Graffiti
Places:
FB- Facebook. There are lots of groups on FB to learn about
dolls
Castaways- A forum for discussing lots of different types of
dolls. It is ok to talk about recast doll shere.
Den of Angels or DoA- Pretty much the ultimate English-language
forum for all things ball-jointed doll. It is NOT ok to post about, talk about,
or share pictures of recasts here.
Things:
BJD- Ball-jointed doll. This is defined in different ways,
but basically means a doll with joints that is strung together with elastic or
string. Some vinyl dolls are often considered BJDs, even if they don't have
traditional jointing.
ABJD- Asian ball jointed doll
Recast- A recast is a copy of a doll. See THIS post here for
the Recast BJD FAQ.
SD- dolls that fall into the range of 50 cm or higher are
generally considered SDs. SD is actually a Volks-specific term that stands for
Super Dolfie. We've come to use this term for most dolls in the size range.
There are dolls even bigger than this, sometimes up 3 feet or more tall!
Examples of SD dolls: Luts Senior Delf, Fairyland Feeple60, Souldoll Souldouble
dolls, etc.
MSD or mini- dolls that fall into the range of 40 cm, give
or take a few. MSD is a Volks specific term that stands for Mini Super Dolfie.
We've come to use this term for most dolls in the size range. Examples of MSD
dolls: Fairyland Minifee, Luts Kid Delfs, Peakswoods Fairies of Bugs, etc.
YoSD- dolls that are under 40cm. YoSD is a Volks-specific
term that refers to their small line of dolls. We use this terms for small
dolls in this size range. Examples of YoSD dolls: Fairyland Littlefee, Soom
Tiny Gem, Bobobie 27cm dolls.
Tiny and Ultra tiny- these dolls are usually under 27cm.
They include dolls like Bobobie Elfkins and Fairyland Pukifee, Pukipuki, and
Realpuki.
Anthro- this is a mostly animal doll, and is different than
a pet doll or doll with fantasy parts. An anthro is basically a humanoid
animal. Examples of this kind of doll include: Luts Zuzu Delf and Pipos dolls
(most of their dolls are anthros).
Fullset: Some companies have fullsets, either limited or in
stock all the time. Usually a fullset includes an outfit, wig, eyes, and
sometimes shoes or other items. A recast fullset does not include these items,
but may include optional fantasy parts, sleeping heads, etc. read the
description or ask the company for more details.
Fantasy Parts- Fantasy parts are optional parts released
with some dolls, especially Soom dolls. They include horns, wings, tails, beast
hands and feet, and other options. Sometimes fantasy parts are limited, other
times they are not. Dolls with fantasy parts include: Nearly all Soom dolls,
Bobobie Ai and other Bobobie/Resinsoul dolls, and others.
Face up- This is the painting on the face of a doll. There
are specific materials you can use and those you will want to avoid. To learn
more about face ups, visit the customization forum of any of the places listed
above.
MSC- Mr. Super Clear, a popular sealant used to protect face
ups.
Testors- An alternative sealant used to protect face ups.
Winsor and Newton (W&N)- A solvent used for cleaning
paint brushes that is safe and often used for removing face ups.
90% Isopropyl alcohol- Another safe way to remove a face up.
Nail polish remover/acetone- Many people use acetone or nail
polish remover to remove a face up. This can damage the resin if not done
properly. Other people use non-acetone nail polish remover to remove a face up.
Try not to use nail polish remove with dye or color as this can stain your
doll.
Blushing or body blushing- This refers to painting the doll
to add detail to bodies and fantasy parts. This is sometimes translated weirdly
as brushing or body brushing.
Seam lines- These appear because of the molding process.
Most of the time seams can be sanded away with particular grades of sandpaper.
Other times companies will do this for you, sometimes with an additional
charge.
Sueding or Suede- This is what one does to the joints of a
doll to make them pose better. Sueding is usually done by placing a line of hot
glue inside the joint or using suede or pliver to do the same thing. Please see
a tutorial for how to do this.
Restring or stringing- This is the process of assembling the
doll.
S-hook- The S shaped hooks used to hold parts of the doll
together, such as the head, hands or wrists, and feet.
GO- Group order. There are two kinds of group orders. The
first is where multiple people make an order with the same company to save on
shipping (for example, they order together from Dollmore and split the shipping
to the group order leader). The second, not recommended at this time, is where
people split the cost of a legitimate doll so that a recaster will purchase it
and make recasts of that doll.
Taobao- basically the Chinese ebay. You can find many things
for dolls as well as recasts on taobao. You must have a Chinese bank account to
order, or else you can use an agent.
Agent- An agent places an order on your behalf. You often
pay the cost of the item, shipping of the item to the agent, and then shipping
from the agent to you plus a small service fee.
Magic Sponge- This is a cleaning sponge that works really
great for dolls. A popular brand is called a magic eraser, but you can find lots
of others.
Eye putty- Stuff that holds your doll's eyes in place. Some
people use specific doll eye putty, though others use rubber erasers, silicone
ear plugs, or hot glue. Hot glue is not permanent, but you can't adjust eye
position. Some people also use clays, but it is not recommended as oil can
damage the doll's resin.
Yellowing- This is what happens to resin over time. You can
increase your doll's risk of yellowing by constant exposure to fluorescent
lights or sunlight. The red pigments break down quickest in resin, leaving only
yellow pigments behind, causing the yellow tone. It cannot be entirely
prevented. Some white skinned dolls and tanned dolls were known to turn green
instead of yellow in the past, called greening. There are ways of fighting and
lessening the effects of yellowing.
Head back or head cap- This is the top of the doll's skull
or the back of the skull in the case of dolls with face plates. This cap can be
removed to allow for the insertion of eyes, the removal of the head from the
body, etc.
Face plate- Some dolls have face plates instead of full
heads. These plates attach to the head back. Examples of dolls with face plates
include: Littlefee, pukifee, and Unoa.
Doll family- One's collection of dolls. Many people have
different names for this, but you might hear this one generally thrown around.
Hybrid- When you combine parts from different dolls to make
one doll. This is usually done by combining the head from one doll with the
body of another. It can be difficult to get scale, resin matching, and other
issues right, so if you have questions, be sure to ask experienced doll
collectors for help.
Neck piece- some dolls, especially FL dolls, require
specific neck pieces to attach to a body.
Wig- BJDs usually have removable wigs. These are synthetic
hairs attached to a cap that you place on your doll's head. Some wigs are made
of genuine mohair or wool.
Wig Cap- A wig cap is something, sometimes a silicone cap or
even a water balloon, put over a doll's head to help hold on the wig and
prevent staining.
Mod/Modding- A mod is something changed on a doll. This
varies between permanent or non permanent ear piercing to full on extra
appendages, male-female or female to male conversions, and pretty much anything
else you can dream of.
Pet doll: An articulated animal that is not humanoid.
ABS: A kind of sturdy plastic some dolls are made of. These
are off-topic for DoA, but ok on Castaways.
Box Opening:
Photostory:
FAQ/Other important stuff:
Finding a doll's measurements: 99.9% of the time the
measurements are found on the doll company's website, you just have to look.
Sometimes they aren't though, and in these cases you can ask someone or the
doll company itself.
What size eye does my doll wear?
This is also listed on the company page for the doll you
want. If you're buying a doll, check out its page before
asking. Eyes are measure in millimeters (mm). This is the measurement of the
iris, or colored part, of the eye. Tinies and yos usually take somewhere
between 8mm-12mm (sometimes bigger), minis usually 10mm-16mm, and SDs can take
anywhere from 10mm on up, depending on the size and shape of the eye. It's
pretty much personal preference. A large iris make a doll look softer and more
youthful, a smaller iris can make them look older or harsher.
What size wig does my doll wear?
Notice a pattern yet? Usually this info can be found on the
doll's site. Sometimes they don't list the wig size in inches (such as
6"-7" for example), but list the cm circumferance of the doll's head.
You can use a unit converter to tell you what this is in inches. Other times a
company will list wigs under their specific doll's sizes (so Soulkid wigs for
exmaple vs 7"-8"). You just have read the description and see which
wigs will work for your doll.
Where can I buy clothes for my doll?
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of different shops to
buy doll clothes at. I'm working on a clothing resource atm.
How do I know if clothes will fit my doll?
Look at the measurements for the clothes or for the dolls
modeling the clothes. If your doll is close to these measurements they can
probably wear the clothes.
Will X head work on Y body?
If you want to know whether or not a hybrid will work, your
best bet is to ask on the Facebook groups, Castaways, or Den of Angels. There,
people can show you pictures of resin matching, scale, and other important
details. If you can't find the information and wish to try anyway, pay
attention to neck circumference and other important details.
How can I mod a doll?
There are tons of tutorials out there for doing this, but it
can be really difficult to do it yourself. It's easy to mess up. If you're
brave go for it, or else begin with simple mods.
I just bought a doll. It came with a face up. How do I
remove it?
You can use rubbing alcohol, a magic sponge, Winsor and
Newton, or nail polish remove (see specifics and warnings about this) to remove
the face up.
I just bought a doll with a face up. Do I need to spray the
doll with MSC or something?
Generally speaking, NO. Companies will have sprayed the doll
to seal the face up already.
How can I protect my doll from yellowing?
Well, sadly, it's going to happen over time no matter what
you do. But, to slow the process you can: keep the doll out of direct sunlight
and away from cigarette smoke.
How can I remove yellowing?
You can try sanding or soaking in oxyclean. There are lots
of tutorials for doing this, so be sure to check them out.
How do I track a doll order?
You can either use track-trace or your country's postal
service. I use USPS. Basically, type in your order number, which will usually
be something like EM#####KR (the last two letters depend on the country of
origin). It will give you a general idea of where your order is at.
Do I have to be lolita/into manga/into anime/an artist to
collect bjds?
Nope!
What do I need or do you recommend to have on hand for one's
first doll?
See this post here!
What do you recommend to have for face ups?
See this post here!
How do I buy a doll?
Glad you asked, check here!
How do I choose a doll?
Maybe this post will help!
Hey I think these dolls are really cute! I have a few specific questions however, such as how cheap is the cheapest you believe is reasonable? (For the medium 16" without any blushing, and in the secondhand market, meaning I would start from scratch and paint it)
ReplyDeleteHow well does water color pencil work for blushing?
What is the most fun you've had with your dolls?
I'm still confused by the names of all the dolls, and can't tell whether its a dolls name or if its an acronym having to do with type or size. Help?
I would really appreciate any help you can offer me (you're the first blog open to questions) and I really love this post. Its informative and helpful :) as a blog owner myself, I know how awesome it feels to get feedback!
Oh hey, also, for drawing, do the dolls work as a good subject matter? And is it hard to get them to keep their pose? Is yellowing a troubling thing, and what upkeep can I do specifically to keep the skin tone normal color? (You said oxi clean helps, would soaking the doll in oxi clean every few months help or destroy the doll?)
I'm thinking about getting one to play with and customize. But I find them slightly creepy so it will not live in my bedroom. I am personally interested in the centaurs and humans with ears specifically if that helps you answer my questions. I'm sorry if this is a ton of questioning for you, but I'd love the help!!!
(Catch my blog at www.weebly.absorbing articles.com , feel free to check it out and leave comments!)
Ok i'll try to answer each question and then if you have more questions or you need more explanations feel free to ask, lol!
Delete1. For legitimate dolls, the 16 inches, also commonly referred to as MSD (stands for mini super dolfie) range anywhere from $100-$400. Fairyland MSDs, called Minifee (or mnf), will be at the higher end, usually between $300-$400. Extras or face ups could raise the price on them. other dolls, like Loongsoul MSDs and such run a bit cheaper. bobobie or resinsoul will be around $100. Recast dolls prices tend to fluctuate. In general, they range from $100-$200. Recast minifees will usually sell between about $100-$120, more if it includes extras. Some price a little higher depending on what recaster they got them from and the quality of that particular recast.
2. You probably won't be able to get the soft, airbrush like effect of body blushing or face blushing with water color pencils. Those are best for fine lines, like eyelashes, lip lines, or eye liner. You could use them for eyebrow hairs or even freckles. Pastels are your best choice for basic coloring.
3. I loooove taking pictures of them. ^_^ That's my favorite thing to do. That, or mod and paint them. (Mod means to modify, usually with carving or epoxy and such.)
4. Usually a doll is listed by its sculpt name, its brand, and the size name for that brand. So, a Fairyland Mnf Chloe is the Chloe mold, from Fairyland, in minifee size. A Doll Chateau Kid Agatha is the Agatha mold, from Doll Chateau, in the their kid size. Does that make sense?
5. I love to use my dolls for help with drawing. It's easy to see how natural or unnatural a pose is, once you're looking at a doll doing it! Some dolls are easier to pose and hold their poses better than others. Fairyland and Loongsoul dolls are some of the best posers out there. Dolls that don't pose well generally need to be wired or sueded. Even a Fairyland doll might need to be wired or sueded. Usually restringing with brand new elastic does the trick for me. ^_^
If you're interested in centaur dolls, Luts makes an MSD (16 in range) centaur boy and girl, and Soom has several centaurs in the YoSD (smaller than 16) and SD (50cm+) range. I think Luts also has tiny centaurs, but I'd have to double check. Thanks for reading, and I really hope this was helpful!! <3
I just typed up a whooooole ton of questions, speculations, and the like. Then I clicked the sign out button, thinking it was the post button. Most of the questions are on my blog, so please check it out there? absorbingarticles.weebly.com
ReplyDeleteHere is the part (that I am now retyping) that is not on my blog:
I am considering a MSD size doll. Here are my requirements for said doll (I typed up the reasons, but you know, it is stuff I can't remember all of it):
-double jointed elbows, knees, and hip joints (ability to sit criss cross applesauce, pull knees up to chest, and nearly touch own shoulder)
-ability to hold a pose pretty well
-a female with a round face and slightly wider than average eyes
-small (but not flat) bust
-I'll want a wig to go with her (the only thing I won't be doing myself)
To help get it to cost less, I am willing to:
-do my own face up and body blushing
-assemble and string the doll
-make home made clothes
-any suggestions you have to bring the cost down
So can you perhaps help me on that? I am hoping to keep my budget at or below $200...
I'm looking at the dolls on this website:
denverdoll.com
I am interested in the doll leaves event. But do the dolls from that company pose well? Do you have one?
I was finally able to get your blog to load today! (It wasn't working for me yesterday.) So I'll pop over there in a moment, but I'll try to answer these questions first.
DeleteMSD is great starter size doll. Not too big, not too little, they're a great choice. Fortunately, double joint bodies are really common now, even in the lower price points, so that's a good thing! Some bodies look a bit more aesthetically pleasing than others, so you'll want to look at pictures of the dolls you're thinking about online to see if you like their joints when bent.
I honestly don't know much about Doll Leaves, but I found this awesome pic on flickr of one holding its knees! https://www.flickr.com/photos/invie/8091113654/ I'm actually really impressed by this, lol. Most dolls will pose very well and hold their poses if you suede them (this means adding silicone kips to the joints or using a ring of hot glue in the joint) or wire them.
Loongsoul is another company with amazing posing and fairly cheap dolls (usually around 250$ I believe). Resinsoul are a popular company with MSDs under $150, but they can't pose worth a damn, so I'd avoid them, although Bobobie Mei is quite cute (but she can't pose well without work).
Now here's where the sticker shock comes in with BJDs: The initial investment is quite high. Honestly, even with a cheap bjd you'll want to budget more for a wig and such. Companies won't ship a doll unstrung to save money on shipping, but secondhand sellers might. Whether or not a doll is strung isn't going to change its base price. Most dolls are going to come with eyes, and a few even come with wigs. You'll want to see what yours comes with, and consider waiting for an event for free wigs! Secondhand sellers often include wigs, clothes, and eyes when they sell their dolls, which can make them really, really great deals.
The good news, is that if you want a wig, eyes, and a doll that Denver Doll carries, they do a four month layaway! You can put it all the same layaway and pay it off over time. I've done this a couple times with them, and I've always been happy. Mint on Card is another respectable dealer with a 6 month layaway option, and they carry just about everything you could ever need for you doll. (I've done layaways and such with them too. ;) )
To save on money, you'll want to shop around and look for good deals. If you can get on DoA or Castaways, comb the second hand markets for cheaper wigs, eyes, shoes, etc. Often, you'll be able to snag really good deals on dolls too. If you do check out Castaways, keep an eye out for recasts. Doll Leaves isn't currently recast, but if you're concerned you can always ask the seller or message me. Wigs are going to range from probably $10 for a nice fiber wig on ebay on up.
If you don't want to invest in face up supplies: figure you'll need a can of MSC about $15 (or an alternative like Army Painter or Testors. Don't use Plaid or other cheap sealants), good-ish pastels about $5 or $6 (I use cheapo walmart pastels XD), water color pencils, and a couple brushes, and some basic acrylics for lashes or eye liner. The initial cost is about $30-$40, but it's really rewarding. You may find you enjoy wiping and repainting your doll many times as your tastes change in the hobby. If you don't want ot invest that much, you could consider a cheaper face up artist. Many just starting out offer free face ups or faceups $20 or less.
I hope this helps, and feel free to ask more questions if I missed any. <3
I generally don't like layaway options, so I'm more apt to just pay for the doll. I can afford a more costly doll, but don't want to clean out my savings account. I am seriously loving this doll named Lilith from doll leaves, and she has the cutest face! I would soooooo make her look like a fairy with freckles and big blue eyes! I can't get on DoA without an invite sadly, but I will check out that other site tomorrow (its late right now and I need sleep!) I will keep searching around (I'm not totally set on that specific doll yet) but am still very much set on it having a round face. I am attracted by the event at doll leaves, getting two for the price of one!!! (Even though the second is tiny, I'm pretty sure he's a good deal) Though the body says male, the pic of his naked body looks unisex, so I think I'll make it a girl. (That sounds wayyyy bizarre!) So yeah... It was too windy today to make any real progress on my Liv doll, but I did clean her old face up off. It got all sticky while I was cleaning it :( but it's dry and non-sticky again. The only issue I have is that I think my particular brand of sealant is water soluble, and to get her eyes back in I need to heat the head up. I prefer using the "stick head in boiling water until soft" method, but I'll have to use a hair dryer. It's doable but time consuming... :/ But I'll have more of a plan for my next face up, and then I'll do her body! (The body did not do well with the acetone, and I need to sand a few parts now... So the body will be a "mess up will have to stay" thing...) Buuuut if I can do a face, the body should be simple enough. I have a YouTube video I'll be mimicking. This comment was longer than I expected. I felt the need to update you on all this stuff, since you've been helping me so much! :)
DeleteOh hey, what about skin yellowing? Any preventative upkeep to keep the skin clean? Like a monthly bath maybe?
ReplyDeleteSadly, yellowing is mostly unavoidable, but on the plus side it is really gradual so you're not likely to notice right away unless you get a white skin doll. The best thing to do is not store the doll under bright lights or where the sun can touch it. You can take the doll out for photos (I do it all the time) but I store them in a cupboard facing away from the windows. I wouldn't do an oxyclean bath or anything quite frequently, as you don't want to weaken or damage the resin. Using a sealant with UV protection, like MSC UV Cut (Mr. Superclear UV Cut) can help reduce the impact of yellowing as well.
DeleteI have done research and discovered that I need 8mm eyes for this particular doll. I am trying to make a fairy (check out my blog real quick, I just updated it) and I am on the prowl for those really cute pastel multi color eyes or any non normal eye really that looks cute and still has a pupil. Here are a few examples of my meaning:
ReplyDelete........ I can't get the thing to paste!!!! Grrr... Anyway, if there is any chance that you're willing to help me with this, I would love it if you did.
hi, sorry for the late replies. I've been quite sick. For eyes that small, I'd recommend checking out Dreaming Tree Studio http://www.dreamingtreestudio.com/ (they can also be found on etsy). They can do custom eyes in that size. 8mm eyes are hard to find in glass or urethane, especially unique colors. I haven't ordered from Dreaming Tree myself, but I know people who have and they love the eyes! I'll keep my eyes out for more eyes like you're looking for. ^_^
ReplyDeleteThank you! I just read a blog where a girl was customizing her Liv doll (much like me) and has a photo of the doll using 10mm eyes, so maybe both sizes work? All I really know is I'll need rounds, so she can turn her eyes. Right now her eyes have flat backs and because of the pouch the eyes sit in, they can only really stare straight :/ so yeah, an update on my research :)
ReplyDelete10mm should work! Usually the rule of thumb is the smaller the eye, the more white you see, so the more realistic the doll will look. A larger eye will give a softer, more doe-eyed effect (I like this look personally). You can always try 10mm and then if those don't work give the 8mm a try.
Delete