Custom vs. Limited?
picture from http://www.wanderingpandacomics.com/blog/dollfie5.php
To me, the idea of having a custom painted Dollfie Dream where you get to pick the eyes, wig, and the like is the best. I still have yet to paint my girl's faceup (I have the paint, brushes, pastels for blush, and everything; just need the sealant x.x), but I look at her everyday, extremely antsy for when I get to start.
However, what I see more commonly photographed (particularly on figure.fm) are the limited release ones. And though I've wanted a few limiteds, myself (or, moreso, their clothes XD), I can't afford to shell out that much (nor can I convince my parents to!). In most cases, I also think that I'd attempt to wipe the original face clean and repaint it more to my liking, and replace the wig, or eyes, or both.
I think some of my favorite customs I've seen are on Yoko and Asuka heads :)
I also like the idea of custom painting on my own, because then my doll is 100% one-of-a-kind, and no one else can have one that looks the same :P
I know I want to paint the DDH-03 I already have, but I also want a DDH-02 (for a pouty/tsundere face) and a DDH-04 (because I love smiling sculpts).
Well, the proliferation of limiteds can, to a certain extent, be blamed on Volks--according to ChibiChibiUsa's master list, there are over 50 limited heads and only 4 standard ones! So numerically, it becomes much more likely people will fall for a limited sculpt.
As for me, I think I'd ultimately like my doll family to be a mix of custom and limited dolls, but right now I'm going to be sticking with my single custom 03 girl until I get out of school, most likely. ^^; Though with some of the limited sculpts, I would be very likely to treat them with custom faceups, since I much prefer the softer look chalk pastels and watercolor pencils get to the stark coloration Volks favors for DDs.
Over 50? Wow o.o And they're still going strong, so it seems there'll be many more! I hope I can get one, someday. XD I know that I, too, will probably stick with my one girl 'till I get through school & get work, though it's all too tempting to buy extra heads to paint ^^;
Yeah, though you've got to admit 50 limited to four standard is a pretty sucky ratio. I think almost everyone hopes to see more variety in the standard heads. Actually, given the blank displayed with the promo shots of the DDS body, the Moe/Natsuki head could be joining that standard lineup, and I hope it does. Though then the temptation to buy my first floating head may get to be too much. =P
I'm having this question as well haha. I want to get custom everything...but I really don't trust my hands to do faceup :[ I get the feeling no matter how much I try, one eye will look different ;.;
There's always that challenge, but since it can always be redone, I don't worry about it being uneven while painting XD Though, as I've never painted one myself, I can't lend a bunch of advice. I'd just say not to worry about it and do your best :)
Also, there's always the option of commissioning for a custom painted head, as well~
Yeah I might have to commission someone to do it for me ;; Oh well theres plenty of time to think haha~
I love the idea of a custom, but I know I would do a terrible job! I also can't afford to have more than one right now, so I think I'll probably end up buying new eyes and a wig (I have a standard Yukino).
I like a few of the limited ones to, but the expense, especially for the popular ones, it very high. If I had the skills, I would with a custom!
Yeah. It amazes me, I used to think the limiteds alone were expensive, but the price is SO much higher on the second-hand market. $500 or so is a lot, but I always see them go for $700 or more on eBay XD I see Sabers and Sasaras run for over $2000...
And then the limited costumes run for $200 or so per set ^^;
That's kind of hard to give a straight answer to in my opinion. :)
For me, my girl is a total custom but I did not create her. I adopted her from another who had already done her faceup and build. But when I get another girl, I plan to try and find one already made for a good price. If I cannot do that, then I will build her up and have her faceup done my present daughters mom who did her faceup.
So for me, if I saw a Ryomou or Kanu or Mari for a good price, I would get them in a heartbeat. But I have to like the faceup, otherwise, I'll pass and have one made since I am not even close to talented enuff to do a faceup on my own.
I agree to that~ Though it can be hard to find limited editions for good prices in the aftermarket x.x
it some kind depend on which model, for some thing like sasara and tamaki any customize is ruin the beauty of the head, but some model like kanu i saw many beautiful modded head, so which one u are thinking
I think if I were to do a custom on a limited head, I would probably use a Yoko or Asuka (or the new Amaha Miu).
I have seen very nice Sasara mods (though I don't think I've seen a Tamaki one yet). It all depends on what you like faceup-wise :P
emmmmmmmm.........i never saw a moded sasara that is better than the original one, however i agree that miu have a lot possibilities^^
Ever since I got my first customized dollfie, I have been into it a lot and so I hardly buy limited dollfie now. The 100% one-of-a-kind is also something that really gives it identity and uniqueness. Still I'm interested in buying some limited dd depending on their looks etc.
The idea of custom painting on limited dd had crossed my mind as MDD ethel and Al are really tempting due to their white base body. However, I don't really like the idea of changing the dollfie's characteristics once it has been given one. A little face up would be ok though but not the entire face.
It would be hard to paint the faceup if you like the one that's already on the head ^^; I think I couldn't re-paint a limited if it was a character I knew. At the same time, it's limited, so the faceup is unique in its own way, too ^^;
love my custom
http://www.figure.fm/post/en/14178/Who+s+that+girl.html(〃∇〃)
Wow, you have an entirely custom sculpt! :) She's -so- cute.
u should let us do multiple choice:)
Is there a way to make polls multiple choice? XD
I just finished working some face-ups and it is a bit difficult, I can tell I'm going to need a lot of practice for it. XD I'm a fan of the limited edition molds as most of them are characters I really like and they look good in their DD forms. Doing custom heads feels rather rewarding when completed and I hope to do more in the near future.
Most of the limiteds are of characters that I don't know XD Or don't know very well. The K-ON releases were probably the ones I was most familiar with ^^;
I hope you upload pictures of your custom face-ups? I'd like to see them :)
I should have some pics posted in a couple hours.
My girls are left unchanged; Asuka wouldn't be Asuka without those feisty red locks.
Well, if you bought her because she is Asuka, then it wouldn't be right to change her :D
I've only got one so far and it's a limited... But I have started down the path of custom by buying new clothes... Some day I might go for a custom but that is a ways away.
Well, your Miu is a bit customized; you've already got her a new wig ^^
Very true, the wig I guess makes her a little custom...
I am an owner of 2 limited DDs, but I change them into my own characters rather than keeping the original look. Like right now, my DDdy Alna and DD Yuki Morikawa have glass eyes and wearing matching outfits. I have contemplated changing their faceups, but I am not prepared to jump that hurdle just yet.
My resin dolls, however, that's a different story. Some have custom faceups instead of the default ones; others have different bodies from other companies. None of them is remotely close to their original look.
If I had the guts (and skills), I would do a full-custom doll. I'm still learning. ^^;
Your resin dolls sound like they're full-customs XD Especially if they look nothing like they did when you originally got them :)
Hehe, I guess you are right about that. =P
The more DIY the more attachment. I know this as a fact after going through brief customization, but face surgeries?
That'd take some time and courage^^; I'm good with my Mio face for now.
Yeah, I think that limited faceups would be hard to re-do, because...well, as a limited edition, the faceup that is already on it is special, too XD I know if I had a Mio, I probably wouldn't re-do her face-up ^^;
Though, in the case of your custom, I think Mio's faceup is suited for the character you're trying to create :) So you shouldn't have to re-do it unless you want to.
My first and only daughter (I have still just the head with eyes and a wig XD Poor little girl) is a DDH-04 with a custom face up and I like her more than any other limited dolls. (EXCEPT Sasara x<)
I don't care if it's limited or not and I always keep in mind that she is the only one in the world who looks like that... :3
have ya gotten Sasara yet brudda ?
No. X.x
But she is still on the top of my wishlist...
My first daughter will definetly NOT be completed until I get Sasara. :<
(I'll earn money till january and then I'm trying my luck on YAJ! if I can't find someone)
But...let's go back to topic. xD
Yeah, I think it's easiest to assemble the head first, the body is the most expensive part XDD I love the DDH-04 sculpt, I bet your girl looks so cute~
Also, best of luck on getting a Sasara soon! ^^ She'll find her way to you someday~
Thanks .3.
My DDH-04 was more expensive than nearly two bodies but in most cases you're right. XDD
(Maybe people call it stupid spending so much money on just a normal head mold but I loved the face-up :3 And I don't regret it... But Sasara follows next. Complete @.@)
Ow and I also love the smile of this head. *-* It's contagious. x333
All my DD girls are Custom painting, two(Ruri＆Koyuki) are painted by other people and one(Kotonoha) is painted by myself.
Because by this way the price will not be too high.～ XD
Kotonoha's recent photos are here.～ ^_^↓↓
http://www.figure.fm/post/en/14971/Keep+silent+in+work+_.html
All of the custom painting looks so well done~ Your girls look so expressive :)
I don't have any girls yet >.< the money is just never there is seams lol!
I plan to start with custom girls though, I have many many ideas in mind ^^; I'm hoping my knowledge with garage kits will carry over and make the process a little easier! haha.
I do love a lot of the limited girlys though... Just gotta keep saving!
When you paint head of DD that must be very careful, if paint wrong that will be not easy to clean.
A water-sandpaper will be useful, be careful to grind the wrong paint place with some water.
And then you can continue to paint head of DD.～ ^_^a
Same with me; I have one because I got very lucky and someone was selling one on Amazon for a very low price (I got the head, body, wig, plus a body-stocking and head-cap for less than what Volks sells the base body alone for ^^;; )
Having ideas makes it so exciting...makes you want to buy heads ahead of time and paint them :)
In most cases of limiteds, I like the fact that they come with full set of stuff (wig, clothes, etc.), though in most of the releases I haven't known who the characters are XD I would've liked to have a Yui or Mio...and more recently, I've been wanting an Alna ^^ but I can't afford to buy them in the aftermarket XD
DD Limited Edition is good though, but the dress attach to DD is very terrible.
Why? Because the dress will dye color to DD's body, that will make your DD girl to be colorful.～ XD
If you don't mind just use it, if you mind please don't use it.～ ￣▽￣a
Other need to think about just the price.
Limited Edition DD girl may be beautiful, but the price is not so beautiful.～ |||orz
I thought of the same thing. Limited Addition DD's clothes are a HAVOC.
Although hardly noticeable, my Mio got blue stains on her fingers the moment I tried putting the Sakura-kou blazer on. This hasn't happened to any of the other clothes I bought from Azone and what's more I see no staining issues whatsoever even after having them on for quite sometime now^^;
Strange...
typo: Limited "Edition"
If I ever get a DD (which I might, some day) I would want either a limited sculpt that I would customize with just different eyes and wigs or a custom face-up on a standard head that was done by somebody else. I'm not good with little crafty things like that, so I know I wouldn't be able to do it myself. If I did have the hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills to paint my own, I would, since it would be a bonding experience. Either way, I would be changing the image so that it's one-of-a-kind.
Definitely, I think making her your own is part of the fun of owning Dollfies. Having the amount of options is one of the things that got me into them in the first place :P
Only have 2 Dollfies, one is default Volks release of TTGL Yoko and the other, Shizuko is a custom DH03 head done by ももいろ＊マンボウ and I love them both.
Yoko has a facial sculpt that makes her stand out among the many Dollfies out there. There's quite a few Yoko's around but everyone tends to make them into their own version by using different wigs, looks, accessories and such.
And there definitely is something irresistible about Yoko: http://www.flickr.com/photos/40588969@N06/4849718005
My custom, Shizuko, while clearly based on a DDH03 is unique as her custom make-up makes her one of a kind. As for creating my own customized head, am not talented enough to achieve the kind of level ももいろ＊マンボウ's customs have. I had initially bought another custom DD head but when I saw Shiuzko's head something clicked, just had to get her and love her to bits. She's my DD princess: http://www.flickr.com/photos/40588969@N06/4968511824/
I'm curious, where does ももいろ＊マンボウ sell his/her customs and how much do they generally cost?
I've seen them on Yahoo! Japan Auction only so far, they seem to go high enough, easily as much as limited doll's heads. The head I got on auction went as high as 22000Yen. Pricey, more than I had hoped to spend... but worth it!
I think it would be difficult to match ももいろ＊マンボウ's talent in face-ups, for anyone ^^; His work is extremely well done.
It has been a while since I've seen someone upload photos of a default Yoko short of the unboxing and 1 or 2 shoots afterward XD Though, don't her default clothes leave stains, too?
Well I was warned by several people beforehand her default clothes stained so I changed them for other clothes after a day to avoid any problems. Her default gear is nice, but not that versatile or suitable as daily wear.
hirano aya....... isnt she from....... super gals?
Hirano Aya is the voice actress for Suzumiya Haruhi (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya) and Izumi Konata (Lucky Star). She also has a few albums and stuff.
I believe recently (at the beginning of August or so?) she admitted to having relationships with older men or something, and admitting relationships at all is like the death of an idol's career...her fans that stuck with her are known as "lifeliners" XD
i remember now. and as you also know is that there is an anime called super gals wich whose main character has the same name and sort of same situation. the manga is awesome but the anime realy sucks.
Oh, that's right, I remember that (though, I've only read the manga and never watched the anime XD). It's been a while since I read Super Gals...now I want to again XD
Mmmm, I have a few custom DDs (both standard heads and limited heads) and a whole bunch of limiteds with original face-up. Some customs I made myself and some I bought. I love both styles.
What's good about Volks face-up is that they are really durable and 100% water resistant. With custom faceups you have to be more careful, depending on the type of material use, the paint might chip with time and the pastel might wear off if the face is rubbed, and if watercolor pencils was used then you have to keep it dry. So custom face-ups are a bit higher maintenance and might need to be redone after a few years.
Oh, that durability-factor is true...I guess just using sealant wouldn't be enough to protect it in the same way ^^;