I just started looking at bjd's and some of them are just gorgeous!!

My question is--do they come as kind of a blank canvas and the coloring needs to be applied..makeup,blushing and such? What about eyeballs?Being that they are pricey--isn't it frightening to think of messing it up when putting on the extras?


Sorry to sound so dim but I am really curious

Those are very SMART questions!

There are many types of BJD's, but the most widely accepted ones are made of resin and are jointed with stringing inside. Sometimes, the hands and feet are removeable and can be swapped. Sometimes they can't. Many experienced collectors will also swap heads (praying for the resin to match) or swap heads and repaint the resin.

The doll itself is hollow (to allow the stringing to go through) and the head is the same. The top actually clicks off and the stringing usually ties in that little cap. The eyes are in place with putty which is readily available, and it isn't uncommon for collectors to replace eyes. You can even get wonky eyes like cat eyes and things.

The face itself is usually, but not always, unpainted. Many sellers will sell the "Face-Up" at an extra cost, but others include it. My advice is to get a pic of a doll's face up you like and pay the little bit extra for a "custom face-up" from the manufacturer whenever possible. Other things that are sometimes "extra" are sanding (so the surface of the resin in smooth), coating (this is a layer of protective stuff on the resin - very debateable as to the effectiveness of this) and things like wigs/outfits.

There are variations in body types, especially with the jointing systems, and there are also variations in complexion. There are now a few darker resin BJD's, however, there is a company from Korea that also made little colored elves in green and such. Many people are having a lot of problems with the resin discoloring in as short of time as a month. So, if you do want a "strange color" it may be wise to wait for the medium to be perfected. The variations are a new development with the resin, and not all makers have the climate control necessary to perfect the resin at this time. Saying that, do your research. I haven't heard anything negative about the "tanned" looks available from more reputable companies. There are also resin variations between companies.

This is pretty much everything I know - which isn't much. I'm sure others will be able to help more. Good luck!

With most manufacturers you get quoted the price for a basic doll, make up options work out extra with a price for default make up and a little extra for custom choices. More and more manufacturers are supplying a default wig and I think I can safely say that ALL dolls come with default eyes.

They usually arrive naked though, some companies will supply underwear of some sort but not that many.

As Shawnah says, some companies offer a sanding service (Dollmore do) and body blushing (again Dollmore offer this). All these options are at extra cost but personally if it's offered I take it.

Putting in eyes is easy, they are held in with a putty that never sets so they can esaily be swapped out. Wigs are either just placed on the dolls head but I use double sided velcro to fasten mine.

Have a look around the different sites and if you think you may want to buy there are loads of people on the forum who can help you.

I don't really have anything to add but I just wanted to let you know that all those questions are answered in the BJD FAQ pinned at the top of this section aswell as many more questions you might have ^^

Thank you ladies for the info---I most certainly will be checking into these dolls a bit more