We often see BJD dolls with a price tag of $500, $1000, or even tens of thousands of dollars. For people who are new to BJD dolls, this price may surprise them. Today we will discuss the reasons for this.
Pictures From enchanteddoll, works from Marina Bychkova
How about the above one, it is quite beautiful, right?!
The price is expensive because the production process of BJD dolls is really …. quite complex! Exclusive BJD dolls can be described as a blend of luxury and art. From modeling to painting and decoration, the entire doll has to be done by hand, none of these processes can use mass production. BJD doll designers not only have to be solid design skills, but also very good basic hand skills!
The following shows the production process of exclusive BJD dolls It can be said tedious, but every detail was carefully sculpted by the designer before the shelves to display or sell, which makes it unique in the world. what’s most expensive in the mechanical standard production of the 21st century? Handmade!
First, the designer has to find some inspiration, from the countries travel experience, read the legend, or simply a postage stamp on the lines of the building. Initially draw up the background and story for the doll, such as the Greek legend of the goddess transformed into a river nymph, or the fairy tale of the apple delivery of Little Red Riding Hood.
These are not foreplay for publicity or added value but are decisive for the doll’s appearance and clothing. These hand-drawn basic sketches are made to set the tone of the doll’s style.
According to the hand-drawn sketches, the basic doll modeling stage, the doll’s head, limbs, torso come out. For designers who have developed a style, this stage of doll modeling will generally make a lot for the designer to select and use. Basic matching accessories will also require the modeler to come out at the same time, such as high heels, masks, which can be mass-produced accessories. Customized decorations will also have to be designed separately, as will be mentioned later.
Test assembly effect: After the model comes out, the designer will complete the basic assembly according to the desired final effect and the quality of the model to determine the composition of the overall torso of the doll.
Next comes the important: coloring. The character’s expression, attitude, body tattoos, all according to the designer set the role strictly completed. The same character, there may be several different demeanor, happy, sad, closed eyes. Some characters have no copy, and the exclusive orphan products, are generally expensive.
The doll fitted with a wig, shoes, and finished drawing the torso assembly, can already be sold as a finished product. But the surrounding decorative design is also very important. So that the completely packaged dolls can be sold at a relatively high price.
For example, the designs of headwear and clothing for this doll are amazing. The following design “chandelier crown”, although the volume is very small, the size of each detail in the design draft is clear. Of course, the finished product is also very spectacular.
The work was eventually featured in the Japanese edition of VOGUE magazine, advertising for a major perfume brand. BJD dolls as models, photographers like shooting live models, styling, and lighting are also very professional.
Of course, there are not many BJD dolls like this designer whose work is often in magazines and also on the world tour. Each of her works will be shot away on eBay for tens of thousands of dollars. It’s hard to imagine that someone would spend so much money to buy a doll. The following doll is from the mythical goddess Laurel of Apollo and sold for $60,000.
From design, engraving, polishing, opening joints, perfecting the whole, turning the mold, polishing, assembling, all procedures have to be done manually. This inevitably leads to BJD dolls can not be mass-produced, production is very energy and time consuming. That’s the reason why BJD dolls are so expensive.
