In our first guide to Ball Jointed dolls we discussed the basics regarding the dolls in a general manner, here we will discuss optional heads, eyes, wigs, fashions, and other ways to customize your doll and make him/her 'your own'.   Additional guides will follow these that will dive further in depth into the different companies and their particular practices and quality. 

HEADS AND OPTIONAL PARTS

There are many options heads available for the Dolls.   You will find heads with elf ears, with teeth, with vampire teeth,  without teeth, with sleeping eyes, with ½ open eyes, will full open eyes,  with big noses, with slight smiles, smirks, there are tons of heads available on the market.  The aesthetics of the head vary greatly and are really a matter of your own personal taste.   But there are a few features that most heads do have so we will focus on these features in this section. 

The head consists of 2 parts, the head and cap.  The head cap acts as the skull or top of the head.  It has two primary purposes: first, it helps to hold the doll’s head on the shoulders while covering the inner workings; and secondly it acts as a ‘lid’ that will open and close allowing you easy access to the inside of the head so that eyes can be changed and heads can be removed.  Typically inside the head in the neck joint there is a notch in which a hook or ring is brought through and turned in an effort to keep the head on the body.  There are two impressions in the head at the eyes this is where the eyes are put into place.  Each company has their own method or system for holding the headcap in place.  Some companies use magnets (as shown below), others the S hook connects to a ring in the headcap, some have a hook inside the head that connects to an elastic attached to the headcap, and others still have a screw top head cap.  There may be other methods of attachment out there as well but the ones listed here are the ones I am familiar with myself.

Sample of the inside of a head (Head shown is Dream of Doll Camine, hand holding the headcap  is my own and not available for purchase anywhere)


Aside from Heads, there are a number of companies that offer other optional parts, some companies offer a variety of optional hand parts for their dolls.  Changing the hands of your doll will add to the depth of your doll’s personality. You will also find that some companies offer other optional parts, like bust plates, that can be swapped out, as well as dolls with optional ears and teeth that can be changed out as you so desire.  The options for customizing your doll using optional parts are only as limited as your imagination.

EYES

There are a number of eyes available on the market for dolls.  You will find eyes made from a vast array of medias; glass, acrylic, silicone (or soft-glass) and poly-resin being the most widely available.   There are a wide array of colors, styles and sizes as well.  Below is a chart showing the pros and cons of the 4 primary eye materials available. You will find each eye type may have benefits that you desire.  Changing the eyes on your doll will add to her/his personality as well as change the look sometimes in a very dramatic way.

• Glass Eyes    Heaviest weight of the eyes available.  The eyes have good color depth and dimension and are typically paperweighted, german glass eyes have very good quality.  The color range is quite limited and due to the process to create them, glass eyes can be pricy and harder to come by. 
  

• Soft-Glass Eyes    Wide selection of colors and designs available.  The eyes can be purchased with a number of finishes and special effects.  Eyes whites are more ‘natural’ in color.  Soft material allows eyes to conform to the eye socket filling gaps.    Typically hand crafted and can contain, bubbles, hairs or slight errors in the construction. Higher priced for what sometimes is a sub-par product.  Typically special effects come with additional fees. Pupils may appear foggy.       There are two major companies for Soft-glass eyes, each has their own unique qualities.  Masterpiece Eyes makes a very nice eye but they tend to suffer from bubbles and foggy pupils more than the other.  The other company is EyeCo Eyes their eyes are a bit more consistent in quality, and they offer a range of eyes, their standard soft glass eye is not as thick as a masterpiece eye, nor is the color depth as intense  but is a cost efficent 'replacement'.  The premium Eyeco Eye is considerably more consistent in quality than the Masterpiece eyes (have yet to see them with bubbles or hairs) and the pupils seem to be less apt to have the foggy appearance.  The Premium Eyeco eyes and Masterpiece Eyes are similar in price range.

• Acrylic Eyes     A cost efficient eye, good color availability, many are available with paperweights.  The acrylic is somewhat    Not as stable as glass, lightweight and can be hard to get in position in the head.  the majority of the eyes are concaved in the back, which can collect putty and be very hard to maintain.  If you take a piece of medical tape and cover the back of the eye before inserting in the head you will greatly reduce the occurence of this. Eyeco makes a nice acrylic eye that is very reasonably priced.  souldoll eyes are also very nice quality, though their whites are very white, and the iris and white are actually seperate pieces, they photograph very beautifully outside in natural light, but with flash photography they tend to appear very flat.
  

WIGS

Much like changing the eyes of your doll, changing the wigs will add an entire new dimension to your doll.   The right wig can bring your doll to life.  It is important to note the size of your doll’s head before diving in to buy wigs, and to ask questions if you are unsure about the size of a particular wig.  The best way to find the right wig for your doll is through trial and error.  Learn about the fibers that they are made of and ask to see examples of wigs on dolls similar to your own.  If you are unsure about the size of wig your doll requires, it is very simple to measure the head for proper fit.  With a thin tape measure, wrap around the crown of your doll’s head just above the top of the ears around the back of head just above the nape and around to the front of the head.  Pull tape measure taught.  Round the measurement up to the next full number (if your doll head is a 8.5” then you will want a 9” wig)

There are many types of wigs.  But it is important here to consider the construction of the wig as well as the style and fiber.    First lets look at the basic construction of a wig.  The wig consists of a wig cap, the hair wefts, and the part.   The wig cap is the portion that actually touches the dolls head, the hair wefts are strips of hair that have been sewn together onto a strip then applied to the wig to create the body of the wig, the parting line determines the direction the hair lays on the top of the head.

CAP TYPES

Wig caps have a number of variations.  Some caps are fitted for a certain size (meaning they have no stretch), others have an elastic band sewn to the edge to help them adjust to fit a larger range of doll heads.    Typically for ball joint dolls you will want a wig with a full cap.  A full cap is one that surrounds the head-cap and offers full head coverage.  There are also partial-cap wigs on the market, these are typically intended to be glued onto the dolls head and would offer very little flexibility in regards to changing the dolls wig. 

PARTS

There are three basic styles for a wig part.  The first is the swirl part, which is really not a part at all, rather the hair ‘swirls’ out from the center and there is just a small ‘dimple’ in the center of the wig.  This tends to be the most cost efficient type of parting line since it is a very basic style.  The second type is the skin part.  This part has a latex type layer in the center of the wig in which the hair is either hand inserted or mechanically inserted to create the look of a natural scalp.  This is a very popular style of wig parting,  as it has the most natural look to it.  On some styles of skin part wigs, you can actually change the part line, so it offers more versatility in the wigs styling options.  The third typical wig style you will find is a ‘no part’ wig.  In which the hair does not have a definite parting line.  Typically these wigs can be styled much the same as the skin part wigs.

FIBER TYPES

Here we will cover a few popular fibers that many modern doll wigs are created from.

• Mohair .  Mohair is a very fine natural fiber that is typically shaved from a lamb and then washed and combed and placed on wefts, and then dyed to particular desired colors.  Mohair wigs are on the higher price range due to their labor intensive process and natural fiber content.  It is a very versatile fiber in that it can be dyed, curled, and styled in a number of different ways.  Avoid dry heat with wet mohair as it is subject to felting and this will ruin the look and feel of your wig.

• Human Hair   Human hair varies greatly in quality and texture.  Typically virgin hair is the highest quality hair used in wig making.  It is grown on a person and then cut after it reaches a certain length, then sewn onto wefts much in the same manner as mohair.  Human hair wigs can be styled in many of the same ways your own hair can.  But it is important to note that once hair has been cut from the head it will eventually age and become brittle and be prone to breakage.  It will also not hold styling much longer than your own hair will.

• Synthetic fiber.  There are a number of synthetic fibers in which wigs are made from, some of the higher quality fibers worth mentioning are Kankelon, silky, and yaky.  Synthetic fiber wigs of higher quality fiber can typically be steam set into a style and have the look and feel of human hair without the huge price tag.  It is important to note that since the fibers are not natural they cannot handle a great amount of heat without melting.  Synthetic fibers are great because they come in a wide variety of colors and types from variegated blondes to neon pink and everything in between. 

• Fun Fur .  There are wig makers that are making wigs from faux fur.  These wigs have a very unique look to them and are reminiscent of what one might imagine a pixie or fairy’s hair to be like.  Faux fur wigs can also be styled in ways that the other fibers cannot be. They also make for great short hair wigs, or punk wig styles.  The fiber colors are only limited to the faux furs that are available in the market place, making fur wigs an excellent cost efficient alternative to some of the other fibers available.
  

Other good searches for Wigs include SD Wig   dollfie Wig   MSD Wig

FACE-UPS

The Face-up, or makeup of your doll really sets the tone for her/his personality.  Typically manufacturer make up tends to be quite basic with minimal detailing.  As stated before the typical manufacturer face up will range from around $35 to $60, depending on the company/demand.  There are individual artists out there that offer custom face ups, which take the face up from just being makeup to being a piece of art.  The details and fine lines that these artists manage to create never cease to amaze.   The style of face up that appeals to you most,  is greatly a matter of personal taste.  In the land of the BJD we have found when you see the face your doll needs ‘it is love at first sight’.  Some prefer a very natural light makeup while others prefer intense shading and dramatic eyes and lips.  Take a look around at all the dolls out there and you will find the style that appeals most to you, and the artist that you want to use.

Have your own artistic side, or want to try your own hand at applying make up to your BJD?  Awesome! We say go for it, in the land of BJD one of the things that makes the dolls unique is the ability to customize and make it ‘your own doll’ and there is no greater feeling of accomplishment than seeing your doll with her/his face that you gave to her/him.  But unless you are just a naturally artistic and talented person do not expect that the first result will be the one you want to keep, or launch you into a career painting faces.  It is as much technique as it is talent, and practice makes perfect.

FASHIONS AND ACCESSORIES

Imagine walking into a mall filled from end to end with every imaginable accessory and outfit sized just for your doll. From Jackets, purses; to socks and underwear; to jewelry and belts - You can find just about anything your heart desires for your BJD.  The styles available for your BJD vary just as greatly as the fashions you see in shops for people.  Everything from Goth and Punk fashions to schoolgirl uniforms and evening gowns are waiting at your fingertips.   But the fun does not end there. 

Imagine seamstresses that are making unique individual fashions just for your doll, one off style.  Its like having a fashion designer for the stars to dress your dolls.  There is a wide range of expressionism and creativity out there in the world of fashion, and the designers that are creating for the BJD have a very unique talent for expressing that style in a 1/3-scale size.  The pricing on fashions varies as much as the quality itself. 

You will find some sellers that offer limited edition runs of particular outfits and some that only create one of a kind (OOAK) fashions and accessories.    Typically you will find the lower the price of the merchandise you buy the lower the quality will be, while the higher priced items (in a perfect world at least) will feature more details and higher quality materials.  I cannot say however that everything high priced is high quality, get to know the sellers out there offering fashions, ask questions to find out where you will find the best quality merchandise, and what the buyers experiences have been with particular sellers.  One thing about doll people in general, is they tend to be a very helpful bunch willing to share whatever knowledge and opinions they may have on a particular subject.

Maybe you are a seamstress yourself, or have always wanted to sew for your own dolls but the small sized intimidated you.  The BJD are very easy to sew for and there is a vast amount of room for new designers to come into play and sell their wares.  So grab some fabric, buy some patterns and make something special for your doll today.  And remember if you don’t like it or really just want someone else to do it, there are plenty of outfits on Ebay that you can find for purchase, and there is a designer for every budget.

OTHER CUSTOMIZING TECHNIQUES

As stated towards the beginning of this guide, the modern ball jointed doll is made from cast resin.  When resin is cast typically the mold is a two part mold so that the pieces can be removed after they have been cast and cured.  This tends to cause the presence of mold or casting lines on the body pieces of the dolls.  These lines are a raised bit of resin that is not even with the rest of the body and/or head.  Many BJD owners find these lines to be a real eyesore and in an effort to minimize, reduce, or eliminate these lines the seams are sanded.  It is important when sanding Resin to take proper safety precautions like wearing gloves and a OSHA approved face mask. The fine dust created from sanding resin could possibly cause respiratory damage or other issues with your health.  When sanding seams of your dolls it is important to use a very fine sand paper, typically 800 grit or finer.  If you use a coarse sand paper you will leave scratches all over your doll, the finer the sand paper the less scratching that will be visible.   Search out Automotive sandpaper in 1000 grit or finer for the ultimate smooth finish with minimal scratching..

Sanding can also be used to customize your doll in other ways as well.  You can modify the shape of the eyes, the ears, cheekbones, chin, and nose using sanding as a modification process to create a truly unique doll.

A Special note regarding Tan Skin dolls:  Do not Sand them!  The tanning skin is achieved by a special process where the mold is coated with a very fine powder before the resin is cast.  As the resin cures the coating adheres to the resin.  If you sand a tanning skin doll the sanded seams or portions will come out a different color and your doll will have very uneven skin coloring. 

IN CONCLUSION

We have now covered the basics as well as some of the more advanced aspects of the modern ball jointed doll.  I hope that you have enjoyed this presentation and that it will help you find the doll of your dreams.  Stay tuned for additional guides to come in the coming weeks to help you along in this fabulous journey of the ball-jointed doll.  I will be covering more in detail the different companies creating these dolls as well as more information on customizing.

I highly encourage exploring and discovering more about these dolls by searching out the groups and boards that are dedicated to them, there you will find a wealth of helpful individuals as well as databases full of information.  Have a great day, and whenever possible do it the Ebay way.