What Sort Of Doll?

[Livinginthepast]

I want to make some dolls to sell in my shop. What sort of dolls (era, age, gender, skin colour, species if it's a fantasy one like my goblins etc) do you want/have noticed other people want?
I don't mean so that you can buy it, it's just so that I can have an idea of what people are likely to be interested in.

[WhatNow]

Hiya. I don't personally like dolls in dolls houses, but if I did have some I'd want them to be to the correct scale for the rooms. Most of the dolls I see seem too big in comparison to the rooms - they're very 'clumsy' looking LOL hate to think they would wreck my house when I wasn't looking :D

[Livinginthepast]

I think the cause of that problem is the rooms being really small when scaled up. :P But yes, some dolls do look too big.

[Tracyhf1]

I think that a lot I see don't have great hair. They do look big and clumsy and then sometimes their hair is too much, especially the pig tail kind.
I think it is very much like some curtains, it looks too bushy. i mean take this for example...
http://www.dollshouse.com/dhe/product-details.aspx?code=6537&dhecode=dolls1c
in my opionion the girl needs to get to a hairdresser sharpish, it just seems too big. But for me the dolls just all look the same in the face with different hair, and they have no expression! Considering they are all supposed to be a wide variety of ages.
Maybe a new way of thinking about dolls and the materials they are made from? We need to see expressions on faces, wrinkles, and if they can't get hair to behave in a realistic way then make it in shaped plastic.
Wouldn't it be nice to see a family sitting on a sofa where grandad is asleep, Dad is smiling and Mom is in conversation with a child who is laughing? rather than all the same face.
I haven't seen this anywhere, so maybe i am asking too much...but it is probably why my house will be vacant for a long time. :D

[Lorriebe]

Everyone is different I know but to me a Dolls house would not be a dolls house with out them I like Heidi Ott vey much and there are now many many site offering one offs i.e.OOAK made to order very expensive I am making my own fairies( photos to come ) from silk flowers original and very pretty slight resin dolls Love the combination all resin dolls look fantastic but they are not interactive I like to change clothes etc........its got to be real as can be for me......in minature of course

[Amanda]

For me the dolls around at the moment are all the same, I really don't like the way the clothes sit on them they all look as if they have no necks or hunchy shoulders the only ones I have seen that look good in clothes ar the Heidi Ott BJD ones

The ones that are dressed are either Victorian or Modern nothing in any other era, I would like to see some in Regency clothes or Edwardian there are so many other eras that we all do

[Marilyn]

As you know im new to this but to me some of the dolls look dare I say it "tacky" except for the really expensive ones like Heidi Ott (spelling)

[coodencat]

Hi Think It must be me but although I like Heidi Ott dolls bodywise I am not over the moon with the faces.
Maybe have been looking at the wrong ones but there is not much expression on the faces.
But for quality/price they are very good.
tc carol
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s248/swedane/Icons/shy.gif

[Dawn]

The best dolls I've ever seen are by a lady called Teresa http://www.costumecavalcade.co.uk/index.htm They're made out of fabric rather than porcelain or clay, and she hand sculpts the faces. I really love her work and mum and I have a few now, but they're not cheap unfortunately.

Reason I like them is they look more alive than many, she even does portly ladies which helps! She also covers absolutely every era including regency oh and there's a few surprises on her pages, a dr who look alike and a certain pirate of the carribean!

If you look at her site, make sure you click on the dolls house dolls and not her historical ones.

For me I look for character and that often comes with age and body shape, I'd say just take a look out the door and see the wide variety of people that go past to get an idea what people want. If you want dolls you tend to want a certain degree of realism.

[treehugger]

Have you seen the softsculpt dolls in my periwinkle cottage, in the home sweet home section?, I had them made for me by Margaret Tees, she did an article on how to make them in the dolls' house magazine in august this year, they have loads of character and look really good in the houses.:):cool:

[Winston's Mum]

just to say Coombecrafts are goodfor dolls, Robin also makes them to order for you,, i have had 3 dolls from them, my land army girl, fag ash lil, and man on beach.

[Winston's Mum]

also Woodside Dolls they are good she will be at Birmingham NEC.

[Amanda]

Hi Dawn

Took a look at those the outfits are so much more varied, got some good ideas for Regency clothing thanks for the link

[Ann of Boleyn]

The best dolls I've ever seen are by a lady called Teresa http://www.costumecavalcade.co.uk/index.htm They're made out of fabric rather than porcelain or clay, and she hand sculpts the faces. I really love her work and mum and I have a few now, but they're not cheap unfortunately.

Reason I like them is they look more alive than many, she even does portly ladies which helps! She also covers absolutely every era including regency oh and there's a few surprises on her pages, a dr who look alike and a certain pirate of the carribean!

If you look at her site, make sure you click on the dolls house dolls and not her historical ones.

For me I look for character and that often comes with age and body shape, I'd say just take a look out the door and see the wide variety of people that go past to get an idea what people want. If you want dolls you tend to want a certain degree of realism.

Hi Dawn,

Thank you very much for that site. Her modern dolls are very realistic. The clothes are not too thick, as other dolls clothing is. The first two dolls on the 'modern' page, the young lady and man are my particular favourites.

Ann

[Cazza]

I have a few KatySue Dolls, you can get them in Kit form or ready dresses & you can say whta you want them to look like,hair, Eyr Colour & what you want them to wear


I haven't found any other Shops that do them as good as they do in that Shop

[emilyc2000]

I seem to have looked everywhere for a Georgian cook and a Georgian cleaner but I can't find one anywhere!
I would love them to be in traditional uniform.
I would definitely be interested in buying them.
xxx