20–39cm Dolls 3D Modeled & Printed Tiny Mature Male BJD

* * Unfortunately, many images of the actual physically printed doll are not currently showing up due to mysterious issues. Here's a link to the Flickr Album if you'd like to actually see it! * *
>> That Guy <<

Greetings all, I am Mono!
I am not new to dolls but I am new to doll-making! I'll give a bit of background on my first and current project!

I've always loved the idea of creating my own figures and dolls, thus the customization aspect of the BJDs is what got me into the hobby, but I've longed to dabble further into the actual sculpting, mold-making and casting aspects of it. It's been an aspiration of mine since I got into the hobby back in 2014.
I've been dabbling in 3D Character Modeling since 2011 and finally after many initial attempts I've reached a point where I could create a 3D model! Having the correct software really helps!
I bought my 3D printer a month or two ago. This is my first venture into 3D printing (after having many years experience in 3D Modeling). It's like a dream come true. Im so glad to OWN my own 3D Printer! I AM UNSTOPPABLE!!

He currently has no name!
He stands just under 27cm tall without a head!

My Goal:
- To create a male BJD in my own personal style/aesthetic - a mature-looking MSD/YOSD sized sculpt. Eventually Id love to print him in SD size someday but I am limited by my 3D Printer's small buildplate for now.
- To make molds & castable versions in poured resin, should others show interest in the sculpt and wish to have one of their own. As 3D printing a few is fine, but casting resin is sturdier and more economical.
- To create different heads that will fit on this body!
- Maybe sculpt castable wigs too, since I hate finding tiny wigs!

Softwares Used:
Head - Modeled in Metasequoia via point-modeling
Body - Sculpted in ZBrush Core, Jointed in ZBrush Core
Chitubox - Slicing and supporting the model
Photon Slicer - To export compatible file-type for my 3D Printer

Materials used:
Anycubic Photon 3D Printer (Prints in resin via UV curing method.)
Anycubic Green UV Printing Resin
Dragon Resin White Opaque Printing Resin

Initial body sculpt took over a week of solid work in ZBrush Core, this project began in September 2018.
I took a long hiatus from the project as I had no means of 3D Printing and struggled to figure out boolean operations in ZBrush Core.
Finally after a year, my interests in 3D Printing were rekindled strongly enough to invest in a 3D printer. After several weeks of getting used to the machine and learning the workflow I went back to my model in ZBrush and made various adjustments to the joints and shape to accommodate better posing.

Images of the sculpt after several hours if not days into it:


I find it difficult to sculpt things like faces in ZBrush - this was my first time ever using the software, and while it worked very well for the details in the musculature of the body, ZBrush core felt like I was losing the sharp detail I can get using point-modeling and subdivision in Metasequoia. At least for young/smooth anime stylized faces I most often create for my characters.

The head I modeled here is greatly inspired by Chrom from Fire Emblem.


The beginnings of jointing the body in ZBrush.
This would be the most meticulous and arduous task as far as I'm concerned. It's not shown finished here, these are all older screenshots.
In the end I had to redo the arms completely - I found that making the joints while in a T-Pose might make it more difficult for the doll to move its arms down so I moved them to his sides and re-did it again. so this isnt the final version:




After cutting the model apart and trying my best to ensure joints fit together I export the model in parts, and import them into Chitubox and other slicer software to add in supports and try and get the file set up for printing!


My first test print is in green, unfortunately my buildplate was not level and I paused in the middle of the print which resulted in an error. But this is more just to see if I can even PRINT this thing!


After MANY hours of printing, and a few print errors later, I ended up with most of the parts to test how the fit together.
It's difficult to predict the shrinkage of the resin when curing, and I accidentally stopped a print thinking it had failed when it hadnt. Once you cancel a print you can resume it. Wasted resin, but learning a lot!
Sadly the Anycubic Green resin is waaaaay too brittle to string with any tension, especially since some parts printed very thin. But it helped me see where my model needed revisions, and it needed QUITE A FEW!


So after this green print I went back to make revisions, which included a lot of changing to the thigh and shoulder channels.
And after waiting several weeks, I got in a new type of resin, Dragon Resin. Id been told this was much more flexible and less likely to snap than the brittle Anycubic Green, so after printing some other projects and finding success with it, I set to resizing and setting up my new version of the model once again.
This time he prints a bit smaller (but fits more safely in the safe-zone of my buildplate) and uses a little less resin.

So here's my second prototype printed in Dragon Resin!


Unfortunately I lost a bit of detail in the body (mainly due to having to dynamesh the body repeatedly to get good boolean cuts for joints, and ZBrush Core having a polygon limit) But I'm still happy with the results so far.
Today I just finished printing his other leg (Thigh, Knee and Shin, taking roughly 6 hours to print!) And his Right arm is currently printing.

So this is the second iteration of the boy, and I'm already seeing things I need to change, which include scaling up the knee and elbow joints a bit (theyre a little too small and just float/spin in their slots.)
Possibly adding a lock notch sort of thing since currently his knees want to bend when strung with elastic.
So, there's still a lot of work to do. But its really satisfying being able to print my own things at home and cheaper in the long run than ordering prints from shapeways every time I need to test the joints.

 

Hmm, I hadn't thought of it. I mainly didn't add any since to me its not an important detail since my boys usually wear clothes, but I'm certainly not adverse to adding more to the sculpt, can always be sanded off. easier to subtract than to add from something cast in a mold!
I guess it mainly depends on if people show any interest in my work and want that added or not!! \ o /

 

I'll probably add that anatomy into his sculpt then!

I got his second arm printed today. I'm going to add some hotglue sueding to test the joints. His knees are being a little finicky, probably needs a lock notch, and to be printed a smidge bigger. I'll try that out and see how it goes next!

 

Also updating the knee joint!
- Reprinting larger to fit more snugly in the socket
- Adding Lock notches to help keep his leg straight.
Going a little overboard on the long notches since I can always sand them down later, this resin is fairly soft and sands easily.

 

UPDATE!!
I reprinted the knee. I'm not sure if I'm liking it, or if I want to try and change the legs jointing all together.
Here he is currently with the V2 Knee (His Left) & V1 Knee (His Right):


His left leg has the new knee joint, that's just slightly longer than the first version with small notch locks added to it With a bit of sanding it might fit more perfectly.

Alternatively, I've also changed the actual sculpt in ZBrush to make an entirely new set of Legs Joints. I'm not sure whether to stick with what I currently have, or go for the V3. The deciding factor will be IRL posability once the V3 leg is printed. But I have to order more resin for my Photon before I can continue!

The joints of the V3 leg are based on one of my brother's Volks SDC dolls

 

Here's a bit of WIP on a head sculpt for him as well! This is pulled from one of my previous models I was working on - Chrom from Fire Emblem! I think I need to adjust his eyes a bit. But we'll see. It doesnt really need to look exactly like him. But Chrom's face is certainly one I liked the look of!
The benefit of it being a 3D model is I can change the expression however I want! So that'll be lots of fun!
I also hate looking for wigs this small, so I may consider 3D Printing the hair sculpt as well and making the hairstyle that way.
I have to work on actually building this head to have an interior, that's the hard part.

 

I got the interior of this head sculpted. I'm thinking of going with a sort of face-plate method. With small pegs and magnets.
So, we will see how this goes. I want to model all sorts of different faces for this guy!

 

More Progress on the Ball Jointed Doll this evening!
Spent about 8 hours working on the head and hair so it could be printed in parts that fit together using pegs. Because I hate looking for wigs for dolls this size.
So, behold!!

I might re-print the head a bit bigger, since once he's clothed his body might look too big/bulky. I also have to change the neck a bit so he can have more posability. But here he is so far!

Things left to do to complete finalized prototype:
- Edit Torso part's neck
- Edit Head part's neck
- Mirror the Hair, the bangs should be swept the other direction than they currently are.
- Print the V3 Legs.
- Print the feet a smidge smaller.

Then after that, it's overall sanding and polishing, and then mold making eventually.

 

Another update, finally the V3 leg is coming together, albeit a little slower than the first set of legs.
'm not sure if the issue was with my model, the resin exposure, or what but the third revision of the Version 3 leg printed successfully! I have to make the notches in the back of the knee joint so he can bend his knee & kneel. That revised version is currently printing on my Anycubic Photon 3D printer.

V2:
- Knee Joint is a "Pill" shape, which fits inside the Thight & Shin parts

V3:
- Knee Joint now has the Kneecap sculpted, and should look better, visually, when kneeling.
- Added Mobility/Swivel in the hip.

 

The Version 3 Legs have been printed! They need some sanding for a more proper fit, and possibly sanding to make the kneecap a little less big and more streamlined into the leg.



Changes to make to V3 legs:
- Deeper notch in hip joint
- Widen or reposition channel that connects the hip to body.
- Move entire joint socket + Knee further down (Lengthening thigh, shortening Shin)

So it looks like we'll be moving onto a set of V4 Legs maybe.... :'D
Besides his legs though, I think the rest of him is adequate enough to polish and finish off for mold-making.

 

Another update on the Ball Jointed Doll Project!

Version 4 Leg now has:
- New hip joint, with a 'J" shaped channel, cut deeper so he can sit with his leg bent 90 degrees at the hip.
- Knee Joint and sockets entirely moved lower for better proportion.
- Knee Joint sculpt is a little bit more streamlined to fit with the silhouette of the leg.

Changes to make:
- Adjust neck shape on torso part, or where head part touches the neck to allow better posing in head
- Print optional lower abdominal piece that is more anatomically correct to meed DoA standards for BJD Forum Approval
- Mirror and print (Doll's)Right V4 leg to match.

 

WELL SHUCKS Now I see what you mean! Hmmm. Well, once I get more resin, I'll have to reprint it eventually. What's one more shin pieces at this rate? HAHA.
I'll mess about with it again once I get more resin for my printer.
Thanks for the critique!

 

Anatomically correct refers more to adding simply sculpted genitals on the abdomen. But I appreciate the critique on the legs!!
Here we go, how's this, you think?

(Right Leg in the image refers to the leg on "our" right)

 

Update on the prototype doll - My second (hopefully finalized) Prototype printed in Anycubic "Skin" resin!
- Upper Body, Bicep, Elbow, Forearm & Hand remain the same as the original prototype
- Legs are entirely different (V4 Legs which feature a mobility hip joint, adjusted knee joint, and adjusted shin sculpt)
- Abdomen part now has simple genital anatomy sculpted in
- A new Hairstyle was added! This Doll now has two optional Hairstyle possibilities!

Next Steps:
- Print all mirrored parts (Right arm & Leg)
- Print New Head Piece
- Print New Hair Parts

Finalization Steps:
- Sanding & polishing all parts
- Prepare Master Prototype for Mold Making Phase.




Here is the 2nd (new) hairstyle!

 

More progress made on the BJD Project once again!
A 2nd Fully Printed Prototype (hopefully finalized version)

The 2nd full print features:
- A new Faceplate Pin system (still needs finalizing though)
- A 2nd hairstyle
- V5 Legs
- Basic genital sculpt detail added to abdomen

Next Steps for the Body include:
- Sanding spru/support points on the back of the print
- Polishing the overall print
- Any additional Prep-work required for mold making
- And then figuring out the Molding & Casting process, whether I want to do it myself or perhaps enlist the assistance of a BJD company with Casting Services...

Next Steps for the Head & Hair Parts include:
- Finalization of Faceplate-to-headback Pegs/joint system
- Finalization of Front-to-back Hair Parts Peg system
These parts need to join nice and smoothly to avoid an ugly gap. But its hard to figure out due to resin shrinkage when printing...




Here are all the previously failed parts, or different now obsolete versions:

 

Currently the doll stands at about 25cm-27cm currently iirc, although its been a month since I've worked on him. He's somewhere within that height!
Right now I'm just ever so slowly sanding the very fine print lines and support pegs so I can hopefully get some molds made. Not sure if I'm gonna try homecasting or if I should try a casting service.
I guess it depends on how many people may want him and pricing and all that!

 

It's been a long time since I've updated the thread here, and a wile since I got to workon the doll but finally Ive made some decent progress!!







Updates:
- All parts have been sanded vigirously.
- All parts have been primed with Rustoleum 2-in-1 Sandable Filler
- Primed parts have been sanded and buffed

Things to do:
- Prime the parts with Tamiya primer to ensure compatibility with Harucasting silicone
- Re-do the head model: change it to headcap style instead of faceplate style to try and eliminate gap
- Redo the hair model to snap together without a gap, this may also include building it up with epoxy
- print new head
- print new hair
- Prime head
- Sand head
- Sand hair

I wish I knew why my printed parts ended up with such a big gap. It must be due to resin shrinkage but I dont know what to do to compensate for it. > hmmmmm.

 

Progress update!
- Head has been re-printed to have headcap style attachment instead of faceplate.
- 6mmx3mm magnet hole ready
- Everything has been sanded and polished
- All that's left is hitting everything with the final coat of primer and getting in contact with a casting service.

I'll probably be going through HaruCasting. But there is a minimum order of 10, so I'm thinking of doing Pre-Orders or a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to cover the cost of the pro-casts.
What do you think would be a good way to go about it? Also PLEASE let me know if you'd want to pre-order one!

(I don't know if I can include the sculpted hair shown below, but I can work on finishing it and filling in the gaps if you do want it included!)

 

Thank you! Im working on getting a quote to determine how much he might cost to try and do a kickstarter, pre-order sort of thing!
I have started posting him on instagram too! I am @MonochromeAgent on there! <: