Alternate body for resin BJDs: Joydoll's soft cotton body

What a fun idea. It looks like it'll stand without a stand, it just needs support for more dynamic poses which is really interesting.

It's something i've considered doing before for vinyl heads but I do wonder if it might be a viable option to DIY something similar to floating heads lol.

This really feels like a nice merging of traditional doll design (Porcelain dolls for example) and bjds.

Also, a soft body will make certain clothing work a lot better because of SQUISH.

 

This reminds me of those antique leather dolls. The French and German ones from the mid 1800's. A lot of times the head, neck, and chest were bisque, a lot of the jointing in the rest of the body was sewn with leather. Sometimes the lower parts of the arms and legs would also be bisque or wood.

 

Oh I can't wait to see someone do this with a female body as well, the extra squish would work so well for aesthetical reasons and tight/shaping clothing. Honestly I'd love a kit for a small-ish 1/3 half cloth gal! If nothing else, this is giving me ideas that I know I'm beyond lazy to ever actually make but it's cool to know there would be options.

 

Firstly, thank you so much @aihre for the very detailed overview with all the links, and for highlighting this very interesting product!

I've been following along with the body development and I really want to order one, but I unfortunately didn't get Jacob/Jose (and those are the only two heads I'd want for it). I'm glad I have a month to think about it.

 

Thank you for posting all this information @aihre!

I've been following JoyDoll for a while and have been so interested in this project. I'm not sure the budget will allow, but I'd love to get one just to see how it works.

I have actually already had this kind of idea in mind for the one male character I want to shell in doll form. He is supposed to be extremely tall, but I already know I can't handle the bulk and weight of anything over 60cm. I've been saving videos of people making posable art dolls (dragons, etc.) to consult in the future.

I hope this is a successful endeavor for JoyDoll - I love to see artists trying new things!

 

It finally got released! The price is very attractive and that was one of the key variables IMO.
The project is so interesting and it opens up a lot of possibilities outside of its main intent as a travel body. I have a couple boy heads I like but I'm not invested enough to buy a full doll. So I enjoy the idea of using this instead. I think it would also allow people who have problems with the sheer weight of uncles to enjoy a doll at that size, or try things out without a major investment.

 

I saw this and thought it was super cool! It'd be nice to have a doll to cuddle with that wouldn't have hard resin poking me in the ribs or something. I know this isn't a replacement for a resin body, but personally it'd be really cool to see visible mending on this body as it gets older. A whole new type of doll customization!

 

I saw Joydolls instagram posts about this and it’s interesting to see mixed media for resin dolls showing up again. I vaguely remember people used to make cloth bodies for floating heads. Luts even used to sell some cloth bodies.
This feels like a much more refined version of the concept.

 

I'd like to see some user reviews, I do have a 60cm that needs a replacement body, but I also need it to fit the clothes I've already make for him :/

On the other hand if you have some pattern design and sewing skills any free online tutorial for making a unitard/catsuit is a good start and they still make plastic armature (the kind that looks like beads). For me it would come down to the price and shipping time being better than labor and supplies I pretty much have.

 

Just wanted to note that I asked Joydoll if they would sell the Jacob/Jose heads again, and the answer was: probably not. So I think I'll pass on the body, since I have no other floating heads of the right size, and hope to see it around here or on social media to admire from afar!

 

I am tempted to get one, more for the project than out of direct need for a body.
I find it a fascinating concept, and maybe I could try to mod existing bodies to work like that, once I've seen in person how the whole thing is assembled. Which is the advantage of a kit, I guess: you get to follow instructions instead of just throwing yourself into a project where you have to figure out everything.

 

I am getting one just because the potential for posing is insane
My dolls will have to share and they'll all get a turn on it

Same! I want to see how it is built and see if I can make one myself! ^^

 

That’s actually a really good idea! I’d like to try that. Buying floating heads is much cheaper than buying an entire doll. I enjoy sewing anyway so I see this as an affordable way to have the types of dolls that I want, in the scale that I want. The possibilities are truly endless with a mixed media project like this.

 

please post here once you receive it, although I’m not buying dolls anymore as my collection is over flowing, I’m really intrigued with this body’s posing abilities. Thank you

 

I too want to see how this ends up.

 

This is very interesting, I love the idea of having the body actually being soft and having folds. I hope this sells well enough for more companies to try their own spin!

 

Fascinating stuff! I agree with RabidBunnies above, very reminiscent of antique bisque and porcelain dolls with partial cloth bodies.

The lightweight nature of this also would be really helpful for folks with physical limitations who still want larger bodied dolls. I also imagine the soft middle would produce a doll that is more huggable than most - which may be nice for some people! Very interesting innovation, and I hope this sort of thing persists as an option for people who like those advantages and are willing to deal with the potential downsides.

 

Thanks for sharing updates! I'd been wondering if she was getting better, but I can't figure out Weibo. It's a relief that her health is improving, even slowly, and that she has a good support network

 

double posting to say i've received my soft body!
I'm a little nervous about actually building up, but just because of my own general anxiety lol. The videos joydoll made are very detailed (and I'm glad there are videos. Some stuff I might have figured out by myself or from written instructions, but for others having the visual explanation is needed).
It's really such an exciting concept, I'm glad I was able to get one!

 

Looking forward to seeing pictures and what you think of the body

 

So far I'm still building the body. I've been working a little on it every day, trying not to rush things. There are many layers of foam to cut and assemble with glue, which demands some care and attention. It's actually pretty relaxing to do, as long as I pay attention to the instructions and follow them well. I hope to finish sometimes next week (I still have a good 25 minutes of videos to go through, there's really a lot of steps!)

 

I love the creativity in this hobby. When I first saw this, I was a bit confused, but this is the perfect explanation. I think it's brilliant. It also immediately made me think of my old porcelain head doll with the cloth body.

 

Hmm, assembling layers gives me Lisa Lichtenfels vibes. I have her book and while she makes static figures she builds them up in layers of batting cut in the shpae of muscles and layers of fabric for the skin. I can see doing something similar over an articulated doll skeleton.

If you have contact with the maker tell her that at least I, and perhaps other people, might be interested in just buying the pattern and cutting our own doll(s).

 

Some parts of the body are foam over an articulated skeleton, others are resin. The resin parts have some key difference with a regular body (the torso is open on the sides to make it easier to install over the foam body as well as to improve shoulder/arm mobility I'm guessing, and the lower arm/lower legs have much wider channels than on a regular doll, I assume to help join them to the internal skeleton)

It is probably possible to make adaptations so the foam body can be fitted to regular doll parts, but you'd need to significantly change either the way the soft body is built, or make heavy mods to the doll parts.

With that said, if you have experience assembling bodies of that style (or a book explaining the basics) you may not need a pattern at all. If you have a doll of similar size, it can be re-engineered. And then it's a matter of buying the different materials. (which... is a significant part of why the kit appealed to me, finding the right material is a bother)

 

This is such an interesting concept-- I'm really drawn in by the idea of more dynamic posing!! Could lead to some wonderful photos. Endless ideas!