IMPL dolls Star, Model and Idol Discussion thread Part 8

WOW he is totally cool! I just ordered a John ...from a member on Facebook can't wait to get him in a month!

 

lovely to see Malik Uminari

that is a great video Lelm - you make the idol girl look so easy to pose and I love those high heel feet on her - Azalea is a gorgeous sculpt too

meanwhile I'm going AWOL for a while, on and off, because I'm moving house moving to a tiny one-bed flat in a few weeks so everything is in chaos here - but I have at least discovered that an ironing board makes a great, makeshift dolly shelf! and I don't tend to actually do any IRONING on it anyway LOL

 

Happy moving! We'll miss you and don't hurt yourself! (moving pulls muscles!) YAY for dolly shelves!! I certainly need a few more myself... *considers buying ironing boards...*

 

@Uminari I can never get enough of Malik. I love seeing pics of him!

Thanks for posting the video @Lelm. I will have to check that out later. I'm on my way back to the office at the moment.

@elve - best of luck with your move! haha my ironing board has been similarly employed in the past. My Build-A-Bears hung out on top of mine at my old flat, before I moved into my current house. We'll miss you while you're gone and hope to see you on here again soon


In news from my end, Zera & Sini are finally back from the faceup artist! Zera looks awesome in my opinion. I'm still deciding how I feel about Sini, but I have no complaints about the quality of the work. I would love to post a pic of Zera right now, but the only one I've got currently is on my iPhone and I fear it'd be HUGE if I posted it from the mobile app.

ETA// If this is enormous, I apologize

iPhone Zera by Sapphire, on Flickr

 

wow, I especially love her lips! She looks amazing! (and not huge)

 

She is really gorgeous! And yay! phone pic didn't nuke the thread!

Congrats on her!

(My Lydia and Joshua heads should be here tomorrow! *SQUEEEEEEEEE!*)

 

Been eyeing the marketplace to find a Tony secondhand and just paid for one yesterday! He is tan, on the old style idol body and even in EU, so no customs fees. Pretty stoked to see how he looks next to my Dollchateau Cyril I already have. They're both quite tall but Cyril is so slinky in comparison...

 

Is there anybody having an Iplehouse SID head to put on the Star body (the one of Nelson) and on the new new Idol body and show me pics? Cause.... wish to build a hybrid

 

Thanks very much @fishcake and @chalyss !!

Congrats on your Tony, @ronnie92! Tony is a great sculpt


Here is Sini (and husband Tyler).

Tyler & Sini by Sapphire, on Flickr

 

They look wonderful together--and Sini's face is so beautifully done! (I would have had a terrible time trying to paint on blue!)

 

Thank you! My friend who painted her and Zera said she finds coloured resin easier than natural flesh tones because it's easier to match and blend appropriate colours for a "natural" look. I wouldn't know, personally. The only faceups I've ever done were horrendous, and my very first one was actually on blue resin. I have no skill with faceups lol. I'll just stick with photography.

 

@greeneyed-soul: Just for fun, I did a bit of headswapping here between my SID Lee, Idol Marcus and a Leekeworld Lionel head/5Stardoll super body: /threads/head-swapping-iple-sid-impldoll-idol-and-leekeworld.620296/

Have a look and decide for yourself.

 

aaaAAAWWWW! *melts* Tyler looks so happy to have her back.

I think I see what you meant about her now ... or maybe it's my monitor not showing the colour of her eyes right (they showed up as demon-red once, that was freaky). But yeah, her expression is definitely different from littleSini's.

 

thank you SapphireStargazer! Your girls both look wonderful!

 

Thanks @elve! hehe I need to take some better pictures of Zera (...with Aubrey because he demands it). My iPhone doesn't seem to understand the meaning of warm tones and everything comes out looking really cool-toned no matter what the lighting situation is. More photos will have to come after the doll show, though. The big event is tomorrow.

Thanks! hehehe they can't seem to keep their little resin hands off each other, so I think it's safe to say everyone's happy Sini is back. As for Sini's expression, I think she's going to be like Reid and only have two photographic moods: sexy or pissed off. I swear, in every shot I took yesterday she looked like she was trying to seduce someone or at least thinking about trying to seduce someone lol. heh...wait till she gets her pink lady lingerie from Iplehouse.

 

Well Tyler looks awfully pleased at how his wife looks! Check out that smile! Fabulous work by your friend!

@ronnie92, yay!! A Tony! IN TAN! He is one of THE nicest sculpts ever, really! Congrats to you! Please spam copious amounts of pics when he comes home! That old style 3 piece Idol body is a super good poser! And next to a DC..? I'd be interested to see it! Very very different aesthetics!

 

Thank you @SapphireStargazer and @chalyss ! My collection's been changing a lot lately and I'm happy to get a few Impldolls in it. The Tony sculpt looks great, and I hope it'll fit in with the rest of my crew. I also have an Alma coming up (though that one's from the company, as I wanted one fo the default faceup)

It's quite exiting to see how they pose. I'm not quite used to dolls this large yet :/

 

Thanks @chalyss! I think it's safe to say he approves.

Not to be outdone by Sini are Tyler, here are Aubrey and Zera all dressed up for the doll show tomorrow:

Aubrey & Zera by Sapphire, on Flickr

 

Tomorrow? Wow, they sure cut it fine! Hope you have lots of fun
And they look completely gorgeous, all of them The red dress suits Zera perfectly!

Seductive looks and member of a species who doesn't believe in clothes? Uh-oh

 

Zera made it just in time! I can't believe how well that dress fits her--it looks like it was made for her!

 

@SapphireStargazer I love your girls! Azalea in blue skin is gorgeous! beautiful faceups too.

@chalyss @fishcake @elve thanks so much for watching, really appreciate the comments. Hopefully it will help others considering these lovely girls. Impl has so far confirmed my new medium bust piece has shipped but so far have not offered the tracking number. Fingers crossed.

 

Thanks very much for the lovely compliment! I hope IMPL sends you the tracking number for your part, and that it arrives safely even if you don't get a tracking number.
I finally got to watch your video, too. That was really good and informative. Thanks for sharing it.

Yes, they certainly did cut it fine, especially considering that it usually takes 4-5 days for packages to be sent between where my friend lives and where I live. She sent them on 21 April and they disappeared off the postal tracking system for nearly a week before they resurfaced again. We were getting worried they were lost in the mail. haha...being almost late is perfectly in-character for Zera though. She likes to make a dramatic entrance. Thanks for the compliment for her & Sini, too

Yes, she did make it just in time! Believe me, I was super relieved when that package showed up. Thanks for the comments on Zera's dress! I still can't get over how well it fits. All her clothes are SID (or SID sized)and they're all perfectly fitted, so I'm pretty confident in getting SID sized clothes for her in future


After the busy day we had yesterday, Zera decided to start her day with meditation and yoga today:

Zera's Morning Yoga by Sapphire, on Flickr

 

Here have a picture from Malik in tights Well historic trouser tights. But they turned out quite good. I hope his lilac shirt will be a success too.




@SapphireStargazer Zera looks stunning in that green top

 

Zera does look really relaxed when sitting like that. Yoga is just a good way to get your head free, and she looks so peaceful (it may also be enhanced by her green shirt).

And Malik...looking really good already. I am really curious to see him wearing this shirt.

 

@SapphireStargazer - Zera is lovely! Her resin colour is so pretty.

@Uminari - Malik is a total babe.

Pardon the sort of less than stellar quality of this one- but here's my Bernice- Freya and her bodyguard Braum ( my Twigling Eloy). Probably should have put on her crown but I spaced it.

 

My Tony arrived! He's so huge even next to my other 70cm doll :0 If you're interested, here's the box opening. I'll try to get images when I get back home and get him some eyes.

 

Wow, @BlitheFool!! Fantastic everything!!

@ronnie92, Congrats!!!! I am going to watch the opening right now!

 

How exciting, @ronnie92 ! Congrats! I look forward to seeing photos of him

Thank you, @chalyss ! Braum's sister, Brynn, is still waiting for a body so Queen Freya is still missing one of her body guards. Alas.

 

Congrats on your Tony @ronnie92! I watched your box opening. He is a really lovely looking guy

Thank you for the compliments for Zera, @Uminari, @Ipledreamer and @BlitheFool!

Malik is looking good @Uminari! I can hardly wait to see him with his new shirt.

Your Berenice is pretty, @BlitheFool.


So... I restrung Sini according to @fishcake's directions back on page 21. Her kneecaps no longer face outward when she sits, and her legs don't "drop" out of her hip sockets, but now she can't hold leg poses. Her knees won't stay bent, even after I adjusted the tension in her leg string three times. I've got a lot of restringing experience and this is frustrating me. I think I'm going to have to suede her after all. I'm not touching Zera's stringing until I get this figured out.

 

@SapphireStargazer I think some of those knees had the holes drilled too small and they won't "slide" with the elastic--do you think that might be true of Sini's legs?

 

@fishcake - maybe? Her legs bend fine; they just won't stay that way. They stayed bent when she was strung the "normal" way though, so I don't know what the problem is now.

 

Hello, I'm just new here, but I'd just like to say your Azalea is awesome! I've my eyes on her headsculpt too (with red eyes! SQUEEEE!), and I'm so glad to see that she rocks straight, long hair.

 

@ronnie92 look forward to seeing the box open!
Took some pics of Azalea in her new EID dress so will post these when I get the chance.

 

That thing with the knees seems a bit strange. I mean, the knees are that far down? And they are still that much influenced by the way the hips are strung? This is very interesting.

I have tried following with my guy (Idol man): To separate the upper and lower body, and also to separate the strings fully, I drilled two holes as far apart as possible into that part which keeps the hip from moving backwards. Then the upper string was threaded through these holes. It now runs in front of the lower string through the former string crossing hole.

The leg string runs through the leg holes in the hip part behind the upper string. That way, the upper body does not suddenly fold over (something which I find very annoying).

Only downside: He does not sit that easily any longer. You have to pull out the thigh parts and turn them a bit to get the strings into the sitting slits. But you get used to it. He stands and sits very stable. And he can sit now with legs apart (a man has to be able to do this, IMO).

Stringing is indeed a science for itself, methinks.

 

Thanks very much for the lovely compliment @AntarelNefertili !

@Ipledreamer since all the string is connected, even the ankles can be effected by hip stringing. In a "normal" stringing method where the doll's legs and torso are strung with one long continuous piece of elastic, tension and stringing method can affect every joint in the neck/torso/legs. I've strung Sini's legs separately from her torso and neck, and now her knees won't stay bent, whereas they did stay bent when her legs and torso were strung with one continuous piece. I may have to string her back the other way, as I don't feel as though sitting with properly aligned kneecaps is worth the trade-off for all the poses she could do before I restrung her in two parts.
As for my boys, I don't have any trouble at all with the Idol bodies. They all pose beautifully and didn't require any sueding, mods or fancy restringing methods. All I did for Aubrey was uncross the string in his hip piece, and he's good. I didn't even uncross the string for Gabriel. My Star v.1 male body poses like a dream as well and is one of the best bodies I've got here.

I'm actually quite curious to know how the Model woman body poses. I have a hybrid in mind that I want to make with that body, but if it's going to be as troublesome as the new Star Woman body, I may be seeking other options.


And still on the subject of Star women, Here's a shot of Zera I'm particularly pleased with. (more from this shoot in my flickr.)
[
Zera At Dusk by Sapphire, on Flickr

 

@SapphireStargazer where did Zera's wig come from, if you mind me asking? (Am still doing a lot of backreading in the forum so I may have missed it, sorry lots!) I like how it looks so natural.

 

@AntarelNefertili - no problem! I probably did mention it at some point, but I have no idea how far back you'd have to go to find it. The wig is from Dollmore.

 

I am also extremely happy with my Idol guys. For my Gen. 1 female Star body, I cannot say much yet. I got her second hand, and she is superloose. But my demands here are not high, as she first and foremost has to look good in a business outfit sitting at a desk. Though I am very sure that fresh strings will improve her immensely.

 

The Model bodies- the small 58cm bodies- are very good posers, they don't have these problems. I don't even know what to say so I won't say anything. *L* I did what Fish suggested and I used thicker strings than hers, but now mine is a champ whereas before she could... stand. She couldn't pose but she could stand. That's the Female Idol Body. I don't have a new Starwoman body yet, but yes, it does seem stringing is kind of an unsung hero, a bassist or a good inker- you don't notice them when they're doing their job but as soon as they are not, everything is bad. I hope you figure it out, @SapphireStargazer!

 

@chalyss - thanks! I figured the Model bodies wouldn't be too bad, considering they look like they're designed similarly to the old Star bodies (which are awesome). I think I'm just going to string Sini the way she was originally strung, since the stringing in two parts method seems to have made things worse instead of better. I can live with the kneecaps turning outward, I think.

 

@Ipledreamer could you post a photo of where you drilled the new holes? I am very, very interested!

 

Hello! I'm so sorry I dug this up considering it's already been posted for several months (currently a noobie backreading through the forum). But I'd just like to say I was relieved to find it out my eyes weren't playing tricks on me when I thought Delia's head looked a little too small on the Idol body. Although her face sculpt is pretty, the Idol body doesn't do her justice.

 

@AntarelNefertili, Karena has the same problem--tiny wonderful head on that BIG body! I do sometimes wonder if they do a test fit before committing to casting!

 

@fishcake, normally I only nitpick the tiny head problem on the relatively new "Hercules" body type in Iplehouse, but it bothers me more on the poor Impldoll females for some reason. The problem is not so pronounced on Azalea, is it? I'm thinking of ordering her basic version, but I'm not sure now if I should downgrade her body to Star.

 

@AntarelNefertili - Azalea has a pretty small head too. Azalea's head is the same size as Alma's, and Alma is meant for the Star body. If you want to see some really good views of how Azalea looks on the Idol body, @Lelm posted a video with an Idol body review a few pages back. My Azalea and Alma are both on the Star body, and I think the Azalea head looks all right on the smaller body.

 

@fishcake: Here are two pics of my stringing mod:



http://up.picr.de/25568916cf.jpg

The first is supposed to show the two additional holes in the resin thingy. This allows to have actually two additional strings holding the upper body, which makes it very stable. The other holes surrounding the hip are silicone bumpers instead of traditional sueding which I installed. Also very helpful.

The lower pic shows how the three strings run. The rear one is simple put from front to back through the resin things. The leg string has to run behind the second upper body string. That way, the upper body string can hold back the leg string, and the guy does not suddenly bent over (which he will do if the led string is in front of the second upper body string). The second upper body string runs through the former hole where the body string was crossed on crotch level.

With my method, getting the guy needs a bit more work to get him to sit, as you have to pull out the thighs in order to make them lock into their string channels. But when sitting, he won't fall back at all. Okay, the Idol male body was a perfect sitter already before that mod. But now he can also sit with his legs apart (which guys should be able to do).

Sorry for the lengthy explanation, but it took me quite a while to figure all out. Basically, apart from drilling the two holes (which I also found super easy, but I am dremeling around all the time), it is a very easy mod. And if you do not want or need it anymore (perhaps if you change the doll into a perfect gentleman with parallel leg position while sitting), you can simply change him back to his company stringing.

 

@Ipledreamer... well.... this is genius! I have a couple of Granado boys that flop and this would totally fix that behavior...also a Mirodoll girl as well. I am saving the pix for reference-- and I think you have solved a problem that has baffled doll manufacturers by doing the strings this way! Thank you so much for sharing!

 

@fishcake: I am glad that you like it. Maybe this can somehow also be helpful for the ladies?

 

@Ipledreamer I am very tempted to try it with my Deborah and see if that makes her legs work and keep them on at the same time

 

Well, if you do it, I am very curious how it turns out!

 

I saved the pics too. Great ideas there! Thank you for sharing!

 

Hi all sharing some pics of Azalea:

 

@Lelm , I cannot see your image - do you have a direct link instead?

 

The second pic was changed to a link. I forgot that we are only allowed to post one pic per post here.

 

@Lelm speaking of picture links, send us a link! for some reason the photo isn't showing for me, but I love visiting people's flickrs, and I want to see your Azalea!

 

You have an Eloy?! They lood great together!

 

Hello! There seems to be a problem with the image. I wanna seeeeee.

 

@urbanizer , I do indeed! And thank you! I have a soft spot for elves. Seems a lot of pointy eared dolls have found their way into m collection.

@Ipledreamer - thank you for posting those photos! That's so darn clever. Maybe it can fix my star girls posing problems...

 

Sorry guys, it was a quick post via my phone before nodding off, I'd love it if you'd check out my pics! I'll try this instead: Impldoll Idol - Azalea,

 

Beautiful!! The IH clothes work well on those figures don't they? That's a SID sized dress? She is gorgeous!