What's more important, the HEAD, BODY, or BOTH?

My main concern is the proportions between the two. So many dolls are in something like anime proportions (at least at msd scale) even if they have relatively realistic or otherwise attractive faces and/or bodies.

 

Both for me! Oh wait, no, make that head first, then body.
The thing is, everything in BJD are beautifully done. Sure there are some really creative sculpts out there, but a realistic sculpt like real person? A curvy body on the plus side with matching double-chinned head aren't something seen often. Chubby ones are usually at tinies or yosd size. Hardly seen sd size sculpt that features plump or chubbier ones.. i mean would majority of the people buy them?

 

When I first entered the hobby, I just thought a beautiful head is enough. But nope, I was proven wrong.
After I did the faceup, I just don't have motivation to sew clothes for the doll because the body isn't cup of my tea

So now, I feel both body and head is important, aesthetically and poseability

 

I'd say, like a lot of folks here, that both are important. Obviously I need to love the face, but I can't just put the perfect head on a generic body. They have to suit each other, since the body is part of the character, too.

 

For Oc it's the face but when I saw my very first doll his entire sculpt spoke to me and I knew he was the one that I couldn't live without.

 

That's a good question.
I suppose it's down to personal preference.
Though, for me atleast, I consider both to be important.
The face is arguably the area where where people will pay the most attention, which is to be expected. As humans we recognise faces. So a good head sculpt, on that you like, is important.

Body is a little less notable.
I've seen some people choose to buy an exspensive head sculpt and get a less costly body to put it on. Which is a great idea. With bodies usually being clothed, or more covered then the face.

For me however, I like a well sculpted body.
It sort of brings me into the realm of fine and old art, where the human body, both male and female, was celebrated for their beauty.
(Think, renascence art.)
That's just me though. ^^

 

For me it's both.
The first thing that I see is the head sculpt and if I like the head sculpt I will then look at the body sculpt. If the body isn't up to my standards I become instantly disinterested in the doll.
I also get a bit discouraged if the joints don't look pretty but joints I can work around... however if the body + head don't work then it's a no go for me. v-v;;

 

I buy the head because it's perfect and then pick a body to fit. I have definitely sold bodies because they come to annoy me from a posing/aesthetic/proportion perspective, but if I switch anything rather than selling an entire doll, it's the body that gets switched not the heads.

I love a well-sculpted body but I also worry about posing. The sculpt matters even when many of my dolls are rarely nude. Like I sold the Fdoll body for no reason except I really hated the nipples and like it would look super awkward in photos. like no I don't need hot nipple action on my boy. >_>

 

I agree with everyone saying both. I am a story over doll person, so the face is very important. Also, if my character is very skinny, has a bad posture, height compare to another, it's important. I also care a lot for nicely sculpted hands and proportions.

 

The face is a bit more important to me since the body will mostly be covered with clothes. I do want a body that's moderately good at posing, but it's not my priority. The body is usually not a deal breaker for me if I really really like the head and want the body that comes with it. I'm a bit more picky about the body if I already have a character planned before buying a doll. It has to look just right and go well with the vision I have of the character! Other than that I'm cool with most bodies.

 

The body is my #1 priority, it would seem. I am so stinking picky about doll bodies, that my only BJD is just a floating head. I've spent over a month now studying bodies for 3+ hours a night, and I still have not found the one. However, I also don't write stories or create characters to be shelled, so that's why the face isn't my first thought. To me, the face lets me know who they are, if that makes sense?​

 

Even I focusing on the head, I think both body and head are important. I give something like 60% attention to the head and 40% to the body.

 

I'm in the "both" camp. I'd say that face/sculpt is the most important but if the body isn't right with it, the whole thing can look off. For example, even if the face was the best sculpt ever I would still need one of my characters to be shorter than the other for the whole story to look right.

 

Both, surely, though I tend not to make hybrids. When looking for a doll, I try to find a head sculpt I like with a body I at least accept. I gave up beautiful head sculpts because of bodies I didn't like, and never got bodies I love because there was no beautiful head at the same store. Most of the time it is harder to find a doll I like, but when I do, it's worth all the search

 

For me its the complete package. The head is what I look at most. I have to love the head but the body has to have decent possibility. I will hybrid a doll if the body really isn't what I'm looking for but since they will be covered in clothes I generally don't mind so long as they are somewhat close to the aesthetic I'm looking for. I prefer natural looking bodies, not too muscular for men and not too skinny for women. In saying that one of my characters will eventually be shelled by a doll chateau Elizabeth with a human body and I chose her specifically for the body as thats almost identical to what I envision my character looking like. I guess it depends on the character I'm shelling! But generally the head takes priority over the body

 

Both are equally as important to me!
As long as I like the face up, and it's well painted and suits the head, I don't mine too much.
But the bodies important because I prefer more proportional looking bodies (or as proportional as you can get with dolls), or one that looks surreal.

 

The head is what draws my attention. A body can be covered in clothes if the look is not to my liking.

 

Head for me. I do care about the bodies, that they fit and be a style I like, but it's easier to find bodies that are acceptable than heads. I'm fussy about faces!

 

Heads are the most important for me, I choose it first and after try to find a body with good proportions ofr the head.

 

I like both, but I prefer heads. I don't have any dolls, but I prefer the head.

 

Head sculpt is the most important to me, and if the default body has good proportions and suits the character's body type then I will go with it even if the posing is lackluster. I've done sueding mods to help if need be.

 

The head for sure.
I'm still kind of new so it may change over time, but the only thing important about the body is that it fits the head in terms of sizing and color. Aside from that I do not mind much as long as it's kind of natural.. I do not really like doll chateau bodies or other bodies with odd measurements. I am however way more picky when it comes to face sculpts..

 

I have been in the hobby for 8 years now and though I very much love a nice body, the head is most important. I will settle for a reasonable body to hybrid with a nice head any day if that will spare me dollars. In the end my household and its expenses are more important than any hobby.

That said, I won't buy a body, because it comes with the head, but I may buy an extra head if it comes with a body. But usually that body is meant for one of my floating heads.

What is a reasonable body? Any body that will sit up, can slouch and stand. I need the hands to be whole (or hybrid) and the proportions of neck/schoulders and head to be nice. I prefer bodies that have a longer torso and not those endless legs - and do not much care about the resin match. Though I do prefer a pink skinned head to have a pink skinned body and yellow with yellow etc. I will blush the torso and hands if I need colour to match better - but after I do a face-up no body will match anyway

 

yeha i noticed i look for face sculpt first, then i look at the chest mainly and then the legs.
face is the obvious and main focal point of anything; whether it'd be dolls or figures or even drawings.
chest is important for me because sometimes there are some uh weird busts out there that look like balloons or something LOL
then legs because some might be made to look like a certain shape? idk how to explain it but yeha lol
o also hands are important! some may be more slender and whatnot. but i tend to focus more on the heads lol especially the eye shape.
idk but the eye shape is super important because it can really define the character and/or expression ya know?

so in conclusion; head comes first!

 

I never thought I would end up how I have.
I've lurked in the hobby since 2008 or so and at the time I mostly cared about the sculpts more than anything. When I got my first BJD, I got her because I fell for her sculpt - her body was fine, and I knew I could hybrid it anyway later down the road. But once I found bodies that I saw as beautifully sculpted and engineered, everything changed; now my top priorities on my wish list are all motivated by a body that I want to own. I don't even have a sculpt in mind yet for one of them!


I think the body is the most expressive part of any human being, and when it comes to dolls that usually have a fixed expression, the body language of that doll can change the significance of the facial expression. The way a doll poses can define its entire personality and change the impression the doll gives off. It's wonderful! I have seen so many sculpts at this point that I'm not sure I'm intimately attached to any of them as much as I want (like being able to have a 'grail'), but I think having the right body for a doll makes the sculpt something much more enjoyable by extension, if that makes sense.

 

They both count but I'm not overly picky unless I have something specific in mind. I figure I'm gonna be looking at it for gosh knows how long I better like the body.

My only complaint about one of my own dolls is that I'm gonna have to do some work on her to get her to behave when posing. (Bobobie. No S-hooks in her hands and her string definitely needs re-doing)

 

I go for the head first

 

The more I think about it, the more it bothers me that the bodies for most of my crew aren't quite "right" for the character they're shelling. This one's too muscular, that one's too thin, that one's legs are too long, etc. I'm trying to get better at correcting some of those issues with clothing, but at some point I'd love the chance to hybrid a bit so I like the bodies as much as I like the head sculpt.

 

I usually look at the face! I like cute face.

 

Both have a lot of importance for me but I guess the sculpt of the face is the most important thing when your are not looking for an specific type of body.
In my case, each one of my characters have an specific type of body so I play a lot with hybridisation and give the same important to both.

 

For me it's the head. If I don't absolutely love the head then I really don't want it no matter how beautiful the body may be.

 

The head sculpt usually is the first draw, before looking at the body. Though both are taken into heavy consideration if the doll is only available as a set. Sometimes the body is just too.. Yeah i'm kinda picky in the end. So I'll vote both there! The face is definitely the first thing I'll look at though.

 

Both for me..I did not buy a girl until I found one whose head sculpt and body I liked.

 

They're both important, but the face is definitely most important. However, if I don't like a body, I might consider just buying the head if the head is available on its own, then getting a new body later. However, I'm not super picky about bodies. I do really prefer elegant/detailed hands and curvy legs and bodies.

Actually, now that I think of it, There are a lot of dolls I have considered putting in my wishlist, but then the hands being lackluster kind of kill it for me ^^;; Idk why I just really really like nice looking hands.

On the flip side tho, if I a doll has a super beautiful body but a face I don't care for, I won't buy it either.

So I guess both!?? Lol

 

the head? because body can be replaced anytime I guess :'D

 

The head definitely. I can switch out bodies. I mean, it is important to have the right body for a character, but bodies are easier to find and less individual. Case in point, ALL EID bodies are the same, but the head sculpts differ ergo since I've one of each EID guys (Model & Hero) then I'm set and can switch heads around. I did this w/my Limhwa Mano guy - he looked really top-heavy on his own body while my old man Souldoll Key looked way too buff for an elderly guy - so I switched the bodies & voila! I generally have more heads than bodies, cause I take pictures and don't need 60 full SD dolls lying around when 20 bodies & 60 heads work....

 

Heads are definitely most important, as the head is what draws me in. The bias is fairly minor for me, as really I like it when heads and bodies just work from the start. I have only ever made hybrids when I can unite the head and body immediately. I guess I'm not that patient to hold onto something, I don't keep floating heads for a reason.

 

To be honest both are very important, something I discovered recently when looking for a head and body for a character I had in mind. And further getting confirmed as I search for a body that will go with my doll in mind Larina head ;-; I'm picky with both

 

Obviously the head is the most important, which explains why people go to far lengths for perfect hybrids.

 

I'm picky with both. But if I have to choose one, I will choose a head. Since it has a chance to be discontinued.

 

K so I don't have a doll yet. BUT! I did focus on trying to find a certain types of head sculpt. I tend to mostly focus on the head sculpt. For my first doll, because I already know what types of character/personality she has, I had an idea of a sculpt in my head... Something to represent-ish her personality. Like when you look at her and you're like "Oh she's probably like so and so". Y'know? :3
Then after that, I focused on trying to find the perfect sculpt! Then once I found the perfect sculpt, I looked at the body options. I plan on getting little Monica little harmony Sarubia for Christmas. I looked at the body types, like there's a basic girl body and a hot body that has a much bigger bust than the girl body. Personally, I think bigger bust is good for more of a womanly, 1/3 girl. Also, for a 1/4 to have a big bust, it's not too bad, it's just that I feel really scared about buying clothing for them because what if I bought a really expensive outfit for them and it turns out that it doesn't fit the doll. I still don't know what body I should get her. qwq

I also kinda forgot what else I was gonna write... RIP 0_0

So, sorry if I kinda ended it in the weird way... It's just that I kinda forgot what else I was gonna write... qwq

But if I remember, I will come back and edit this. ;3

 

Both. It starts with the head, but then I look at the overall shape and proportions of the head and body together. I don't have enough experience to know how well hybrids would work out, and certainly don't have enough money to buy whole dolls and discard the head or body, so for me the complete doll has to work. And there are several things that put me off - childish heads on mature bodies and mature heads on childish bodies; over large heads (the doll aesthetic of slightly oversized heads and eyes is fine, but bobble heads don't appeal to me); proportionally tiny hands and feet; etc, etc.

 

Both. It depends on what I'm looking for really. Right now my interest is in the GEM body MSD. I want one. I don't really care as much when it comes to the head. Though of course any head won't just do. But before I picked my dolls on the face/head, because there was a specific character I was making.

 

I guess the body is as crucial to a character as the head aesthetically because it can determine the height,body type,and gender so I've been thinking of selling my first doll's body (minifee A line) when she arrives, for a 2d doll normal girl body​

 

I'm going to go with head It's the face that makes/breaks a doll for me. I guess the body can be kinda covered with clothes so to me you don't see it that much. While the head is more limited to adjustments.

 

Head! some are limited and difficult to find, there will always be nice bodies to buy, heads are usually more unique, anyway the idea is to have both beautiful

 

Definitely the head. I can like a body all I want, but at the end of the day, it's going to be covered in clothing and the face is what's going to stand out. In the case of my Leekeworld girl, I'm obsessed with how cute her body is and am sad her curves are so covered up, but at least she has an equally adorable face, so it all works out.

 

I'd say head. It's usually what makes me want to buy a doll. But the body is important too. I have two Real Pukis and I love them, but I don't want anymore, even though there are more faces I like since they're so fiddly to pose. I'm tempted to get another Xagadoll mostly since mine is so much fun to pose.

 

I've found the body is equally important as the head when I'm looking for a doll. The body shells the character as much as the doll does and I want a body type that suits that character. Like for Logan, I wanted the Embody and not the Evol because the Evol was too over exaggerated in the build.
I also pick bodies based on how large they are, how their designed and they how they pose. I'm picky in general when it comes to anything for my behbehs.

 

I noticed I usually look at the body first because as I start to look I notice I have a certain body type in mind that I want. Then I'll look for heads/ expressions I like best to fit the body type. So my answer is both! I just do it in a certain order I suppose.

 

Mybe a head? Because you can use the same body for a lot of heads,I have 3 bodies only,but then I buy 5 heads~

 

Head is more important for me. But I also look at hands.

 

Head is the most important. But I do like the look and feel of the Dollstown bodies. My dolls can take a long while for clothing so a nice body does matter to me too. I'm also particular about hands. I like them well sculpted not like mittens.

 

Head mostly, because a body in generally covered with clothing. Honestly I'd be more interested in hands over a body, though boobs are a consideration as you have to consider how clothes drape/sizing of bust when getting stuff.

 

As I really like centaurs and find them hard to resist, I tend to be more flexible when it comes to the head.

 

the head because I always think I can search for the right "hybrid" bodies.
But it will need a lot of research and trials though ^^

 

Both are important to me.

I have two bodies here waiting for their heads to be hybrids. The most important to me is actually the character a doll will have. If I see a body that fits the character but I still have not chosen a head for it, I'd still get the body. Because, in my opinion, bodies have and portray personalities too.

Now the head is the character itself. The face is extremely important. I'm super picky so if I have decided I want a head for a certain character, it's because the head is true to said character.

I have many dolls in my wishlist but only a few of them listed in my profile because I can't afford that many and I like to keep it real, but all 3 of them are going to be hybrids.

 

At the end of the day, the head and body are both important to me. The head is the main “WOW" factor for me (since I am mainly going to stare at the face and not the elbow or something), and the body helps give the whole doll a complete look. I would say I look for a nice head sculpt first and then find an appropriate body for it once I decide on the character for that doll. I am spending money on both the head and body, so I would like for them to both look nice.

 

A week ago I would've said head, now that I'm looking at dolls to shell two very important characters, I'm finding the bodies are what is making it the most difficult to find perfect dolls to the point where I've started looking in sizes I don't even collect in hopes of finding just the right combo of head and body.

 

I usually go with head first, but bodies end up being a consideration for me as well. It's mostly to get the heights right for what I plan them to be though, since in my art style their bodies are exaggerated in ways that don't exactly have the right bodies for them. And in one character's case, it's also to get a more "inhuman" look for him with a Doll Chateau body with extra joints.