Would you rather commission a faceup, or do it yourself?

My first doll is with the person who is generously sewing him a costume (it's barter, I'm doing something for her in return) and I just bought another on Marketplace. The first one has the company faceup but I desperately want to do the faceup on the second. It sounds so fun! I have this ridiculous conviction that I can learn to do skintones! And the more I can do for myself, the more I can customize to what I want...I hope. We'll see how it goes in real life.

 

Back in the day, before my second doll arrived, I paid the company (Buddydoll) to give him a custom face-up. I sent what I thought were very specific pictures and notes about what I would like.

When my doll arrived, I Hated the face-up. It was incredibly disappointing because I knew their face-up was technically good, but I thought it made my doll look like a daft, passionless, boring person who needed to tweeze his eyebrows.

So I altered that face-up, clumsily, yet to my personal satisfaction at the time.

And thus, my answer to this question must be: I'm too much of a control freak to prefer commissions.

 

I have a Bachelor of Fine arts degree so I want it to help pay for itself a little haha as in, I do my own face-ups!

I adore some of the gorgeous faceups I see out there but I can't see sending a head away for a face-up, both from stress of mailing it to all the cost involved. So while I do my own face ups to save money, it is also a pride thing as an artist. I like being able to tell people "I painted the face".

That said I DO have a Dollshe Ru who I bought secondhand with the factory face up, which I liked so I kept it. She still has it to this day (lasted since 2006!) but eventually I will have to re-do it as it is fading over time.

 

I would go for commission, I don't think I have the nerves at the moment to paint my own and besides I'd be supporting an artist.

 

I have done face-ups. I am fairly good at it, but it's really hard for me to be satisfied with my own work. Half the time, I would rather have someone else do it because I am not as critical of other people's work.

 

My dolls faces are the way they came to me. If I decide to change them, I would like to try it myself. I am practicing airbrush right now but not ready to try a face up, soon, hopefully!

 

I can't even draw a stick figure, so there's no chance I'm ever touching my dolls' faces.

 

I sent one out for painting and decided I thought I would like to try, I have been painting ever sense. Someone noted that choosing an artist that most matches what you want is a very good suggestion. No one sees things the same and we paint to what we see. I like the natural looks and lots of light layers in pastels others prefer the look of acrylic paints. It's all in what you like but I encourage anyone wanting to try painting to try. you can check out some of my work any time at http://www.fireflies-and-blossoms.com/index.html
Charlene

 

I think I would eventually try to do my own face-ups, but as I've just been in the hobby and waiting on my first doll, I've ordered him with a default face-up from the company. If I do get other dolls, I might either commission somone who's style I like or try it myself.

 

I prefer to commission. I have a very clear idea of what I want for my dolls' faceups. I'm not satisfied with faceups that don't match the impression I envision for them. It's easier for me to pay someone else who has demonstrated they have the ability to deliver what I want. I'm very particular when I chose an artist for exactly that reason. I just don't think I could reliably paint the faceups I want for my dolls.

 

It's always cooler to try out new stuff on your own

 

I do it myself, since i rely on the faceup to get to know the doll and their first faceup is very important tome, it sets the character and everything. My attachment to the doll is less about them being "a character in a story i created" but more as "a blank void with infinite possibilities lying within", the moment i feel there's no longer anything for me to explore, i'm never hesitant to sell them....

 

I would do it myself if only I was good at it. Haha^^;; I am not... So commission it is!

 

Commission the best artist that is available….I am not artistic. I WISH!!

 

I prefer to get commissioned work for my MSDs since they're my first dolls, the SDs however I like to paint myself. I'm not very good at it but I think I get their characters across well. I don't like sending doll heads in the post or taking the chance they might not come out how I want them too.

 

I like doing them myself *v*)/ I love doing face-ups and trying out new things >A<)/ I really want to paint some "fantasy-themed" face-ups lately OvO

 

I like to do the face-ups myself. ^^ Even though I am not the best at it, I know I'll be better as time and more face-ups pass by. When it comes to my dolls, I just think they feel more mine when they have face-up (and clothes as well) made by me.

 

A year ago or so I would probably go with commissioning someone else since there's a LOT of people who can do a lot better than I can. Plus, back then I didn't know how to/didn't feel confident enough in my skills to do faceups on my own dolls. I think even now there are people I would like to commission faceups from (like Caroline of Viridian House!), but after working on my faceup business for a year+ and finally doing my own doll's faceup, I can confidently say that for the most part I would like to do my own.

 

I'm a control freak, so I have to do it myself...however, there is a lady here, I am bananas for, blacktauna wigs, her style is insane, I want to commission her for her wigs..
Maybe if I met an artist here I admitted just as deeply, I would commission them as well...maybe...

 

Before last year I always hire an artist to help me, then I felt sick to wait for them( more than three moths!)
and sometimes I spent amount of money , but the face up were not what I wanted, so I tried to do it myself.
at the end I found that I could do it! So, I won't ask for the commission again.

 

I would really love to do faceups on my dolls myself, because I find working on faceups especially fun and I like doing things myself rather than relying on others......but I can't do it well enough yet to get my dolls looking like I want them to look. I'm not bad at simple, natural faceups, so I will keep practicing until I can do the kind of lushy, dramatic faceups I especially like.

 

As I do not have the skills to do a face up, I prefer commission. I have a friend who does AMAZING work, and since I trust her I like to get her to do them when she can. Then I try to find little ways to pay her back.

 

I prefer doing the face up myself (though I've almost no experience) since I love painting and want to try new stuff.
But I'd really like to commission, some face up from artist are really awesome but I can't afford it at the moment...

 

I would love to say do it myself but I am hopeless and have very little imagination/creativity. I'm just so grateful there is talented people that I can turn to.

 

I would much rather do it myself...unless I screw it up really bad...then I would send it off for repainting.

 

I love painting them myself

 

I have a blank doll, and he is in desperate need of a faceup. I would never, ever attempt a faceup. I have no artistic skill or experience, and even if I did, I would be too stressed about making a mistake. Since I have never done it before, it would turn out like a disaster.
I will definitely commission someone for him. Even if the faceup isn't exactly the way I pictured it to be, it would be exciting waiting for the end result, and I would love it nonetheless.

 

I think i would just commission a face up because I don't know how to do it. ( and I'm afraid to mess it up xD)

 

I commission despite having an art background because doing that sort of work on a 3D surface is a skillset I don't have time (or energy) to learn. I'd rather concentrate on my primary masteries than add something I'd use once a year.

 

I'd rather do it myself. The entire reason I started buying dolls was to customize them (I used to customize My Little Ponies before I discovered BJD), so it doesn't make sense for me to spend extra money on a faceup that I'm just going to wipe. That being said, I do wish more artists would post before and after shots or tutorials, just because I like seeing different people's methods.

 

Considering I do not have the materials to do a face-up and would not know where to start, I would definitely commission someone. I already have XD.

 

I scared to do my own face-up. Also I do not have the material to do so. But who knows I like to practice it with a cheap head...just need to buy one...

 

I'm an artist and already have all the materials needed to do the face-ups and it's fun for me but I've purchased lots of dolls with face-ups already done. Depends on if I like the default face-up that is offered, if not I order them blank.

 

On all the dolls I didn't order with a default face-up I've done the face-ups myself, so far. They're in no way perfect, but I keep on re-doing them every so often and really am happy about the results every time. ^^
I've yet to find someone, who doesn't overdo the face-ups in colour or shading.
The default face-ups I like are mostly really subdued. Where that isn't the case I prefer to do them myself. ^^

 

I would rather be able to do my own faceups, but unfortunately I don't have the talent to turn my ideas into reality. I have done a few faceups myself, but when I have a specific idea in mind for one of my dolls, I generally commission somebody else to do it because I know that there are lots of talented people out there who do have the skills to create what I am looking for.

 

At first I was scared, but I feel the more I practise the better I will get.


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I would love to have the talent to do it myself. There is always the worry that, no matter how beautifully done, a commissioned faceup will not turn out quite like you hoped. And then there is the whole trauma of having to send your doll away if you don't know someone close who can do the work. But sadly I do not have the talent, so it's really not an option I have.

 

I am going to try to do my own face ups. My third doll came with a standard face up and I just didn't bond with it. So I've wiped it off and hope I'll be good enough to have her look happy and beautiful. That'll take some doing but she is not going to grow into a teenager any time soon so I have all the time in the world!

 

Regular make-up, blushing and eyebrows/eyelashes I'm going to try for myself when I get my dolls, although the event head is the only one I'll be getting without a default face-up done.
I've watched tutorials and read up on it. It doesn't seem too risky, and seems enough up my alley to be worth a shot.
As long as I use the recommended materials the worst that could happen is I clean her up and commission someone if I fail.

I think if I wanted anything special done, like tattoos, or other more drawing based artwork, I'd have to commission it.

 

I'd prefer to commission a faceup but do all other detailing such as tattoos or blushing myself!

 

I would rather do them myself since I can drawing and paint pretty well. But its the sealant that gets me- it always makes me sick even with the epic mask I wear. ZM spray is a little better though.... so I must send the heads out.

Fortunately there are many many excellent faceup artists....

 

IF i was better at faceups i would do them all by myself, but since i am still learing the dolls that i want to complete and make sure i dont screw up on i ask for a person with expirance to do the faceup for me

 

I need to practice, so I would rather do it myself. It's better for the bonding process.

 

I do them myself whenever possible. How else am I supposed to get better? And for me it's the best part of doll ownership. n_n

 

I've done both but I prefer to do them myself since I don't like my dollies being away from home so long


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I commission. I am not very good with a paintbrush, but one of these days hopefully I will get an event head that I can practice on! Fully creating the face by your own hand does look to be very rewarding.

 

I know for a fact I would fail miserably if I attempted my own faceups so I have to leave that to the professionals. Though it's hard because im quite the control freak and so particular so I WISH I had the talent to do it myself! I'm so nervous that I won't be able to convey what I want to the faceup artist and they will come back not as I had hoped...and that's why I currently have three girls and none have left for their faces yet lol!

 

I do my own because then I can let the sculpt and creative process guide me vs. having to try and explain to someone else what I think I want. Like others have mentioned, the fun of doing my own face-ups is one of my favorite things about the hobby.

It took me quite a while to really get proficient at face-ups and there was definitely some frustration along the way, but I am so glad I kept at it and now am good enough to do pretty much what I want without the hassle and additional cost of commissioning someone else.

 

I usually do my own. Once I commissioned an amazing artist to do a faceup (Illness Illusion) for a gift, because I wanted a certain look.
My dolls are part of my art.
I am having another artist do a very special doll for me, because she asked.

 

I commission, I don't think I'll ever be able to do a face up myself I'm always terrified of the idea of messing up.

 

I have a huge box of pastels, acrylics, pencils and brushes, because I originally planned to do my face-ups myself. Guess there are people who just can't learn a new trick. They always turned out horrible and left me frustrated and angry (and angry me is like an angry Hulk, only not as cool). Eventually I grew tired of hating myself afterwards and started commissioning face-ups.
Still, I've painted my BJD kitty's body (nothing special, just a generic tabby pattern), and she's pretty.

 

My sad attempts at faceups are laughable. I thought my doll looked ok until I went to a meetup, then I promptly got her commissioned because she looked horrible compared to the dolls with company faceups. I do my own blushing, but I will never attempt another faceup.

 

Doing Faceups is one of my favorite part of the hobby . I am not " GREAT " in it , but I love the creative outlet it gives you - and also I love that I do not have to be scared to handle my dolls - if faceup chipped , I can redo it - even improve it

 

Commission - no question about it. Face up artists are absolutely amazing!

 

I don't think there is any shame in not wanting to or being able to do a faceup, there are about a billion things I can't do myself.
I am a painter, and a makeup artist professionally, and I find painting on resin really hard.

 

I would love to commission a faceup. I just fail at describing what I want. So I muddle through with what I can do myself.

 

I usually do my own. I don't like my dolls being away from me so long. I am not very good in it , but I love my dolls in my variant of makeup. I can redo it and improve it if it is not so good

 

I haven't got my first doll yet but when he arrives I will be doing his face up. Because 1) I want to be able to capture his character and since I know the character best I would trust myself to do the face up and 2) If I don't like the face up, it will be my own doing and so I will not have spent money on it. Not to to say that I could do anything near as good as a commissioned face up, because I know I couldn't.

 

I'd love to be able to do my own faceups, and I did give it a try at first and the frustration and continual disasters made me give up on it. However, it was a good experience and I'm glad I had a chance to try a new part of the hobby.

It is nerve-wracking to send your doll out for a faceup, but finding someone skilled and trustworthy really made a difference! I like having dolls done by different artists so I have a range of "looks" in my dolly family. Also, having a doll absent for a while (or at least their head) and the anticipation of seeing them with a new faceup can be a lot of fun and keep things fresh and interesting.

 

I would rather attempt the face-up first because I would stress about my head getting lost in the mail or getting chipped from rough handling when shipping. If I absolutely couldn't get it right, then I'd have to send it away for a pro to handle because I'd be too sad to stare at a blank head. XD There are so many amazing face-up artists out there that it would be a shame not to commission someone at least once.