How do you choose a sculpt for your character?

Dear DD friends,

 

I'm new here, so please forgive me if I ask something obvious, but HOW DO YOU CHOOSE THE SCULPT for your character? I really would like to bring to vinyl life the girls from Noir, not to be mixed up with Noir:Automata!

 

(Noir is a 26-episode anime series from 2001 that was directed by Koichi Mashimo, written by Ryoe Tsukimura, and produced by Bee Train. It follows two young female assassins, the Corsican Mireille Bouquet and the Japanese amnesiac Yuumura Kirika, who team up to seek answers about the mysteries of their past, their connection to each other, etc.)

 

And also Sailor Uranus.

Any suggestions, please? Or maybe there are some general guidelines?

Will be grateful for any information and advices.

I think generally you post a thread here about the character with a couple images of the source material and ask for opinions.

Oops, my bad. Thank you for the hint, sinclair!

 

As it appears, I can neither upload images, nor even post links, URLs, and references to web pages. I will be back to this thread I started in a few days when I have all the permissions.

 

Sorry for the inconvenience.

I'll post a link from a quick search; if there are more appropriate reference pictures you can add them once you are able to:

 

http://noir.wikia.com/wiki/Noir_Wiki

 

https://myanimelist.net/anime/272/Noir

 

Using the standard Volks heads, they are different enough, and few enough, that generally you have one or two choices that can work for most characters. If you expand the search to using limited dolls and redoing their faceups then it's far more complicated (and expensive).

 

Based on what I see there on the wikia page, I would say DDH-06 for Kirika as she has the larger rounder eye style and a younger look, and DDH-07 or DDH-09 for Mireille with 07 being the more mature looking of those two, generally.

 

Pictures in the style threads can give some ideas what each head can look like.

 

DDH-06: viewtopic.php?f=42&t=3398

 

DDH-07: viewtopic.php?f=42&t=5829

 

DDH-09: viewtopic.php?f=42&t=11632

Oops, my bad. Thank you for the hint, sinclair!

 

As it appears, I can neither upload images, nor even post links, URLs, and references to web pages. I will be back to this thread I started in a few days when I have all the permissions.

 

Sorry for the inconvenience.

 

No bad or inconvenience. I was just answering your question, it's not a rule, it's just how I've seen it done. As for uploading, you need to get 20 meaningful posts under your belt, then you are good to go. Until then do like CFX says and check out the threads for the heads to get an idea what can be done. Even without changing the faceup, you can really get a different fell for your girl just by changing her hair and or eyes.

Dear cfx,

 

Thank you so much! The link from wikia you posted is exactly the one I was struggling with. And the threads you mentioned, well, I missed somehow before. They are so resourceful! I think I'll dwell in them for a while.

 

DDH-09 will be perfect for Mireille, in my opinion!

As for Kirika and DDH-06... I guess I just have problem working with childlike characters. I will look deeper at DDH-06 thread in particular and on the internet in general, like pinterest and Flickr. Maybe will do a mock face-up on a photo first, before buying the head.

 

Thanks again SO VERY MUCH! I like when I know where to start from.

DDH-06 can look more mature with the right faceup and by using eyes with a narrower (less round) iris desgin. Here's an example:

 

 

 

The #dollfiedream hashtag on instagram is another way to search for random pictures, though they won't always say which heads they are.

Honestly, choosing the sculpt can be really difficult or really easy depending on the character. In my case I just search the sculpt either on the style database here, or as a hashtag on instagram, or on flickr, to try to find examples of the sculpt with different hair/eyes/faceup. I was living in Japan until recently and so was able to go to a lot of doll events/meetups and see a lot of different sculpts in person, which is REALLY helpful and I'm kinda sad I dont get to do that anymore - but if you have access to any meetups with DDs present that could be a good idea too.

 

Another reason it's tough is because a lot of DDs have heads of varying sizes. Theres a certain character I REALLY want to make but his head is a real challenge as there arent that many mature DD sculpts - I thought Sheryl would have been the perfect fit, but when I saw her head in person at an event I could see that it was quite small and would look a little odd next to my other DDs, especially Mel (who has Len's head - which is also a particularly large one.

 

(As for how I decided on Len for that specific character - I saw someone on twitter post a pic of their Len with a wig similar to my character's but in a different colour, and so I did a hasty photoshop job to change the colours/drew some glasses on just out of curiosity. That's also when I realized the pout was perfect.)

 

There's a bunch of other characters I want to make but I'm still having problems with sculpts - luckily I'm not in a hurry to make them and am just taking notes whenever I see a potential candidate. I browse a lot of doll photos on instagram/twitter, so it helps a lot.

 

Of course as sinclair said, asking here can help a lot too.

(incidently I think Sheryl could also work great for Sailor Uranus)

Dear cfx,

 

I think you're absolutely right. The more I look at DDH-06, the more I warm up towards it.

 

I was thinking also of couple other DD sculpts that could cosplay as Kirika_Yuumura - Ranka and Mio Honda. I have to admit, that they are much more cheerful than the character, but until I manage to paint DDH-06 properly, one of them could do, maybe... What do you think?

 

May I also ask what would be the reasonable prices for nude Ranka and Mio Honda, both from 2015 in reasonably good condition? I'm not trying to buy in this thread, it's just an inquiry!

 

Thank you so very much for all your patience with this newbie (me) !

If you like Ranka, another choice might be M.O.M.O. who looks fairly similar. Both of those have the larger eyes you want, and also have wider mouths which make them look more mature.

 

I'm unsure of pricing on partial dolls, but for fullset dolls, Ranks is currently ~55,000 yen, M.O.M.O. ~70,000 new and ~50,000 yen used, and Mio is ~70,000 new and ~55,000 yen used. That's pricing on Mandarake which I find usually typical. Ranka is that low because she was just rereleased.

 

Mio's existing faceup is probably less like the character than the other two; she's probably also the happiest. M.O.M.O. has sort of a Mona Lisa smile in that it's easy to interpret the expression different ways. When looking at Ranka in closeups, she looks a bit odd due to her default red eyes so don't let that confuse you.

 

There is also a prepainted DDH-06, but it doesn't really have the look you want. You can see it here:

https://order.mandarake.co.jp/order/detailPage/item?itemCode=1093413866&ref=list

 

Volks' discontinued standard DDdy model Miko is also a DDH-06, with a very similar faceup to the above:

http://www.dollfiedream.tokyo/dd_en/model/dddy_miko/

Dear Torino,

Thank you so much for the insight! It also helps to know that I'm not the only one who struggles with character implementation.

 

Another reason it's tough is because a lot of DDs have heads of varying sizes. Theres a certain character I REALLY want to make but his head is a real challenge as there arent that many mature DD sculpts - I thought Sheryl would have been the perfect fit, but when I saw her head in person at an event I could see that it was quite small and would look a little odd next to my other DDs, especially Mel (who has Len's head - which is also a particularly large one.

 

(As for how I decided on Len for that specific character - I saw someone on twitter post a pic of their Len with a wig similar to my character's but in a different colour, and so I did a hasty photoshop job to change the colours/drew some glasses on just out of curiosity. That's also when I realized the pout was perfect.)

 

There's a bunch of other characters I want to make but I'm still having problems with sculpts - luckily I'm not in a hurry to make them and am just taking notes whenever I see a potential candidate. I browse a lot of doll photos on instagram/twitter, so it helps a lot.

 

Of course as sinclair said, asking here can help a lot too.

(incidently I think Sheryl could also work great for Sailor Uranus)

 

There are not that many male characters among DD. One from Nier:Automata is coming up fairly soon. Maybe that will be an option?

 

I am so grateful for your suggestion for Sailor Uranus! I was thinking of DDH-05 or DDH-07 myself. I still have time to decide - I'm more interested currently in Noir girls.

 

Thank you!

Just recently I happened to see this DDH-07 Sailor Uranus:

 

 

And a DDH-09 Sailor Neptune:

 

If you like Ranka, another choice might be M.O.M.O. who looks fairly similar. Both of those have the larger eyes you want, and also have wider mouths which make them look more mature.

 

I'm unsure of pricing on partial dolls, but for fullset dolls, Ranks is currently ~55,000 yen, M.O.M.O. ~70,000 new and ~50,000 yen used, and Mio is ~70,000 new and ~55,000 yen used. That's pricing on Mandarake which I find usually typical. Ranka is that low because she was just rereleased.

 

Mio's existing faceup is probably less like the character than the other two; she's probably also the happiest. M.O.M.O. has sort of a Mona Lisa smile in that it's easy to interpret the expression different ways. When looking at Ranka in closeups, she looks a bit odd due to her default red eyes so don't let that confuse you.

Dear cfx,

 

Thank you for this valuable information! M.O.M.O. looks great and I like her ambivalent expression, but she's also the most expensive out of the three. It looks like I like Ranka and DDH-06. So, I'm thinking of getting those two and while I will be painting the head, Ranka will pretend being Kirika.

 

Thanks again and hoping to post some pictures of my characters here in a month or two!

Just recently I happened to see this DDH-07 Sailor Uranus:

 

And a DDH-09 Sailor Neptune:

 

 

WOW!!! These girls are so true to the characters! Incredible!

I just need this thread for the reference. I hope nobody deletes useful threads here on the forum and this one is both my inspiration and encyclopedia. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

There are not that many male characters among DD. One from Nier:Automata is coming up fairly soon. Maybe that will be an option?

 

Oh I'm planning on getting 9S because I love 9S and want him to stay as 9S, but I dont expect him to be what I'm after in terms of sculpts for a more manly guy. 9S looks like a young boy or teen in the game - although its true that the more realistic style could make him look more mature compared to the more anime sculpts (although the style clash may be weird).

 

I am currently leaning towards DDH16 (a newer sculpt currently only available at Volks Doll Point in Akihabara), but there's still the problem of a)not having seen it IRL so want to see more owner pics first to try to determine the size and its suitability re:new faceups, and b) no current vinyl body that I want for an older male character. The current vinyl options are DDBoy and DDSBoy (both still too small/slim/boyish), smartdoll boy (I used to own one of these and had some gripes about it, one of which is that it looks weirdly scaled down next to a DD) and the obitsu 60cm (which aesthetically I just plain dont like). At this point I'm hoping Obitsu makes a new 60cm now that they've been redoing some smaller bodies, or some resin company just steps in and makes a doll with a mature anime face, now that more and more resin companies have been releasing anime style dolls (although almost always little cute ones!).

 

At the end of the day I'm not in a major hurry because its expensive and I got other dolls to buy, like 9S.

 

Good luck on your projects! And don't worry, threads here dont seem to get deleted unless someone is blatantly breaking the rules or specifically requests it. But they can get buried under newer threads so it may be best to bookmark it.

The current vinyl options are DDBoy and DDSBoy (both still too small/slim/boyish), smartdoll boy (I used to own one of these and had some gripes about it, one of which is that it looks weirdly scaled down next to a DD) and the obitsu 60cm (which aesthetically I just plain dont like).

You forgot the vynil body of VINDOLL (made by Granado) but there is no anime head for them yet.

Lol true - Vindoll is too far in the opposite direction of what I want though - MUCH too manly/mature. (and also huge. The character may be taller than Mel but he isnt meant to tower over him like the incredible hulk)

I have also heard a lot of complaints about how it handles and looks/etc because Granado arent really 'used' to vinyl so basically just sculpted the resin parts in vinyl with little change, instead of redoing them more to work with an inner frame. So theres stuff like extremely chunky looking joints/extremely thick vinyl... it just doesn't really appeal to me personally.

But I do appreciate their effort - and I do like seeing what people do with their own Vindolls (like yours!)- and hope more resin-only companies consider vinyl versions if its at all economically feasible for them.