Is there any room for a doll-based hobby for someone who pinches

>>5952023
Sorry anon, for the most part if you're gonna be a cheapskate you have to be very open to DIY.

>ball-jointed dolls and other immaculate creations
>cheap

>I want custom made hand painted artist sculpted cottage industry two foot tall dolls for Figma prices or less

Anon you have...zero options for cheap artist dolls. None. Unless you happen to have an amazing skill you're hiding that you can offer in trade, you're just shit out of luck. Even unpainted bjds go for a couple hundred minimum.

>>5952580
>>5952698
I'm not asking for garage sale prices on things, just "not more expensive than the engine in my car"

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Paper dolls

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Just find some fashion dolls you don't hate, dig through thrift stores, pick a rough scale, build/buy simple props.

Pic related, she's roughly 1/6 and my base for practicing doll stuff with before I get more higher quality dolls.

>>5955001
that thing is hideous

>>5955017
Different tastes. I like that she looks like a child, some people want elaborate waifus and husbandos with no bearing on reality.

>>5952023
Well there's always recast bjds or super cheapshit huujos and azones or obitsu.

Like, how spendthrift are you?

>>5955151
Even recasts are expensive.
Yes, you might get a cheaper base doll (200-350$), but if your bootleg shouldn't look like the shit it is you will still have to spend lots of money into finishing it.
A proper face-up, nice wig, eyes, clothes (and shipping, on everything) adds up fast.


>>5952826
>>5952023
Anon, can you give us a proper budget?
As in, a number you are willing to pay for a finished doll and for a blank doll.

And what's your aesthetic?
Do you want something more borderline realistic (like BJDs), do you want a big Animu Waifu (Dollfie Dreams), don't you mind some bobblehead look (Blythe, Pullip), want just some cute Anime doll (Azone Pure Neemo) or is western, mass produced fine too (Monster High)?

Most dolls can handle general care, just don't drop them on a hard surface.

This are your cheap options (keep in mind that I am against recasts/fakes, so these are all legit options):

- if you like the bobble-head look, get a Pullip MIO kit.
Even with shaky hands they can be put together.
If you are willing to spend some extra money, find someone to commission for the face-up, a nice face-up can already be bought for like 30$.
A proper fiber wig is 20$, eye chips and clothes can be bought for cheap from Coolcat.
For 150$ you could already have a nice custom doll.

- check Mandarake for an old Volks BJD.
They are often labelled JUNK and need some care, but compared to western junk they are still in an okay condition.
You can sometimes get a legit Volks MSD for 80 bucks there, you just need to take it apart, give it a good scrub, and put it back together.
They are sturdy as fuck too.
Again, use some extra money for a nice custom face-up.
Unfortunately the care for a BJD is more expensive, cheap eyes look creepy and cheap wigs like shit.
However, with 250$ you could still achieve a nice doll, if you shop second-hand.

>>5955180
part 2:

- if you want a cute, finished, anime doll in a good size, go for a Azone Pure Neemo.
Again, Mandarake can be good here, since ebay has rape prices.
You can get a finished from the box doll that looks good with nice clothes for 100-150$.
They are fun to play with and sturdy.
Their original outfits are sadly pretty expensive, but they can wear clothes made for Blythe and Pullip, and etsy is full of that.

- for big animu Waifus you are sadly pretty much out of luck.
Next to the dolls being pretty expensive on their own the care for them is annoying (stains everywhere) and their clothes seem to be always more expensive than BJD ones (at least that's how I felt when I still owned both).
Cheapest option would probably be a big Obitsu, but that's still not really cheap.

- Stay away from Blythe, they only look good heavily customized and those custom prices are crazy (and lots of the custom ones still look hideous).

Monster High are your cheapest option, in all regards.
There are even more dolls like Momoko, Licca and Barbie of course, but eh. Not sure if they would really cure that itch you have.

Long story short: if you really want to be part of the hobby, you are out of luck.
Even cheap BJDs are expensive, and the cheapest doll burns away your money as soon as you need to shop for it.
Unless you want a small vinyl doll (like the mentioned Hujoo) and put it into cheap Kelly clothes with a smeared Sharpie face-up.
If you aren't crafty you are double fucked (not as if that stops some of the doll owners with hideous dolls).

If you just want a doll to play with, your very best bet is probably the Pure Neemo.
They are great from the box and the base price still okay for a finished doll.
If you buy an outfit every two months it's like buying one less Figma.
They aren't very fragile, can pose well and are pretty charming.

>>5955192
Part 3:

just to add, don't worry too much about losing/damaging something.
As said, most dolls can handle general care, just don't smash them on the ground or use materials on them you shouldn't use (like oil paint on BJDs).
They are actually sturdier than many figures and the amount of fragile parts and connections tends to be smaller.

Again, the Pure Neemo might me your best bet there.
Just be careful with the clothes and don't scratch the face.

>>5952832
omg thats so cute