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Herr Astro: Depends on what kind of head and what kind of neck? Lawl. Sometimes you might have to do both.

Oh s**t probably. I'd love to get into printing my pictures but haha. :];

Oh that'd be interesting, I always wondered how that would work-- but I think I'll just let the computer do it for me if that were the case.

Here's Zamiel, harr.

http://www.denofangels.com/forums/showthread.php?t=109338

Actually, I came REALLY close to doing that. It's conceivable if you get body parts that are similar in skintone and size, and have the same type of torso joint system. You'd have to do some sanding and whatnot, but it's doable. It'd probably be easier to get a female body and sand down the tits or get a female doll and sculpt a p***s on it.

Interesting discussion. I think that for the most part, at least from what I've seen, it isn't so much people making up stories about inanimate hunks of resin, it is mostly people giving already existing characters from their stories or RPs a physical embodiment in resin. The giving them backstories bit is no different to any other person writing a story, novel, or RP character-a character with no history or personality is not very interesting. Giving them a name, history and a personality makes them more interesting and perhaps more real. I have to make it clear, though, that many of us don't actually think that our dolls really like/dislike things/have thoughts/feelings of their own. If I say "Damien would never wear that shirt-he hates pink!", all I'm really saying is " I don't like the way pink looks on him and it doesn't suit the character I've assigned him." I don't genuinely think that he has feelings about said shirt one way or the other.
I think it also comes from the fact that these dolls look human. To me, it doesn't seem much of a stretch for people to give them names. After all, many people name other inanimate objects-stuffed animals, houses, cars, etc. Those look a lot less like people and we treat them the same way, so it is only logical that with dolls, we take it a step farther and give them a personality and backstory. For some people, that backstory is something tht they can relate to, as it is based on occurrences in their own life. For others, that story is something completely unlike everything they've ever experienced. Some are probably a mix of the two. In any case, those are all ways for the owners to explore different ideas and themes with their dolls. For some it's a serious excercise in writing and creating a whole new world with characters they're genuinely atached to and care about. For others, it's just a bit of fun and a way to make their dolls something more than a pretty object on a shelf.
As for dolls being gay for other dolls and straight for their owners-I have to say WTF? Like...they're their owner's boy/girlfriend or something? Cos that's...kinda weird if they're serious. One of my guys has a boyfriend. He (as in the character, not the hunk or resin sitting on my bedroom shelf, although they're sort of the same thing) isn't gay (if asked, he'd probably define himself as omnisexual), he's just currently in a relationship with a guy. He's not straight for me, he's not straight for anyone, he just is. He's what he is and nothing more. As for the actual, physical doll...I'm not attracted to it/him in that sense. He's pretty, sure, but he. is. a. doll. I don't go around saying he's my boyfriend or anything like that. I don't do that with any of my guys. They are representations of characters, and pretty things to dress up and take pictures of, but in the end, they are not real. I and other owners may take them out for photoshoots and meets, talk about what they do/don't like, want or feel, but we know the dolls don't actually do those things. It all comes from us.
I think that for some people it may be a way to make a dolls something they wish they were and experience something different to what their own lives are like, but for some people it is the exact opposite-their dolls are/can be reflections of themselves. Then there are those of us who just enjoy creating characters who don't have any real connection to our lives, they're just interesting personalities we create.

Oh, and I almost forgot, about talking to them: I talk to my cat. I talk to my computer. I talk to the scanner at work when it isn't functioning properly. I also talk to my dolls. In every case, I am not expecting a response...except maybe from the cat. XD I don't hold conversations, exactly, it's more like "You stupid scanner/cat/computer/annoying little git(this in the case of a doll), why won't you work/shut up/stop freezing/stand up so I can take this picture?" I'm just talking and getting my frustration out, I'm not truly expecting any of them to give me a reason for not cooperating. If people are actually holding conversations in the way that children sometimes do, as in: person talks to doll, listens for a minute as if doll is responding, talks to doll again, listens for response...lather, rinse,repeat...then there mayyyy be something slightly off. Or not. Who am I to say it's wrong or weird? I can say that the people I know don't do that as far as I know, though.