Welcome to Gaia! ::

I'm thinking of purchasing my first doll, but I've got a few questions.

First question, and this is the biggie: A few years back, I saw a doll at a convention (for sale, not on display) that had green skin. As I'm planning to base my doll on my avatar (which in turn is based in the DCU's Green Lantern mythos), I'd like to know if this doll hue is common or available online somewhere, or if the one I saw was a custom job.

Next off, do you have to put your doll together yourself, or does it come pre-assembled. I've seen information on doll-decorating (wigs, eyes, face-ups, etc), but when it comes to the doll's actual body, would I have to pop the arms and legs into place?

Lastly, doll clothes. I have a friend that owns several dolls, and she mostly makes their clothes herself, or uses doll clothing she finds in thrift stores and yard sales, that were once worn by assorted fashion dolls (I've seen pics of her male doll, Marc, in something that I'm pretty sure I've seen on a Ken doll.). Is this an unusual practice, or some kind of doll faux pas? Conventions I've been to have had some doll owners horrified to hear that Marc and Noel's cute hoodies were from some teddy bears she'd found at a yard sale.

Thanks for any help y'all would care to give, especially on my question about skin tone.

There are a few that sell green resins!

bobobie http://www.bobobie.com/ and their sister company resinsoul http://www.resinsoul.com/
coco tribe http://www.kirakiraus.com/
impldoll http://www.impldoll.com/ (only has one I think?)

If you don't like their molds, your best bet is to have a doll dyed. If you're going green, though, you want to find a doll that has white skin, because otherwise the pinkish flesh color will show through the green a bit.... and look weird.

There are people in the Den of Angels marketplace who offer dye services.... including me sweatdrop


For your second question... I don't personally think it's a faux pas, so long as the clothing actually fits! SD size dolls (60cm) can borrow some pieces from 18" dolls similar to American Girls and a few Build-a-bear pieces, MSD size dolls (45cm) can borrow some clothes from Friends 2 be Made, Yo-SD tinies (26 cm) fit great in Ken clothes, and some of the skinnier models can fit into some barbie clothes, and tiny tinies (11cm) fit in Kelly clothes. But even within these categories, you pretty much just need to pick individual clothing items that actually fit, not just whatever because it's cheap.

*coughcough* If you haven't already I strongly recommend you join Denofangels.com. Its free and has lots of tutorials and info on all the questions you have asked here.

Depending on the company where you get your doll, almost all dolls come pre-strund(they are held together by elastic string, there is no "poping" like an action figure smile ) the only company I know of that sells the dolls apart is I think Volks, and that is only in their "Kits"

As for color, unless the doll you saw was a Bobobie or Resinsoul I doubt it wasn't a custom job. There are tutorials that show you how to dye dolls the color you want, and it can be done fairly easily, though it may take a little trial and error at first. [Dye the headcap first, and if it comes out too dark, give the cap a soak in windsor&newton brush cleaner to get most of the dye off, then dilute you dye with water for a brighter color OR dunk the cap for a shorter amount of time]
I only did it once and it came out terribly because I didnt sand it properly (a doll that hasnt been sanded at all is more likely to come out smooth looking)

If the doll you get fits in something from barbie or ken, then it is not a no-no. Alot of collectors cant or dont want to spend $50+ for a pair of pants for their dolls. Its common and fine to do. I don't only because I have bigger dolls and the only clothes I would have access to for them would be those fancy dresses for porcalin dolls (which I am not into)

Go join Denofangels if you havent. Its very helpful. Have fun with your new doll