Renaming Monster High?

[Starwaia]

I have one MH doll, and I really love her design. She's a Dance Class Lagoona. I was planning to post a tumblr ask blog or something with her responding, as my interpretation of her, "Agua". However I worry that by making her my own character (via posing/photo themes) but not modifying her appearance, I might be seen as stealing the design. I know this has been discussed with fullset BJD- but as premade characters with their own tv series, I'm not sure what I should do in regards to her character. I'd prefer to keep her the way she is, but I'm not sure if that would be appropriate. I would not be making money off her design, though. Thoughts?

[DollyKim]

As long as you put up a disclaimer that you aren't official Monster High or Mattel I don't see a problem with it. All the doll companies I've ever dealt with have basically said not to show the doll doing anything illegal or against the company's image and say if I've done any modifications like rerooting, repainting, or sculpting.

[Lamia of the Dark]

I give all my dolls names that are not their official company name, even if I don't mod them.

>_> My two Lagoonas are named Viscera and Sclera.

[Siead]

monster high seems to like when people mod and change their stuff. i see it pop up on my FB/ twitter once in a bit. and on their FB i think they do monthly draws for "fanart" that i've seen mods on once in a bit.

[MeltedCaramel]

I hope this doesn't offend you, and I don't mean it to offend, because I believe you should be able to do what you want with your dollie! I just wanted to point out a potential problem: This may confuse and/or irritate part of the fanbase. Now, Monster High has a very diversified fanbase, from housewives with a doll hobby to young teens, and some of these younger members might not understand that you're just renaming her with her own personality, and might feel like you're trying to "steal the design" or "copy" it somehow. I don't think that's what you're doing, I think you're just playing with your doll! But unfortunately unless you want to severely moderate your ask box, you might get some mean, nasty anonymous comments that can be rude and just downright not nice.

In the end I don't think what you're doing is wrong, I just wanted to point out that it might confuse some of the fanbase and make them surly, and everyone knows Tumblr is a great place to find frustrated people!! X3;;; I hope I'm not offending you, I just wanted to point out the perils of the whole "ask a character" Tumblr accounts. I've seen so many promising ones go down due to abuse from anons and users alike!! O_O

Whatever you do, be careful and safe and have fun!

[TasiaChiba]

The internet is and will always be full of trolls. I just ignore those whose sole purpose is to bash and trash. And, of course, there will be those that will always think their opinions are the "correct" ones. But, like MeltedCaramel was saying above, just be aware that they are out there. And giving disclaimers is always good insurance! ^_^

Renaming a Monster High dolly is really no different than renaming a Barbie or the like. In fact, I personally think it would be odd to insist that one could not. When I was a kid, every kid I was around renamed their dolls. Especially Barbie... because it would have been absurd and just a tad creepy to have ten "Barbie's" hanging out interacting with each other. Their personalities could be just like the generic Barbie or whatever was made up on the fly. For me, Barbie's were whatever I chose to make them be, but it's not like I did more than style their hair or change/make clothes for them.

Majorly customizing mass-market dolls such as Barbie and Monster High have taken off and become more mainstream within the last several year, but that shouldn't mean that all dolls need or should be customized. In the end, she's your doll and how you chose her personality and looks to be should have no bearing on what others think you should do. You might also be surprised to find that over time, your Agua's personality differs from the default Lagoona! ^_~

As for me, I rename everything! haha! Even my computers and musical instruments have names!

[DollyKim]

All my Monster reroots get renamed, when they go to their new home they get renamed again. I still occasionally call some of my first ones Scarlet or Jacinda but because there are so many I use their factory names.

All the doll pictures and new names I've given to my plastic people I've never had anyone bother me. All the questions I get are asking what kind of doll so and so is, can this doll and that doll wear the same clothes, or if I do take commissions. I have a neglected Facebook and Twitter for Little Walken the world's smallest Christopher Walken impersonator and no one even remotely thinks he's associated with the real thing. No one bothers or trolls him either.

You have to start off thinking people are nicer and smarter than you take them for because most of them are. I had one troll who spent the better part of a year of their life spamming my You Tube in box over one video I still have up. I never responded, never approved anything, never even looked a their profile. I waited out for them to make a non vulgar comment, approved it, then I was able to use the block the user button and never got bothered again. The people who go out of their way to only be negative about your creative endeavors might have never had the joy of creating anything themselves.

Let Aqua have her own advice column and let her be wise with her responses.

[MeltedCaramel]

I hope no one thinks I was trying to dissuade the OP from doing what she wanted. I had just wanted to point out since she had mentioned that her doll has no modifications whatsoever that there is a higher chance of "trollers". Some people are more sensitive to that sort of thing than others, especially depending on what kind of intensity the troll is set on. If it's a stupid once a week "Yur doll suks" kind of comment then most people can laugh it off, but some trolls can get really nasty with threats and just ugly words that can hurt. Since the OP seemed worried, I just wanted to give a friendly reminder that unfortunately there are people who have nothing better to do than bother people.

Also, the world's smallest Christopher Walken impersonator? X3 Does he come complete with "Weapon of Choice" dance video? <3

But on a serious note, I hope I didn't come off as a moral guardian, I just don't want to see anyone's feelings getting hurt because young MH fans can't hold their tongues (or ask boxes).

~MeltedCaramel

[jemlovecraft]

I do the same thing! None of my MH dolls are modified in any way, but they have names and personalities distinct from their base characters, with some little references to their shells' original identities (e.g. my Operetta is named Liza Webber, because it's a great spider pun and because Operetta is the daughter of the Phantom of the Opera, popularized by the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical).

[DollyKim]

A bit of a video http://youtu.be/TxZRPFIcWa4

I was on the Monster High Dolls forum for a bit, I don't go because I just don't think about it and most of the posters can just get off my lawn. The only Monster problems I had were posting pictures of my reroots because they're usually nude when I take pics. After someone went out of their way to put down my pattern book, the one with Cleo and Duece on the maroon cover, it was nice to see so many people on the MH forum enjoying it.

Another way to deal with trolls is to never read their messages. Theoretical physics say if you don't look at it how do you know it exists. If it doesn't exist how can it bother you? They might treat their big girl panties the same way.