How do you decide which doll to get next?

[Kadyssa]

When you have multiple dolls in the 'planning' stage, how do you figure out what doll/parts to buy first? When you buy a doll, do you try to get all the parts for that doll within a small amount of time, or do you let heads float and have a work space full of partially-finished dolls?

I have characters who are practically fighting in my head over who gets shelled first. (I think 'shelled' is the right word?) I'm an incredibly indecisive person, though, so I've just been sitting on my little chunk of allotted doll-money.

I want to put a Hujoo Jake head on a Taeyang body, but the heads still aren't in stock on the Hujoo site, and I don't really want a headless body taking up space, however small it is. I have a Hujoo Phoebe designed and doodled, I only have to decide on an eye color and a name when I get her. I want to put Mc2 heads on an Obitsu body and a Barbie MTM body as well, but I'm tempted to keep stalking my local Target until I can just buy the Mc2 dolls and MTM Barbie in-store. I have a design for an anthro cow-girl for a large bust body, (humor possibilities!) but I'm torn between Volks and Pure Neemo for the body, even though they're very different.

When I was buying Monster High dolls, it was simpler because I didn't have as many options for buying parts. I would just look through the dolls with the main criteria of "which of these crazy color schemes can I turn into something gorgeous?" and the only thing I ever decided before buying a doll was the new color palette.

[Dark Angel]

I don't like floating heads. At all. I always try to get my dolls "completed" as soon as possible. That way I can play with them/take photos/etc.

I imagine, however, if I were into customizing my dolls I wouldn't mind floating heads and/or body parts.

Quickly completed dolls are my preference. But I see the merit in having lots of customizable parts too.

[Iwa_Hoshi]

In my case I have characters I want to shell, character tend to be related to existing doll as a comrade or relative. Most of the time it seems that the existing crew are the ones who help the next one crossover, since they will have to interact with each other. Which probably does not explain how one dominant OC character manage to get herself shelled into four different dolls and still be the same character(she has four more forms to go... yes I'm eyeing a Momoko, a MSD catish doll, and Iple cat and an Obi50)

Certain heads - Obitsu W02, Obitsu M02 Volks Type C and the Neo Goh 2 & 3 has the feel of my characters. One of my dolls switch heads from Obitsu W02 to M02 as its more action figure Amazon babe looking.
Exception made to one S-Gretel who bulldoze her way in when I was testing wigs on a blank head, she refuses to leave and somehow works hard to be allow to stay.

I never expected to get BJDs much less my big dude, but his shop pics made me see resemblance to certain game characters and I kinda fell in like with the fact he has family resemblance to my OC team. And so my larger dolls end up being larger version of 4 core 1/6 characters(big dude end up getting a 1/6 form). That way I don't have to think up new storylines.

[Trethowan]

I used to try and work on a single character/doll at a time but now that the main cast of my story is complete, I've been buying bits and bobs piecemeal. I suppose these days it just depends on budget and availability. There was a limited time frame to order a head I wanted so I got it first and waited a year before picking up the body. Hahaha... once I found the perfect wig for a character before I had anything else. I've had this wig for two years or more and just now got the body. I don't even know if it fits or will look right. Silly isn't it.

[DollyKim]

Either the doll is an original character I want a doll of or it's someone I want to make a doll of. On occasion I'll buy an unusual body type I don't have and put it aside just in case. Or it's a Power Team Elite sculpt I don't have, I get them no questions asked.

When there's a lot of candidates there is a mandatory waiting period of at least 30 days, or however longer it takes to save up, and I see if a doll I already have can take on the character like an actor. The last body I bought was because Kevin Backstreet needed a tall one without love handles.

As a head and attempted doll maker I can have spare heads sitting around. It works easiest if you chose one neck style, like "Dragon" or split neck, then you don't need so many bodies. I never had more than 5 spare bods for the dozens of heads I had sitting around at one time.

[Kadyssa]

Thank you all for the input! Reading your methods and strategies for decision making helped me figure out what I really wanted. I have a solid plan for the Hujoo Phoebe, and I might even be able to fit her into Blythe clothes to save myself some sewing. She should be here in a couple of days!

Dark Angel, I really prefer my dolls to be quickly completed so that I can enjoy them as well, but when something has an option for customization I feel compelled to make it unique to me. It was quick and easy to customize Monster High dolls once I figured it out (re-rooting takes just under a week and a repaint can be done in a day) but I became frustrated with their limited joint movement when I started to pose them more often. I'm really hoping I can finish my Phoebe quickly.

Iwa_Hoshi, I am amused at how many shells your dolls have, it makes me wonder where you keep them all! In high school I wrote down bits of a story where the main character could shape-shift herself and others... If I ever make her into a doll she will start a wave of 'alternate form' dolls in my collection. (I'll be in debt to Dearmine for years if that happens! )

Trethowan, hanging onto that wig for years sounds a bit like what I've done with a certain Monster High outfit I bought ages ago. I knew I loved it, I just had no idea what doll would wear it! I tend to get pieces early most often when I decide I need to mod something. I bought gold clay a year ago to sculpt hooves onto my Gilda Goldhide, so sure it was perfect. Turns out Sculpy doesn't stick to plastic well, so I had to find a new use for it. I hope your wig fits better than my clay did!

DollyKim, having a waiting period is a really good idea. I like to leave a photo open of the doll I think I want and look at it frequently when I'm on the computer. Looking at it for a few days helps me decide if I'm eager to get the doll, or just eager to spend my paycheck. I would love to try sculpting heads, but I need to get my Dollzone Candace and inspect how she's constructed, first...

[Iwa_Hoshi]

Iwa_Hoshi, I am amused at how many shells your dolls have, it makes me wonder where you keep them all! In high school I wrote down bits of a story where the main character could shape-shift herself and others... If I ever make her into a doll she will start a wave of 'alternate form' dolls in my collection. (I'll be in debt to Dearmine for years if that happens! )

It does gives a good idea as to what dolls you want though.

I have 6 characters who can shapeshift. Helen happens to be the only one collecting extra shells and trying to encourage her husband to do the same. 2 of her 1/6 shells are on my table, 1 is a floating head as someone else needed a body(she's cool with that). Her 1/3 shell sits with my big dolls.

Dear Mine is very pretty. I kinda want a foxy looking one for them to shell chibi Foxy kun.

[DollyKim]

Dollzones are great, I have 6, they're like potato chips, can't have just one...

When I'm ready to save up for a big doll purchase I'll put a picture of the doll in my wallet so every time I go to spend I have to look at the doll and justify what I'm buying. The doll diet helps with unnecessary spending and buying snacks.

Dolls helped me figure out what hobbies I really wanted to invest in and which ones I was ready to stop. They also kicked out other clutter for theirs.

[ShadowKatt91]

There are head stands for MSD and SD heads to make a bust, but I'm not sure if there's anything similar for 1/6 fashion dolls.

[DollyKim]

I used to keep my spare heads in a shot glass display case. You can also use a sewing thread spool holder.