On Shelling the Corinthian

    In my previous post, Inklings of More Character Dolls, I discussed the challenges of shelling the Corinthian and other OCs due to the lack of ethnic and semi-realistic sculpts in the hobby. Recently, I’ve started making peace with the possibility that the sculpt I’m looking for may never come along.

    Spending more time in the Chinese BJD community has only reinforced this. What I envision for the Corinthian doesn’t really align with what the market is currently creating, both in head sculpt and body sculpt.

    XHS (Red Note), China’s Instagram-like app, eventually led me into a small corner of hobbyists searching for dolls with more balanced proportions, musculature, and silhouettes.

    In contrast, modern dolls are becoming increasingly long-legged, sometimes to the point of caricature. Torsos shrink while legs stretch ever longer. Some hobbyists half-jokingly wonder whether rib cages are even part of the equation anymore for certain female dolls. Meanwhile, many larger male dolls look as though every gym session was spent on the upper body while leg day was permanently skipped. And don’t get me started on the overwhelming preference for inverted-triangle silhouettes—or, as the Anglophone community so lovingly calls them, Dorito bodies.

    While I don’t have an issue with these stylizations on their own, the lack of alternative body shapes and proportions can feel limiting.

   These discussions often turned into requests for recommendations. Unsurprisingly, Iplehouse came up again and again, but to my disappointment, no other 1/3 scale dollmaker seems to come close to what I'm looking for. Seeing Iplehouse dolls on the app always catches me off guard in the best way—it feels like being parched in a hot desert and finally finding a fountain.

   After all this inner discourse, I’ve arrived at a very scientific conclusion: Iplehouse is god tier. Embrace it.

Somebody please help this man with his tie.

    So I ended up revisiting their official page for the umpteenth time and, well—fuck it. Lawrence is my No. 1 pick for the Corinthian, and here are my reasons:

• The Corinthian's teeth-eyes are his defining physical feature. Fortunately, this sculpt lacks the stereotypical macho "squint," and I find the shape of the tear ducts surprisingly similar as well.

• Unlike many sculpts I've seen, Lawrence's wider nose bridge not only aligns better with Boyd Holbrook's features, but also provides a nice visual contrast to Dream's sharper nose.

• He has an expression that could easily be adapted into a smile or subtle smirk with the right faceup.

• The sculpt sits comfortably between boyish and hyper-masculine, which feels much closer to how I envision the character.

• The brow bone structure is also a remarkably good match.

My killer blorbo who's never done anything wrong in his life, ever.

     

    With regards to body, since Dream is on the 70 cm EID Model body, wanting the Corinthian to be both taller and more physically imposing leaves me with the obvious choice: the 74 cm HID body. And I must confess, I am absolutely ecstatic to have such a beautifully sculpted muscular body for him, even if I know he will weigh a ton of bricks 😅

Strong legs, thick waist, and an amazing ass.

     

    As for resin colour, this is where I've been waffling. Iplehouse's Peach Gold is probably the best match if I'm aiming for screen and comic accuracy. However, I find myself more drawn to Special Real Skin. The richer tan tone lends him a more rugged and dangerous air, which I find appealing for the character.

The original heart-breaker.

    On the show, the Corinthian wears his blonde hair in a variety of shades, from his most uncanny platinum blonde to darker caramel blondes. I would like my Corinthian to lean into platinum blonde like his comics counterpart, especially since Dream will have his canon cosmic eyes. I think perhaps this type of blonde will look more striking when paired with Special Real Skin's olive tone.

What is he so slutty for?

    Clothing the HID body will be a challenge given his measurements are larger than all of the 75 cm range. His closest sizing for tops is Am77, which is a 77 cm doll, so I will need to purchase clothing in pieces rather than complete sets. I happened to find a few tailors on Taobao that make clothes specifically for the HID. I will try to snag as many items I like while they are still available /  continued to be made. Thankfully, he can share shoes with Dream, which is one less sizing headache to worry about.

Dream, his emotional support modesty cloak, and his beefcake nightmare creation

    So that is where I currently stand. A 74 cm mountain of resin, platinum-blonde hair, enough muscle to crush Dream in a hug, and a wardrobe that will probably require its own dedicated budget.

    Was this the most sensible solution to my shelling dilemma? Probably not.

    Will I be doing it anyway?

    Absolutely.