Sidequest for the Perfect Mini

    On the Den of Angels forum, I once spoke about wanting a doll that was very different from the rest of my collection. As much as I love my precious 1/3 dolls, they are stylistically and functionally consistent: shells of my OCs, beautifully sculpted and statuesque, but better suited as display pieces than for regular hands-on play.

    I knew if I wanted a different doll from everything else I've owned so far, it would have to be one that broadens my experience of the hobby. Namely, I would love to handle one designed with a wide range of posing possibilities. It would have to be large enough to feel substantial in my hands, but not so large that the physical effort of posing the doll takes away from my enjoyment. I think 1/4 scale is that perfect middle ground.

    With that in mind, I was on the hunt for the perfect sculpt, albeit aimlessly, because I thought I'd need to come up with a character I wanted to shell—one that unfortunately never came to me. 

    I've long concluded, after choosing the Corinthian's shell, that mainstream Chinese BJD aesthetics were not for me. The sculpts that best matched my aesthetic preferences were made by Russian doll artists, but the ongoing war made acquiring them either impossible or prohibitively expensive, especially if the artists had not already closed their shops to international orders.

    Then I thought perhaps I could settle for a Minifée instead, because at least she's cute— 

Minifée Ingrid (Moth Fairy)

     ...Until I stared at the catalogue of blank head sculpts and was struck by decision paralysis over how many of them looked so similar:

    So for a while, the search for the perfect mini was put on the back burner. 

    Until now. I may have finally found the one: 

Rample Doll’s Ethan in white skin.

    During a regular scroll through the XHS (RedNote) app, I stumbled upon 爱幻想的鱼, a Chinese doll artist making something quite different from their peers. What caught my eye instantly were three things: first, the detailed jointing of their dolls; second, their wonderfully realistic proportions(!!); and third, their very handsome face sculpts.

I have never seen a blank doll look more like fine art.

    I was almost certain this doll would only be available in 1/6 scale, as most dolls with similar jointing are, so when the artist said it would be in 1/4 scale, I was thrilled. Even better news: the preorder will happen in a few weeks! 

    Cautiously optimistic, I immediately hit that follow button and carried on with life as usual. When the preorder finally came around (literally the day before), I revisited the artist's work and fell in love even harder with Ethan's sculpt in particular. 

    His face has all of the traits I want in a mature male sculpt: defined cheekbones, a prominent brow bone that isn't an angry expression (or, as I jokingly call it, the "face of constipation")*, an angular jawline, and a well-sculpted nose. But what really won me over were his soft, asymmetrical lips.

    *Dream gets a pass because he is constipated. Emotionally.

    He has the face of a fashion model, and when I looked at the resin colours being offered, the gears in my brain started turning. Ethan in white skin is beautiful, but I already have two striking white-skinned brunettes in my doll family. I considered the tan colour next, but in my imagination, it made him seem too approachable for my liking. Then there was the latte resin, a warm medium brown. I'm generally cautious about brown tones because they can often appear more like dark orange—a colour I want to avoid at all costs.

    But the more I thought about the latte colour, the more I found myself thinking of him less as Ethan and more as Latte Man. Admittedly, I've always admired the stunning visual of a darker-skinned character in gold makeup or face paint. But perhaps this latte tone isn't nearly dark enough to lend itself to such a dramatic appearance. Still, I started imagining him dressed in jewel-toned textiles with geometric patterns and gold accents.

    I've since put down my deposit on Latte Man, so fingers crossed production goes smoothly and he not only gets to me safely but also meets my expectations.