I don’t do customs ever since I did one years ago in the beginning of my reborn venture and had immense headaches. I’ve always felt the problem is me because I don’t like being told what to do. I want to make babies according to what’s in my head, not someone else’s. Also people dream up things that are impossible and want you to work magic. My bad experience involved someone wanting a drink and wet that had jointed limbs. Grrr. It didn’t work well, especially since she wanted it to weigh a ton. She recently contacted me also and wanted a drink and wet from a kit that has the lower lip completely sucked into its mouth. No, just no.
Now I have a woman that I would really like to help. She bought one of my drink and wets years ago and it is still working with her feeding it every day for years. She sent me pictures and it looks like new. I am so tempted because I would like to make her happy. I’m pondering this.
I hate customs and didn’t do them for a very long time. Now I only do them for my repeat customers (have purchased several times from me) who I have built a relationship with and who know my work and the quality in which they will receive. They are never pushy and are very easy to work with for the most part.
I never done and never will do customs
I have heart so many who had troubles with there customers !
Also i don’t like that they give orders i make them my way that is what i love about making dolls .
That there is nobody who says i want this and that and after complain
By a lot of artist it take away the joy of reborn way people are today (hope you can read my english i am not so good in that )
What if they just had limited choices, such as the basics at the beginning, hair color, eye color, skin tone, and no other input along the way?
I would think that would be less stressful that someone telling you how they want every little detail along the way, or wanting you to match a doll to a photo.
I’m a people pleaser at heart and always feel guilty when I say “no” to customs. Aside from the fact I have a hard time with deadlines, I just know it would suck the fun out of what I’m doing. A couple of my customers are starting to wear me down, though. I know exactly how you feel.
I’ve done them and do not care for them. I stopped doing them for new customers and now only do them for repeat customers. I will say however that I decided last year that after I was done with the ones from this year I would not do any more. They make my anxiety act up really bad. I’m always worried that I won’t catch what they are looking for. I realize that joy I have from reborning comes from letting me paint the babies how I see them and only painting kits that I want to paint.
As she was a good client and really loved your previous work I would do it for her just make sure she accepts your terms and conditions
When I do customs the customer gets to choose kit, gender, skin tone, eye and hair color. I will add something like a birthmark if requested. Other than that, how it’s done is up to me. I don’t send WIP pictures every 24 hours. They get to see it once in progress, so they know I’m working on it, and again when it’s finished. I haven’t had any problems. I’d definitely do another one for a previously satisfied customer.
I’ve done sort of halfway customs only. They pick a kit, eye color, hair color, gender, that sort of stuff. Anything else was up to my artistic vision.
I usually do customs and then have to stress about it the whole time, or I spend more money than I would have. I needed red hair for the last custom and ended up spending like 100 on the hair because the first one was the wrong shade, then the next one was too fluffy. So there is the headache aspect of it all. And the stress of it. So if you are doing a custom then be SURE to charge more than you would usually to cover the headache of it.
If you like her, have had a good experience with her and don’t mind the work I would go for it.
I am not a customs girl myself. I have done about a six (not including film or TV and those are few and far between now that Fx are doing their own) I think but only for other artist friends or special customers that I have developed a good relationship with, even then I have reservations.
This art form doesn’t translate “custom” for me. It stops being fun and starts feeling like I am working for someone and trying to please them instead of working instinctually and relying on my own skills and gifts.
I have to admit some of the “custom” work I have done has been fun and I get excited to see how they will react, I only do it if I get artistic license.
I hate saying no to people, I feel honored they ask but I have heard too many horror stories about demanding people who hold your reputation hostage for all kinds of silly reasons. It takes a special person to be able to do customs.
