About the Dolls

The first dolls issued by Brutal Sun Studio were OOAK fashion dolls, meaning one-of-a-kind. A OOAK fashion doll is made by taking a regular factory doll (like a 11.5 inch Barbie doll, or a 16 inch Robert Tonner doll) and altering it, either by re-painting its face, re-costuming it, re-rooting its hair, or by combining these things together. Some OOAK dolls look nothing like the original factory dolls, and appear so realistic, that at first glance, a picture of one could be mistaken for that of a real person. It's not uncommon for dolls like that (by popular artist) to sell for 4-digit numbers on eBay.

In the future, Brutal Sun Studio has plans of issuing limited edition artist dolls, meaning dolls which are not OOAK, but still very collectible. These fashion dolls will be cast of resin, using molds unique only to Brutal Sun Studio.

Making OOAK Dolls

Faces and Bodies

Brutal Sun Studio dolls are completely re-painted. This means all of the original factory paint is removed from the doll's face, and new paint is put on (instead of painting over the factory paint, which is called an enhancement). The paints used are quality artist-grade acrylics, and are nearly as flexible as rubber. This resilience ensures they won't crack easily if the doll's head is flexed. After the paints cure, which takes three or more days, the repainted parts are coated with clear gloss and matte varnishes, to protect them.

Sometimes, the dolls' bodies get some work, too. The heads are popped off, and then the mold-seams are sanded down wherever needed. Not having obtrusive mold-seams makes the doll look better, especially in photos. Also, the body may receive shadowing, beauty marks, and tattoos, depending on the character.

All of the dolls are signed/initialed by the artist, usually on the small of the back or the inner thigh. A little Brutal Sun Studio symbol is often painted with the initials, to make identification of the dolls easier.

The costumes

Dark Haven's bodice The dolls' costumes are designed while envisioning a real live character moving around in them, and while "hearing" the sounds the costumes may make, like the whispering of fabric, the tinkling of bells, the creaking of leather, and the clinking of chain. Hopefully, while looking at the dolls, you will be able to "see" and "hear" the dolls moving around in their costumes as well!

Aside from the normal challenges of small-scale design, a lot of extra effort is put into making the costumes fully removable. This is a rarity; most OOAK fantasy dolls have their costumes permanently glued or sewn onto them. While making removable costumes can be an especially challenging and time-consuming, doing so ensures they will be treasured items in their own right, apart from their dolls.

Just like the dolls, main parts of the costumes are often being initialed and/or stamped with a Brutal Sun Studio symbol, marking them as a quality piece made by Brutal Sun Studio.

Sturdy Craftsmanship

An important element, which goes into both doll and costume, is craftsmanship, in the sense that everything is sturdy and well made. Several questions are asked during the design process:

What if the collector accidentally knocks the doll off a high shelf?
What if the collector needs to clean the doll's face or costume?
What if the doll accidentally ends up in the hands of a toddler for a few hours?
What if the collector likes switching around costumes and jewelry?

All of these things (and more) are taken into consideration during the design process. Seed beads are now sewn on 2-4 threads strong, and then their knots are glued. Costumes have strong stitching, or double stitching, in stress points, and are made hand-washable. Repaints are cured properly, and then varnished very thoroughly. Jewelry is made using tarnish-resistant metals, and often coated in places to prevent the dreaded green ear syndrome (when dolls' vinyl turns green from corroding earrings). Removable items are made easily removable when possible, to lesson the likelihood they will be damaged if removed.

While not bombproof, the dolls are meant to be as "tough" as they are pretty.

COA (certificate Of authenticity)

When access to a color printer is available, the artist does make a certificate of authenticity for the buyer, along with a printout of the doll's story (if the doll has one). Hopefully, this will become more regular in the future.

Pricing the dolls

Currently, all OOAK Brutal Sun Studio dolls are sold on eBay. Their start price depends on the time of year and the effort put into the doll. Their end price depends on ... well, the bidders of course! You can expect to pay upwards of $100 for a Brutal Sun Studio doll.

Buying Dolls

As you may have noticed, a lot of work, thought, and heart goes into Brutal Sun Studio OOAK dolls. It's very difficult for one to be produced in less than a month, even working insanely grueling hours. Especially since the artist has a day job. So it is very easy to miss them. You are encouraged to become part of the "Brutal Sun Studio mailing list", so you can be informed whenever a new project is being listed (see the bottom of this page for details).

Commissions

While not particularly fond of them, Brutal Sun Studio is open to commissions. Please understand that a commission is not a way to get a cheap doll, where the artist works hard and does not get compensated. Commissions are a big pain (at least to this artist), and are thus are priced accordingly (only for the rich and famous ). Basically, a commission is suitable for a person who has a splendid idea and would like the artist to execute it; or for someone who simply wants to be guaranteed they will own the next Empire-based project; not for someone who can't afford what they see on eBay.

If you insist on having a commission made for you, please contact Brutal Sun Studio for further details, and be prepared to pay upwards of $300.

Subscribing to the Mailing List

Projects by Brutal Sun Studio can come and go in the blink of an eye. They also can be few and far between. Do you wish to know when something is being offered? Join the Brutal Sun Studio Mailing List. Simply send a blank e-mail with the subject as "list". Your e-mail address will be kept private.

Thank you for your interest
in Brutal Sun Studio dolls.