A Change of Pace

With several new outfits and one new Monogram doll head, I had reason to photograph some 12" dolls this week.
This is Monogram Exaggeration wearing an HJ Couture top, FR pants, boots and jewelry. She's got a smouldering look on her face.

 

Elyse and Kyori, both on FR2 bodies, model VJohn dresses beautifully.  

Last, we have a  Mini-Avantguard doll who is wearing a NuFace fashion. I spend so little time with the IT doll world these days that I can't remember their exact names or the names of the fashions. But I'm very happy with the beautiful dolls I have kept and hope talented designers keep making affordable outfits for them.

Multi-Doll Photoshoot

I think I may be cured from buying Silkstone dolls. Afternoon Suit Barbie is seriously bug-eyed. I know they all have the same sculpt but this one is painted in such a way that her eyes are bulging out of her head. And I'm not very happy with one side of her hair. That can be fixed - I think, but I've put her in the cabinet already. I like the fashion. It looks well constructed and fist nicely.

My rerooted Kyori got to wear most of Gretel's fashion minus the boots. I'm not even going to try putting those boots on her. I think she looks fabulous. She's on a FR2 body.

Allure got another chance in front of the camera.  I was more patient this time and I am very happy with her image. I used a tiny drop of clear Elmer's glue on the inside of her finger to keep the ring from falling off. I put rubber bands on her feet to hold the shoes on. I made sure to turn the edges of the coat inside so the 'lining' wouldn't show. Her hair took plenty of post-processing time in Photoshop. She looks gorgeous.

The outfit seen on Gene below is called Lotta Moola. I've wanted this ensemble forever.

Last but not least is Winter Grace dressed in Hypnotic Antoinette's gown. Black wig by Cheryl Wood.

It was a busy day.

New and Old

"Live together in perfect harmony."

Talc in a wig by Cheryl Wood, dressed in Picnic Magnet lounges on her new chaise.
She's got such a bored look on her face.

Remember this beauty?

Fierce Subject Kyori is now on her third body having been switched recently to a FR2 Elise body. She is wearing most of Agnes' Silver Zinger fashion. The shoes are from the new FR shoe pack. They fit the FR2 foot perfectly.

 

The jewelry was handmade by a designer in Great Britain and the handbag is one of four from a very early fashion called La Petite Robe Noire. This set came with one black sheath, four handbags, four pairs of shoes and a chiffon scarf. It (probably) came with rhinestone studs, a bracelet and sunglasses. Fashion Royalty sets were amazing in the "olden" days. Nothing was missing or skimped on. Retail price in 2004 was $38.99.

 Kyori has a timeless sculpt and I certainly hope it's never changed. Like Vanessa and Veronique, there will never be a better Kyori.

___________________________________________________________

Knave of Hearts and FR Kyori Redressed

The registration doll, Knave of Hearts, is turning out to be one of the most beautiful dolls I've gotten recently. Here she is dressed in Gene Marshall's Candied Lavender fashion. Who wears it better?

It doesn't fit perfectly. Gene's waist is smaller and her chest is larger so the zipper does not go up past the lower back. The style suits her though.

Background image by Michael Williams. Used by Permission.

I'm not thrilled with these pictures.

I've just set up a new laptop and monitor and along with that I'm using a new version of Photoshop which is several years advanced from my last version. I will have to do the tutorials because I have no idea what I can do...or should do to improve my workflow and all those good things I used to do previously. It's very fast and way more complicated. Should be fun. Not.

Talc got a few new outfits recently and was just hanging around in her showcase wondering why I wasn't taking pictures of her. I don't have time, that's why!

Finally, my favorite hybrid OOAK Kyori was redressed in a combination of FR fashions. I'll let you figure out where they came from.  In fact, if you do guess the source of all of her clothing and accessories, I will send you a gift.

Rare Appeal Dominique Becomes a Body Donor

Not being fond of Dominique's face I hoped that her body could be used with an existing FR doll and I got lucky. The doll I call Bongo Kyori aka Buena Sera is an extremely good match.

Buena Sera in Dominique's Body wearing her outfit.

While the above picture's lighting does very little for her face, I assure you that she is gorgeous.  Uriah rerooted her and did an amazing job keeping a darker blend of blondes under the top layers of platinum shades.

Buena Sera in Successful Ascension on her own FR body

There's been lots of chatter about the promo photos of Dominique's hot pink dress showing the ruffles evenly sized along her sides. That's not exactly right. In the promos, she has her arms and hands used to push the ruffles down. I don't think there's much of a difference at all between the promos and the production piece. The ruffles appear to have been pressed downward and flattened and the dress looks more fitted. I'm going to try that.  I think the dress is stunning and just needs a tweak here and there.

Randall Craig Fashion: New Sizing?

Recently I received one of Randall's new fashions, Delightful. It's a very pretty coral sheath with a bolero jacket that has puffed sleeves. The accessories include a black patent clutch bag, black patent belt, black plastic shoes and black bead earrings. Retail price, with shipping, was $62. from Mary T's Dollhouse.
According to the promotional text this item is "Fitted to Monogram dolls but will also fit Silkstones, ModelMuse, Poppy, NuFace, etc."

One of my Monogram dolls, Dreamscape, never had a photoshoot since she was first photographed in her pink gown. She was one of my (many) impulse purchases as I really didn't like her face.
I was not happy with the fit of the bodice on the Monogram. It was too big. The bolero pushed the bodice of the dress together at the front. There is too much  fabric at the sides and underarm seam so the doll can't have her arms at her sides. And...there is a really strange seam on the back of the jacket. It's as if it was made incorrectly and it was seamed to make it smaller.

The arrows point to the seams. What is this about? It's definitely not a design detail. They're like little puffy wings.

I had to take it off her and try it on another doll who was hanging out in the area.

 

It fits beautifully on a regular Fashion Royalty body but the seams under the arms are still too thick for the doll to lower her arms properly.
Both of these dolls have the side-glancing eyes that I mentioned in the previous post. Neither was popular. I had to cover Kyori's eyes as not only are they side glancing, they're flat and shiny.  If they're going to re-do a sculpt, Kyori needs new eyes.

W Club Registration for 2011 is Open

Registration opened for the 2011 W Club yesterday.  A beautifully put together brochure is available.
It is a PDF download. Check it out.

The Fashion Royalty upgrade doll is a tanned Kyori in resort wear. Images in this post are the property of Integrity Toys, Inc.

Rising Sun Kyori $90. Plus Shipping (Plus $50 W Club Membership)

Hopefully, the designers will have the factory improve the fit of the jacket which looks awkward and ill-fitting in the prototype. I like big jewelry but this piece does not lay properly on the doll. The shoes look wonderful! Why no fabulous handbag?


The other optional upgrade doll is a rooted Avantguard with a new sculpt.

Spring Kissed $160. Plus Shipping (Plus $50. W Club Membership)

 

 It was a jaw-dropping moment to see this doll's face. Was she a giant Poppy or a super tall Dynamite Girl? Are the Avantguards to join the enormous ranks of cutesy teenage dolls?

Avantguard Compared to DG Neve

The rooted hair was a surprise. The fashion is very attractive; I want it for other dolls.  It seems out of character in this sophisticated line. I wonder what the top and shorts look like without the jacket on. Following in the wake of Bijou, this doll pales (literally) by comparison.
Collectors have been asking for a new AG sculpt. Is this what they had in mind?


I won't be buying the Kyori but I'm undecided about the AG only for the fashion. It's a good thing that I have until January 21, 2011 to make up my mind.

On a different topic that's sort of related, those of us who joined the 2010 Gene W Club for a year got only 6 months. We definitely should be compensated in some manner.

Photoshoot: Kyori, Smoldering, Elyse

Finally had time for a real photoshoot and here are the results.
First up is Elyse. I took out the braid and conditioned the frizzy mess. I did pour boiled water over her hair to loosen up the curls. I decided to just leave her hair wild and there was little choice and she looks fabulous this way.

Next is Smoldering.  I wish they had paid more attention to her hair instead of just chopping it.  The gown is gorgeous. I love it. And look at those shoes!

Kyori "Out of the Blue" needed a restyle as well. I took down her hair, shampooed and conditioned it and boiled it straight. I deleted the bangs by pouring the hot water in the direction I wanted those shorter hairs to go. She is very heavily rooted at the crown and I did thin her hair a bit.
Her outfit was made by Louos and suits her perfectly.

Last is the doll from the Poppy Giftset "Ask Any Girl" wearing the sweater and shorts from the set. A creature from the Tonner Doll Co. has been following her and showing up in pictures of her lately. Hmmmmm....

Fashion Royalty Convention Packet Released

Internet Photo

Included in the release is the notice that there will be a new Fashion Royalty spin-off brand. I don't know why the news doesn't excite me. I like Madame Alexander's Cissy doll but I wouldn't go to a Madame Alexander convention because I don't care for the other dolls that are included in their conventions.  From the point of view of a collector, I don't know that a convention is the place to celebrate a brand new line. We certainly can't say Integrity is boring because we never know what to expect.

The line is entitled FR2 and pronounced FR Squared. I think I'll always call it FR Two (I hated math.)  When something is squared you multiply the original by itself and you get more of the original. The title can lead to a great deal of speculation as evidenced by the 3 page thread on the W Club board.

Note: An email from the W Club just arrived. It says:

"...spin off brand called FR²... This new line will have a brand new body, new characters and a renewed couture style by Jason Wu. "

Haute couture (French for "high sewing" or "high dressmaking"; pronounced [ot kutyʁ] OHT-koo-TOOR) refers to the creation of exclusive custom-fitted clothing. Haute couture is made to order for a specific customer, and it is usually made from high-quality, expensive fabric and sewn with extreme attention to detail and finish by the most experienced and capable seamstresses, often using time-consuming, hand-executed techniques. Couture is a common abbreviation of Haute Couture, which refers to the same thing in spirit.^[1]
It originally referred to Englishman Charles Frederick Worth's work, produced in Paris in the mid-nineteenth century.^[2] In modern France, haute couture is a "protected name" that can be used only by firms that meet certain well-defined standards. However, the term is also used loosely to describe all high-fashion custom-fitted clothing, whether it is produced in Paris or in other fashion capitals such as Milan, London, New York, Tokyo and Madrid.

The term couture style is being misused.

Integrity Toys' Logo

The Registration Package
The 30 page long layout is very artistic thanks to Alain's design skills.  Spooky castles and dark patterns infuse the package with a sense of Halloween and scariness.
The forms are interactive - there's nothing to print out and mail or fax. It's very tree friendly.

 The Workshops
All except one of the workshops is being held on Friday.  It's all very organized. I am registered for the first four workshops below.  The hubster will have to amuse himself.

1. Poppy Ponies Up! - Rob “Uriah” Redden
2. Thinking Out of the Box - Vaughn Sawyers
3. Mini-Masterpieces - Steven Fraser
4. Baby Light-Up my Fire! - Alain Tremblay
5. FR Do’s, FR Don’ts - Francisco Garcia
6. Recycle Those Doll Boxes - Ava Plummer

The workshops are free. Some of them will offer optional kits to use during the session. At the last Gene convention, the Madra head sold for the hairstyling class was a highly sought after item after the convention was over.

The Convention Collection

1. “Always Polished” Dasha FR2 Dressed Doll (New Character!)
2. “Night Vision” Count Adrian Von Lamberg™ Figure (New Character!) 
3. “Fine Romance” Eugenia Perrin Frost™ Dressed Doll
4. “Scarlet Woman” Adèle Makéda® Dressed Doll
5. “Out of the Blue” Kyori Sato® Dressed Doll 
6. “Wild at Heart” Lillith and Eden™ Gift Set
7. “Ask Any Girl” Poppy Parker Gift Set

Seven items with a total of nine dolls. I wonder if Dasha is Tatyana reworked.  It's been a long time since Kyori appeared at a convention and many have been asking for her. The Lillith and Eden giftsets were very popular in 2008. (A friend notes that this wasn't really a popular giftset. I suppose it's a matter of perception.)

Missing from the above are Agnes, Vanessa, Veronique, Elise Jolie, Dania, Natalia, Jordan, Luchia, Tatyana, Isha, the Hommes, the rest of the Nu.Face characters, the Monogram dolls and the Avantguard dolls.

My guesses for centerpieces are Agnes (that's a given), Veronique, Vanessa and Elise. Perhaps those are my wishes as well.

Picture of the Week Award ~ March 29, 2010

Lisa Irinyi

When I found out that Lisa did not use any special effects or pixel manipulation I was amazed. This photograph of A Brighter Side Kyori just blows me away.

Here is Lisa's description in her own words:A Brighter Side Kyori is one of those dolls that’s simply perfect “as-is”. Most of my dolls get redressed eventually, but I’ve not felt any changes could make her better. I wanted to do her ethereal beauty justice with a “heavenly” photo shoot. I saw the morning sun arching through the trees, sending light and shadow across the snow piled on the side of my driveway. The quality of the light almost mimicked the pure white and deep blues of a cloud studded summer sky. I didn’t want to expose Kyori to reclining directly in the snow, so I searched for a throne befitting her regal bearing. I found a small, gilded wall shelf (a Tuesday Morning find) – and turned it upside-down in the snow…it added height, texture and visual interest to the scene without breaking the harmony or stealing the spotlight. I can’t remember exactly how cold it was outside, but I know it was below freezing – one must suffer for one’s art – LOL "

"A healthy piece of advice for shooting snow photos – dress warm, take breaks inside out of the cold if shooting for long stretches of time, power up those batteries because the cold temps drain them faster, position your doll indoors beforehand if possible because colder temps also make the plastic more brittle and susceptible to breakage, use your exposure compensation (I shoot auto, plus 1/3, 2/3 and a full stop just to cover my bases) because snow usually comes out too dark. And have fun. Try things you’re not sure of, take chances. Even if the photos don’t turn out as intended, you learned something. If you don’t even try, you never know what might have been."

I would like to explain why snow usually comes out too dark. When one is using a camera on full auto setting, the camera reads the amount of light coming in through the lens and adjusts the opening of the aperture accordingly. Since snow reflects light more than most objects, the camera shuts the opening down so less light comes in. You may have a snow setting on your camera or be able to set the picture to be brighter. Lisa's camera can be adjusted manually.

See more of Lisa's beautiful doll photography at this link.

Congratulations, Lisa, on the Picture of the Week Award!

Picture of the Week Award ~ July 12, 2009

This week's award goes to Al Gudka of Atlanta, GA. Pictured is "Flight Pattern" Kyori Sato. If she looked this good in the promotional pictures, she'd probably be sold out by now.

Congratulations, Al, on a beautiful portrait.

Fashion Royalty Future.Perfect Collection

The Close-up Doll Collection is neither more or nor less than expected. Two dolls are wearing the same black fashion and two are wearing white. The boots are in different colors and are very cool.

The images in this post with the exception of Ginza Kyori are courtesy of Integrity Toys.

One of the new characters makes her appearance as Bionica Jordan. Could she be related to Michael? He's pretty bionic himself.

Heat Seeker Natalia is also in white:

Future Bound Luchia is dressed in black:

Vanessa is also in black....including her lips. Actually her lips have a blackish blue appearance. I think she might have fallen in spite of the fact that she is called Aerodynamic. Must have been an experiment gone awry.

The close-up dolls come with three sets of removable hands, one of which is painted to resemble the wearing of fingerless gloves. They are a limited edition of 1200 each and retail for $79.00.
~~~~~

The Premium Dressed Doll Collection is tiny. There are only three dolls, two of which are the same new character who uses the second Lana Turner sculpt Her name is Dania Zarr.
In this IT image she looks more like Kyori and reminds me of Ginza.

Retail Price $135.00 LE 1000

Picture above is not part of this line. It is a picture of Ginza Kyori.

The other Dania is called Exclusive Interview Dania Zarr:

Retail Price $99.00 LE 1000

The third doll is called Flight Pattern Kyori Sato:

Price $99.00 LE 1000

Apparently the Fashion Royalty collection has taken a big hit in favor of less sophisticated "concept" dolls. Perhaps the sad state of the worldwide economy is partly to blame. People are buying less expensive items and budgeting their money more carefully.

Collectors are saying that they don't see Jason Wu in this collection. I don't really know what the answer is but what's missing from these concept dolls is made up, for me, by the fabulous AvantGuard and the Gene Collection Dolls.

I have many beloved Fashion Royalty dolls to play with. It's time to savor these dolls instead of crowding them out with more just because there are more to be had.

In these reviews of the new dolls, I've made many critical remarks but I recognize the fact that Integrity Toys is providing dolls to a very broad range of tastes and pocketbooks. For the last two years, Fashion Royalty collectors have been complaining about too many dolls coming at us too quickly. We got exactly what we asked for.