DAF Characters and Storylines, Part 1

Okay this post has nothing to do with buying dolls or action figures in Philadelphia or elsewhere. This post is about creating DAF characters. "Playing with" our collection. I had back stories for my dolls and action figures when I was a child, as a teenager, and throughout my adult "collecting" years. Usually, I talk about what I collect and where I can find them or how this one differs from that one. Left unsaid is my guilty pleasure in telling stories of the dolls. Because telling stories about dolls and action figures smacks of "playing" and everyone knows, adults aren't supposed to play.

Eh but times are hard. Financially. So I can't buy the way I could last year. And even if I could, story ideas pop up. I re-dress a Barbie Musician-Prince in a brown tee shirt and Ken jeans and zap. His name is Jay, and he plays football. Gee, I wish I could find a new Hot Toys body for him ... like the one that Darren, one of my Hot Toys figures, has. And that Power Team guy there, the one I think of as "Roger Hawthorne," well, he's Jay's proud father. And maybe that Integrity Heat Wave Alysa could be Jay's mom and Roger's wife? Does she look mature enough though? And so on. Sigh.

Then I have been reading other collectors' doll and action figure stories. Roville, of course, and Cheridoll's Crossroads series, and Dolla's Harley Works, and Nick's Toyville and more recently, Michael's Paramus Chronicles and Modern Wizard's Love has Fangs.

And Modern Wizard's blog post, in which she identifies her DAF characters, here, impressed me. I mean she has her characters lined up, photographed, and identified. Wow, I thought. I want to do that.

Or at least get some of my figures photographed together. Like the Dirty Laundry News Team, the Syphons, the Janay clan, the Tan Van staff, the Science Corridor East, and the other denizens of East Philly.

Sigh. Wow.

Magnifying Glass and Close-up Photos

EA aka ModernWizard sparked this follow-up post.

First, I want to applaud your close-up photos of Anneka and her grandmother in the Love Has Fangs chapter, "4.8: "Gaudeamus Igitur". The clarity of the close-ups enhanced the story and drew this reader briefly into the intimate world of Anneka and her grandmother. The magnifying glass "trick" transcends trick status when it renders such detailed photos. I ought to send the author, k6yar, a second thank you message about how great his tip was. I added him as a link on StumbleIt instead.

An aside here, but your aged your grandmother figure is admirable. I would guess you used wax and paint to convey her chapped lips and weathered skin? Excellent job. Gives a genuine, aged look without making old, caricature.

But regarding the use of a magnifying glass and the macro setting on my digital camera, the Kodak EasyShare CX7300: I encountered the light/glare problem you mention in your comment. I used a dollar store magnifying glass with no specified enlargement size noted. Moved around and shifted the camera angle to find a "clear" shot without glare spots. After a few glaringly bad even to me ha, ha - ouch the pun - shots, I managed to get a few decent shots that I am including in this post.



I couldn't resist the clear plastic of the platform heels worn by Jakks Pacific's Valerie of Jose and the Pussycats.




This close-up photo of Valerie shows some of the glare problem on the left side, but I include it because the bulk of the photo shows clear.




Since I was taking Power Team photos as well, I included this one showing the incredible detail of one of the Power Team figures. I love the texture variation among the Power Team figures. Another photo I tried was to show the freckles of another Power Team figure. Only that one, I need to improve so that the freckles can be seen.

Final aside, the main site k6yard.com is down now, but the author's blog is active at Life is an Experience.

Tracy Turnblad Up Close

In a recent post on Blog of Eternal Stench, blogger EW aka Modern Wizard, comments on an ad demanding that parents keep their children away from obesity. I mentioned the two plump dolls that I have - Mattel's Rosie O'Donnell and PlayAlong's Tracy Turnblad. I am posting close up photos of Tracy here.



Tracy face forward




Tracy's right side




Tracy's left side

Recycling and the Collector

This post was inspired by a ModernWizard query/comment.

What materials annoy DAF collectors? Plastic inserts, styrofoam, and wire twist ties. We love the protection - everyone wants to get an intact doll or action figure. After we remove the doll or figure, we are left with packaging. Packaging and how to get rid of it. Responsibly. Time to breakdown the box, separating the cardboard from the clear plastic and/or any styrofoam. Hoping that the trash collectors will take the separated materials. Putting the separated materials in a large, dark plastic bag if/when the trash collectors are on a "garbage only" tour and then a litterer adds food to the recyclables. Grrr ...

Collectors, we have an alternative. And I don't mean putting everything in a large, dark plastic bag the first time. We can recycle our packaging junk by re-using it.

I don't have any recycling projects, but I know of at least three websites where you can find inspiring new uses for DAF packaging. Please see these links:

C. Bradford Gorby's 1:6 Scale Diorama Creations

and

J. Steven York's "Thinking inside the Box" post dated Tuesday, September 02, 2008

and

DollDivas Dioramas

You can also check archives of online boards like Men With Dolls or One Sixth Warriors for customized furniture and structures.