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STAND February-March 2020
Cover Photos: Dira Deerling by Charles Creature Cabinet photographer Charles Grimberg-Stephan Fashion: VĂŠronique Perrin by Integrity Toys (repaint by Noel Cruz) photographer Wil Herold All images are owned by their respective photographers and all images are provided with permission. Credit is given on each image according to what is provided by contributor. STAND is not responsible for incorrect information.
// from the Editor Dorothy Drake Editor-In-Chief
Deborah Hood Co-Editor
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Welcome to our Winter issue! Many look forward to the beginning of winter as it marks the holiday season. But even after the holidays, winter remains a wonderful time of the year. It’s hard not to appreciate the beauty of a single snowflake or waking up to the white landscape of a fresh fallen snowfall. While some embrace the freshly chilled air and spend time outdoors exploring or in snow and ice sports activities, others prefer to cozy up indoors hibernating and embracing the warmth of being together while everything seems to slow down for a bit. And for others, winter is a time to dream--dreams of worlds gone by, worlds that have yet to be, and of course, dreams of warmer days ahead. You’ll see these various aspects of winter in the gorgeous photographs that make up this issue of STAND. We are also pleased to share an interview with artist Charles Grimberg-Stephan of Charles Creature Cabinet. His whimsical sculpts have delighted many collectors and we hope you are delighted with this wonderful interview! We hope you like this issue of STAND. We’d like to thank the incredible artists that contributed to this issue as well as our sponsors. And as a reminder, there is still time to submit your entry to the PNW BJD Expo Photo Contest...we can’t wait to see your entries! Here’s to everything the winter season brings! Stay warm!
Dorothy
and
Debbie
Submission Guidelines The STAND is published January, March, May, August, & November yearly on the 30th of that month.
Contributers: Submit your photos to editor@thestandmag.com for consideration at any time. You will be contacted by the editor for photos that may be used in an issue. Show Reports: Submit within 60 days of the event taking place. The report is limited to 1000 words supported by as many high quality (300dpi) pictures as you would like to send. The editor will contact you with any additional instructions should the report be considered for publication. Sponsors: Contact editor@thestandmag.com for rates and scheduling. All images are owned by their respective photographers and all images are provided with permission. Credit is given on each image according to what is provided by contributor. STAND is not responsible for incorrect information.
doll: Lilith Smoke and Mirrors by Integrity Toys photographer: TATTONKA
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doll: Pullip Seila by Groove photographer: Silent Distraction
doll: Lichen by Depths Dolls photographer: Deborah Hood
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dolls: FID Lawrence and Baron by Iplehouse photographer: Martha Boers
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doll: Alice Resurgence Natalia Fatale by Integrity photographer: Lovely Spectra dolls: by Connie Lowe, Popcorn the Pig Toys and White Rabbit by Paulette Goodreau photographer: Deborah Hood
doll: Agnes Von Weiss by Integrity Toys photographer: Nikita Berg
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doll: Kia, A Fashion Royalty Nadja, repaint by Jon Copeland photographer: Wil Herold
doll: Belgae Sculpt by Kingdom Dolls photographer: Brian E Bunting
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doll: Lilith Smoke and Mirrors by Integrity Toys photographer: TATTONKA
doll: Agnes Von Weiss by Integrity Toys photographer: Tu Nguyen
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doll: Kinsman Doll Arran by Kingdom Doll UK photographer: Brian Bunting
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doll: Doll Family-A Damien photographer: Niebieski_Kot
doll: Stella by Demuse Doll photographer: Deborah Hood
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doll: Sunny by Miroxdoll photographer: Oksana Mironova
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doll: Damien by Doll Family-A photographer: Niebieski_Kot
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4th Annual Photo Contest It’s time to enter the STAND Photo Contest! This contest is open to anyone, anywhere in the world, with these simple rules:
• The photo should follow the broad PNW BJD Expo theme of “Curiosity Shoppe.” • The photo can be a tableau or single shot. • The photo should be suitable for audiences 13 years of age or older. • The size resolution should be at 300 dpi and no smaller than 2400 by 3000. • Photos are to be arranged and taken by the entrant. We welcome both amateur and profes sional photographers.
Submit photos by no later than February 29, 2020 with a short cover email explaining your interpretation of the theme to Photo Contest Staff (editor@thestandmag.com). Entries will be judged by the STAND creative panel with cash prizes awarded to the top 2 winners. The People’s Choice winner will be chosen through internet voting. Additionally, the People’s Choice winner will receive a complimentary registration to the 2020 PNW BJD Expo. The top 5 photos will be enlarged and displayed during the PNW BJD Expo crediting the name of the photographer. Winning entries will be published in the Summer 2019 issue of the STAND Lookbook and receive ads in 3 consecutive issues at no charge. Submit your entries today...we can’t wait to see your best shot!
Submit your entries by February 29th!
doll: Dream Margaret by Do Dolls photographer: Malgorzata Karwecka
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doll: Violaine Perrin by Integrity Toys photographer: Nikita Berg
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doll: Deerling Dira by Charles Cabinet photographer: Tyna Verhoeff Annora by Robert TonnerCreature photographer: Nakia Powell
doll: Raphaela by Kingdom Dolls UK photographer: Brian Bunting
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dolls: Jade IOS Hybrid and Nancy by Iplehouse photographer: Kinga Pawlowicz
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doll: Willie by Tracy Promber photographer: Dollfanz
doll: Dream Margaret by Do Dolls photographer: Malgorzata Karwecka
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Charles Creature Cabinet
Charles Grimberg-Stephan
We love showcasing the incredible artistry that makes up this wonderful hobby including the faces behind the gorgeous sculpts that grace every issue of STAND. In this issue, we are pleased to share our interview with Netherlands artist Charles Grimberg-Stephan of Charles’ Creature Cabinet. Charles is known for his whimsical ball-jointed dolls that continue to delight his collectors sculpt after sculpt. His designs vary from pigs to trolls to fairies and more, many of which are micro BJDs that are only a few centimeters tall. Despite the tiny size, his sculpts have BIG personality and bring a smile to the face of anyone who encounters these adorable creatures.
Charles Lindberg-Stephan
Fuzzyhog Hedgehog Faeries
STAND: Charles, tell us a little bit where you are from..both originally and where you live now... CGS: I was born in Spijkenisse (a city near Rotterdam in The Netherlands in 1969 and grew up there. Both my parents have a mixed European and Asian heritage. Joke and Anton Stephan were both born in Indonesia, Jakarta. On my Mother’s side, I have a Japanese grandfather. I grew up with my three sisters: Joan, Linda and Leslie. We had several pets, mostly brought home by me including dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, fish and frogs! My dad also loved animals and had chickens in our garden. Today I live in The Netherlands. When I started CCC in 2008, I lived in a small village called Nieuw-Beijerland on the rural side near Rotterdam and named my art studio, ‘Atelier Babi Senang’ (the happy pig). Since early 2011, I have lived with my husband Pieter in the city Rotterdam. We married in 2015. I have two daughters Larissa (27) and Julia (13). We used to have pet pigs.
STAND: Are you a full-time artist or do you have another occupation in addition to dolls? What did you do before you became a doll artist? CGS: I am a full-time, self-taught artist with my own small artist company called Charles’ Creature Cabinet. I design and sculpt each prototype. Manufacturing is done by a professional toy casting factory in limited runs. I have always been creative, doing drawings/illustrations and ooak sculptures from a young age. From 1990 until 2015 I worked in a University Hospital (Erasmus MC Rotterdam) doing administrational work and being a coordinator of Cochleair Implants (CI-Team Rotterdam).
STAND: Did you play with dolls as a child? If so, did you have a favorite doll growing up? CGS: Yes, I played with Barbie dolls from my sister and always had animal toys and plush such as Monchichi. I used to have a Ken doll. My favorite doll was a tiny Dam Troll. I still remember weekends playing with little farm and wood animals. STAND: Can you describe the time when you first realized that creating was something you absolutely had to do? CGS: I think it was when I realized that the creatures/dolls I envisioned and saw in my mind and was looking for in the toyshops couldn’t be found, so I started making them myself--little gnomes, elves and trolls. Nowadays you can find a lot of fantasy toys/dolls, but when I grew up in the seventies/eighties, those types of toys just weren’t made or not available in my country at all. STAND: What drew you to dolls as an artist? Were you a collector first? CGS: I became intrigued by the Asian Ball Jointed Dolls in early 2007 and wondered why there wasn’t any “piggy” BJDs. At that time ,there were only two anthro’bjds out there-- ElfDoll’s Catsy and Pipos’ Baha. Since I’d been well known as a ‘pig artist’ for some time I thought the doll world really ‘needed’ an Alice Cherry Blossom ;) STAND: Tell us about your first sculpt! How did you learn the process? CGS: My first dolls were Yoshi Woodling Faerie (a tiny of 10cm) and piggy root creature Boneka Kayu of 5cm. Prior to that, I traveled to Korea to visit Elfdoll and befriended the very talented sculptor Rainman. We used to sit in his studio and watch and help each other work on sculpting and drawing. I’ve learned the process by a lot of trial and error, many hours spent on working on the ball-joints. I always loved to work with clay, and made sculptures and painted those. I remember one time (think I must have been 13 years old), I made two special dolls of my favorite 80’s pop stars: UK singer Limahl (for my sister) and US singer Shannon (let the music play, latin hip hop freestyle). I remember making just the head once of US singer Vanity, because I was in awe of her face. When I was younger I loved to sculpt animals, little gnomes and trolls. STAND: What or who serves as your inspiration in your art? CGS: Ahh, there are so many, mostly Fantasy artists and animals and of course, nature. As a young child I fell in love with the books/work of Rien Poortvliet (De Kabouter), the Faeries by Brian Froud and the ooak sculptures by Wendy Froud: Yoda and the Gelflings (Dark Crystal), and last, Walt Disney! STAND: Your characters are fun, whimsical and seem to tell a story. How do you come up with your characters and what are you trying to communicate with your art? CGS: All of my creatures do have their own backstory and are coming from my imaginative world: The Whispering Woodling Woods, based on a story I worked on with my eldest sister, Joan. Alas, she passed away at a young age (39) in 2005. It seems that a lot of my creatures somehow fit in our story.
doll: Rogue by Sensational Doll photographer: Sensational Doll
Aggie Pebbles, Tuula Tuulikki and Augie BamBam
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Fuzzyhog Hedgehog Faeries thestandmag.com
Tuula Tuulikki
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Sayang WoodlingUtan
STAND: Of all the sculpts you have created, what sculpt are you the most proud of? Why? CGS: Ah, that’s kind of hard since all of my creatures somehow feel like my own children, silly me! I do love my piggy bjds and firefly faeries. From an emotional side I’d say maybe Tuula Tuulikki 2016 (tribute to my youngest daughter) and the quadruplets baby fauns from 2008. More recent Fuzzyhog the Hedgehog Faerie, since I made it as a tribute to the story (Joan) I was talking about earlier. The hedgehog faerie is the protoganist of The Whispering Woodling Woods. PS seldom I am fully satisfied with the end result, I am kind of a perfectionist and often have to say to myself, stop now, “it’s good as it is”. From a technical point of view I’d say maybe Filia Moon, my first big (YOSD) 30cm sized firefly faerie and also Tahu the little Buddha Gnole. I’m quite pleased with the good posing abilities of little gnole (is gnome X mole). STAND: Do you practice other forms of art? Do you have any hobbies? CGS: I love to draw/sketch and paint. Hobbies next to these are cooking family recipes from my Indo/European grandmothers, going to the theater, watching movies, listening to music, reading a book, walking our little Chin-Wa named Sayuri, (which means “little lilly” in Japanese), shopping, and visiting museums. STAND: Can you tell us about any other projects you are working on? Who is coming up that we can look forward to meeting? CGS: I’m working on new family members of Fuzzyhog the hedgehog faerie--baby siblings, and maybe grandparents too! Also there will be a new family member of Momo and Yuki moles bjd (I made in 2009) in 2020.
STAND: Looking at your body of work, how would you describe how your art as evolved over the years? Where do you feel your art is moving to? CGS: Well, my bodies/and joints have improved. I’ve been working on a long, ongoing work-in-progress project-- it’s a book with all my creatures in it filled illustrations and photos. It’s becoming a Woodlings-Encyclopedia/Field Guide . Also, I will be introducing new designer plush--I already have pOink and Ebba baby troll plush. STAND: In your opinion, how do you see the BJD industry evolving? CGS: With the 3D printing/working techniques, the possibilities are endless. I wish and hope that the copy-cat counterfeit recasting issues will be resolved. STAND: Tell us a little bit about your personal doll collection! Who do you collect? Do you have a favorite? CGS: Actually I try to keep my collection as small as possible, I do have some dolls by other bjd artists though. I love many works of my colleagues and also the extraordinairy work of Annie Montgomery (anthro dolls).
We thank Charles for sharing his journey in bjd artistry with STAND and, like his adoring fans, look foward to seeing where that journey takes him next! You can learn more about Charles by going to his website at www.charlescreaturecabinet.net or by visiting his page on Facebook. As a special bonus, check out the paper doll of Brunhilda Billie Boo from Charles on the next two pages! Nana Ginger Root Gnome
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doll: Youpla Dolls Zenji and Rosen Garden Rui photographer: Niebieski_Kot
dolls: Tuppance and Winnie by Rose Bbflockling photographer: Deborah Hood
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dolls: Willowmenia and Little Ted by Liz Frost photographer: Deborah Hood
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doll: Rosen Garden Rui photographer: Niebieski_Kot
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doll: Zenji Wil by Youpla doll: Tai, a Fashion Royalty Nadja Repaint by Jon Copeland photographer: HeroldDolls photographer: Niebieski_Kot
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doll: Rosen Garden Rui and Youpla Dolls Zenji photographer: Niebieski_Kot
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doll: Momonita Integrity Toys Eugenia repaintphotographer: by Park photographer: Wil Herold doll: by Atelier Momoni Melu
doll: Seduisante Elyse doll: Jolie Mystic byWild Integrity Kids Toysphotographer: photographer: photographer:Pruchanun Niebieski_Kot TATTONKA doll: Fashion Royalty atFrancis Heart R.
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doll: Rosie by Kingdom Dolls UK photographer: Brian Bunting
doll: Destiny by Kingdom Dolls UK photographer: Brian Bunting
doll: Minifee Liria by Fairyland photographer: Sharon Wright
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dolls: Lilith by Youpla Dolls photographer: Deborah Hood doll: Agyness, Fashion Royalty Erin, repaint by Park photographer: Wil Herold
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doll: Pullip Pere Noel by Groove photographer: Silent Distraction
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doll: Dollstown Arin photographer: doll: Arin by Dollstown photographer:Allison AllisonWonder Wonder
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doll: Integrity Toys Dominique Makeda repaint by Park photographer: Wil Herold
doll: Integrity Toys Erin Salston repaint by Park photographer: Wil Herold
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doll: Reliable Source Eden by Integrity Toys photographer: Guzel Nurmukhamet
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doll: Orla (modified) by Phoenix Doll photographer: Dolls of Milena
doll: Juno by Souldoll photographer: Sagelith
doll: Serenity doll: Edria Vanessa La Legende by Integrity de Temps Toysphotographer: photographer:Dolls Sharon of Milena Wright
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doll: Liu (modified) by Phoenix Doll photographer: Dolls of Milena
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Your BEST shot As part of a new, ongoing article series, STAND presents tips, tricks and best practices to help you “STAND out” in your photography. In this issue, we will focus on taking photographs in high resolution that are print-quality. What does “high resolution” mean as it relates to photography? You may have heard the term in reference to televisions and computer screens. In photography, a high resolution image is based on pixels (literally blocks of color). The higher the number of pixels in your image, the more detail you’ll be able to see and the crisper and clearer it is. Low resolution photos tend be be blurry and grainy. A low resolution photo might look great on your cell phone or even on a pc screen, but there is a different standard for print-quality images....if you have ever tried to enlarge a photo and found the image start to pixelate and lose detail, you know what we are talking about. In photography, we measure pixel data by using a metric called PPI (pixels per inch). For most print publications including STAND, the resolution for printing must be at least 300 PPI. Sometimes you may hear the term DPI, which stands for dots per inch--same principle--the higher the number, the crisper and cleaner the print image will be. So, you may be wondering, “how do I take high-resolution photographs?” It actually starts with your camera. Every year, new cameras are introduced to the market that have higher and higher megapixel capability. You can spend a lot of money on new gear to get the latest model, but we recommend that you take a look at your current camera first. Check your camera to see what see that the “quality” setting is set to. Most digital cameras come with the capabilty of changing the megapixels--a lot of folks keep the setting on “low” or “small” to be able to fill up their memory cards with more pictures (higher res photos take up more space). Speaking of settings, You might want to consider shooting in RAW as most professional photographers do, especially if you do post-processing (such as in Lightroom or Photoshop). Shooting in RAW format prevents your camera from doing internal processing like image compression and gives you more control in editing things like white balance, sharpness and hue.
When submitting photos to STAND, photos must be at least 300 PPI and depending on your shot, either 8 by 10 for portrait images, or 16 by 10 for landscape images. Remember to send in either a jpeg or tiff format and remove any watermarks you may have placed on it.
Shooting in high resolution will not only help you develop print-quality images, it will also help you become a better photographer!
Key Points: 1. The higher resolution, the crisper and cleaner your image will be. 2. Change your camera settings under “quality” or “image quality” to a high resolution setting 3. Consider shooting in RAW 4. For STAND submissions, a minimum of 300 PPI is the requirement 5. Make it your best shot!
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doll: EID Lahela by Iplehouse photographer: Lakeida Sprenkle
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doll: Integrity Toys Ayumi repaint by Noel Cruz photographer: Wil Herold
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doll: Eugenia by Integrity Toys photographer: Robert Maneja doll: Modernist Amanda Love by Dollshe photographer: Dolls of Milena
doll: Ausley Love by Dollshe photographer: Dolls of Milena
doll: Gigi a Fashion Royalty Imogen, repaint by Noel Cruz photographer: Wil Herold
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doll: MSD Tanya by Legrand Dolls photographer: Lakeida Sprenkle
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doll: Phoenix Dolls BJD photographer: Kasia Nowak
CONTRIBUTOR CONTACT LIST Brian E Bunting
https://www.instagram.com/masterstache71
Charles Creature Cabinet https://www.charlescreaturecabinet.net Deborah Hood
https://www.instagram.com/deborahhoodphoto/
Dollfanz
https://www.instagram.com/dollfanz/
Dolls of Milena
https://www.instagram.com/dollsofmilena/
Guzel Nurmukhamet lapochka_111@list.ru Kasia Nowak
https://www.flickr.com/photos/53925872@N02/
Kinga Pawlowicz
kinga.pawlowicz@gmail.com
Lakeida Sprenkle
https://www.lakeidasprenkle.com
Lovely Spectra
https://www.instagram.com/lovelyspectra/
Martha Boers
https://www.antiquelilac.com
Malgorzata Karwecka https://www.dodolls.com Nakia Powell Spencer https://www.facebook.com/tamika.spencer.9 Niebieski_Kot
https://www.instagram.com/niebieski.kot/
Nikita Berg
https://www.instagram.com/kenopsia_by_niksilence/
Oksana Mironova https://www.facebook.com/miroxdolls
The STAND Lookbook is not possible without these incredibly talented people. Show them some love and let them know you appreciate their talents. Supplementary images are used with permission by photographers or sourced from various CC0 platforms.
Silent Distraction https://www.instagram.com/silentdistraction1978/ Tattonka Wil Herold
https://www.instagram.com/tattonka44/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/7507084@N07/