YOUR NAME
 DominoTwist

NAME/PAGE OF ARTIST
 woodsplitterlee

COST OF DOLL
$719 - through bidding on ebay

WHEN WAS THIS DOLL MADE?
March 2014

WAS THIS DOLL A PROTOTYPE?
No, she is considered professional

COMMUNICATION
-was the artist prompt, professional? easy to work with? -if this was a commission, was there a back and forth with the artist? how quick were the responses?
-if this was a pre-made, were you notified when the item was shipped and given tracking?

There was no communication initially, I bid on ebay and paid through paypal. After the issues however, responses were prompt. Shipping was quick. Though I was slightly put off that there was no prior communication as the address on my paypal was not ideal. I tried to contact her before shipping but I head nothing back.

DID THEY MEET YOUR DEADLINE?
It was shipped immediately

HOW WAS THE ART DOLL PACKAGED?
-did the artist meticulously package the doll so that it would be safe in shipment. did the artist use an appropriately sized box? did the artist use packing peanuts, bubble wrap, newspaper, etc.
-did your doll come with special instructions for unwrapping?

Large box with lots of bubble wrap, was nice and safe. No instructions.

DID YOUR DOLL ARRIVE IN ONE PIECE?
-if your doll contained clay parts did they arrive okay? did you have to do some repairs as soon as you got it?

Perfect (aside from the quality issues that were there prior to shipping..)

WAS YOUR DOLL SEWN?
-was your doll sewn together, maybe glued in specific areas that may have otherwise been to difficult to sew with machine or by hand?
-was your doll completely glued together or assembled with another material that is not a traditional means to assemble a doll.

The doll was 100% glued together. There were awkward fur junctions where it could not be brushed smooth. There were hard, chunky, glue seams. There was a big hole in the bottom where poly-fill was coming out. The entire thing looked sloppy and thrown together.

IS YOUR DOLL FLOPPY STYLE OR ARTICULATED?
-if your doll is articulated, was it wire? is the wire sturdy, too loose or too stiff? is there any wire breaching the doll anywhere?
-was the doll's armature ball socket joint? did the jointed doll come un-damaged?
-if the doll was floppy style, were the limbs attached so that it wasn't coming apart due to heavy doll parts at the feet and hands?

It was wire articulated. There was an exposed wire between the leg and stomach. Otherwise the wire was fine, flexible enough.

STABILITY, IS YOUR DOLL STABLE?
-if your doll was meant to sit upright, does it do this effortlessly?
-if your doll is meant to stand, can it do this on its own or does it need support? (BJD is excluded as it is customary to have a stand for them or position them in a sitting style) .

He was fine. Very small and lightweight. I'd be shocked if he collapsed.

DOLL DETAIL
-if the hard parts are painted, is it well done? Does the paint chip?
-are the hard parts sculpted well? If they're cast were they sanded and cleaned up?

The face looked pretty good. The eyes didn't have much detail, they were painted black with one swipe of paint to give a shimmer to them. The paw pads however were held on by only a few fur fibers. Ready to fall off upon opening the package.

FABRIC DETAILING
-if the body had a pattern, were the details sewn on, glued on, painted on? How was the quality of these details?
-if the details are painted, how is the quality?
-is the fabric cleanly attached to the hard parts? are there un-trimmed fabric pieces? Is the fur mottled with glue?

I believe the fur itself already had spots. Some black "airbrushing" (I say that loosely, as I am not sure if it was airbrushing, paint.. or sharpie) was done to transition the fur. However what ever it was done with had a shine to it that made it look like ink or sharpie, which looked very tacky. As stated before, there were bad fur junctions where it faced the wrong direction and was forced together with glue.

MATERIALS
-Is the fabric used cheap? Do the fibers fall out easily?
-are the accessories picked out with care? are they attached well?
-any other materials that may have been used but not covered.

To be honest, it wasn't in my possession long enough to find out. The fur seemed fine but I could be wrong.

WOULD YOU BUY FROM AGAIN OR RECOMMEND?
No. Her work looks wonderful in photos but being as I am an ammature in the doll making industry, I was very disappointed to realize my own quality topped hers. I am aware that she does not set the high prices when we bid on ebay, however she advertises herself as professional and flaunts her connection with Weta Workshop... one shouldn't have to question whether or not her work acceptable..
She did refund me in full and I shipped the doll back but I don't believe that gives her the right to sell work of this quality to other people. For me to keep quiet about it is wrong to future buyers. People should know what they are buying before spending sometimes over $2,000 on her works..

OVERALL SCORE OUT OF 5
1.5
She was not unpleasant or mean but to sell something of such low quality for such a ridiculous price is not only disrespectful to me as the buyer, but to the craft and the artists that slave over their work and get a fraction of what she makes.