A Confession, A Call

*le gasp*

Okay,confession time. Back in 2012, when I was conceptualizing the Madame she was supposed to be a Soom Clozel. Problems, though: She’s an LE that discontinued after November 2011, the secondhand market was steep, and even if Soom would hold a Free Choice (in cream white), it was simply inconceivable for me to raise up 700$ then.

Now also around that time, the recast thing started buzzing around our local community. It was a very concerning issue, and members have talked about it at length. After much discourse, the mods have passed an official stance: recasts are harmful to the hobby. ManikaManila will not support recasts.

At this point, I was still very much pining about Soom Clozel, and by some random searching, I came upon a sale for a recast, in cream white no less. I was sorely tempted, and was at that point where I have already researched for the logistics of purchasing it.

But then I realized, do I really want this? Enough to screw the rules of the community, a community that has been nothing but amazing and good to me? Enough to disregard my value as an artist who makes a living out of my own skills? Enough to spit in the face of customizers before me, who have the bravery and integrity to work on legit dolls no matter the cost?

My heart said no. I want it, but not that much.

So I held off, started saving (rather unscuccessfully) for when Soom would indeed hold a Free Choice. I felt extremely wanting, for a while, but I kept remembering why I said no. And then came December, when LUTS released their Forgotten Story LE, and I saw Xia. I found the face that would give life to the Madame. And though I still couldn't fathom how I could save up for a Limited, good fortune smiled when a friend from the community held a Split, and I was able to join and purchase only the head. It was then much easier to save up for the body. And thus was the Madame completed.

So! What does this long-winded anecdote have to do with the #ProBJDArtists thing? I learned this: Do not buy into the idea that you HAVE to get something, and that you will not love anything else quite as much. As long as we support artists, there will always come new faces that will make us fall in love, and by earnest perseverance, they will be within our means. Also, it is important for communities to have an impact on their members, to have a firm stance on the matter, to guide each other towards practices that are beneficial to the hobby as a whole. To be Pro-Artist is to believe in the collaboration of creativity: an artist's sculpt for your character, a medium for your project, a vehicle for your story. To say no to recast is to respect the artist. We owe them at least that much.