Sending out dolls for customization?

[InkyMilk]

So, I've been out of the BJD community for quite a long time. I'm trying to slowly ease my way back into it by completing some of the dolls I already have, and this starts with giving some of them face-ups. I've found quite a few artists whose work I admire, but I find myself very...VERY nervous to send any of my dolls out. Of course I would insure them and be careful that the artist was trust-worthy, but most of my dolls would be impossible to replace if anything were to happen to them as their sculpts are very limited.

I know an option is to customize them myself...been there, many times, don't like it Trust me, I gain absolutely no sense of personal satisfaction in attempting to paint them. So...advice? Before I used to try to stick to artists only in my state, but there are just SO many talented artists out there I don't like limiting myself! I still would want to stay in my country, but the US is quite big!

[Taxel]

My suggestion would be to start with a doll you "don't care about" - one with very little/no sentimental attachment that you could easily replace if you wanted to.

Although I've wanted to get new faceups for some of my dolls for years, I've never dared do it because I'm so afraid of loosing them. They'd be easy to replace, but that wouldn't be the same, you know? This year I had the opportunity to get a doll painted, and luckily I had a doll I had no attachment to (more accurately, I HATED her) that I was perfectly fine sending out. Of course I insured the package and wrapped her up incredibly carefully, but I knew if she was stolen I wouldn't care emotionally. Everything turned out fine, and she came back gorgeous! Now I love her. And now I'm also waiting to get paid for some things so I can send a different doll, one I care about this time, to get a new faceup. I'm much less worried about it now.

[NoDivision]

I've only sent one head out for customizing, but it was from my grail doll and I was pretty nervous. But it worked out fine. I packaged it well, I shipped with priority mail, and I insured the package for the value of the whole doll. You can always use things like registered mail as well, there are a lot of secure options for mailing.

[Radiance]

Just make sure the artist you're sending your doll to has good, recent feedback. I've sent loads of heads all over the world for customizing and never had a problem. Check and see what turn around times are and pick an artist who works quickly if you don't want to be without your doll for too long.