Ball-jointed dolls are a high-end product series which is very expensive. In Vietnam, the number of craftsmen who can make this kind of tolls is so modest it “can be counted on one's fingers,” said Nguyen Thi Thu Nga, from Hai Phong City.

Nga began making ball jointed dolls after a happening 10 years ago.

The girl was always fascinated by the dolls with beautiful eyes and flexible poses. However, she then did not have money to buy them. Only in 2014, when Nga had enough money after two years of working, she ordered a ball jointed doll from South Korea.

However, because of troubles in transactions, Nga failed to get the doll she lusted for. The unexpected incident prompted Nga to make a doll for herself.

She began seeking information about how to make dolls on the internet and buy materials.

At first, Nga made dolls from clay. However, the finished product did not meet aesthetic standards. “When I began learning how to make dolls, I met so many difficulties. Since I had no instructor, I had to spend a lot of money buying expensive materials to try,” she recalled.

“I also had problems designing the joints to make them as flexible and natural as possible. This was time consuming work and I often had to do it again and again,” she said.

“Because I tried to make dolls alone, I had to learn by myself and undertake many steps, including modeling, makeup, designing clothes, shoes, bags and hair for dolls,” she explained.

The work leaves her constantly exposed to dust, paint, chemicals and ink, so she has to spend a lot of money on protective products.

Nga said she needs 2-3 months, or even 1-2 years to create a ball joined doll which meets standards. There are five stages in the process of making dolls.

The first stage, which lasts 1-2 years, is creating model products. After that, she spends four months to mold dolls with high-quality resin.

In the third phase, Nga applies makeups and draws important lines on dolls, a process which took her two weeks. After that, she makes clothes and accessories for products, which last 1-2 months. Finally, she spends two days to take picture of dolls with different poses and packages the product.

“If not counting time to make models, I have to spend 2-3 months on average to complete a ball-jointed doll product. But if counting in the first step, each of my ball-joint doll products takes 2 years to complete,” Nga explained.

Vietnamese culture

After many years of carrying out research and experiments, Nga has standardized her doll production process with high-quality resin. Nga’s products are believed to have high quality which is in no way inferior to the products of famous brands.

All Nga’s ball jointed dolls are unique, which means that the dolls are not similar. Her products are made based on different stories and topics, and the dolls can pose flexibly with 24 joints.

Nga makes up every doll and makes it lively and soulful with beautiful clothes and accessories. Clients commented that Nga’s dolls are just like beautiful girls in the real world.

One of the special characteristics of the dolls made by Nga is the Vietnamese features and Vietnamese cultural value. The products are favored by foreign clients. Some clients bought dolls wearing Vietnamese ao dai (long dresses) just because they liked the Vietnamese traditional costume.

Nga plans to create more dolls which bear typical characteristics of Vietnamese people and advertise images of the homeland.

Many of Nga’s clients are foreigners. Her products, 100 percent handmade and very original, with many different topics, sell at VND20-40 million each. Despite the high prices, people place orders and buy her products.

Nga is enthusiastic about her career. She said the job helps her develop her passion, practice her patience and creativity, and allows her to always innovate.

Making dolls also gives her a driving force to do other jobs and help her relax. “When I make dolls, I concentrate and am so passionate that I forget all the worries and pressures of life," she said.

Ha Nguyen