How to Make Animated Dolls

Playing with animated digital dolls has become a popular pastime or hobby for girls from pre-school age to high school age. It is especially popular with tweens--girls ranging from 9 to 12 years of age. Girls create animated dolls and dress them up in fashionable clothes complete with make up and accessories. At times they use these dolls as their avatars, trying to create their own likeness. With advancement in technology and the unlimited resources available on the Internet, one can create an animated doll and use the time spent creatively.

Things You'll Need

• Animation software
• Website hosting animated doll games

Instructions

Getting Started

1. Connect to the Internet. If you would like to get more information or be able to play animated dolls with your friends and share it online, you would need to get connected to the internet. This is optional only because there are some doll making software available for you to purchase in CD format that you can download on your computer.

2. Buy animation software. Samples of software to choose from are Adobe Flash CS3, Animation Mentor, Swish Flash 3D Software and Animation Studio. Take advantage of their free trial so you can test drive them before you purchase.

3. Install software. If you choose to make animated dolls on your own, you will be using a software that you purchased whether via the Internet or purchased in CD format you would have to install the software on your computer. Before downloading, read the user agreements and accept the terms and conditions. If you are under the age of 18-years-old, be sure to get an adult to help you with the process. Most programs would need for you to register their software, so an adult, 18 years and over would be able to help you with that process as well.

4. Start using the software you loaded and create your animated doll. You can start by choosing from the image or sample avatars, or you can create from scratch as if you are drawing.

5. Choose the head. Start from the face, then choose the eyes, nose, lips and ears. The software should have different options to choose from. Then add the hair. Choose from black, brunette or blonde hair dyes or anything in between. There are fun colors available to like purple, red or pink.

6. Choose the body. You can pick the torso or body shape.

7. Choose the skin color. You can choose from a fair to tanned complexion. You can choose also by ethnicity.

8. Start dressing up the animated doll. Choose any type of clothing style available on the choices. They come in pants, skirts, dresses, even gowns and swimsuits.

9. Add accessories. You can add shoes, a handbag and jewelry.

10. Save your newly created animated doll in a folder for future use.

Creating an Animated Doll via Online Animated Hosted Sites

1. Go online and choose the sites that sell or host animated doll games, for example, eDollz or The Doll Palace.

2. Register or sign up. You may need an adult 18 years and over with you. Whether you do or not, supervision from an adult is the safest way to go especially when signing up on the Internet.

3. Pick out your doll or create one by following the steps similar to the ones mentioned from Steps 6 through 11 of section one of this article. Some websites would have their own specific steps, so follow the instructions on their site on how to make one.

Tips & Warnings

• If you want to make a profession out of making animated dolls, there are schools that you can enroll in that specialize in 3-D animation. There you will learn making your own animated characters or dolls from scratch.

• If you are under the age of 18, always ask for an adult to guide you on your choices when going online to sign up or download software.