Reborning may be the art of transforming a plastic doll (either whole doll or kit) into a realistic looking baby doll (usually of a human baby- but sometimes elves or chimpanzees might be made). The person who makes this transformation is named a ‘reborner” or reborn artist. The more realistic looking the doll may be the more successful the artist is considered. Once completed the doll is named a ‘reborn’, ‘reborn doll’, ‘reborn baby”or ‘fake baby’ ;.You will find artists all around the world who do reborning. Some reborn artists will take a factory made doll, take it apart, repaint it and reassemble it.
In more recent times artists work with a manufactured vinyl kit made especially to be reborn. The manufacture of kits has become an expanding industry with increased and more talented doll sculptors having their creations converted into vinyl kits. Kits are sometimes limited editions and in demand worldwide. Some reborners and collectors or reborns collect kits as keep these as prized possessions only giving them up when personal financial pressure necessitates it or they trade them for even more desirable kits. New kits turn out regularly and they are more and more descriptive and varied. In very recent times we have seen some kits resold on eBay for approximately 10 times their original value since they are limited editions, sold-out worldwide and in much demand.
‘Reborning’ begins with washing and then painting the vinyl parts with oil, acrylic or water based paints. Paints are now being developed specifically for the art. Paints are applied with brushes and sponges to get as realistic skin tones as possible. Here is the ultimate goal of the artist and the number of techniques used is large and someone develops these techniques over time. The paint sinks into the vinyl and tints it (like water colour paint does on paper) as opposed to sitting on the surface of the vinyl. The paints are somewhat unreliable inside their behaviour so the procedure required judgement to include a paint layer, check outcome against what’s desired then repaint another layer. The reborner needs a solid idea of what skin tone or affect they want to achieve.
Some paints require baking and there has been controversy over the health effects of the fumes to the reborner. Artists paint on veins, capillaries, birth marks, 3d eyebrows, scratches and newborn red patches (ie stork bites) to get the absolute most realistic affects. Hair (usually mohair) is then micro-rooted into the dolls head a few strands at a time so that the head looks natural and realistic. For toddler size dolls high quality wigs might be used. Some artists may paint the baby’s head one hair at a time to get a very realistic look.
Micro-rooting a newborn doll size head might take more than 40 hours to make certain a realistic appearance. Some artists can create exquisite skin tones on the vinyl and some who can create wonderfully realistic hair rooting pattern (painstakingly one hair at a time) including crowns and parts. reborn dolls UK Eyelashes are either applied by gluing to open eyed dolls or micro-rooting on sleeping dolls. The vinyl legs, arms and head are then weighted, filled and linked to a similarly weighted and filled cloth body. Once the top is connected the doll is considered to be ‘reborn’ ;.Belly plates, magnetic newborn belly buttons and other body parts can be added for realism. Reborn dolls are found in movies and advertisements and as clothes models.
Physiotherapists utilize them for their patients and they are used extensively in old age homes as older people find holding a baby very relaxing and soothing (you only have to see what are the results to the overall population when someone brings a newborn to visit great grandma in a nursing home- everyone wants to see the child and touch it- to understand the wonderful value they could have here. Many of them can’t believe they aren’t real. ‘
I personally am not overly maternal, don’t collect dolls (except for my daughter) nevertheless when I pop the top on a reborn for the first time- I will always have a conversation to its little face- exactly the same way I actually do to the dog. Just as it’s proven that pets are therapeutic in nursing homes- so might be reborns. They often aren’t considered as ideal for children. I disagree with this specific by the way!!! You will find individuals who collect reborn dolls simply because they love babies, dolls or art. Many people are really potty concerning the dolls and the comraderie that the different forums that like minded people and artists frequent, provide them.
You will not hear anyone on these forums calling them ‘fake babies” ;.They call them reborns” or just babies and many folks have plenty of babies inside their collection (also known as nursery). The media try to make out there is something amiss with artists and collectors, but that’s just media hype. The collectors don’t take themselves too seriously and plenty of baby talk is tongue in cheek. What they do object to will be made out as ‘freaks” or they are actually wanting to substitute a desire for an actual baby with a reborn (for example because they have an ’empty nest’). They know they are not real and treat them like porcelain doll collectors have done for hundreds of years- that is with respect and admiration for their beauty.
A very few amount of reborners can create ‘reborns’ for folks who’ve lost their babies either at birth or soon after. Many people believe a person wanting a doll that appears like their dead baby is not normal or is ‘sick” ;.I tell each their own. If I had lost a baby (and I cannot even imagine the inconsolable grief connected with this), knowing now what I understand, I believe having a lifelike doll to put on will be or incredible physical and mental therapeutic value at the time of losing and something lovely to own and value after the worse of the grief has passed. After having a baby the physical need to nurse and hold a baby is really as basic while the physical need to chew food even when it absolutely was all served up as mush. I believe that is a location where we will see more reborns found in future.
You will find particular artists who are internationally renowned for their work and they’re more desirable to collectors. ‘Prototype’ dolls are popular, usually produced by these artists and command higher prices. Each time a new kit (or sculpt) is first produced the artist will send the first few kits to the popular artists to reborn. They’ll then be put the finished dolls on eBay to boost sales and advertise the release of the kit.