| The latest rage in dolls and doll collecting has been | | | | stage is for the doll to be painted from the inside by in |
| reborn dolls. Odd name you may think for dolls but it's | | | | order to give it a natural looking skin tone. |
| because of the process of making these dolls, that | | | | After the doll is completely dry, the artist will use oil |
| they get their name. | | | | paint or oil based pastels to create and highlight natural |
| Reborn dolls are highly realistic looking dolls made of | | | | looking skin creases on the outside, by doing this the |
| vinyl that begin their life as ordinary dolls which are | | | | doll looks even more lifelike. Eyebrows are |
| taken apart and reassembled. This is where the name | | | | hand-painted using acrylic paint, the same applies to |
| (reborn) comes from. The artists put in a lot of time | | | | the lips except these are finished with gloss sealer. |
| and effort to ensure that the dolls look and feel as real | | | | For the sleeping babies hand rooted mohair is used for |
| as possible. These dolls are becoming highly sought | | | | their eyelashes, and for the open eyed babies glue is |
| after by collectors and amateurs alike due to the | | | | used. Finally the nose of the doll is opened by the artist |
| realism of the doll. | | | | so that the doll can breathe (remember this is a baby), |
| A lot of hard work and hours are put into making | | | | after which he lines the opening with black felt and |
| these reborn dolls, every minute detail is performed to | | | | lastly the doll's fingernails and toenails are painted and |
| create a lifelike looking doll. The result of all this hard | | | | sealed with white tips. |
| work is when you look at a reborn doll it will many | | | | Now that the doll has been reassembled most |
| times be mistaken for a real baby. You would expect | | | | frequently an artist likes to fill the limbs with high quality |
| at any time for it to cry or laugh out loud. It is no | | | | sand this gives a realistic weight to the doll. Each of |
| wonder that these masterpieces are hardly toys for | | | | the limbs are topped with poly fill and sealed with glue. |
| children to play with, these are a different dolls all | | | | More often than not an artist likes to fill the doll with |
| together. | | | | craft pellets, glass beads or metal balls this is to add to |
| The reborn process is methodical and precise, every | | | | the weight as poly fill is more for making the baby look |
| step is taken to detail to ensure that the artist can | | | | plump. After the head has been put in place, the artist |
| basically start out with a new doll and put it all together | | | | takes great care in painting fine lines to resemble the |
| to resemble a newborn baby. After the doll has been | | | | veins and ears. |
| taken apart and stripped of all factory paint and hair, to | | | | The completed doll is now the most realistic looking doll |
| remove any remaining residual of paint and glue it is | | | | to date. It's become highly sought after as collectibles |
| then bathed and thoroughly dried. This routine is simply | | | | and conversation pieces. A lot of adult people who |
| the first step to a reborn. | | | | buy these dolls or reborn babies actually take time out |
| After the last process the doll is now ready for the | | | | to go shopping and buy complete baby outfits, all |
| artist who hand roots its hair, usually Angora Kid | | | | matching colors. It is not unusual for them to have a |
| mohair is used. To make the doll realistic, hair is sealed | | | | high quality stroller to push their babies about. After all, |
| from the inside, this allows for styling the hair of which | | | | these reborns look so lifelike that walking past a stroller |
| it is then hand-dyed to a particular color. The next | | | | would make most people stop and admire the baby. |