How is a Reborn Made?
In the last post we started with the very basics of explaining what exactly is a reborn or reborn doll (also sometimes called newborns or newborn baby dolls). If you are new to the world of reborns, I recommend going back and reading that post as it is a great starting place. (As always, if you’re a reborn expert or just have an opinion to share, please post your comment at the bottom). Now that we know a little more about what a reborn doll is, it is time to explore the art of creating reborn dolls.
We will briefly examine the huge amount of work that goes into creating one of theses very lifelike dolls, a process known as “reborning”. This is not a step-by-step tutorial, just a quick overview of the whole process, to help you understand what sets newborns apart from a standard doll. Keep in mind that there is no single “right way” to craft a reborn and most reborners have developed their own unique methods. Now, let’s begin.
It might surprise you to know that a reborn starts out as a standard vinyl baby doll. Berenguer brand dolls are a popular choice among reborners. It is first stripped of paint, coating, etc., leaving just the plastic body. The dolls limbs and head are removed if a cloth body will be used.
The reborner then has to apply several coats of paint or dye. They not only have to mask the orange hue of the plastic, but must also create a convincing skin tone, which can require the use of several different colors. Some artists also choose to mimic the look of veins or blotching to add to the realism.
At this point the reborner can start adding more touches like more realistic eyes, molding facial features like nostrils, and painting details like eyebrows and fingernails. Fake eyelashes are also added.
Hair can be added to the reborn by either purchasing a wig, or rooting mohair or even real human hair into the dolls head with a needle.
The body of the doll is then filled with small plastic pellets. This gives the baby a more realistic weight and feel.
Other touches can also be included for added realism, like heating kits, sound boxes, etc. There are many accessories that the artist can decide to include or not include based on preference.
Lastly, all the parts are assembly and the baby can be clothed and accessorized as desired.
Whew! What a process and that was just a very, very basic explanation. You can now begin to imagine the amount of effort and skill that goes into one of these creations. Creating one reborn can take literally hundreds of hours! It’s should be no surprise then that most professional reborners can easily make hundreds of dollars from the sell of a single doll.
Speaking of reborners, if you’d like to know a little bit more about these amazing artists, you’ll want to check out our next article. We’ll be examining what it takes, and what it means to be a reborner.
Until them, from all of us here at reborndollsfan.com: happy reborning!
In the last post we started with the very basics of explaining what exactly is a reborn or reborn doll. If you are new to the world of reborns, I recommend going back and reading that post as it is a great starting place. (As always, if you’re a reborn expert or just have an opinion to share, please post your comment at the bottom). Now that we know a little more about what a reborn doll is, it is time to explore the art of creating reborn dolls. This process is know as “reborning”.
Tags: baby dolls, Berenguer, Berenguer doll, challenge, collectible dolls, crafting, for beginners, lifelike dolls, newborn baby dolls, newborn dolls, newborns, reborn, reborn dolls, reborndollsfan.com, reborning, reborns
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April 2nd, 2010 at 12:20 pm
[...] mohair, better and give more realistic results. Many artists have their creations on eBay, where …How is a Reborn Made? | Reborn Dolls FanIn the last post we started with the very basics of explaining what exactly is a reborn or reborn [...]