ARTICLE - REBORN DOLLS A BRIEF HISTORY OF CHANGING DOLLS

Reborn Dolls – A brief history Of Changing Dolls

June 10, 2012 | Author: TianoLou |

You may not understand what reborn dolls are. Well, they are converted dolls produced from vinyl. What makes it unique is that it has human-like features. These dolls are sometimes shockingly within their similarities to humans. People both young as well as old worldwide are infatuated with reborn dolls. A reborner is a term assigned to an artist of these dolls. Converted dolls have turned out to be appreciated and loved by many people around the globe.

Converted dolls appear to have originated in the usa. It is quite spectacular to determine a ‘reborner’ transform a doll that isn’t painted and unremarkable into practical wonder, with realistic features such as gorgeous skin and fairly fingernails. This is not only a highly skilled craft, but the craftsperson creates each doll to become unique..

You can also choose a custom-made doll. These days, ‘reborn dolls’ have be a rage among collectors as well as hobbyists throughout the world. There is growing need for converted dolls in countries such as the U. S. A., Australia and France. Even celebrities have developed a liking for transformed dolls.

Handmade dolls rank among the most desirable of all the actual collectibles. A recent newspaper post featured a gallery exhibition of some extraordinary ones crafted by world famous artists. It was a highly successful showing, and it showcased the job of extremely creative people. A number of my acquaintances who participate in collecting have become enamored of the loveliness of these so-called “reborn dolls”.
You should be able to create a converted doll if you’ve any artistic ability, but such creation will require time and effort. You can find several sets of instructions describing the creation of converted dolls on the internet, and “reborn dolls” are major moneymakers for doll producers all over the world today.

You have several options for creation of ‘reborn baby dolls. ‘ You can search for an artist (one that isn’t too popular so he/she has time for you to create your doll), that will make what you need for you. You could also start doll-manufacturing by yourself. ‘Reborn doll kits’ are available at a number of online retailers. Who know, you may uncover a hidden talent with which you can make a profit.

are dolls that resemble human beings in facial features. It doesn’t matter if you are a child, or an adult extractor, these dolls are immensely popular worldwide. Making these dolls is extremely complicated; they create realism all the way from their skin to their glossy fingernails. You can find a lot of sites dedicated to making these dolls. There are a lot of artists out there who specialize in making. If you want to make these dolls by yourself, it is a wise decision to get reborn doll kits to begin with.

COLORING VINYL -OVERVIEW- 4 SKILL LEVELS

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FOUR SKILL LEVELS

We have identified four different Skill Levels for coloring Reborn dolls. You don't need to be intimidated about making a reborn doll because you can start at Skill Level 1 (which is very easy) and work your way up to the more difficult techniques. In fact, you probably should start at Skill Level 1 in order to get acquainted with vinyl as a "canvas."

SKILL LEVEL 1: lipcolor pencils, manicure nail polish, stencil creams and glass paints are rated EASY because they are ready to use without much prep time or cleanup time. You don't have to mix colors, you just use them as is.
SKILL LEVEL 2: Acrylic Paints and RIT dye are rated skill level two because there is more care required in their application. You do need some inherent artistic talent in order to mix colors properly and apply them with correct results.
SKILL LEVEL 3: Oil paints are very nice to work with and they don't dry out while working with them, but they do take a long long time to dry: as long as two months to fully cure. There is more cleanup after using oil paints. You are likely to make some mistakes before you get comfortable with using oil paints on vinyl. Oil paints are wonderful for making ethnic dolls with beautiful skintones. I've been told that Oil Paints don't work on the silicone type vinyl.
SKILL LEVEL 4: The Genesis Heatset paints require more skill when mixing colors. There is definitely a learning curve while you figure out how to work with the heatset paints. The Reborn artists tell me they had to stick it out until they got the hang of it, but they feel it's worth the effort and expense of making a few mistakes, because the Genesis heatset paints dry fast and the colors are very durable on vinyl. The Genesis heatset paints can be used on the silicone type vinyl.

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SKILL LEVEL 1:
COLORBOX STAMP PAD INKS

• ADVANTAGES: Easy to use, easy cleanup. Transparent colors are good for blushing.
• DISADVANTAGES: Limited color selection, there are only one or two colors that are popular. And only one brand name: Colorbox. Can be hard to find. Limited color selection.

SKILL LEVEL 1:
GLASS PAINTS

• ADVANTAGES: Easy to use, easy cleanup. Transparent colors are good for fingernails.
• DISADVANTAGES: Rubs off the lips if the doll has a pacifier. Glass paints are available in limited color selection.

SKILL LEVEL 1:
LIPCOLOR PENCILS

• ADVANTAGES: Easy to use, wide range of colors available, easy cleanup, nontoxic, good for playdolls.
• DISADVANTAGES: We don't know how permanent or lightfast the colors are.

SKILL LEVEL 1:
STENCIL PAINTS

• ADVANTAGES: Easy to use, easy cleanup. Some of the reborners love the Stencil paints but I'm not real familiar with how they're using them. Stencil paints are opaque, which can be an advantage or not, depending on the situation. Also very good to use on vintage dolls for blushing.
• DISADVANTAGES: Stencil paints are not transparent. Not good for overall skintones.

SKILL LEVEL 1:
NAIL POLISH

• ADVANTAGES: Easy to use, easy cleanup. Transparent colors are good for fingernails.
• DISADVANTAGES: Nail polish can get gummy over time. You should use an undercoat as well as a polyurethane varnish over the nail polish to seal and protect it from breakdown.

SKILL LEVEL 2:
ACRYLIC PAINTS

• ADVANTAGES: Good for facial features and nail color. Popular for fashion doll repaints.
• DISADVANTAGES: not appropriate for blushing the infant dolls. Requires an undercoat in order to stick to vinyl better. Requires a topcoat of varnish or else the paint might rub off.

SKILL LEVEL 2:
RIT DYE

• ADVANTAGES: Good for ethnic dolls and all-over skintones. The dye can be re-used. RIT is recommended for vinyl and works well. You can mix the various RIT dye colors to blend your own special custom tints.
• DISADVANTAGES: Don't overdo the color. It's easy to get too much. You have to work with the dye to get a feel for it, how long it takes to get desired results, etc.

SKILL LEVEL 3:
OIL PAINTS

• ADVANTAGES: Very beautiful skintones and blushing can be achieved with the oil paints. The rich colors are a pleasure to work with.
• DISADVANTAGES: Takes a very long time to dry. Don't use too much of the Safflower or Linseed oil mediums, or else the paint might never dry. When completely dry, oil paint needs a surface sealer or else it might attract dirt.

SKILL LEVEL 4:
GENESIS PAINTS

• ADVANTAGES: Dries immediately when you want it to be dry, because you use a heat gun to dry the paints. Adheres very well to vinyl: forms a strong bond. You can layer the paint, drying each layer and then apply another layer on top of it.
• DISADVANTAGES: Requires special equipment such as a heat gun or a drying oven. (A hair dryer is not hot enough.) You have to mix your own colors, which takes some trial and error until you are comfortable with the paints. Does not need sealer or topcoat.

COLORING VINYL -OVERVIEW- BRIEF HISTORY OF REBORN PAINTING

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BRIEF HISTORY OF REBORN PAINTING
 
Reborn artists have used many different kinds of paints and colors to blush and tint their vinyl dolls. Initially they used acrylic craft paints and stamp pad inks. They painted the dolls inside and out with the craft paint. Sometimes they layered different colors inside the vinyl, to get different skin tones.
Eventually RIT dye, lipstick colors, stencil paints and glass paints also became popular for tinting and blushing. As I write this, the reborners have experimented with just about everything from the craft and art supply stores, hardware stores, as well as cosmetic and beauty supplies.
And, they are still using all of it! The Reborn art has not settled on any one method or technique... the artists continue to use all their own favorite materials.
This diversity is good. However, vinyl is an oil-based product, so you do need to select paint or glue that will adhere to vinyl. Even if the product you apply today seems to work ok, within a matter of days or weeks the vinyl can work against it and repel it.