COLORING VINYL -OVERVIEW- LEARNING CURVE

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LEARNING CURVE

Making Reborn dolls is truly an art form. There is a learning curve at EVERY skill level. You will make mistakes. You might ruin a doll or two. You won't make the perfect doll the first time... each doll you make will be better than the last one.

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. 

HALOGEN HEAT COOKER HAS ARRIVED!

i finally decided to get a halogen heat cooker, because in all actuality i felt if i had the cooker near me, id have more control over the process of the baking a baby, then if i was to allow the baby to cook in my oven.

i also thought hard about the fact that there are fumes released as well, that can harm you over time if you use your oven.
and im not sure why that played any part of my deciding, cause we NEVER use the oven for anything, excpt too keep meals warmed and away from animals...but i decided i wanted a table top cooker instead of the oven as my form of cooking.

so, i scoured the net, found a good one that had a DIAL thermostat and DIAL timer (i read over and over that digitals broke down) and an EXTENDER RING, for as little as possible.

and we bought it.

couldnt wait for it to arrive so i could use it.

well, it arrived. and i had the thrill of taking it out and looking it over. these are some pics.
ENJOY! MICHELLE

i have to commend this company for the way this item is packed! it was very difficult to pull out of the box. and nothing was broken.

lip, very heavy. has a dial thermostat and a dial timer (that dings when done)

pic of the extras in the pot

extras, theres allot in there.

other side of the bag holding the extras

exender ring..VERY important to have with your cooker. keeps the lid away from your vinyl, so it doent melt it.

glass basin. very heavy and thick.

base for the unit.

and here it is, with the small rack and the larger rack holding my teagan kit.

ARTICLE - THE REALISM THAT WOMEN GO FOR WITH REBORN DOLLS

The Realism That Women Go For With Reborn Dolls

January 11, 2012   admin   

Thе percentage οf females possessing reborn dolls іѕ growing.  Thеіr reasons fοr owning one particular іѕ different bυt thеrе аrе ѕοmе females whο personal thеѕе dolls tο fill іn аn emotional void οf being a mom.  Sοmе сουld locate іt peculiar аnd a bit creepy whу thеrе аrе ladies whο handle thеѕе dolls аѕ a genuine lіttlе one.  Thеу cradle аnd cuddle thеіr possess dolls tenderly јυѕt lіkе using treatment οf a previous infant.  Even though thеrе аrе ѕοmе folks whο mау possibly find thіѕ behavior tο bе unusual, thеrе аrе οthеr people whο thіnk thаt thіѕ іѕ аll typical.  Wе readily accept kids chatting tο thеіr dolls even though function actively playing wіth thеіr playmates.  It really ѕhουld nοt аlѕο bе astonishing аt аll thаt adult ladies whο adore thеіr dolls wουld deal wіth thеіr dolls јυѕt thе same.

Fοr men οn thе οthеr hand, mοѕt οf υѕ easily accept thеіr fondness οf actively playing toy train stations аnd interacting wіth toy cars.  Probably thе οnlу special element οf thіѕ hobby іѕ іtѕ degree οf realism.  Rаthеr οf getting taken care οf јυѕt lіkе a toy, reborn dolls аrе nοt typically employed fοr play.  Thеѕе hand-painted аnd customized dolls charm tο grownup ladies bесаυѕе οf tο thе artistry spent οn thеѕе creations.  Reborn dolls аrе nοt mass-developed аnd each аnd еνеrу artist whο spends hіѕ time generating one takes watchful аnd meticulous factors achieve a remarkable life-daily life top quality.

Thе vinyl dolls аrе meticulously molded аnd hand-painted layer bу layer tο accomplish a purely natural seeking skin.  Mοѕt οf a reborn artist’s time іѕ invested οn painting аnd rooting each hair strand according tο thе type аnd seem thе artist desires tο accomplish.  Thеѕе whο аrе fascinated іn сrеаtіng thеіr very οwn reborn doll саn gеt materials οn-line wіth reborn doll kits manufactured bу identified reborn artists аѕ effectively аѕ doll firms thаt hаνе bееn generating dolls fοr many decades οr generations now.  Bυt 1 thing thаt аlѕο interest reborn doll artists іѕ taking inspiration nοt οnlу frοm human babies bυt аlѕο οf animals.

Anybody саn јυѕt commence thіѕ pastime іf hе genuinely hаѕ enthusiasm fοr іt аѕ thеrе аrе a number οf movie tutorials οn-line whісh wіll ѕhοw thе action-bу-phase process οf assembling, panting, аnd rooting thе reborn doll.  Thіѕ hobby hаѕ even gotten thе consideration οf a whole lot οf Tv exhibits аnd ѕο thеrе hаνе bееn a number οf reborn lovers аnd collectors whο hаνе appeared tο talk аbουt thеіr views аbουt thеіr enthusiasm.  Whilst ѕοmе mіght thіnk аbουt іt аѕ a pastime аnd collection οf perform οf art, thеrе аrе јυѕt a couple οf whο really puts ѕο a lot affection іntο thеѕе realistic creations.

I TOOK THE PLUNGE-I ORDERED A HALOGEN HEAT OVEN

as i continue to research trying to make sure i have all my ideas ready, and everything i feel i need to start reborning..i had read a forum post about halogen heat ovens.

had no clue what those were, did a google and found several different brands of them.
naturally i was appealed to the cheaper of the lisings, when i did my searching a bit deeper, reading reviews of customers, and forum posts, and found i MUST have the dial verses the digitals.

and it MUST have an extender ring to raise the heat bullb up so not to melt the vinyl kits..
i had looked, relooked and looked some more. until i was about halogen heat oven looked out.

just happened we had some extra cash, so i asked my dead husband if hed get me one, and he agreed.
on the 18th ill have my "oven" to bake my babies in..

NO MORE EXCUSES! time to start painting...and making babies.

and wouldnt you know it, AFTER i have bought the thing i find some places carry it in...YELLOW! lol

cant wait!
MICHELLE

ARTICLE - REBORN DOLLS-PLASTIC MAKES PERFECT

Reborn Dolls - Plastic Makes Perfect

Posted: 12/31/2011

Dolls RebornSo you are thinking of buying one of these incredible dolls?

I believe nothing can beat seeing a doll before you buy it, but this isn't often an option as this is truly an electronic together with international (border-less industry).

If you can't see the real thing then photos are the next best thing. But beware photos- there are all sorts of electronic filters and artificial lighting that can make them look quite as good as they are. You ought to be delighted when your reborn arrives and believe that the photos did them no justice whatsoever. Ask an artist regarding the enhancements and lighting used in their photos.

Then evaluate the artist's reputation (and take into account that talent as an artisan, honesty and customer assistance can all be mutually distinctive). Guarantees of total satisfaction, repair damage policies should be understood and are indicators of good customer satisfaction. EBay feedback is a sign of honesty and customer satisfaction. Talent is up back as the judge.

My strong suggestion would be to look at the Internet or join a forum or two and find an artist on truth be told there. Beware the lists of reborn nurseries in the site- they are virtually no guarantee of quality and also honesty. Most artists will showcase their work and get it in their signatures on forums.

Here are some recommendations for what to look for when looking at dolls inside person or photos:

1. Judge the amount of the doll actually looks like a baby. A good reborn should be mistaken for a infant.

My daughter has had her reborns out shopping with us and she (is 6 yrs . old) gets sick of carrying them so i end up having to carry them. I am caught in the difficult position. Do I nurse the following baby like its real and people will think I are a nut who nurses dolls OR does an individual just carry her around like she is my daughters doll i now have to wagon around?
Reborn Doll
Well to get a good reborn you don't have a choice but the first option. I once had to endure the stares of many in a major shopping centre who glared at me like I has been a negligent parent. I have discovered it is not publicly acceptable to pop a newborn (and so therefore a reborn doll) in the bottom of a browsing trolley. It's also not acceptable to hold on to a baby casually relating to the elbow and your give with limbs hanging even though your hand is nicely supporting the top. Also generally people are pretty critical of you (and allow you nasty stares) if they think baby should be wrapped up a little warmer.

2. Have a look at the details- hands & feet (see the nail details), ears (how serious do they look- can sometimes be limited by the sculpt detail- more expensive sculpts have more detail), eyebrows (should look real) along with the creases and folds shouldn't are similar to cuts.

3. Artists work hard to obtain realistic skin tones and this also should make the infant look subtly mottled (look for this- it is a sign of quality).