Raspberry Kisses - The Reborning Process

Reborning is an art form that challenges me to take an ordinary object and turn it into the most realistic, and loving baby. 

The process begins by taking the doll apart and giving the vinyl a warm bath.  If I am doing an infant or do not wish to use a wig, the next step is to root the hair.  To be done correctly, the hair must be rooted (or inserted) one or two hairs at a time.  This can take up to several days or even weeks!

After the doll's bath (and hair rooting), I give the outside a color wash of oil stencil creams to establish the desired skin tone.  With my first three dolls, I colored the inside with a pale mauve or lavender acrylic paint.  I no longer believe that is necessary, so I concentrate on the outside.  Using darker shades of stencil cream, I blotch the skin to give it a 3-D skin tone.  I then blush the baby in all the right baby places, and add veins for added realism.  

[PLEASE NOTE:  Most reborn dolls are now painted with Genesis Heat Paint.  I am not familiar with that process]

The next step is to add soft hair, human-looking eyes, and wispy lashes and brows.  

Finally, I reassemble the baby with a weighted and jointed, cloth body.  I weigh the body and limbs with polypellets and sterilized, fine craft sand so that the finished baby weighs as much as most babies at birth!  And so cuddly!  I have given much more detail on the weighting and stuffing under Isaac's description - so go there for more information.

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