A reborn doll is a manufactured vinyl play doll that has been transformed to resemble a human baby with as much realism as possible. The process of creating a reborn doll is referred to as reborning and the doll artists are referred to as reborners. Reborning follows a long tradition of collectors, artists, and manufacturers restoring and enhancing dolls in order to portray more realism. This has expanded the reborn market allowing artists to open online stores which function figuratively as nurseries. The niche market for the dolls began with doll collectors who admired the superior lifelike accuracy of the doll. The market quickly reached those who wanted to use the doll as an emotional response, either to mother or for therapeutic purposes.
Reborning
Any type of vinyl doll can be used for reborning. Dolls vary by size, shape, and materials, making some more desirable or popular than others. According to Kevin Titterton of
Doll Reader Magazine, Berenguer Babies, Zapf, Lee Middleton, Ashton Drake, Apple Valley, and Secrist Dolls are doll companies that make dolls which are easy to transform into reborns. Kathryn Peck of
Doll Reader Magazine explains that with JC Toys Berenguer Babies, it is because the dolls already resemble human babies in their expressions, body shapes, surface materials, and other lifelike attributes. Ashton Drake uses a trademark vinyl for their outer skin. Almost all the Ashton Drake Dolls are created using a theme based marketing line. Manufacturers have reacted to the growing trend of artists transforming dolls by hiring reborn artists to become doll sculptors and design doll molds and kits. When newborning from a kit, the first several steps of the process are completed by reborn doll artists and doll manufacturers. The kits come with an already disassembled baby and select supplies. JC Toys began selling kits in December 2007
Supplies
Starter kits are equipped with basic reborning necessities such as
limbs, faces, heads, paint brushes,
eyelashes, weighting pellets, heat genesis paints, cloth bodies, cable ties, nose
drill bits, fake
tears, thinning shears,
cosmetic foam wedges, cotton dipped applicators, and glue These supplies may be purchased separately from a variety of retailers. Hair is an optional choice to add to a doll. Fine
mohair, human
hair, or wigs are usually used, but it is found in a variety of types. Rooting tools are utilized for this process and are available in numerous sizes 20,36,38, 40, and 42. The smaller the number the thicker the needle which will grab more hair and leave a bigger hole in the head of the doll. Eyes for a reborn doll are offered in a variety of brands and sizes. Then a blue color wash may be applied to the inside of each vinyl part to give the appearance of realistic baby skin undertones. Reborns can come with an
umbilical cord, baby fat, heat packs to make the reborn warm to the touch, or voice boxes that mimic infant sounds.
Purchasing
Reborn dolls are usually found online and can be purchased through
eBay, artists' online stores (often termed nurseries), and conventions. Incomplete crafting "kits" to create your own reborns can also be purchased from various online stores. If the
complexion is too dark this is called a blue baby, and indicates it was dyed excessively or uses colored sand for weight that could seeped into the vinyl. The type of material used to weight the reborn should be considered because some materials do not react well with vinyl and will cause it to deteriorate. The doll should not be shiny. This indicates the doll was washed with acetone before painting, which prevents the color from correctly sticking to the doll's surface. It may also be caused by the type of paint used to color the doll. This is corrected with a heat set matte
varnish. The parts used are important, as original parts may be replaced. The replacement parts must be appropriately proportioned with the doll and made of quality material. At times having the original body retains the doll's value either because it was made to fit that specific doll, or the artist left a signature mark. Eye brand, size, fitting, and alignment should be closely examined. Another feature to observe is the type of paint used for coloring and whether the doll is realistic in its details such as veins and newborn imperfections. The material and technique used in applying the hair may determine the quality. The nose should be open with the holes correctly shaped, and the nails should be properly manicured.
Conferences and conventions
The First Annual International Reborn Doll Artists Conference was held in Orlando, Florida on January 21-23, 2005 in conjunction with IDEX The Annual Debut of the World's Finest Collectibles..
Doll Reader Magazine started publishing over twenty-five years ago. It is now published nine times a year, keeps collectors informed on trends of modern day doll collecting, and continues to sponsor the IDEX trade shows that feature reborn competitions and conventions. In the summer of 2008,
ABC News followed a reborn convention in Illinois.. ABC News was also in St. Louis, Missouri to attend the first annual Tiny Treasures Show held in 2008. The show features exhibitors, collectors, retailers, manufacturers, workshops, and contests for reborners. Reborn dolls can be found at doll fairs as well.
Emotional bond
Many reborn owners are simply doll collectors, while others have gone through
miscarriages, have no means for
adoption, or suffer from
empty nest syndrome. They may utilize the dolls as substitute children, or forever babies who will never grow. Some women dress the dolls, wash their hair, and may even take them for walks in strollers and take them shopping.
For grieving parents who form emotional bonds with reborn dolls, some child bereavement counselors advise against parents substituting their deceased child with the dolls. Reborn mothers contend that they are not replacing children but remembering them. Psychiatrist Sue Varma, teacher at the NYU school of medicine, says mothering reborn dolls rather than just collecting them can become a problem when it is used as prop and becomes the person's only form of socializing. Ian James, a doctor at the Centre for the Health of the Elderly at Newcastle General Hospital in the U.K., said that holding the dolls helps calm elderly residents, helping them feel peaceful and quiet. A similar incident was reported in the United States, in which police broke the window of Hummer to save a baby that turned out to be a reborn doll.
In 2009 reborners uncovered a blogging hoax in which Becca Beushausen, described by ABC News as an "anti-abortion blogger", claimed she was pregnant with a terminally ill child. She opened a P.O. box in order to receive gifts, money, and prayers. The hoax was uncovered when reborners reading the blog realized that the pictures of the baby posted on the blog were actually a reborn doll that they recognized through the familiar reborn sculpt.
Media appearances
Reborn dolls have been featured in a number of
television shows. A December 10, 2008 episode of
Dr. Phil entitled "Obsessions" discussed the topic of reborning. In January 2008, a
Channel 4 series,
My Fake Baby, explored the lives of women who collect the lifelike baby dolls. Featuring this
documentary the British television magazine show on
Channel 4,
Richard & Judy, held an interview with the reborn artist in the documentary, Jaime Eaton; collector Mary Flint and psychiatrist Raj Persuad.. On January 31, 2008
Inside Edition aired a segment showing artist Eve Newsom and her reborn dolls.
References
Further reading
Category:Arts and crafts
Category:Dolls
Category:Infancy
