Reborn doll

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"A vinyl baby doll artistically enhanced to be a lifelike representation of a real human baby." quote by C. Kohlscheen, of Reborn Doll Kits.

Great pain is taken by "reborn artists" to make the baby dolls look and feel as real as possible. This process can be incredibly involved taking up to weeks to finish and includes steps such as taking the doll apart, removing factory paint, painting the baby doll on the inside and/or outside. There are many different methods of painting that can be used to create a "reborn". A few include, acrylic paints, oils, stencil creams, gouache, chalks and heat set paints.

From the beginning, artists used ordinary play dolls to create their lifelike representations. A lot of work was required to take a completed collector doll and strip it of its factory paint, remove it from an inexpensive body. Reborn artists were forced to purchase these completed dolls as there were no "parts" to work from other than completed dolls. The doll world and reborn world is quickly evolving with the creation of reborn doll kits that have presented the marketplace fresh new, realistic kits made especially for the reborn artist. These kits are a blank canvas and allows the reborn artist to customize as they like.

The dolls are given realistic weight by filling them with craft pellets, glass beads, and polyfil is used in the torso for softness. Other methods designed to add touches of realism include: eye replacement and glossing, manicure and pedicure, custom body replacement, hand-rooted mohair or human hair, applied or rooted lashes, "tummy plates" and more. Methods are evolving rapidly, as new techniques are tested and developed.

All reborn baby dolls are sold with a diaper and baby clothes, just like a real baby. Some artists offer other incentives such as a "birth" certificate, magnetized pacifier, removable umbilical cord and clamp, and other surprises unique to each artist.

The "craze" for reborn dolls is evident on eBay where higher end reborn dolls can make in excess of one thousand to fifteen hundred dollars.