Reborn doll

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A reborn doll is a manufactured vinyl play doll that has been transformed in order to achieve as much realism as possible in order to resemble a life like human baby. The process of creating a reborn doll is referred to as reborning, and the doll artists are referred to as reborners.

Contents 1 History 2 Collecting reborn dolls 3 Fabrication 3.1 Reborning 3.2 Doll Types 3.3 Kits 4 Mothering reborn dolls 5 The Reborn Debate 5.1 Criticism 5.2 Benefits 6 Media attention 7 References 8 Further Reading 9 External links

[edit] History

Also known as living dolls, unliving dolls, or newborn dolls, reborners say their hobby began in the United States in the early 1990s. In 2002, the first reborn was offered on e-bay. Mass media coverage helped spread the idea to other countries, mainly Britain and Australia.^[1] This has expanded the reborn market allowing artists to open online stores which function figuratively as nurseries. Doll manufacturers have also caught on to the trend and sell supplies, tools, and accessories catering to reborn followers. This has allowed reborners to invent new techniques causing the dolls to become more and more realistic over time. Magazines, books, organizations, and conventions dedicated to reborns have also appeared since these events.

[edit] Collecting reborn dolls

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. IDEX Premiere January 21-23, 2005, 14th Annual Event ExpoCenter at the Orlando Centroplex ^[2]

In January 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Doll Reader magazine sponsored the IDEX Reborn Competition at the First International IDEX Reborn Convention^[3]

In the summer of 2008 ABC News followed a reborn convention in Illinois

[edit] Fabrication

The creation of a reborn doll is a time consuming and painstaking process. To begin this process one must have a manufactured play vinyl doll, the necessary supplies, or a reborn doll kit.

The appearance of the doll depends on the creator; however, certain reborn artists allow customers to customize their doll, usually using a photograph to replicate the physical characteristics of a child lost as an infant.^[4]

[edit] Reborning

The technique of reborning a play doll typically involves the following processes:

To begin the doll is taken apart and factory paint is removed.

Then a purple color wash is applied to the inside of each vinyl part to give the appearance of realistic baby skin undertones, darker colors have the tendency to bleed or seep through the vinyl causing a unwanted 'bruised' appearance.

Next, the nose must be opened to give the doll the appearance that it can breath. For dolls with an awake appearance eyes must be replaced. Now the exterior is painted using various techniques to add to the appearance of translucent skin tones. Effects such as veins, blotching, and "milk-spots" are added resemble the imperfection in the skin of a newborn baby. Creators use multiple layers of paint, baked on in an oven after each layer, to achieve these various looks.

The next step is to apply hair and eyelashes. Usually fine mohair or human hair, are applied using rooting tools and felting needles strand by strand. This can take up to 30+ hours per head. Other details such as lips and nails may be taken care of at this step.

The original vinyl body is replaced with a soft stuffed and weighted body. The weight corresponds with its age to achieve real effect. the The vinyl body can also be cut in half to create front and back 'plates' to allow mounting of the doll to photograph or display the doll.

Various additions also exist to give the doll a more life like appearance which include:

Magnets attached inside the mouth or head for attaching a pacifier or hair bows.

[edit] Doll Types

Many different types of dolls exist that can be transformed into reborns. Dolls vary by size, sculpting, and the material they are made of making some more desirable or popular than others. Some popular dolls to reborn are:

Berenguer Babies and Preemie dolls

JC Toys Berenguer Babies and Secrist Preemie dolls were the forerunners to the transformed lifelike reborns. They were the first on the market to closely resemble human babies in their realistic expressions, body shapes, materials used on the outer surfaces of the doll, and other lifelike attributes. These already lifelike qualities make them ideal for reborning.

Ashton Drake

The Ashton Drake Dolls are another popular option due to there realistic qualities. The dolls are carefully carved out of the trademarked-material Real-Touch Vinyl Skin. Almost all of the Ashton Drake Dolls are created and marketed based on certain themes. One of the most popular dolls is named Emmy from the theme based collection called Tiny Miracles.

OOAK

Once a reborner transforms a doll or a doll kit it is called an OOAK Reborn Doll (One of a Kind Reborn Doll)and considered a unique work of art.

Ethnic Reborn Dolls

As reborn dolls gain recognition, the amount of ethnic reborn dolls are also increasing. However, they are not a dominant aspect in the market. Mixing paint for specific skin tones can be difficult, so many reborn artists make various skin tones available by selling ready mixed genesis heat paint sets.

[edit] Kits

Many reborn artists assemble Reborn Doll Kits in which the first several steps of the reborning process is previously completed. The kits generally come with disassemble limbs, body and head pieces,that have been been stripped of there factory paint. Occasionally select supplies will be included however, various parts may need to be purchased separately.

Some doll manufactuers produce Reborn Doll Kits. JC Toys began selling kits in December 2007, after realizing the popularity in reborners transforming their line of Berenguer Babies into reborns.

The Secrist Preemie Doll Kit is another popular type. A Preemie Reborn Doll Kit usually has a 16" doll and resembles the size of a real premature infant. Other Preemie Reborn Doll Kit options include twins and triplets or "micro" preemies that are even smaller. It may also contain preemie sized clothing and accessories such as diapers.

[edit] Mothering reborn dolls

Almost all reborn customers are women, particularly older women. Some women merely collect reborns as they would a non-reborn doll. Others purchase them to fill a void of a lost child, by treating reborns as living babies. Many reborn owners have gone through miscarriages, have no means for adoption, or suffer from empty nest syndrome. They utilize the dolls as substitute children, or forever babies who will never grow. Some women dress the dolls, wash their hair, take them for walks in strollers and take them shopping. Studies suggest that when cuddling a baby, real or realistic, hormones release causing emotional well-being.^[5] Some reborner hobbiest refer to this behavior as cuddle therapy.^[1]

[edit] The Reborn Debate

[edit] Criticism

Child bereavement counsellors have warned parents against trying to replace dead children with dolls. But doll-enthusiasts say it is about remembrance, not replacement.^[6]

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 social interaction.^[5].

[edit] Benefits

Psychiatrist Gail Saltz with New York Presbyterian Hospital, supports the use of reborns for people who do not want to make the commitment of having a real child, and also to comfort bereaved parents. She offers that in this case the reborn may symbolize a step within the grieving process. Concern should only come if someone who lost a baby grew too attached to their reborn because it could indicate their grief is not actually getting resolved. Having this kind of doll risks being almost too literal and concrete for them. ^[7]

[edit] Media attention

In July 2008, police in Queensland, Australia smashed a car window to rescue what seemed like an unconscious baby only to find it was a reborn doll. The police stated that the doll was "incredibly lifelike" and that bystanders who thought a baby was actually dying were frightened by the incident.^[8]

A 10 December 2008 episode of Dr. Phil entitled "Obsessions" discussed the topic of reborning.^[9]

A January 2008 Channel 4 series, My Fake Baby, explored the lives of women who collect the lifelike baby dolls.^[10]

A 2 January 2009 ABC News article described both the manufacturing and the emotional interaction of reborn dolls.^[5][11]

A 2 January 20/20 episode talked about the mothering process and attachment to reborns. ^[12]

A 25 July 2008 episode of the View showed three reborns that were provided by Bountiful Baby and reported that they were used by grieving parents.

A 31 January 2008 Inside Edition episode aired a segment showing artist Eve Newsom and her reborn dolls.

[edit] References

[edit] Further Reading

Barrow-Belisle, Michelle (2006). Beautiful Babies: The Art of Reborn Doll Making. Lulu.com. ISBN 978-1411678231. 

Holper, Jeanine M. (2006). Excellence in Reborn Artistry: Learn the Reborning Art: Create Reborn Dolls Instructions & Tutorial. Lulu.com. ISBN 978-1-4357-1254-6. 

Nakamura, Lisa (2008). Digitizing race: Visual Cultures of the Internet. The University of Minnesota Press. ISBN 978-0816646128. 

[edit] External links

• Are these baby dolls cute or creepy? - Toronto Star article
• Not Child's Play ABC News