Reborn doll

A typical reborn doll. Note the added cloth body on the limbs, and the "rear plate" to make it more realistic.

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.

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. 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.

Collecting reborn dolls

Many institutions have developed to aide reborn hobbyists with collecting by providing information, products, and networking. These institutions include magazines, and associations and organizations. These institutions also hold and sponsor conferences and conventions.

Associations and Organizations

International Reborn Doll Artists (IRDA)

Formation

The IRDA originated at the first ever conference for reborn doll artists on January 21, 2005.

Objective IRDA's website states that their goal is to offer continued education as a means for others to improve their skills in the art of reborn doll creation. Classes are regularly held for those who wish to be up to date on the newest techniques and meet others who share a common interest in reborn doll fabrication. Classes are routinely held and can be found on their website.

Code of Ethics

The association requires that all members adhere to its standards which were established to make sure the IRDA's founding board member's vision remains. The list of standards are as follows:

1. Each member will work personally and corporately to remain on the “cutting edge” in the art of reborning.

2. Members will develop and maintain a positive, professional relationship with all doll manufacturers by:

Speaking honorably of every doll that has been sculpted, manufactured or reborn.

Giving credit to the original sculptor (where known) and to the manufacturer of the original doll that we have reborn.

In all listings, advertising and other written descriptions of members reborns, they give credit by using some variation of the following statement:

Example: “Amelia Alice” began as a specialty play doll that was sculpted by Salvador Berenguer and produced by Dolls By Berenguer. She is from the LaNewborn Moments collection, which is famous for its animated and realistic expressions. I took this original (vinyl) and beautiful sculpture and added my own special reborning techniques and transformed her into the gorgeous OOAK beauty that you see today.” (Edited by each artist to make it sound like his or her own comment)

Stating a disclaimer to protect and prevent any doll manufacturers from having potential problems in the future:

Example: “I have fully taken apart and put back together this baby, using my own techniques. Therefore, this doll is no longer under the guarantee and is no longer the responsibility of its manufacturer, which in this case, is Dolls By Berenguer. If you have any problems or concerns regarding this baby, you will need to contact the reborn artist and/or her nursery.” Edited by each artist to make it sound like his or her own comment.)

3. Members will only list, sell or advertise our best work. IRDA is not exclusive in that the artists are the “elite” or the “best of the best”, but members will always strive to be distinctive in our professionalism.

4. Members will support and encourage each other at all times. They will not gossip or participate in any negative commentary or actions against each other. If they have a conflict with a member of this group, they will work it out individually and in private without involving any other members of the group (except for the officers/leaders when necessary as mediators). If they cannot work out our conflict, they will agree to disagree and continue to work together in harmony in the group, and respect each others differences.

5. Members will hold ourselves to a higher standard by refusing to participate in negative conversation about other reborn groups. If they feel it is necessary to defend ourselves, they will do so with a dignified response.

6. Unless members are asked for honest feedback, the only feedback they give should be positive. Artists need honest critique in order to grow in their skills. But some people are not really willing to hear the truth. This is kept in mind when offering suggestions for improvement to a fellow reborner.

7. Members will act in a professional manner at all reborn events. They understand that actions we take and words they say tend to be a reflection on everyone in the group. Always “think before we act” when we representing IRDA.

Membership Requirements

Members do not necessarily have to be active artists or have any certain level of expertise and there is no specific length of time that one has to have been creating reborn dolls to join. The one wish the association asks for is that their standards are upheld and professionalism is continually exercised.

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

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

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

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.

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.

Supplies

Reborn Doll supplies can be found from numerous websites, but the basic components remain roughly the same. Heads, limbs and body plates are offered in a variety of material that are ready to be painted to the desired color. Body Slips act as the torso of the reborn doll, where the head, limbs and body plates are attached. Some body slips do not come with cable ties and must be purchased separately. Cable ties are used to connect the extremities and the head. Hair is an optional choice to add to one's doll, but can be found in a variety of types. To attach the hair, rooting tools are utilized such as a Rooting Needle or a Rooting Mushroom Pin Vice, which is recommended for micro rooting. Rooting needles are available in 38, 40, and 42 gauge that correspond to the thickness of the hair purchased. Eyes are offered in several colors and are commonly found in 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26 mm sizes. However, one can find eyes as small as 2mm. To add to the realness of the eyes, eyelashes are available in a number of colors that are usually matched to the doll's hair. Adding paint to the doll provides a more lifelike representation of a real baby. Paints are offered in numerous colors that are decided by one's personal judgement. Other supplies include odorless paint thinner and baby tears that provide a more realistic effect. Starter kits are available and vary in the sizes offered

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.

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. Reborn Doll Kits come in a variety of sizes. Secrist Doll Kits are available in 17, 19, and 22 inch kits. These kits come unpainted and unassembled and require neccesary steps previously mentioned.

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.

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. Some reborner hobbiest refer to this behavior as cuddle therapy.

The Reborn Debate

Criticism

There have been various criticisms regarding reborn dolls. Because reborn dolls look so real, they can often be mistaken for real babies. There had been reports of police officers breaking into cars to "rescue" them, mistaking them for actual infants.

On December 10, 2008 Dr. Phil McGraw featured reborn doll segment on his daytime television show. Along with guest correspondent Stefanie Wilder-Taylor, Dr. Phil discussed whether reborn doll collectors and artists were merely passionate about their dolls or were overly obsessive, even to the point where they could potentially harm their relationships with friends and family. Dr. Phil concluded that those who collect reborn dolls could simply be harmless collectors; however, he did set recommend some conditions and boundaries to help determine the line between passion and a harmful obsession.

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

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..

Benefits

There are several benefits reborns offer. Reborn dolls are a number of different things to all sorts of people depending on your outlook. To some it is an extremely rewarding hobby. Becoming a dollmaker is much easier today with the internet providing lots of places to buy the items required for this hobby. It makes no difference if you want a baby boy doll or a baby girl doll, the parts and supplies are much the same and readily available. After many hours of enjoyable productivity you will finally have a reborn baby that you can love forever. To some people a reborn doll is an integral part of life. Perhaps due to medical, financial, or other reasons they cannot have a real baby so a reborn doll is a near perfect answer. He or she looks and feels like a real baby but without the hassles and cost.

Maybe it is something to talk to during the lonely hours spent in bed during an illness or old age. It has been proven that a pet in an old person’s home is of definite benefit so perhaps they will shortly say that a reborn doll is also a benefit. Certainly it would give the lonely person something to divert the mind from the hardships of reality. Maybe you want a real baby but are having trouble conceiving. Everyone says “relax and it will happen” but how do you relax when you want something so badly? If you had a reborn doll to care for, the pressure may well be taken off you and you may well relax sufficiently to allow nature to take her course.

One thing they are not intended for, is a child’s toy, but I am sure there are many children out there who would dearly love to have their own special friend.

The reasons for having such a doll are multi-fold, the uniqueness of each reborn baby is as vast as the uniqueness of the human race. You will find everything you want on the internet - reborn dolls all ready to be loved by you and parts that you can put together in your own way.

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.

Media attention

A Typical Reborn Doll. Baby Emmaline by Donna Lee Originals.

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.

In January of 2009, Wanda Achers was arrested on suspicion of international drug trafficing in Santa Rosa, California. A search warrant led to the recovery of $25,574, 1.5 kilos of cocaine, and 12 collector’s “reborn” dolls filled with cocaine, ready for sale. According to authorities, this is the third in a recent series of arrests that focus on the use of children’s toys in the trafficking of cocaine, but the first to include reborn dolls. Authorities also indicate tracking dolls selling for more than $900, but are relieved that most expensive dolls are not in fact filled with cocaine. Ultra-fine glass granules are often used to fill the hollow limbs of the dolls to add a genuine weight and feel to the finished product. The limbs make an excellent receptacle for storing and shipping drugs.

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

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

A 2 January 2009 ABC News article described both the manufacturing and the emotional interaction of reborn dolls.

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

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.

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.

External links

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