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Reborn doll

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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.[1]

Reborn dolls are also known as living dolls or unliving dolls.[2][3]

History

Reborners say their hobby began in the United States in the early 1990s.[4] Reborning follows a long tradition of collectors, artists, and manufactures restoring and enhancing dolls in order to portray more realism.[5] In 2002, the first reborn was offered on e-bay.[5] At first the niche market for the dolls was doll collectors who admired the superior realism of the doll.[5]However, the market quickly reached those who wanted to use the doll as an emotional response, either to mother or for therapeutic purposes.[5] Mass media coverage helped spread the idea to other countries, mainly Britain and Australia.[4] 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.[5] This has allowed reborners to invent new techniques causing the dolls to become increasingly realistic over time.[6] Magazines, books, organizations, and conventions dedicated to reborn dolls have also appeared since these events.

Collecting

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

Purchasing

Reborn dolls are usually found online and can be purchased through eBay, artists online stores (often termed nurseries), and conventions.[6][7] There is a large price range depending on the quality of the doll, but hey can sell anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars.[6] There are many factors to look for when purchasing a reborn.[8]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 seep in the vinyl.[8] The type of material used to weight the reborn is important as some ruin the vinyl over time.[8] The doll should not be shiny.[8] The parts used are important, as original parts may be replaced and must be appropriately proportioned and quality material used.[8] At times having the original body retains the dolls value.[8] Eye brand,size, fitting, and alignment should be closely examined.[8] The type of paint used for coloring and whether the coloring is realistic and detailed (veins etc), as well as the type and technique used for rooting the hair are determinants that may raise or lower the quality.[8] The nose should be correctly opened and shaped, and the nails should be correctly manicured. [8]

Associations and organizations

The International Reborn Doll Artists (IRDA) originated at the first ever conference for reborn doll artists on January 21, 2005. [9] Their 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.[9] They offer tutorial skill building information and instructions regularly 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.[9] A Reborn artist can join the organization at any skill level, but members are asked to uphold a list of standards that were created by the IRDA's executive board.[9] This ethical code stipulates the guidelines members are to follow in advertising, listing, and describing their dolls in order to appropriate credit fairly to manufacturers, sculptors, and artists.[9]

Magazines

Doll Reader magazine has been an informative source on the trends of modern doll collecting for over twenty five years. [10]In the mid 1990's it began being published nine times a year.[11] It sponsors the IDEX trade shows that feature reborn competitions and conventions.[12]

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.[9]

In January 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Doll Reader magazine sponsored the IDEX Reborn Competition at the First International IDEX Reborn Convention[12]

In the summer of 2008 ABC News followed a reborn convention in Illinois[13]

Colliii is a website for doll lovers. Their first awards show was held in Germany in 2008 and turned out to be the largest baby doll competitions in the world.[14] The awards feature a reborn category.[15]

The first annual Tiny Treasures Show was held in 2008.[16]The show features exhibitors, collectors, retailers, manufacturers, workshops, and contests.[16]

Reborn dolls can be found at general doll conventions as well. Even though the main focus of these conventions are dolls in general, reborn doll creators use these shows to introduce their product to new consumers.

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 tools and supplies, all of which can be purchased separately or together in 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.[2] These Dolls are often termed fake babies or twin baby dolls.[17]

Types

Any type of vynal doll can be transformed into a reborn doll.[18] However, because dolls vary by size, sculpting, and the material they are made of some are more desirable or popular than others.[18] JC Toys Berenguer Babies are known by collectors for consistently producing dolls that closely resemble human babies in their realistic expressions, body shapes, materials used on the outer surfaces of the doll, and other lifelike attributes.[19] The affordable price and already lifelike qualities make them ideal and easy for reborning.[19] The Ashton Drake Dolls are another popular option due to there realistic qualities.[20] The dolls are carefully carved out of the trademarked-material Real-Touch Vinyl Skin.[21] Almost all of the Ashton Drake Dolls are created and marketed based on certain themes.[21] The So Truly Real line of dolls was initiated with the debut of the Welcome Home, Baby Emily in 2003, which was created by doll artist Linda Webb.[20] Another popular theme based collection is called Tiny Miracles.[21] Other popular dolls to reborn include Zapf, Lee Middleton, Apple Valley, and Secrist.[18] Retailers do not only offer dolls in regular sizes but also in preemie sizes for dolls molded after premature infants.[7][6]

Kits

Reborn doll artists and doll manufacturers assemble Reborn Doll Kits in which the first several steps of the reborning process is previously completed. Doll artists are hired by doll manufacturers to become doll sculptors and design doll molds and kits.[20][5] Artists distinguish making reborns from a kit as newborning.[22] The kits come with the disassembled baby and select supplies, while other supplies can be purchased separately.[22][7] The Secrist doll company started making Reborn Doll Kits in 2005. [23] In 2009 they also began producing supplies, tools, and tutorial videos specifically for the reborning (or newborning).[23] JC Toys began selling kits in December 2007, after realizing the popularity in reborners transforming their line of Berenguer Babies into reborns.[6]

Supplies

Starter kits are available 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 [6][24] However, these may be purchased seperatly from a variety of retailers.[7] Acetone or some paint thinner medium is used for removing the paint from the doll.[25] Hair is an optional choice to add to one's doll, but can be found in a variety of types,usually fine mohair, human hair or wigs.[26] Rooting tools are utilized for this process and are available in numerous sizes 20,36,38, 40, and 42.[26] The smaller the number the thicker the needle which will grab more hair and leave a bigger hole in the head of the doll.[26] Eyes for one's reborn doll can be purchased in a variety of brands and sizes.[8]

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.[7] Then a blue color wash is applied to the inside of each vinyl part to give the appearance of realistic baby skin undertones.[7][8] For dolls with an awake appearance eyes must be replaced.[7][8] The outer layer of the vinyl doll is then given its skin tone by adding dozens of layers of flesh colored paint.[13] The doll must be baked inside an oven after each layer of paint is applied.[2] Lighter skin tone dolls can take fifteen to thirty layers.[6]The effects of the blue color wash combined with the outside layers of paint creates the appearance of veins, and gives the doll its newborn mottled look.[7] [2] Other details that are added during this process the nails are manicured, and nose holes may be opened.[8] [6] The next step is to apply hair. The hair can either done in one of two processes.[8] A process called wigging, and the other process is called microrooting.[13][8] When microrooting hair is added strand by strand. [13] This can take up to thirty or more hours per head. Once the hair is finished, the original vinyl body is weighted with a soft stuffed body filled with pellets.[7] The weight corresponds with its age to achieve a real effect.[7]

Additions

Various additions also can be added to give the doll an even more life like appearance.[6] Reborns heads are often weighted, so that owners have to support the head like one would a real newborn. [6]Purchasers can have magnets attached inside the mouth or head for attaching a pacifier or hair bows. [6]Electronic devices that mimic a heart beat, or make the chest rise and fall to simulate breathing are common.[6] Reborns can come with an umbilical cord,baby fat, heat packs may be added to make the reborn warm to the touch, and voice boxes may also be included that mimic infant sounds.[27][9] For preemie dolls, they may come in incubators with a breathing apparatus attached to their nose.[6]

Mothering

Almost all reborn customers are women, particularly older women.[4] Some women merely collect reborns as they would a non-reborn doll, while others purchase them to fill a void of a lost child and treat reborns as living babies.[13] Many reborn owners have gone through miscarriages, have no means for adoption, or suffer from empty nest syndrome.[13] They utilize the dolls as substitute children, or forever babies who will never grow.[13] Some women dress the dolls, wash their hair, take them for walks in strollers and take them shopping.[13] Studies suggest that when cuddling a baby, real or realistic, hormones release causing emotional well-being.[13]Some reborner hobbiest refer to this behavior as cuddle therapy.[4] On a British magazine television show called Richard and Judy, psychiatrist Raj Persuad tells the host's that while mothering a real newborn baby mothers release the hormone Oxytocin which may explain a reborners attachment to the reborn doll.[28] Reborns are not "bought" or "sold".[6] Reborns are adopted from a nursery, although money still changes hands. They often come with fake birth certificates or adoption certificates.[6]

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.[29][30]

On December 10, 2008 Dr. Phil McGraw featured reborn doll segment on his daytime television show.[31] 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.[31] 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.[31]

Child bereavement counselors have warned parents against trying to replace dead children with dolls.[27] But doll-enthusiasts say it is about remembrance, not replacement.[27]

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.[13]

Many media features and public receptions use adjectives such as "creepy" to describe the reborns. This can be explained by the uncanny valley hypothesis. This states that as objects become more lifelike they gain an increasing empathetic response, until a certain point in which the response changes to repulsion. Some department stores have refused to stock the dolls because of this reaction, claiming they too lifelike. [4]

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.[32] She offers that in this case the reborn may symbolize a step within the grieving process.[32] 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.[32] Having this kind of doll risks being almost too literal and concrete for them. [32]

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.[4]

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.[29] 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.[30]

Reborners uncovered a blogging hoax in which an anti-abortionists named Becca Bueshausen claimed she was pregnant with a terminally ill child.[33] She opened a P.O. box in order to receive gifts, money, and prayers.[33]The hoax was uncovered when reborn readers of the blog realized that the pictures of the baby that were posted on the blog were actually a reborn that they recognized through the familiar reborn sculpt. [33]

A 10 December 2008 episode of Dr. Phil entitled "Obsessions" discussed the topic of reborning.[31]

A January 2008 Channel 4 series, My Fake Baby, explored the lives of women who collect the lifelike baby dolls.[3] Featuring this documentary the British television magazine show on Channel 4, Richard and Judy, held an interview with the reborn artist in the documentary Janie Eaton, a collector Mary Flint, and psychiatrist Raj Persuad.[28]

A 2 January 2009 ABC News article described both the manufacturing and the emotional interaction of reborn dolls.[13]

A 2 January 20/20 episode talked about the mothering process and attachment to reborns. [34]

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.[35]

A 31 January 2008 Inside Edition episode aired a segment showing artist Eve Newsom and her reborn dolls.[36]

References

  1. ^ http://www.secristdolls.com/introducing_authentic_reborn_paints Secrist Doll Company. 2009. Retrieved on 2009-07-21.
  2. ^ a b c d Celizic,Mike (1 October 2008). "Unliving Dolls: Women Collect Fake Babies". MSNBC News. Retrieved 2009-07-07.
  3. ^ a b "Living Doll:My Fake Baby". Channel 4. 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-20.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Attract, repel: lifelike dolls are collector cult". Reuters. 17 July 2008. Retrieved 2009-07-04. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |authors= ignored (help)
  5. ^ a b c d e f Montcombroux, Vieve Montcombroux. Simply Irresistible: What is that elusive quality that makes reborns so hard to resist?. Doll Reader Magazine. June/July 2008. Retrieved 2009-07-17
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o It's not a doll. It's a baby. Shimo, Alexandra. Maclean's. 7 April 2008. Vol. 121 Issue 13, pp. 48-49. Retrieved 2009-07-16
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Walker,Rob (20 February 2005). "The Way We Live Now: Consumed: Hyperreality Hobbying". New York Times Company. Retrieved 2009-07-22.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Kohlscheen, Cindy. 10 Questions to Ask when Purchasing a Reborn Doll. Doll Reader Magazine. June/July 2006. Retrieved 2009-07-14
  9. ^ a b c d e f g Out and About People and Places: International Reborn Doll Artists. Doll Reader Magazine. June/July 2005. Vol. 33 Issue 5, p18-19. Retrieved 2009-07-22
  10. ^ Starting an EBay Business for Canadians for Dummies. John Wiley Sons Canada ltd. 2007. ISBN 978-0470839461. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authors= ignored (help)
  11. ^ Life Like Dolls: The Collector Phenomenon and the Lives of the Women Who Love Them. Routledge. 2004. ISBN 978-0415944503. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: checksum (help); Unknown parameter |authors= ignored (help)
  12. ^ a b Lynch, Joan. Idex Reborn Convention and Competition: The bar has been raised. Doll Reader Magazine. September 2006. Retrieved 2009-07-02
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Not Child's Play: 'I Feel Like I Have a Real Baby'". ABC News. 2 January 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ "About the Awards". Colliii. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
  15. ^ "Doll Reader Magazine". Madavor Media. 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-13.
  16. ^ a b Jackson, Jill. Out and About: Tiny Treasure Conference. Doll Reader Magazine. Oct2008, Vol. 36 Issue 8, p16-18. Retrieved 2009-07-25
  17. ^ Hydroponics Systems & Kits Administrator (20 June 2009). "Collecting Lifelike Baby Dolls". Hydroponics System. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
  18. ^ a b c Titterton, Kevin.Baby Reborn. Doll Reader Magazine. Nov2005, Vol. 33 Issue 9, p48-51. Retrieved 2009-07-25
  19. ^ a b Peck, Kathryn. Something for Everyone. Doll Reader Magazine. Jun/Jul2008, Vol. 36 Issue 5, p44-48. Retrieved 2009-07-22
  20. ^ a b c Ashton Drake Galleries: Realism Rules. Doll Reader Magazine. Feb 2007.Vol. 35 Issue 2, p38-41. Retrieved 2009-07-22
  21. ^ a b c Ashton Drake Galleries: The Smaller the Better. Doll Reader Magazine. June/July 2008.p8-9. Retrieved 2009-07-22
  22. ^ a b Kinsey, Mindy A Reborning Rookie. Doll Reader Magazine. Jun/Jul2009, Vol. 37 Issue 5, p66-66. Retrieved 2009-07-25
  23. ^ a b Secrist Doll Company: Teaching and Training Reborning Enthusiasts. Doll Reader Magazine. Feb2009, Vol. 37 Issue 2, p91-91. Retrieved 2009-07-22
  24. ^ Cite error: The named reference Newborning was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  25. ^ Holper, Jeanine M.Hair Rooting Basics: Repairing a Vinyl Reborn Head. Doll Reader Magazine. Mar/Apr2008, Vol. 36 Issue 3, p20-20. Retrieved 2009-07-22
  26. ^ a b c Holper, Jeanine M. Reborn Hair Rootig Basics: Let's Talk Needles. Doll Reader Magazine. Nov2007, Vol. 35 Issue 9, p19-19. Retrieved 2009-07-24
  27. ^ a b c Grieving parents turning to `super-realistic' dolls. Northern Territory News. 4 March 2007. Section: News, pg. 008. Retrieved 2009-07-05
  28. ^ a b Richard and Judy (hosts), Raj Persaud (guest). 6 January 2008 Richard & Judy segment on My Fake Baby (Television Program). United Kingdom: Channel 4. {{cite AV media}}: Unknown parameter |date2= ignored (help)
  29. ^ a b "Frantic rescue effort saves doll, not baby". News Limited. 15 July 2008. Retrieved 2009-07-13. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |authors= ignored (help)
  30. ^ a b "Scary Photos: Reborn Baby Dolls Bring Rescue Effort, Fool Police". The National Ledger. 16 July 2008. Retrieved 2009-07-13. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |authors= ignored (help)
  31. ^ a b c d "Dr. Phil Obsessions?". PETESKI PRODUCTIONS, INC. 2009. Retrieved January 29, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |authors= ignored (help)
  32. ^ a b c d "Fake babies ease women's anxiety, sadness: Dr. Gail Saltz looks at the psychology of adults who "play" with reborn doll". MSNBC interactive. 3 October 2008. Retrieved 2009-07-11. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |authors= ignored (help)
  33. ^ a b c "Anti-Abortion Blogger Admits Hoax: Blogger Claiming Pregnancy With Sick Child Caught in Web of Lies by Readers". ABC News. 13 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-13. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |authors= ignored (help)
  34. ^ "When Those Cute Babies Aren't Real". ABC 20/20. 2 January 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
  35. ^ "Reborn in the media". Lifelike Dolls. 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-20.
  36. ^ Deborah Norville (host), Eva Newsom (guest). Reborn Babies (Television program) (in English (United States)). United States: Inside Edition.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)

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.

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