Creating a reborn doll means making a doll that looks like a real baby with the help of colors, hair and googly eyes if needed. Once the process is finished, some dolls are so realistic that they are mistaken for real babies. The following steps will help the artist create her first reborn doll.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Purchase the Materials
Step 1. Purchase a reborn doll kit
This is the simplest way to create your first doll. Once you have acquired your own sensitivity to colors and doll making, you will be able to experiment your own way. Kits vary in cost and contain nearly all of the material you need for the project, including paints, padding, mohair, the doll's body and limbs, and the tools to assemble it. If you are not planning to buy a kit, here is a list of materials you will need to get started with the reborning technique. You will also find a series of links for purchasing materials in the “Sources” section at the end of this article.
Step 2. Purchase the doll parts needed for the project
A doll needs a head, arms, legs, cloth body, and hair. If you want to make a doll with open eyes you will also need eyes and perhaps eyelashes, unless you decide to purchase a kit.
Step 3. Purchase a needle handpiece to insert the hair
Step 4. Purchase pantyhose stockings to fill with micro glass beads and other fillers as required by the project
Step 5. Purchase a set of colors
Most reborn artists use Genesis colors which require oven drying, preferably in a convection oven. You will need to purchase paints, brushes, and maybe even sponges or Berry makers.
Part 2 of 4: Making the Doll
Step 1. Wash the doll parts and let them dry completely
Step 2. Paint the veins on the head and wherever you like
Classic areas for the veins are the back of the hand and the base of the feet. Take a look at some photos of children to get an idea of where to paint the veins and use a very light paint, similar to a watercolor. Light coats of paint are the ideal technique for reborning.
Step 3. Spread a kitchen towel on a baking sheet and lay the doll parts on top of the cloth
Step 4. Bake the parts of the doll you painted the veins on
The temperature should be around 120 ° C and the parts need to cook for around 8 minutes for the Genesis color to set.
Step 5. Remove the doll parts from the oven and let them cool
Step 6. Apply a light nude wash by dusting with a blending brush (mop) or, if you prefer, a sponge on the parts of the doll
Make sure you use a very light paint, almost the consistency of a watercolor, otherwise your doll will look like chalk. Cook following the directions already given and let it cool.
Step 7. Continue applying several thin coats of nude dye using a brush or sponge
Cook to let the paint set.
Step 8. Apply a light coat of blush to give your reborn doll a glow
Classic blush areas are: the base of the feet (use a "U" motion to paint around the outer edges of the soles of the feet), in the typical baby skin folds (paint these spots gently), above the nose and on the cheeks. Use a sponge or smudge brush to give a sprinkle of color. Cook to set the dye as per previous instructions.
Step 9. Paint your nails and lips
Use a filbert (cat's tongue) brush to apply the paint. Apply one layer of varnish to the nails and several layers to the lips. Bake as directed to set the varnish.
Step 10. Paint the lids with fine veins using a script-liner brush
Use a light touch and a subtle purple paint, similar to red oxide. Cook the parts of the doll following the instructions already given.
Step 11. Paint the brows using a script-liner brush and a light touch
The paint must be very thin so that the eyebrows are delicate once painted. Bake the parts of the doll as per previous instructions.
Step 12. Apply the polish using a liner brush or toothpick
Use a whitish tint and gently paint a layer of varnish following the curve of the nail. Bake the parts of the doll as per the instructions provided.
Part 3 of 4: Fixing the Hair and Eyelashes
Step 1. Cut the mohair to a length of approximately 7.5 centimeters
Step 2. Insert the hair into the head using the needle handpiece and felt needles
Step 3. Attach the hair from inside the head cavity
Apply a good dose of Gem-Tac glue or other similar glue to glue the hair inside the head cavity. Use pliers or other gripping tools and a sponge to spread the glue well. Let it dry.
Step 4. Attach the lashes
As with the hair, apply the lashes and then glue them from the inside of the head.
Step 5. Cut your hair as you wish
Take a look at baby photos to get an idea of how to style their hair.
Step 6. Wet your hair with water and apply a piece of nylon, or nylon stocking, to your head to hold the hair down
Let it dry.
Step 7. Style your hair as you wish
Part 4 of 4: Assemble the Doll
Step 1. Follow the kit instructions or the instructions provided for the purchased parts
Generally, line your body cavities with pieces of pantyhose filled with micro glass beads, or other filler, and well sealed to give weight to your body and head.
Step 2. Assemble the body parts by following the instructions in the kit or parts purchased separately
Step 3. If appropriate, put a diaper on the doll
Step 4. Dress up your doll as you wish
Warnings
- Always cook the doll parts in a well-ventilated area.
- Always use paint solvents, and other potentially toxic products, in a well-ventilated area.
- Always use a special oven to bake the parts of the doll. Many artists use a convection oven that is not used for cooking food.
