~If you want to give it a go-
Want to get into reborning? It is relatively easy to get into. I saw a reborn for the first time and my daughter fell in love. When I was shown the price tag - $600 I thought (after eeeek!)- I can do that! And have been since.

If I had just wanted one doll and had never painted before (I have painted
with water colours since a child) – then it would have been
 much cheaper to spend the $600.

I should tell you that given the time involved (and the cost of supplies and kits) $600 is a fair price for a quality reborn doll. Especially if the skin tones and hair is exquisitely done.

If you are artistic at all, like babies (and looking at them and studying their skin, features and hair) and have used a paint brush then you will love creating these lovelies for yourself, children and friends. I think it’s great for us all to have a creative outlet.

The process basically involves:

• washing

• painting, baking in oven, painting (bake, paint bake paint etc etc) to paint undertones on vinyl, create veining, flesh tones, warm tones, blush tones, lips, creases, ear contrasts, eyelid veins, eye brows, other little veins and blotches. There is no set order, technique or process. Achieving incredible 3D realistic skin tones with depth and transparency is the ultimate goal of the artist. This is something that just improves and improves with practice. There are endless techniques that are used to create these tones and the techniques are very individual and vary from doll to doll for most artists

• painting or micro rooting dolls head, sealing inside the head, washing,
cutting and styling hair

• micro rooting eyelashes on sleeping babies or gluing on lashes
for open eyes babies

• putting in magnets for dummies and ribbons (optional)

• Assembling the doll with sand and fill and cable ties.

The baby is considered ‘reborn “when the head goes on and
I always take a note of the time.

• Now the fun part - dressing the doll.

There are some tricky bits that I have done many many times but I still hold
my breath when I do and these include eyelashes for
open dolls, and eyebrows.

Some people make spit bubbles with glue and varnish. I have never done this and to me it is a point of no return. I would be sitting with a doll head in my hand that I just finished creating so it was exactly the way I liked it
and had taken me hours and hours to create.
I could now add glue and wreck all that in a minute.

I suggest if you want to get into reborning a beginner class in your area.
Google '"reborn classes'' and your area.

I can help in Brisbane so contact me if you would like group or individual lessons for reasonable rates.

If I knew then what I knew now I would do this OR buy one of the Secrist or Bountiful Baby starter packs that has everything you need including the
videos etc.

Remember I sell kits so if you would like a reasonably priced one to start with just contact me.

Bountiful Baby has premixed colours of Genesis paint and
wonderful tutorials to assist you. You can find a number of video tutorials here:

http://pictures.bountifulbaby.com/videos/videos.html