What are reborn dolls?

Reborn dolls are collectible works of art, hand sculpted and hand painted by a single artist or group of artists. Reborn dolls are created from a vinyl set of parts known as a sculpt. The sculpt includes a head, limbs and sometimes a torso/belly plate. The sculpt is then realistically painted and assembled to look like a real baby. There are hundreds of reborn doll sculpts available to choose, crafted by different artists.

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Why do people collect reborn dolls?

There are several reasons why people collect reborn dolls or want to own one.

Each collector is different and the reasons may overlap:

• Enjoyment and appreciation of the artistry and craftsmanship of life-like dolls

• Learning about the craft and how to best create reborn dolls

• Support of an artist's small business

• Use as a medical aid or training tool (CPR, child-care, etc.)

• Therapeutic tool for comfort with: anxiety, depression, dementia or child loss

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What do people do with reborn dolls?

Since there are many types of reborn doll collectors with varying reasons on why they collect dolls, the same variations can be said for what collectors do with their dolls. Mainly, these collectible works of art are displayed around their home or craft areas, as you would precious figurines or porcelain dolls. With the popularity of social media and online communities, many collectors enjoy creating photoshoots with their dolls and sharing their creative photos on Facebook/Instagram or creating YouTube video content. 

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What is a custom reborn doll?

A custom reborn doll is a doll created to your specifications. When requesting a custom reborn doll with an artist, you are able to select the sculpt of your choice, eye color (if applicable), hair color and texture, as well as the skin tone and gender.

 

How long does it take to create a reborn?

Depending on several factors, such as the type of paint an artist uses and an artist's schedule of work, a reborn doll can take 4-8 weeks to complete. Other factors that can effect this timeframe is: rooted hair, darker skin tones, and larger size dolls (23" and up).

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Is a full body silicone (FBS) a reborn doll?

Reborn dolls can be created from vinyl doll parts or silicone. The process of taking blank parts and painting them to look like a realistic baby is called reborning. Full body silicone dolls and partial silicone dolls are a different type of reborn doll.

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Do you have silicone reborn dolls?

No. All of the reborn dolls in my collection and dolls that I paint are vinyl reborn dolls.

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What is reborn roleplay?

Reborn roleplaying is "play pretend". Doll collectors may play-pretend their dolls are real by changing its diaper and clothing or using props for bottle feeding. Some collectors create YouTube content based on a story line of roleplaying with their favorite dolls. Some reborn roleplay can be very detailed with faux baby nursery setups, car seats/strollers, and all the essentials for a real baby. Other roleplay can be very minimal, such as outfit changes and hair styling tips (which is what I feature on DollieLovex3 YouTube channel).

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Are reborn dolls for children?

Every collector and doll artist has their own views on whether reborn dolls are for children. Because of the nature of the doll, how it was constructed and the small parts/accessories that may be associated with the doll, it is recommended that children 5 years and younger NOT be allowed to play with them. With the growing interest of reborn dolls amongst a young audience, reborn artists have created a subgroup of dolls known as playborn dolls. Playborn dolls are life-like vinyl dolls that are made lighter in weight for small children to easily play with. Magnets and other small parts are left out for safety, and these are considerably less expensive.