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Adopting a Reborn doll - The good, bad and ugly.
Purchasing a reborn doll is often based more on emotion than sense - the heart
rules the head. When you see one you love you will want to have it. To avoid
disappointment it’s wise to use your head a little before you buy.
Reborns are all over the place and there are a lot on eBay (a real mixed bag).
So what do you look for and what separates a good doll from a poor one? Price is
not the best indicator- high prices don’t guarantee quality and there are some
excellent ones that are reasonably priced.
I think nothing can beat seeing a doll before you buy it, but this is not often
an option as this is truly an electronic and international (borderless
industry). If you can’t see the real thing then photos are the next best thing.
But beware photos- there are all sorts of electronic filters and artificial
lighting that can make them look better than they are. You should be delighted
when your reborn arrives and think that the photos did them no justice at all.
Ask an artist about the enhancements and lighting used in their photos. I
always photograph in natural light and dont use any enhancements. Most of my
customers say that the photos do no justice to the actual doll when they
actually recieve their new baby.
Then look at the artist’s reputation (and remember that talent as an artist,
honesty and customer service can all be mutually exclusive). Guarantees of
satisfaction, repair damage policies should be understood and are indicators of
good customer service. EBay feedback is indicative of honesty and customer
service. Talent is up to you as the judge.
Here are some recommendations for what to look for when looking at
dolls in the person or photos:
1. Judge how much the doll actually looks like a real
baby.
A good reborn should be mistaken for a baby.
2. Have a look at the details- hands & feet
(have a look at the nail details), ears (how real do they look- can sometimes be
limited by the sculpt detail- more expensive sculpts have more detail), eyebrows
(should look real) and creases (shouldn’t look like cuts).
3. Artists work hard to get realistic skin tones
and this should
make the baby look subtly mottled with tanslucent skin.
4. The rooting of the head. The hair should be
shiny and soft and rooted so it is not “clumpy’, at all. The rooting should be
directional- that is angled differently to sit nicely all over the head. Some
artists do amazing work with their directional rooting with crown/crowns, parts
etc.
Look for this- it is a sign of quality.
5. Personal preferences
Some people like their dolls to look really real with milk spots, rashes and
scratches. If you don’t like these don’t buy a baby with them. Its personal
taste.
Some people like sculpts with funny wrinkly faces. Other people love pretty babies.
Generally my babies try to achieve an attractive look mixed with realism
in my painting.
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