When I first started reborning in March 2021, I had NO idea what I was getting into. There were so many things I wish someone had told me. So many things I THOUGHT I knew that…well, let’s just say If I knew as much as I THOUGHT I knew, I’d have been better off.
I wish someone had told me before I started reborning:
It’ll be cheaper to make my own Reborn than buy one. Yea…NOPE. No, no, definitely NOT. Not even considering the learning curve, this is a VERY expensive Hobby. If I had just wanted a Reborn, I could have bough several from well known artists for what I’ve got in supplies and paint alone.
I wish someone had told me before I started reborning:
SO many different techniques for Reborning.
Ok….let’s see….Flesh color for the skin…some red or pink and….why would I use blue or yellow to make a baby??? Ok, that ought to be all I need to paint a baby……Primary Method? Texture? Mottling? WASHES? CREASES?…..HUH???????? Before you ever visit a store that sells reborning supplies….watcha few (a few dozen!) YouTube Videos (see my Getting started in Reborning Post for some suggestions!) or join a Patreon (Sue-Ellen Taormina’s Live EFfects is a GREAT one to start with.)
I wish someone had told me before I started reborning:
Health risks….THAT one is a bit controversial. According to many, heating the vinyl releases dangerous chemicals. And those chemicals cause lung damage and other issues. That is the reason that reborn specific Air Dry paint was developed. I have nothing against air dry, I use it occassionally for scratches or something, and I occassionally do an air dry baby. But I prefer Genesis Heat set Paint. I did my research and I decided that with taking precautions, I can limit the dangers and still do what I enjoy. I bake my babies outside or in a well ventilated area; I don’t open the oven until the baby is cool. Obviously I don’t use my oven for anything other than dolls. But many people have had a lot of lung issues from the heated vinyl. Some worse than others, and a lot of people just don’t want to take the risk. Basically, both styles of paint are about the same technique wise, and according to some people, about the same durability wise. I prefer Genesis because it’s far more forgiving than air dry. Air dry messes with my anxiety because I feel I have to rush to get it done before it dries….not good for me. This is my hobby, it’s suppsed to relax me, not make me head for the Xanax.
I wish someone had told me before I started reborning…..
This is going to be controversial, and some people are going to hate me for this. And of course, it goes without saying that this just MY opinion…
One thing I really wish I’d known and been prepared for the “Reborn Police”. PLEASE don’t get me wrong, the subject of fake kits is a very serious and important part of the Reborn hobby. I get it, sculpters are being victimized. But the “reborn police” who have made it their “duty” to attack and destroy anyone who dares violate their moral convictions are NOT helpful to the Reborn Hobby. They are forgetting one very important thing. There are other victims in the situation: the people, often new to the hobby, who have NO idea that there is such a thing as a “FAKE BABY”. Try to think of how they feel. They spend money on what they think is just an inexpensive kit, and they show it to a FB Group asking for help, or proudly showing off their work and rather than being supported, encouraged and embraced, they are often VICIOUSLY attacked.
There is a way to educate with kindness, but that is severely missing from the “reborn police”. It’s a simple thing to tell them, “You’ve bought a fake kit that is made in china without the sculpters permissing. You didn’t know, and that’s ok, but in the future, only buy from legitimate places like….” and then give them some places to buy from . But the “reborn police choose to use aggression instead of kindness. “That’s a fake kit! Buying that you are helping to drive sculpters out of our hobby! How dare you buy something fake, don’t you have any morals? Don’t you care about anything except yourself…..” and more that I’m not going to post. And if that doesn’t work, they go to the scare tactics. “You don’t know what that’s made with! It’s toxic! It’ll kill you!” Chances are, the kits are made with the same chemicals that regular kits are made with. But even if the fake kits ARE toxic, what is a person supposed to do with it? Throw it away so it ends up in a landfill where it can poison the Earth? IF it’s toxic, which is something I don’t really believe, then there are no way to safely dispose of it….so the owner might as well keep it, paint it (air dry paint and sealer) and love it.
The problem with attacking people is it does more harm than good. It either causes people to be terified of making another mistake, leave the hobby, or rebel and do exactly what they were ordered not to do. And the “reborn police” either forget, or don’t believe that the people decieved into purchasing “fake kits” are as much a victim as the sculpters. But they are, and deserve as much loyalty as people show the sculpters.
I wish someone had told me before I started reborn-ing…..
How many wonderful, supportive, encouraging people I would meet in this hobby community! If they had, I might have taken this up earlier! I have met some wonderful people, people who have helped me tremendously, taught me so much, given me feedback and suggestions all along the way. I’ve learned so much for the last 16 months. And despite the bad stuff (and there has been some), this has been one of hte best years of my life.
Happy reborning!……………………….
Wolfsong Reborn Nursery 