Dollieh Sanctuary

Cross-posting this from another forum to here, hope that's okay~

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Lately I've found my dolly collection interests turning more toward realistic or semi-realistic baby dolls. I don't actually own any, but these are the dolls I find myself drooling over more and more nowadays!

I personally think reborn dolls are beautiful works of art, but my hubby says he won't sleep in the same HOUSE as one! So I guess I won't be getting one, haha! (That's okay--they are awfully expensive!)

I also love other baby dolls... from the collectible to the ones that are plainly toys, I think they're great.

Anybody else on here a fan of baby dolls?

I painted some a few years ago, and for the life of me I can't find pictures in my blog so I'll have to put some up later, but if you look for DollyKim on Photobucket my old album should be there. There should be two little babies in a hat and a sleeping one in a blue onesie somewhere in my album.

To get started it doesn't take much. You can go to the thrift store or toy store and get a baby you like, strip the old paint off, and redo it with the same acrylic paint you'd use on other custom dolls. Just use sponges more than brushes. Anything that doesn't work can be washed off before it's sealed. I found all the tutorials I ever used on line.

Ask hubby if it's the open or closed eyes that's an issue or if it's the size. Until the dog got to them I had a palm sized trio painted up to look real. There is a 5" line of Berenguer Itty Bitty babies that you can get knit and crochet pattern books for.

Sponges? That's BRILLIANT! *run off to CVS to get some*

Found some pictures, I either didn't take many or they're in another album.

DollyKim, what cuties!! That little boy in the second picture is especially adorable! Thank you for sharing.

This is mine.

Trethowan I think you'll find yours will eventually do a good job of repainting themselves - you'll just have the job of cleaning it up after

ShortNCuddlyAm wrote:Trethowan I think you'll find yours will eventually do a good job of repainting themselves - you'll just have the job of cleaning it up after

hehehe... indeed. My model makes diapers. :-p


To actually be on topic, I don't have or collect baby dolls. I have a lot of dolls from the 40s and 50s, one might actually be a baby doll (they're still boxed). Reborns usually creep me out. They look too corpselike for my tastes but I can definitely appreciate the artistry that goes into them. To get that level of detail and realism is impressive.

I can see why people think reborns are a little creepy... it's not just those I like, though! I like more "traditional" baby dolls too, and porcelain dolls as well. And Cabbage Patch is one of my favorites! Really I find that I'm just not picky when it comes to dollies.

After making them I can see where the creep factor can come in. The big one is wearing a premie sized onesie. I think the body is proportionally too short to look ultra realistic. The bodies on the tiny trio didn't feel right either.

But if you screw up the paint job you can always make it in to a zombie.