Reborn babies are dolls that look like real life babies, so much so, it's hard to tell a real baby and reborn baby apart at first glance. These dolls were originally crafted from older vinyl dolls and parts, however, today you can purchase new ones. For some this is a hobby for others it is a passion. Some would even argue that it is a creepy obsession.

The process of reborning has evolved in the last five years and has been made possible through the use of heat paints and oils and other various tools mainly used by the artists. Collectors often seek these reborn babies through private purchase or on eBay and usually prefer to buy original, unique dolls carefully crafted by it's owner.

The ultimate goal of reborning is to create a doll that looks and feels as realistic to a real baby as possible.

Artists spend long hours nit picking every detail to perfection. The finished reborn dolls are not play things but rather a unique piece of artwork.

Reborns begin their journey as a vinyl doll, old or new, of various brands. The dolls are taken apart by the artist and the factory paint is removed. The doll's hair is also removed or buffed down, although you may now purchase kits or various parts that are ready to reborn.

Some artists will actually use the oven to slightly warm the doll to make the vinyl pliable.

Once the doll is stripped of all original paint and hair, the artist thoroughly washes all the parts in soapy water which is then air dried. Once the doll is prepped, it is ready to be submerged in dye.

This process is usually started on the inside of the parts, such as the head, legs ans arms. They repeat this procedure until the optimal look is achieved. They also paint the outside of the limbs for final touches such as veining and highlighting.

Next they give their babies a hair transplant, literally. Using a special micro rooting tool, angora hair is carefully applied in patterns resembling the delicate coiffe of a newborn baby. Eyebrows and eyelashes are either painted or applied with a micro tool.

The eyes are made of polymer and the nostrils are opened with a cutting tool. The mouth and eyes of the baby can be closed or open, depending on how the artists wants to present the baby. Artists also pay attention to the tiny fingers and toes right down to the nails.

Once the doll is painted, it is ready to be assembled. The limbs are filled part way with sand to give it the feel of a real baby and the rest of the stuffing materials include pellets and poly filling.

Again, artists carefully stuff their dolls with the right weights so that it is proportionate to a real baby. Please note that the above methods of reborning are general, each individual artist has their preferred techniques and many of these vary considerably.

Although reborn dolls may seem a bit creepy at first, they really are a piece of art. The time taken to make them is tedious and the artists go to great lenghts to push their talents to the limit, just like any other artist in the world.

Reborn dolls are created with passion and although they are expensive to buy, I doubt it really covers even half of the labor, tools and supplies required to make one.