Greetings from a Newby

Hello:

My name is Angela and I love babies and have one of my own who is going on 4. I came across reborn dolls on Ebay about 3 years ago and was fascinated by how real they look. Then, in spring of last year I saw a story about them on the news and started researching about them. I've purchased several on ebay. I am an artist but have mostly worked with pencil and paper, and rarely paints. I decided last summer that I wanted to learn how to make reborn dolls and I want to learn to be very good at making them. Been searching the web and reading, learning, and looking for forums where I can ask the pros questions, so that I can learn how to be the best at this that I can be. I feel that one of the best ways to learn is to ask those who have been doing something for a while and have learned the pros and cons of the trade.

I have purchased some older Berenguer dolls on Ebay to practice on.

Right now I am researching what the best paints might be and what the best tools are. I have decided due to the situation of baking the dolls in the oven I wish to go with air dry paints. Those who have worked with air dry paints, which so far are the best? Which air dry paints stay on the doll long-term and have the best quality? What is the best method for stripping factory paint off dolls before painting? Do you recommend purple wash inside doll heads or no, and why? Do you wash the outside of the doll with purple or another method, or none at all, and why? I want to learn from what others have tried.


My forum name is a working title, as I haven't settled on a permanent name for my doll creations yet.

Thank you very much for any advice!

Angela

You will love it here, everyone is so friendly and very helpful! If you are interested in the air dry paints, then you can purchase the online class that is coming up on here for air dry painting. Here is the link:
http://realreborn.net/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=68

jo_lil_sugars wrote:

You will love it here, everyone is so friendly and very helpful! If you are interested in the air dry paints, then you can purchase the online class that is coming up on here for air dry painting. Here is the link:
http://realreborn.net/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=68

Thank you so much, Jo.

PS: Your babies are beautiful!

Awwww...

Hi and welcome to REAL!! Glad you could join us Kathy

Hi and welcome to REAL!!! You will love it here!

I am sure that April and I can put together a mini tutorial on the air dry paints even before the class starts. I bought the new ones by Stephanie Sullivan. I used them for my tutorial in Discovering Dolls Magazine and I really liked them!!!

Here's the link to the paints:
http://www.hunnybunsrebornsupply.com/_art___magic_of_reborns____water_borne_paints

Hi and welcome to REAL!! Glad you could join us! Kathy

Thank you, ladies!

Hi and ....so glad you could join us! As far as air dry paints go I didn't like the ones I started out with which were Luminaries but I hear that the Water Bourne air dry paints by Stephanie Sullivan are wonderful so that would be a good start as Lara suggests. You will learn lots here as I have and taking the classes is VERY helpful and they are informative and easy too. Can't wait to start seeing some of your babies.

Michelle73 wrote:

Hi and ....so glad you could join us! As far as air dry paints go I didn't like the ones I started out with which were Luminaries but I hear that the Water Bourne air dry paints by Stephanie Sullivan are wonderful so that would be a good start as Lara suggests. You will learn lots here as I have and taking the classes is VERY helpful and they are informative and easy too. Can't wait to start seeing some of your babies.

Hi Michelle, thank you for the kind welcome! I too have heard not so good things about the Luminaires paints, so am planning on avoiding those, just to be safe. But I am really interested in the Water Borne paints and have heard good things all over the web on those. I hope to start practicing on my first doll (a Berenguer) soon. Am collecting supplies and can't wait to start. I plan on asking you all a lot of questions, if you'll put up with me.

Angela

glad to have you here