I am a very beginner, in fact I haven't even started painting, but was going to buy a custom baby from someone. The thing I find weird is that they are going to root the hair before painting the babe. Should this be a red flag or can it be done?
I would paint the baby first but it is ok to put the head in while you are rooting, as that is what happened in the first two dolls I did with a teacher. But if you have time and can paint all of it first I suggest you do that. Pat B , will comment on this topic when she is back on line.
Yes indeed my dear, that should be a RED FLAG!! Glad you are up on your reborns enough to know that part :)
You never root before you paint and anyone that is doing that is (IMHO) not looking to make quality reborns, just get a few bucks! You wouldn't be able to paint the head once it's rooted. Maybe she/he is just going to make an "enhanced" baby. In that case they don't usually remove any paint but instead add to it.
Could be they are using an ink technique (June could tell you about that as I believe she uses inks and stensil creams). If I were you hun, I would ask the seller/maker a lot more questions before I would buy from them.
Thank you both so much for replying! I really needed your advice and conformation that what I was feeling was correct. I thought it was odd that she had me contact the person that would be doing the rooting before the reborning and when I questioned the order she said that the hair is rooted before the doll is reborn. Btw, I also thought it odd that she didn't do her own rooting, but I guess she gets alot of orders. I'm a bit disappointed because i really wanted one of her dolls but at the prices she charges (295! not including the 60 for rooting and cost of the kit) I didn't want my doll coming out with quality issues especially since I had already spent hours laboring over the kit I wanted.
May I ask what kit she was going to do for you? I would like to see if my price is comparable. Maybe (but don't get your hopes up yet) it is one I do or can get to do. Please do let me know.
So in essence she was going to charge you $355 PLUS the cost of the kit? And was shipping included? Sorry, not trying to be nosey but I'd like to help if I can.
I agree with Pat; that's a very high charge if it's in addition to the cost of materials. However, some artists get more for their work than others do. I would say shop around a bit. You may be able to find a way to get what you want for less, but most artists vary their prices depending on what you want. I do custom orders, but I have to charge more if the kits are larger or more expensive. That's part of the reason I like the Secrist preemies; they are cute and very affordable.
Sadly, I was willing to pay the high price to have a niche type of doll for a sci-fi convention prop. I wanted a horror doll made by a very popular artist. I basically wanted a realistic reborn with little horns and vampire teeth in her little open mouth. (I know weird but would have been fun for the convention) Anyway, I will probably just wait until my reborning skills grow and make her myself. I cant wait actually because I already have the kit (Kyra from Eva Helland), body, eyes and mohair. She will be so cute! =)
Pawcat, That may explain why she was having the mohair rooting before painting the baby. As someone who has re-sculped existing doll kits I know that adding to the original sculpt may make rooting tricky. Once you add the "horns" you have to be extremely careful when rooting in that area of the head because it may endanger the additions. I still prefer to paint first, but to each their own.
Good luck on you little monster baby!!
Pat C.
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If it is Inks that you are painting with, I still would do the painting first, There was a girl in Australia that had done a little devil with Genesis and had the horns added to it, he looked kind of cute and well made, I will be at a show in Nov, where she was ( Of cause I didn,t get her Card) In Brisbane so I,ll check and see if she is at this one, she does sell Secrists kits, pity I didn,t get her Name. I think he was quite resonable for the amount of work she had put into him.
Ok thanks Pawcat for that additional info. I guess like Shakey said, that can make a difference if you are "altering" a sculpt. That also would explain the different charges from different people. Yes, this is a very niche thing. Have you told her you were going to wait? If not you could still go ahead with the deal. :o