Here's a simple step-by-step guide on how to make a reborn doll.

Reborning a doll means to make a doll as lifelike as possible using paints, rooting hair and inserting eyes, if the reborn baby doll is to have open eyes.

Once the process is complete, some reborn dolls look so real they have been mistaken for real babies. The following basic steps will help lead the artist to create their very first reborn doll.

Supplies

1. Purchase a kit from a recommended reborn doll parts company. This is the easiest way to complete your first doll. Once you get a feel for the colors and dollmaking, you can experiment with your own way of dollmaking. The kit should contain everything you need to complete the project such as paints, stuffing materials, body, doll limbs, mohair and the tools to complete the doll. A doll making kit might cost around £100 and will contain almost everything needed for your first reborn baby doll. If you do not purchase a kit, the suggested items below will help you get started in reborning.
2. Purchase the doll parts to complete the project. Most reborn dolls will need a head, arms, legs, cloth body and hair. If you choose not to buy a dollmaking kit and you are reborning an open-eyed baby, you will need to purchase eyes and perhaps eyelashes,
3. Purchase a rooting tool.
4. Purchase a pantyhose (to fill with beads) and other fillers as required for your reborn doll.
5. Purchase paint supplies. Most reborn artists use Genesis paints which require an oven, preferably a convection oven. You will need to purchase paints, paint brushes, perhaps sea sponges or berry makers.

1. Wash all the doll parts and let dry thoroughly.
2. veins on the head and anywhere else you'd like veining. Typical areas to find veining would be on the backs of the hands and the bottom of the feet. Look at photos of babies to get a good idea of where to place the veins on your reborn baby doll. Use a very thin paint, almost like watercolour to paint the veins. Light layers of paint are what’s needed to paint a reborn doll.
3. Line a< baking sheet or baking tray with a dish towel tea towel. Place the doll parts onto the towel.
4. Bake the doll parts that have had veins applied. The temperature is usually between 260 to 265 degrees F for 8 minutes to set the Genesis paint.
5. Remove the doll parts and let cool.
6. Apply a thin wash of fleshtone colored paint in a “pouncing” motion using a mop brush or sponge, your choice, to the doll parts. Be sure to use a very thin, almost watercolor consistency paint, otherwise your reborn doll will end up looking chalky. Bake according to the previous directions. Let it cool.
7. Reapply several thin layers of fleshtone colored paint using a brush or sponge. Bake to set paint.
8. Apply a thin wash of blushing to create a newborn blotchy look. Typical places to blush would include the bottoms of the feet (use a "U" motion to paint around the outer edges of the sole); in baby creases (do this delicately) and across the bridge of the nose and cheeks. Use a sea sponge or mop brush to pounce the paint. Bake to set paint using previous directions.
9. Paint the nails and lips. Use a filbert paint brush to apply the paint. Apply one layer of paint to the nails and several layers to the lips. Bake as directed above to set the paint.
10. Paint the eyelids with fine veining using a script liner brush. Use a delicate hand, and thinned paint, to carefully paint veins on the eyelids. Use a purplish paint that looks much like Dioxide purple. Bake the doll parts as directed to set the paint.
11. Paint the eye brows using a script liner brush and a delicate hand. The paint should be very thin so the brows look delicate when painted onto the face. Bake the doll parts as directed to set the paint.
12. Apply the nail tips using a liner brush toothpick. Use a whitish paint and delicately apply a dab of paint following the curvature of the nail. Bake the doll parts as directed to set the paint.

1. Cut the mohair into manageable lengths, around 3 inches.
2. Insert the hair into the scalp using the rooting tool and felt needles.
3. Glue the hair from inside the head cavity. Add a good dollop of Gem-Tac or similar glue to inside of the head cavity in the scalp area. Use a hemostat or other long gripping tool and a sponge to smear the glue around. Let dry.
4. Root the eyelashes. The eyelashes are rooted the same way. Root the eyelashes in and then glue them from inside the doll head.
5. Trim the scalp hair as desired. Look at newborn babies to get a general idea of how to style the hair.
6. Dampen the hair with water and place a cut off nylon, or nylon sock, on the head to hold the hair down. Let it dry.
7. the hair as desired.

1. Follow the kit directions or directions given for the purchased doll parts. In general, line the body cavities with cut off pantyhose and fill with beads or other filler to weight the body and head. Secure the nylons and place in appropriate doll cavities.
2. Assemble the doll parts following the kit or purchased body directions.
3. Diaper your reborn doll, if appropriate.
4. Dress your reborn baby doll in a suitable outfit.