ABOUT BALDIES

[Brooke]

I know I'm in the minority here. Oh well. It's just a personal thing. Perhaps it is just that I have such a hard time rooting that I think EVERYONE should have to suffer through rooting. I'd like to say a bald baby is finished, but I just can't. My favorite is really sparse, thin hair on my newborns with a bit thicker on top. And I just love temple hair that goes in towards the eyebrows. I don't like it when the hair on the sides is rooted forward just a little bit and then goes straight down to the front of the ears. Wow, am I opinionated or what?

[georgeanne]

I hate rooting to Brooke partly because I am allergic to Mohair and partly because it takes so long to get it just right and I have zero patience if something takes me too long to finish.

[Beachwalker Mandy]

I have seen dolls both ways that I love. I have Ben Loui that I painted and assembled and he is so sweet bald that I may just leave him bald forever. I rooted my Edley and love him with hair. So I go both ways. I have some painted hair darlings that were done by four different artists and they are just beautiful. I love them. I guess it is nice to have variety in my dolly world.

[WithloveSteph]

There is absolutely only ONE kit that I prefer seeing completely bald and that is Bella by Andrea Arcello. She is GORGEOUS bald and plan to keep mine bald when I paint her. I am not a fan of bald. I will only buy from other artists if they are either painted or rooted. Mainly because the dolls are expensive and I am paying for those services.if the dolls are left bald, they should be sold much cheaper. JMO

[anjsmiles Angie]

One of my very favorite babies is my silicone Dawson. When I saw the first bald one Debbie Henshaw reborn I fell in love with him. I purchased the kit and painted my own to keep. I have left him bald and even if someone with the finest rooting skills offered to root him for me for free I would still leave him bald. SO NO he is NOT unfinished as my baby. He is completely finished and the perfect baby for me. Everyone has different tastes and no one has the right to say only rooted or only painted or baby must have peach fuzz or any of these other ridiculous statements. What can be said is what each person prefers but no one can make a blanket statement of what is finished or unfinished for anyone but themselves. We are talking about preferences here, not absolute truths.

[georgeanne]

One of my very favorite babies is my silicone Dawson. When I saw the first bald one Debbie Henshaw reborn I fell in love with him. I purchased the kit and painted my own to keep. I have left him bald and even if someone with the finest rooting skills offered to root him for me for free I would still leave him bald. SO NO he is NOT unfinished as my baby. He is completely finished and the perfect baby for me. Everyone has different tastes and no one has the right to say only rooted or only painted or baby must have peach fuzz or any of these other ridiculous statements. What can be said is what each person prefers but no one can make a blanket statement of what is finished or unfinished for anyone but themselves. We are talking about preferences here, not absolute truths.

Well said Angie and I totally agree. Your Dawson is gorgeous with his little bald head.

[SharonL]

I'd say that it depends on the shape of the baby's head and features. Some babies are just adorable, bald...both in reborns AND real babies! LOL Some dolls look like 45 year old guys...all they need is a cigar. Remember the bald OOAK doll that belonged to Janis Lotfalian? What did she call that doll?? Dr. something or other. LOL

And yes, Dawson is just gorgeous!

[tixiepixi_linda]

Like Stephanie I think Bella Arcello (my favourite sculpt!) looks fab bald or with fair very short peach fuzz

[Ginas_reborns]

I was just saying to big daddy a few nights back how frustrating it is that it takes me so long to get a baby out there when so many are able to have a baby up within a week or less after getting their kits. He said to paint the hair then or put some bald babies up but I said exactly what you say, it just feels incomplete to me. I just cannot bring myself to do it. I was thinking of maybe selling some painted kits this holiday season, no body or anything. I think if I do not put them together I would feel better about it ~ not sure if that makes sense but it is how I feel about it ~

[lifesabeachbabyKim]

My oldest daughter was bald from 3 months to about 7 months and that baby "Truly" on Sister Wives was or is bald. I love bald real babies but I do agree that for a doll I can't imagine trying to sell one that way cause I think a lot of people would probably view the doll is unfinished as well.

edited to add I think some kits lend themselves to looking great bald which is why some look so good with painted hair. The shape of the head is just great and some have very realstic fontanelles. For me though I am too chicken to put all the work into presenting a doll for ebay and not going thru with at least painting the hair. I do have slightly different views for silicone babies. For some reason they don't seem quite as unfinished to me. Weird I know.

[Pigotts_Playpen05]

I love some of them bald... Some need hair...even if it's sparse...I love the newborn look. It' melts my heart!! But I think that's why I like the painted hair on the newborn babies because it can be painted to look sparse.

[Dion]

I ALWAYS love dolls better with hair. I see one once in awhile that looks cute bald, but if they arrive here bald, they get a trip to a rooter sooner or later! Just personal preference! Hugs, Dion

[heatherisdolliecrazy]

I don't like baldies. I want to have mine all rooted.

[HayleyMassey]

I don't care for baldies either. You've got to show me a really well-made baby, with a nicely shaped head for me to like it.

My 17 year old sister is showing some interest in learning to reborn, and she voluteered to make the reborn that went up for auction at the Memphis Doll Show, for the Child Advocacy Center. So, I allowed her to do that, with my help of course. After telling her everything to do step by step, and adding my own coloring and detailing to hers, we completed this bald baby here. I was not about to let her root it, and mess up or make it look horrible, so we left her bald. We also did not do a whole lot of detailing, since that would have taken a looong time to explain for a "first reborn", but she'll learn, if she continues.



Here she is, proudly holding her first-made baby:

[Rhonda Junebird Nursery]

LOVE BALDIES!! I can fall in love with a sculpt and once I root it, I am not in love anymore. I do agree that not all need to be left bald, but by far, I love baldies and painted hair best.

Jorga -- that first baby is so adorable!

[hookedoncrochet]

I confess I only buy if they have been rooted, I use bald models for my crochet but they usually have hats on.
My own collection are all rooted.

[chelluvsbabies]

For some reason I am very drawn to baldies!!! They seem to be my favorite

[Lainey]

I don't particularly care for bald dolls but I would take bald over a painted head any day. My most favorite head is rooted sparsely. I can't like the painted hair dolls , they just don't appeal to me. I have seen many of them that were well done, but just not for me.