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Date: May 12, 2008

Question about proportion in doll design

Heather M · Senior Member

Dear Cheri,

I agree and I have had some comments from buyers about the same thing. I think the solution is to use limbs from the smaller babies--that is, put heads from the 22 inch babies on the 20 inch bodies, etc. If you order from Stephanie Sullivan, she offers heads and bodies separately, so you can mix and match. Also, some of the heads seem bigger and more in proportion with the limbs than others. For instance the Tina head is a better match for the 22 inch limbs than the Teddy head.

Date: May 13, 2008

Thanks, Heather.

I have been mixing and matching - but that becomes very expensive very quickly.

I hope manufacturers (sculpters, etc) take notice.

Have a great day!! smile

Buffington · Guru

I think most companies/artists don't really realize since they are doll kits/dolls.

I know a few companies that make the dolls with the bigger heads but then all I hear is the reborners complaining that they have to root aaallllllllllll that hair and the heads are sooooo large, so I guess you can't win. And the body/limbs is also large (or more on the stalky side) so they weight them on the heavier side (like 6-9 lbs I have seen them). Maybe if enough people say something, like you said, then they may notice.

LovesDolls · Guru

I hadn't thought about it before, but you are right. The heads are too small! Go figure.

Buffington · Guru

I think since a lot of them start off as dolls, people don't like dolls with big heads. But when we make them babies, well then it's another story.

But really, except for one doll, I have never heard anyone mention it before you. Go figure eh?

-- Edited by Buffington at 20:15, 2008-05-21

Date: Sep 1, 2008

I've always been annoyed by the size of heads in the reborn world. Ever since I started getting into it back in purplewash and wig days, I've seen a lot of wierd looking reborns go for a lot of money on ebay. My solution has been to analyze the proportions of real babies and relate them to the kits on the market. The secrist dolls have by far the smallest heads. As you mentioned, berenguer the biggest. The most functional babies i've seem so far have been Ariella by Schick and the Stoete line.
Even then though, ear designs on them are incorrect or limbs are to long. Another thing I've noticed is that even though the babies we all make are cute, they are very unatural. Most babies are in a tightly curled position based on the size they are (ie: average of 19 inches) which in itself is a strange size choice being as that is getting close to being an unhealthy sized baby. I recently reborned a classic Avery by Pratt and then measured her limbs and head. After seeing how incorrect she was I cut her limbs to be 1/4 and the remade a body. But then I lost all the dressing options.

Overall, it seems to be a losing situation that maybe secrist can be the one to take charge and fix. hint hint

precious_lullabies · Guru

there are a few artists that are in the Little dreams collectiveon that are bigger sized - Riva's, eva w's and a couple of others who have the bigger heads.

Mostly though i think by-and-large the proportions of most kits i have done are really lovely. however i do find that with the secrist kits i feel (personal opinion) that most of the time the limbs are too large for the head sizes. Some are better proportioned than others -- secrist Hope for exaple fits beautifully with the limbs she comes with, but her head is probably one of secrists largest.

Mostly though i don't think there is any real problem with sculpt proportions... its only been on a very few occasions that i've come across this. You speak as if you feel this is problematic over all the kits on the market... I'm looking around me at all the babies and kits i have here, and i really don't see what it is you see. I think they look lovely and very well proportioned... though i do use my own custom body slips and so often use different sizes than maybe they would otherwise have come with