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True oh so true. I'm still deciding what I want to use. Thank for your advice. I wonder of the result with the air dry paints. I haven't seen any babies made with air dry paints so I can't tell what the finished product looks like. I want to use heat set because I see it seems easy to correct if I need to and won't set until I need it to. However, as I said, I was concerned about any ill effects. The heat set babies' results are so life like also I think. I don't know perhaps someone will be able to direct me to babies that have been painted with air dry paints so I can have a look?
How long have you been a reborn artist? You have no ill effects?

I have used air dry paints in the beginning of my reborning venture with no ill effects. They have held up wonderfully. I decided to paint with GHS paints as a perference. I just rather have unlimited time in painting where as with air dry your time is limited even with the retarding agents. It is truly a preference I believe. I have a few babies painted with air dry paints in the showcase. They are my first few posted pictures. Hope this helps.

You very welcome Emily! You can look at Tina's babies in the artist showcase. Down at the bottom of the page is a place where you can select more pages. Then look for her babies, they are amazing!

Thank you Tina! I love your avatar. He look so real and peaceful. Well done

As far as the quuotes in this post, I had heard that there was a real problem with the RDK kits. Secrist has been making (and heating/baking) the vinyl kits since before I came on board in 1990. He has had (and continues to have) his vinyls tested. His workers continue at the factory 40+ hours a week with no ill effects (I have asked him/them) from heating the vinyl (and the acrylic eyes--Real Eyes brand) that they make there.

I personally have been reborning for 5-6 years and have had no ill effects from the Secrist vinyl. I will not bake "other" vinyls in my home because of the toxic nature of their vinyl (personal preference) except for maybe some German made vinyl kits, but even then I have nothing from them that says they are non-toxic like Secrist says. Secrist is the only seller that I know of that has ever put right on their website "non-toxic" for their kits.

As per one of the quotes, "a vinyl kit is a vinyl kit"... all vinyl kits are not created equal as some have issues with VOC's, PVC's, silicone, etc. Silicone is definately toxic when put into the oven, this is one reason why the full silicone kits are painted with special paints made just for silicone, no baking! And I know that some of the kits out there are a vinyl/silicone mix, so...
Secrist is very particularly safety minded when it comes to making his vinyl. His vinyl kits made here in the USA are vinyl, not a mix, no silicone or anything. This is true with his Apple Valley line too. This is also another reason why they can't do some of the things other companies can with his kits because he refuses to add silicone.

I will send your quotes off to Mr Secrist and he should respond shortly to this matter. Thanks for your continued efforts to keep everyone safe and healthy :)

-- Edited by Buffington on Monday 3rd of August 2009 05:04:23 PM

I'm glad I could give you the correct information on the Secrist/AV kits, etc. You really do have to be safety minded in this day and age. I did get a response from Secrist today, you'll find it quoted below.

"Our paints and most all of our vinyl is made in the USA. We pride ourselves in offering safe, non-toxic paints and vinyl for our customers. We also go to great pains to research our new products and I personally test them and use them in my own reborn work. Thats how many new products come into existence. In my case necessity is truly the mother of invention. I create what I need in order to accomplish some new look that I want to achieve. An example was a new series of brushes that I just developed in order to make more lifelike blush patterns. Theyre not on the market yet. I wanted to be able to lay down blush in a way that had more visual texture patterns like those seen on my grandbaby. Since Authentic Reborn is able to produce its own brushes I can pretty much design whatever I want and a prototype will be made. I ended up with two new designs that are very large but work incredibly well. With them I can blush a baby quickly yet with great detail. I tested them for several weeks blushing baby after baby until I was sure that the new brush design was effective. I call them Blush Texture mops. You can create baby skin blush layers that add incredible detail and realism to the newborn look."

So there you have it, right from the manufacturer! I always say, "when in doubt, ask the manufacturer, as the seller may or may not know or just tell you what they think or have heard elsewhere!" The manufacturer always knows.

That other stuff is mostly "old news" as you asked about previously. But if you don't ask a question, you don't know for sure. I do still buy some vinyl/silicone mix kits (cause the faces are just too cute) but as I have said, I bake them outdoors and in a separate oven. So BOL with your newfound craft and we hope to see some of your babies in the artist showcase. Don't forget, you can post links to them in other posts and pics in the showcase.
:)



-- Edited by Buffington on Tuesday 4th of August 2009 04:57:25 PM