My name is Rhonda Rakofsky. I was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. I am a Portrait Artist and I also paint landscapes as well as other subjects. I do paint mostly children's portraits. I have a B.F.A. from Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. I paint just about everyday. I am known in my own community and abroad as well. My paintings are sought after by collectors all over the world. I paint mostly oil on canvas. But for my babies, I always use Heatset Genises paints. These babies are reborned from lifelike, highly realistic kits. My babies have been lovingly adopted by new Mommies world wide.
About my babies:
As noted above, my reborn babies are painted with Genises paints. These paints are durable, hearty and non fading. You never have to worry about the paint rubbing off. All my reborns have realistic skin tones and the mottling I apply depends upon the baby's age. I like to give them a peaches and cream complexion, unless they are newly born. Then they get a real newborn appearance. I strive for a subtle pore like finish, a real-skin effect. Each baby is very different from the next one. No two babies will ever be duplicated here at braveheartunicorn's Nursery. They are all unique, just like real babies.
I use the best quality materials for all my babies. I do not paint the inside of my baby's parts. In order to avoid paint migration to the surface later on, which may cause a brusing look.
The mohair I use on all my babies is the best out there. It is nice and fine, just like on a real baby's head. It is costly, but it makes the reborn even more realistic. I don't believe in skimping on quality for my babies. The head is micro-rooted, one or two hairs at a time. I use the smallest needles available on the market. All my babies have the most beautiful eyes, with a realistic baby colour. The eyelashes I use match the color of their hair. And I paint the eyebrows to perfectly match the hair as well.
All babies have beautiful doe-skin bodies which are properly proportoned for the sculpt kit. I never mix and match limbs. I only use glass beads for weight. I don't use sand or any other weight. Each baby is carefully weighted to feel like a real life baby, including the head. The babies are stuffed with non-allergenic soft stuffing, for a real baby feel.
I normally do not open the nostrils in the nose, if they are deep enough. I expertly shade them for depth, as you would in a portrait. However, there are some kits where the nostrils do need to be opened. In this case, I shade them as well.
I add a little moisture to the edges of the eyes and occasionally to the nostrils also. I avoid an overall glossy look to the lips or wherever it is applied.
Please feel free to browse and see my reborns on the following pages. If you have any questions regarding my reborns, please don't hesitate to contact me.