Bratz Doll Makeunders Becoming Latest Hobby For Crafty Moms Fighting An ‘Over-Sexualized’ Culture
Australian artist Sonia Singh gives Bratz dolls and other fashion dolls what she calls “makeunders,” and has been featured by several media outlets including Inquisitr. The craft of giving Bratz dolls makeunders has caught on like wildfire among a group of talented, crafty moms who are using this form of doll alterations to fight what they call an “over-sexualized culture” that today’s young girls are exposed to. In an SBS2Australia video, Sonia briefly demonstrated her method of transforming sexy fashion dolls into dolls that seem to want to explore and play.
Watching this woman give Bratz dolls a makeunder will totally inspire you: http://t.co/wC1YFCdFcV pic.twitter.com/0qRWlTw5Eu
— ELLE Magazine (US) (@ELLEmagazine) April 7, 2015
At our house, we just chop off Barbie’s hair! #dolls #toys @treechangedolls http://t.co/SinFbaQbWm pic.twitter.com/18OFoHlVFA — Family Fun Halifax (@familyfunyhz) April 5, 2015
Sonia also offers DIY tips to crafters who want to be a part of the growing trend of performing makeunders on fashion dolls. On her Tree Change Dolls YouTube channel, she shares tips for removing the factory standard make-up that gives Bratz and other fashion girls their over-sexualized appearance. The video has been viewed almost a hundred thousand times.
Next, she demonstrated, in detail, how she upcycles even broken and chewed dolls by adding boots or feet to broken or damaged dolls prior to their makeunders.
Just last month, she demonstrated how she repaints the dolls. On her Tree Change Dolls Tumblr page she provided aspiring doll artists with a list of the specific tools she uses to perform the makeunders on the old Bratz dolls.
“I use Jo Sonja’s artist acrylics paint. I use black and white with the primary colours of red, blue and yellow to mix the colours I need. I seal the paint and sometimes the whole face with a Jo Sonja’s matte varnish to seal the paint.
“There may well be other brands that are just as good or better but that’s what I have been using recently.
“I use a 00 or 000 size brush.”
On her Tree Change Dolls Etsy store, she sells knitting patterns to make the old Bratz dolls new clothes that are fun, but absent of the over-sexualization found in fashion dolls. Now, Freecycle groups, online garage sale sites, mothering forums and Craigslist are all receiving posts from budding doll artists looking for used Bratz dolls to makeunder, hoping to be a part of the doll revolution that strives to normalize normal in the eyes of little girls.
Inspired by Sonia Singh and repulsed by Bratz dolls, I’ve done some ‘tree changes’ of my own. http://t.co/L6AdRyYoHg pic.twitter.com/2QawTTBhYQ
— Emma Cayley (@emmacayley) March 14, 2015
little make under for my old bratz doll pic.twitter.com/8XypxDeFgX — SOLON (@grumpysel) March 17, 2015
Ever after high #repaint doll #-apple #white ooak, LINK: http://t.co/rRowwfVfZh pic.twitter.com/fyqk6GiWqR
— zeppy.io dolls (@zeppy_dolls) April 5, 2015
Apropos Ever After High… #WIP #Ib #Repaint pic.twitter.com/nY7e7oCoN0 — Kuschelkissen (@Mi_chan785) April 8, 2015
Today I will be attempting to repaint this Brats doll’s face. It took longer to remove her makeup than it does mine! pic.twitter.com/jYA2hXP5DW
— Danielle Dammes (@bluebirdanielle) April 6, 2015
Look at how @FionaGress transformed a bratz doll into a normal doll. A much better example for our kids. #empowerment pic.twitter.com/OwlMOAf6mZ — Brian Ó hEadhra (@BrianOhEadhra) March 20, 2015
Cómo desintoxicar y rehabilitar una Bratz y convertirla en un juguetito para una sobrina apta para niñas pic.twitter.com/dSBZqc5TA3
— Eva Lo (@eva___lo) March 8, 2015
Inspired by @TreeChangeDolls I got 2 Bratz dolla from charity for the girls. Half way through their makeover. pic.twitter.com/nam3AwZh8X — Victoria Matthewson (@VKMatthewson) February 27, 2015
Have you ever considered giving Bratz or other fashion dolls makeunders?
[Photo via artist Niecey Docherty]
