Inside the Studio
A Day in the Life of Mira Petkova's Workshop
Light, repetition, and carefully timed pauses shape a working day in Mira Petkova's Sofia studio.
ArtDoll archive
Stories
Studio visits, artist conversations, collecting guides, and essays on material culture.
Materials
How to Choose and Combine Materials for Handmade Doll Faces
Choose the face structure first, then add materials whose weight, flexibility, porosity, texture, and finish can work together.
Care & Display
How to Display Handmade Dolls: Light, Dust, Stability, and Safe Supports
Create an attractive display without inviting fading, tipping, dust, compression, or accidental damage.
Process
Armatures for Handmade Dolls: How to Choose Wire, Foam, Wood, or Cardboard
Choose an armature by matching the figure’s scale, pose, weight, handling, and outer covering—not simply by choosing the stiffest available material.
Materials
How to Seal Air-Dry Clay Figures Without Losing Surface Detail
Fully cure the figure, test the exact paint-and-sealer combination, and build protection in thin coats matched to the surface and desired sheen.
Care & Display
How to Display Textile and Mixed-Material Art Dolls Safely
A careful display begins with the doll’s materials, pose and construction—not the available shelf. Use this room-by-room guide to reduce light, dust, …
Collector's Guide
How to Create a Provenance Record for a Handmade Art Doll
Build a reliable art doll provenance record from observable facts, retained documents, dated photographs, and clearly marked uncertainty.
Materials
Air-Dry Clay, Polymer Clay or Epoxy Putty: Which Is Best for Art Doll Details?
The best clay for art doll details depends on the part, the curing setup and how much handling the finished figure must withstand.
Collector's Guide
How to Document a Handmade Art Doll Before It Enters a Collection
Create a clear, dated record before display or storage so the figure’s identity, condition, materials, and ownership history do not get separated from …
Care & Display
How to Display Art Dolls Safely When They Include Glass, Wax, and Heat-Sensitive Details
Treat an art doll display as a risk-management problem: identify the most vulnerable component, remove the strongest nearby hazard, and choose …