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.
Collector's Guide
Documenting Handmade Dolls: A Provenance Checklist for Makers and Collectors
A clear, proportionate record can help identify a handmade doll and preserve its history without pretending to prove authenticity or financial value …
Materials
Miniature Scale Materials Guide: Choosing Materials for Tiny Furniture and Props
Choose miniature materials by function, visible thickness, texture, curing behaviour, and finish—not by convenience alone.
Materials
How to Sculpt Hollow Polymer-Clay Figures Without Losing Their Shape
A planned core can reduce weight and bulk, but hollow forms need controlled wall thickness, supported openings, and a clear construction plan from the …
Process
How to Make Fitted Clothes for Art Dolls Without Distorting the Figure
A construction-led guide to measuring, drafting, fitting, and finishing miniature garments without overwhelming the figure beneath them.
Materials
Why Felted Doll Mouths Change Shape—and How to Control Them
A hollow mouth can expand while you work because its rim and surrounding face are moving at different rates. Here is how to read, support, repair, and …
Process
How to Build Durable 1:12-Scale Dollhouse Appliances
Accurate proportions, a reinforced core, and deliberate material choices will make miniature appliances and food props more convincing—and more …
Care & Display
How to Display Textile and Mixed-Media Art Dolls Safely
A practical guide to choosing supports, cases, light levels, cleaning methods, and storage for fragile handmade figures.
Collector's Guide
How to Assess and Care for a Vintage or Secondhand Doll
Before you clean an unfamiliar doll, isolate it, photograph it, record its condition, and identify the risks that make home treatment unwise.
Process
How to Build a Large Handmade Figure Without Making It Unstable
Large handmade figures stay manageable when the structure is planned before the surface: build the load path, keep weight low, reinforce joints, and …