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 and Dollhouses for Family Provenance
Build an updateable family record that separates what an object shows, what documents support, and what relatives remember.
Care & Display
Repairing a Plush or Soft-Sculpture Mouth Without Changing Its Expression
Before closing or tightening a textile mouth, identify how it was built and test the smallest possible adjustment.
Process
How to Build a Stable Wire Armature for Art Doll Legs
Stable art doll legs begin with load planning, a continuous leg-and-spine structure, deliberate feet, and balance tests before sculpting.
Collector's Guide
How to Document Handmade Art Dolls for Provenance, Care, and Future Collectors
Create a portable object record that helps future owners identify, care for, and contextualize a handmade figure without overstating what incomplete …
Process
Armatures for Handmade Figures: Choosing Wire, Joints, and Soft Structure
Choose the least complex internal structure that safely supports the pose, weight, material, and level of movement your handmade figure actually …
Materials
How to Use Found, Thrifted, and Awkward Materials in Art Doll Costumes
Assign second-hand textiles by their condition and tolerance for stress, then design the costume around what each fragment can safely do.
Care & Display
Lighting Art Dolls Safely: LEDs, Heat, UV, and Display Distance Explained
Create an atmospheric display without treating light as harmless: choose low-heat fixtures, reduce direct exposure, limit operating hours, and monitor …
Collector's Guide
Handmade Doll Provenance Checklist for Family Collections
Record what is known, photograph what is present, and keep each object’s evidence connected for the next generation.
Process
How to Add Embroidery Details to Cloth Art Dolls Without Distorting the Face
Plan the face before closure, sample every material combination, and make each stitch lie flat rather than pull.