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
Choosing and Joining Materials for Mixed-Media Art Dolls
The best materials for mixed-media art dolls are not universally superior: they are the ones whose weight, flexibility, surface and joining …
Care & Display
How to Display Mixed-Material Art Dolls Without Damaging Them
The safest display setup is determined by the doll’s most vulnerable component, not its most durable one.
Collector's Guide
How to Document a Handmade Art Doll: Names, Materials and Making History
A practical record-keeping system for naming, describing, caring for and transferring a one-of-a-kind handmade figure.
Editorial
How to Document a Handmade Figure: Names, Process Notes, and Provenance
A durable object record preserves more than a name: it connects a handmade figure to its materials, making process, care needs, and changing ownership …
Materials
Using Bark, Pinecones, and Other Natural Materials in Art Dolls
Foraged bark, cones, twigs, leaves, and seed pods can enrich a collectible figure—but only when their hidden risks are assessed before construction.
Process
How to Add Volume to Embroidered Figures
Convincing dimensional textile figures begin beneath the stitches: choose a suitable foundation, build it in controlled layers, and anchor the surface …
Process
How to Add Volume to Hand-Stitched Figures
Create a rounded, stable figure by planning the inner form first, then controlling fabric tension, seams, stuffing, and access points.
Collector's Guide
How to Document a One-of-a-Kind Art Doll: A Provenance Checklist
Build a clear, updateable record for a unique handmade figure—without confusing documentation with proof of authenticity, condition, or value.
Materials
Using Bark, Pinecones and Foraged Materials in Art Dolls: Preparation and Display
Using natural materials in art dolls can add distinctive texture, but bark, cones, twigs and seeds require inspection, preparation and realistic care …