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.
Process
How to Measure an Art Doll for Custom Clothes and Accessories
A landmark-based measuring method helps you draft better-fitting doll clothes while protecting delicate surfaces, joints, and attached details.
Care & Display
How to Store and Display Art Dolls Safely
Protect handmade figures from dust, light, pressure and unstable supports with a careful display and storage routine.
Materials
Wool, Polymer Clay or Sewn Fabric? Choosing Materials for Small Collectible Figures
The best material for a miniature art doll depends on the figure’s surface, pose, handling needs and construction—not on a universal ranking of wool, …
Collector's Guide
How to Commission a Felted Pet Replica: Reference Photos, Likeness and Approvals
A clear brief, well-chosen reference images and staged approvals can help a handmade pet portrait feel recognisable without asking it to become an …
Care & Display
How to Care for and Display Needle-Felted Art Dolls
Treat a felted figure as a fragile textile object: handle it sparingly, reduce dust without rubbing, provide stable support, and document damage …
Collector's Guide
How to Build Provenance Records for Handmade Art Dolls
A proportionate, dated object file can preserve what is known about a handmade figure without turning guesses into facts.
Collector's Guide
How to Commission a Custom Pet Art Doll or Sculpture
Turn a beloved animal’s identity into a thoughtful three-dimensional commission with better references, clear decisions, and written approval points.
Care & Display
How to Care for Mixed-Media Art Dolls Made from Fabric, Thread, Clay and Found Materials
Mixed-media dolls need observation before intervention: learn how to identify risks, remove dust cautiously, support fragile details and know when not …
Collector's Guide
What to Record When You Make or Acquire a Handmade Art Doll
Build a reliable record for every handmade figure with clear identity details, dated photographs, supporting documents, condition updates, and secure …