Vivien - Anastasia Yanovskaya
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Vivien

15” seated, Ladoll Premix. 2016 All parts of body sculpted of Ladoll Premix and include wire armature inside, face painted with acrylic colors and crayons, wig is made of goat hairs. Chinese-style Cheongsam dress, fan and shoes are made of natural silk. Wooden chair is made to order specifically for this doll.

South Coast - Anastasia Yanovskaya
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South Coast

22” seated, Paperclay. 2015 Head, legs and hands of the doll are sculpted of Paperclay. Face painted with acrylic colors and crayons. Body includes wire armature wrapped with strips of polyester batting and covered with textile. Dress is made of natural silk, hat and shawl are crocheted. Wooden chair is made to order specifically for this doll.

Lu Sy - Anastasia Yanovskaya
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Lu Sy

22” H, Ladoll Premix. 2016 All parts of body sculpted of Ladoll Premix and include wire armature inside, face painted with acrylic colors and crayons, wig is made of thin cotton yarn. Chinese-style Cheongsam dress and shoes are made of natural silk. Fan is made of wood and Chinese rice paper. Doll stand on carved wooden pedestal.

Jim and Bim - Anastasia Yanovskaya
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Jim and Bim

15” seated, Wood. 2016 
 Head, legs and hands of the doll are carved of wood. Body includes wire armature wrapped with strips of polyester batting and covered with textile. Face painted with acrylic colors and crayons. Different parts of doll’s costume are made of linen and cotton fabrics. Pullover is knitted of wool for this doll. The dog is made of mohair. Doll seats on the antique wooden chair

Duchess and Piglet - Anastasia Yanovskaya
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Duchess and Piglet

28”H. Paperclay. 2015
 This doll is not very typical for my style, she is a Duchess character of “Alice in Wonderland”. I tried to make her a slightly strange, like other characters of this book. Head, legs and hands of the doll and piglet are sculpted of Paperclay. Body includes wire armature wrapped with strips of polyester batting and covered with textile. Dress is made of velvet and silk,wig is made of thin cotton yarn, face painted with acrylic colors and crayons. Pipe is made of Paperclay, too.

Louise - Anastasia Yanovskaya
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Louise

When I was child my favorite pastime was sewing dresses for my dolls. I couldn’t have imagined that dolls and their dresses will be the my main occupation in adult life.

I have made my first doll in early 2000 after visiting one of the first doll shows in Moscow. I was so impressed that on the same day I decided to make a doll myself. There was no suitable materials at home, so I’ve mixed salt, flour and water. I have sculpted the doll from this improvised clay and dressed her in a Russian traditional dress. Later, when I already have took some doll classes, I experimented with different types of clay and found the one which became my favorite – the Paperclay. Recently I also have carved a wooden doll, just to try the material. I loved it so much!

I love all stages of the doll making, but the most favorite part is a costume, I always look forward to when I can start. I love everything – choosing colors and textures, making patterns, creating decorations and accessories. Ideas come from many sources – painting, movies, old photos, and sometimes even just by looking at beautiful fabric. My favorite times in fashion are 18th century and 1920s, despite the fact that they are so different. So most of my dolls are gentle ladies wearing dresses of these times. I use modern and antique fabrics and laces for their costumes.

I almost don’t do sketches because image of a future doll is always in my head. I find a large number of suitable visual materials, then begin to sculpt the face and refine the image in the process. My dolls are very calm and gentle, but each one of them has its own character and history. And I really like it when viewers begin to create their own background stories for my dolls.

I am happy that the dolls became my main occupation and passion, in spite of the fact that they have replaced a lot of my hobbies like drawing, painting, and other crafts. Since 2005 I have been taking part in doll shows in Russia and other countries. Now most of my dolls are in private collections all over the world. For the last few years I also give classes for beginners who interested in doll making.