Russian nesting dolls are created using varying degrees of skill and care. These nested dolls are meticulously carved by hand to ensure that each nesting doll sits within the upper layer neatly without being damaged. Several people are involved in the doll-creation process. The master craftsperson who designs the doll set, to the wood worker who carves the pieces from blocks of wood, to the painter who finishes the piece.

What Materials Are Used To Create Matryoshka Dolls?

Craftspeople over Russia use pliable woods such as balsa, lime, aspen, birch and aspen to carve the dolls. Of these, lime is the most available and therefore the most used. It is necessary that the wood that is used be light, soft, and contains a fine grain texture.

How Are The Dolls Made?

The master woodworkers determine the height, diameter and thickness of the doll shell depending on the pliability of the wood that is used. A single piece of wood is used to make all the dolls in a set to ensure that the wood’s moisture content and the expansion-contraction characteristics are the same in all the dolls within the set.

The smallest doll is created first; this is a solid piece and cannot be taken apart. The shape of the smallest doll determines the shape of the dolls to follow. Next, the bottom half of the next doll is turned and a ring that fits the bottom to the top half is made. Each doll is turned at least 15 times on the turning machine to ensure perfect roundness and cozy fit of the two pieces.

The dolls are then cleaned, oiled and allowed to cure over time. A couple of coats of starchy glue are painted to prime the dolls for painting and to create a smooth surface.

Painting The Dolls

Matryoshka doll artists use oil paints, tempera paints, watercolors and gold leaf to decorate the dolls. The artist can select the theme, story, or character of the doll and paint it according to his or her fancy.

Finishing The Dolls

Once the dolls are painted, the painter adds his or her signature at the bottom of the uppermost doll. The number of nests in the set is also indicated at the bottom of the doll. A protective coating is applied to the dolls after the paint dries. A top layer of lacquer and sometimes wax are applied to protect the painting.