Art Doll Versus Toy

Hello again, and welcome to another article on my blog. Today I wanted to talk about the difference between art dolls, like I make, and toys.

The most important difference is that toys are for playtime, art dolls are not. Art dolls are not typically made for children. They are for adults and teenagers to collect. Toys, on the other hand, are for playtime, and can usually handle a fair amount of use and movement. These can be collected too. Just ask any Monster High enthusiast!

Art dolls are usually one of a kind. Toys are often mass-produced. It's true that you can find doll makers who make one of a kind toys. These toys have probably been through tons of testing by the maker to make sure they are safe for your little one. These toys also might not have small pieces built or sewn into them like beads or safety eyes. Art dolls have likely not undergone the kind of safety testing a toy doll has been through, and could contain small pieces that might break off or be damaged with rough play.

Art dolls are intended to be used as displayable art and can be made from a wide variety of materials such as clay, wood, porcelain, fabric, felt, and even resin. Toys can also be made from a variety of materials, but again these have been tested over and over again to make sure they are safe and won't break easily.

Of the two, I make one of a kind art dolls. Each doll I make is unique and handsewn from wool blend felt, except for the hair, for which I use yarn that might be made from wool, acrylic, cotton, or hemp. I use small pieces like bows and safety eyes when I make my dolls. They are not intended for young children and can only handle gentle play at best.

The reason I make art dolls instead of toys is because I like the idea of creating art. I've always been a bit of an artist with drawing and painting. Sewing is just a new medium I can use to express myself. I've also always loved dolls, both toys that I could play with like Barbies and collectibles like porcelain dolls. Because I use felt and hand sew everything, making dolls to play with rather than to display would be significantly harder, and I like using my dolls as an expression of my creativity.

If you would like to see some of the dolls I've made, check out the gallery at the bottom of the home page, or just check out my Etsy shop, LuParisDolls.

Link to my Etsy shop: https://luparisdolls.etsy.com