'Doll Artist': resident of the interior of SP is a specialist in doll customization Who has never thought of giving themselves a toy they always wanted as a child? That's exactly what Carol Mendonça, resident of Barra Bonita (SP), decided to do in October 2024, and what was supposed to be a treat for the "inner child" ended up turning into a new profession. ? Join the g1 Bauru and Marília channel on WhatsApp Today, at age 40, Carol is a "Doll Artist", an artisan specializing in the restoration and creation of personalized handmade dolls. The items are sold online for prices ranging between R$350 and R$1,200. Personalization of a character doll from the series 'Dexter' by Doll Artist Personal archive To g1, Carol said that she had already studied Agronomy, Literature and Radiology before finding herself professionally in photography, an area in which she worked for around five years. The career change to "Doll Artist" began during a game with her husband, when the two decided to treat each other on Children's Day. "In October 2024, I said to my husband: 'I'm going to get a Children's Day gift for my inner child'. I bought a pack of Barbies with the theme 'Women in Cinema', which came with a director, a producer and a filmmaker. I was enchanted", she said. Resident of Barra Bonita works with the restoration of dolls Personal Archive The dolls made her so happy that Carol wanted to gift one of the same profession to the veterinarian who takes care of her cats. When researching, however, he discovered that the price was above what he could spend. "I wanted to give a doll as a gift to our veterinarian, but I thought the price was too high, around R$180 for a standard store doll. I thought: 'I can customize one'. I joined groups, bought my first batch of dolls used as scrap, customized the vet's doll and still kept three others. I realized that I could start selling them, giving them as gifts and making money from it", he says. The project worked. Carol started buying lots of old dolls to restore, personalize and sell online. Doll to give as a gift to a veterinarian was Carol Mendonça's first work as a Doll Artist Personal archive READ ALSO Artisans and companies in the interior of SP transform discarded products into a source of income From childhood toy to relic: man who received an autographed ball for the 70th Team becomes museum director and displays the piece in Jaú The baggage accumulated over the years also helped. During the period she worked as a photographer, she took fashion, hair and makeup courses, knowledge that she now applies to creating dolls. "I went to learn the techniques. I started with 'rerooting', which is replanting the hair with a special needle, a procedure that takes about three hours. Then, I went looking for materials to change the color of the mouth and repaint the face", he explains. Makeup and hair techniques are used in the work of Doll Artists in the interior of SP Personal archive ? 'Doll Artist' A personalized doll takes, on average, 15 hours of work, not counting the time spent researching references. It takes about three hours to repaint the face, three hours to implant the hair and another hour to comb it. Sewing the clothes takes three to four hours, in addition to assembling the velvet box in which they are sent. Carol Mendonça is an artisan specializing in the restoration and creation of personalized handmade dolls Personal archive During the restoration phase, Carol made and sold 20 to 25 dolls per month, with prices of up to R$350. Now, transitioning to more authorial work with personalized dolls based on real people or commissioned projects, the pieces cost between R$800 and R$1,200. "In my work with the dolls, I use everything I've already studied. I use the concepts of makeup and colorimetry on the doll's face; I use what I learned in the salon to make curly hair, straighten it or change the color; I use fashion production and sewing to put together the looks; I use photography to promote it and even theater to create the characters' expression. It's a gigantic universe and I'm constantly learning", he explains. Carol has already sold dolls to adult collectors, men and women, in around 18 Brazilian states. According to her, the next horizon is the international market. "The internet has opened many doors for me. I have already sold dolls to around 18 states in Brazil, but I want more. I have contact with an incredible network of artists from Australia, Russia, Italy and Ukraine. My next step, within a year, is to consolidate my customer base and start selling and sending my pieces to other countries", concludes Carol. Carol Mendonça works with doll restoration and personalization in Barra Bonita (SP) Personal archive