How to Paint Nesting Dolls

Sketch the shapes of the nesting dolls on paper. Draw your images onto the paper that you will use for the nesting dolls. It is important to figure out the design on paper before transferring it to the doll. Erasing a drawing on wood is very difficult.

Keep the proportions of each doll similar to each other. The proportion of the head should be the same as the proportion of the body in each doll.

For a family of nesting dolls, begin with drawing the father on the largest doll, then the mother and three children. An animal can also be substituted for the youngest child if needed. Make sure to include a personal item as a reference for each doll such as a special stuffed animal, pieces of jewelry or article of clothing.

Sand the wood dolls with a fine grade sandpaper to ensure a smooth surface for painting. Wipe away any dust.

Transfer the sketches onto the wood dolls by drawing the images onto the dolls with a pencil. Small mistakes can be corrected when you begin painting the dolls.

Separate the dolls before painting. Begin painting the dolls with acrylic paint. Make sure the features of the doll will line up once the top and bottom of the doll are back together. Carefully use the sketched lines as a guide. Fill in all the areas of the dolls and let the paint dry. Outline the features of the dolls with black acrylic paint. Let the dolls dry for 24 hours.

Paint an acrylic clear coat over the entire doll. Let the clear coat dry for 48 hours before putting the dolls back together again. Once the dolls have dried, put the dolls together and have them nest within one another.