From Canvas to Clay

Zorica Lazic Brings Her Artistic Talents to the Doll Realm

By Hannah Kelley
Photos by Zorica Lazic

Serbian artist Zorica Lazic has been immersed in the art world for much of her life. Growing up, she could often be found studying the anatomy and movement of animals and then translating what she saw to paper. With time, the human form was incorporated into her growing portfolio.

Clearly gifted at drawing and painting, Lazic opted to pursue an education in art to further develop her skills. However, sculpting was not specifically part of the school curriculum. Curious about it, Lazic created a full-body miniature human figure on her own, but the process did not motivate her enough creatively to want to pursue it. In general, dollmaking is not common in Serbia, so Lazic did not become aware of this art form’s potential until years later.

Lazic’s creative process varies, but more often than not, she plans a character’s full look up front rather than letting it develop as she works. She said it usually begins with an idea for the face, which “tells me if it wants to be a fairy, mermaid, elf, or something else.” The rest of the details come to her naturally from there. Other times, she takes the opposite approach, deciding first what type of character she wants to make and then determining which features are suitable. The direction she chooses can be influenced by her mood and current inspiration, which also factor into whether she will focus on one doll or a few at a given time.

Her experience studying faces and human anatomy has helped Lazic achieve the level of realism she strives for in her work, while her imagination allows her to tie in fantasy elements. Browsing art websites like DeviantArt provides her with ideas and feelings that she then uses to form her own characters. To keep the inspiration flowing, Lazic said she watches movies and television shows spanning a variety of genres, both in her spare time and while she works, “because everything begins with human faces and anatomy for me, and studying those two through movies is fun and inspiring.”

Polymer clay is her medium of choice, and Lazic said she has noticed an improvement in her skills over the years and is proud of how well she can capture the human form. However, she noted that sculpting the head and face is her least favorite part of the dollmaking process. The bare clay can take on an alien-like appearance, and she said, “I always wonder, ‘How am I going to make something beautiful out of this mess?’” That question is put to rest once the paint comes out and color starts to be added to the face and body. Lazic most looks forward to this stage because she can see her original vision come to life before her eyes. Once painted, clothes and accessories are added. Lazic makes most of these herself. She also styles each doll’s hair, making sure it suits the doll’s overall look and personality.

Because of the endless possibilities that come with her tendency to combine themes like fantasy and realism, Lazic’s dolls can take on a range of styles. That said, she would like to experiment more with her dollmaking and has expressed an interest in sculpting creature dolls and sci-fi characters in the future. She also wants to do more with textures and fabrics. Additionally, Lazic is eager to try her hand at making ball-jointed art dolls. Ultimately, she said her goal is to make “people feel magic when looking at my creations, and feel like that magic is coming to life, like some kind of tangible magic.”

Trying to sustain a career in any artistic field can be difficult, but Lazic compares art to a lifeline in the river of life, and she is determined to hang on to it even when the going gets tough. She said the most significant obstacle for artists is finding a place in the world and keeping it. Hers is in the doll community, and she has the stubbornness and determination to face any challenges that might come her way. “As a doll artist, I still have so much to try and do,” Lazic said, adding she thinks “one life is not enough for trying it all, but I hope to achieve my full potential as a doll artist, wherever it may lead me!”