It takes a lot of skill to make a Russian nesting doll set. Traditionally, the dolls matryoshka They were made from linden or birch and their production would involve the entire family.
Dolls of the cylindrical shape were painted in different ways: it can be a peasant dressed in a headscarf and sarafan, a man or a boy. Matryoshka dolls are often painted holding a basket of fruit, bread, or a bouquet of flowers in their hands.
The production process would begin with the smallest, innermost doll that is turned from a single piece of wood and would not be separated as opposed to the larger figures. The number of nested dolls in a set can range from two to sixty however a classic set would normally include five nested figures.
The carved dolls were covered with special glue to fill in the cracks and reduce roughness, after which the dolls were painted to follow a particular theme.
Today, the same process that is used in hand-made matrioskas some Russian villages. The nesting dolls can be painted to follow the traditional theme or any other style, including fairy-tale characters, animals, famous political leaders, historical figures, musicians, and stars from the most popular movies.