Claymate Creatures is the Etsy shop of Daria Lapto, a doll artist from Ulyanovsk, Russia. For weeks, I’ve been admiring her Instagram, which is full of her beautifully strange figures. They’re often hybrids—such as a bear-girl or a bunnicorn—or a fantastical reimagining of bats, wolves, and even narwhals. I’m amazed with Daria’s character design, and these figures feel like they’re part of an exquisite stop-motion film.
To produce her curious creations, Daria uses clay to build their heads, adding glass eyes for an eerie, realistic feel. She then paints them with acrylics and applies matte and gloss finishes. Afterwards, she adds fabric—for clothing, wings, and soft bodies—that create an atheistically-pleasing juxtaposition of hard and soft materials.
Daria sells her dolls on Etsy, but they seem to go fast. Follow her on Instagram for shop updates.
