Artists and sculptors who are not interested in having a corporation run their doll business can make their way into the doll world with OOAK (one-of-a-kind) creations. This gives the artist or sculptor the freedom to truly express themselves without external big business pressure. The rise of the World Wide Web has made it especially easy for doll makers to find their place in the doll market.

Some people consider their OOAK dolls to be a completely new design from top to bottom. Others, while not restoration experts per-se, repaint and dress older dolls to become OOAK. There are people who specialize in all sorts of dolls--fashion dolls from the 1950s, Barbies, porcelains, and many more. Finding an artist who can make your doll OOAK should not be difficult.

One issue to keep in mind is that once a doll has been redone to become OOAK, its intrinsic value as an original doll is lost. For a serious collector, that can be important. If you would rather retain the original features of the doll, it would be best to go with a simple restoration rather than an all-out makeover. Or, you can have a doll created from scratch so there's really no chance of the value of your doll diminishing.

From make-up to clothes, OOAK dolls are quite popular. The fees for a complete makeover can be steep, but the doll collector is paying a premium for by-hand work that is so rare today. The dolls not only get a makeover, but they are literally transformed into a new, one-of-a-kind treasure.