A Lady at Court in Color: Printable Tudor Paper Doll

logo-tudor-colorI confess the colors here were heavily influenced by the colors in the portraits that I used as inspiration. (Full list of those can be found in last week’s post.) That meant there was a lot of black. I confess that somehow Tudor clothing looks best to me in rich, vivid shades of red, gold and black, so I settled on that color scheme.

Most of the ways we think of history are influenced by our perceptions of the past, rather than the reality of the past. It’s easy to imagine the Victorian era entirely in sepia, because that is what we have available. I have been watching an excellent documentary by the BCC entitled Monarchy on Nexflix over the lat few days. It’s been fascinating, if at times a little confusing when I lose track of which Edward is which. Never the less, we’ve just gotten to Henry the 8th and I smiled when I saw the gowns of this era.

margot-tudor-paper-doll
{Click Here for a PDF to Print} {Click Here for a PNG to Print} {Click Here for More Marisole Monday & Friends Printable Paper Dolls}
Over the years that I have been drawing paper dolls, few eras have seen has intimidating as Tudor. I’m very pleased that I was able to tackle this period. My next major research project will be preparing for my Viking paper doll set for B&B. I just received from Interlibrary Loan on Friday the book Woven Into the Earth about textiles from Norse Greenland. So, I’ll be curling on this week with that on my couch trying to make sense of Viking attire.

Once I’m done with Vikings (which will be a few weeks, I am waiting a on a few more books), I’ll need a new period to research. For this purpose, I have put together a poll. These are all eras that I have either never really studied or generally think I don’t like. I want to force myself to do things which I wouldn’t normally be drawn too.

[poll id=”7″]

8 thoughts on “A Lady at Court in Color: Printable Tudor Paper Doll”

  1. Wow, she is breathtaking! The red, black and Gold Color scheme works very well indeed, and I love that she’s a redhead.

    It’s an amazing coincidence that you’ll be posting a Viking paperdoll!
    One of the most important annual exhibitions here in Lower Austria is at the Renaissance Castle Schallaburg, and they are showing a huge Vikings exhibition this year. And thus we here at my library decided to put our summer children’s festival under the Viking banner as well.
    Maybe I can use your paperdoll and your research notes and links to persuade my coworkers to get into costume for that afternoon? I’d love that. 🙂

    And I’m surprised, very pleasantly, that one of the options of your poll is an era you once said you didn’t like, fashion wise.
    Sorry, but I had to vote for the 1830s! 😀 (Even though it was a hard decision battle between that and the Italian Renaissance!)

    • Ah, didn’t you say you weren’t too fond of 17th century fashion either?
      I completely missed that option when I saw Renaissance and 1830s! I should read more rather than skim! 😀
      But no, I stand by my choice!

      • Part of the point of me working in these eras is that they are eras that I either know very little about or tend to generally dislike. I am challenging myself to draw things I would usually steer clear of attempting.

        • I am challenging myself to draw things I would usually steer clear of attempting.

          I’m not sure I could do that, especially considering there are so many topics I ~am~ interested in that I have not done anywhere near enough research on.
          But maybe I should challenge myself from time to time to read up on lesser interesting topics that I know little about. 🙂

  2. I love this set! The black, red, and gold works well, and the headresses are beautiful and intricate.
    I am quite excited to see the viking set. Though, I must admit I’d love to see a “Marisole Monday” viking set as well, then she can hang out with her Saxon, 14th century, and Tudor friends.

  3. OMGOSH, a Roman paper doll would be super cool! Like, what about a centurion Marcus? That would be pretty amazing. Or, for a mini series, you could do the Greek Gods and Goddesses! I’m full of ideas. 😀

  4. Oh, so many wonderful choices! (I tend to agree with you if 11960s Mod Look is one you generally dislike, though.) I’m completely torn between Renaissance Italy and Ancient Rome or Greece; I think I will decide based solely on the one with fewer votes at this time 🙂

  5. The top two choices right now are the two choices I want, SCORE! Fingers crossed it ends up either Renaissance or Greece/Rome. Still hoping for a guy in historical garments as well.

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