Frocks and Gowns in Color

logo-frocks-gowns-colorSo, this is going up a little late today. Sorry about that, but life got crazy this weekend. I want to talk a little bit today about coloring last week’s paper doll and a little about diversity in the paper doll world.

So, when I color a paper doll set, I start with a pallette. I knew I was going to be giving Monica a fairly rich brown skin tone, so that opened up and closed down certain color options. For example, I tend to avoid putting brown colored clothing on brown colored paper dolls, unless the tones are really different, since it can blend too easily. Since she was going to have a rich skin-tone, I decided that bright and color dresses made a lot of sense.

The strapless gown with the belt was based on this gown by Andrew GN and since it had a red top and a pink bottom, that informed the blues and the greens as contrasting colors in the other gowns.

frocks-gowns-black-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}
I’m a big believer in paper doll diversity. I think it is really important to have a variety of concepts and skin-tones and, ideally, a variety of concepts in a variety of skin-tones. Truthfully, I tend not to think of my paper dolls in terms of ethnicity, but in terms of color. It it less about, “this paper doll is African-American” and more about “this paper doll is a dark brown with red undertones.”

I used to think I was the only one who thought this way about paper doll skin-tones until I read this post from Julie over at Paper Doll School. I was comforted to find out that we both tend to think in terms of “color” not in terms of ethnicity.

The result of coloring things, perhaps?

What I do know is that no matter how I think about skin-tone, it is crucial to me that I offer readers of all backgrounds and colors paper dolls that reflect them. People should be able to see themselves in the toys they play with.

Yes, I know a lot of my readers are adults, but adults play with toys, too. At least, they should. 🙂 I do.

6 thoughts on “Frocks and Gowns in Color”

  1. I first found this blog by searching for paper dolls with diverse skin tones. I agree it’s important!

  2. It’s nice to hear your thoughts on diversity in paper dolls. I, too, think about skin color as just one more tone in my palette. And I think that says a lot about changing, inclusive views. You’ve mentioned more than once how influential toys are on children — which, as a mother, I totally agree with & see every day — and having access to diverse toys is a huge part of childhood. People want to see something of themselves in art, and it’s great that you’re so thoughtful about that.

    Oh, and the doll is great too! I still just love her short hair!

  3. I really like the short reddish-pink dress. Quick question: how can I put something on the Showcase? I would like to but I can’t figure out how (it’s probably my computer, it sucks).

    • You don’t put things on the showcase, Rachel does. 🙂
      Quote from the Showcase page:
      Have a paper doll set of mine you’ve colored and want included? Feel free to email me.
      and:
      Have some art of your own, you’d like to see up here? Sent it to me.

      • Yersinia is correct. If you want something added to the showcase, you have to email the pictures to me [paperthinpersonas(at)gmail(dot)com]. I then will email you and ask a few questions and, assuming we can agree on terms, I add it to the Showcase. Truth be told, I haven’t updated the Showcase in a while and I need to do that. 🙂

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