Warm in Winter: African-American Paper Doll Coloring Page

logo-warm-bwHappy Hanukkah to everyone who is celebrating along with me.

Anyway, onto the paper doll, it was important to me to get a coat based set up before it was, you know, March or April. 🙂 So, here is some cute coats along with a fantastic updo and some boots for Marisole Monday and all her friends.

So, I used to think I was really bad about matching up the season to the paper doll set of clothing and I was about to write this whole post about how proud I was for getting these coats up now and not in, you know, June. Then I went through my archives looking for an example of a totally off seasonal post from Marisole Monday & Friends and I couldn’t really find one,

I guess I’m better at pairing up sets to the right season than I ever thought I was. Live and learn, I suppose.

Anyway, today’s printable paper doll is all about the coats. My favorite is the biker jacket. Which one is your favorite?

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{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 love hairsyle magazines for hair ideas, especially for black hairstyles and for short hairstyles- two areas I often think I need help with. I try to pick up hairstyle magazines every few months for new hair ideas. Then I sometimes play a game where I draw things from like every seventh page or I decide I will pick something from an odd numbered page or… You get the idea.

For example, today’s braided style comes from the November 2015 issue of Sophisticate’s Black Hair Styles and Care Guide. According to the magazine, the hair style is a combination of cornrows and box-braids. (I’m still learning my braiding terminology.) I don’t think I captured it perfectly (Marisole has a really low forehead, so that doesn’t help), but I’m pleased with the outcome.

Over on my Pateron, my patrons are busy voting for what the blog goals for 2016 should be. If you’d like to vote too, consider joining up to support the blog on Patreon.

I haven’t decided if I am going to do my usual end of the year drawing for a custom paper doll or not. I confess to being very divided on the subject- there’s a lot on my plate right now.

Cerise: A Printable Paper Doll

A freckled paper doll who is part of the Ms. Mannequin series of paper dolls. She is available both in color and in black white. I named today’s printable paper doll “Cerise” which is a French name meaning “Cherry”, because of her red paper-doll base. Cerise has the same skin-tone as Natalie. So they can share shoes.

I like redheads. I blame this on Anne of Green Gables and my grandmother. My grandmother had the most beautiful red hair. (That sentence makes it sound like she’s dead. She’s not dead, but her hair is now grey.)

I did not inherit this and I have been bitter about that for a long time. So, if it was up to me, most of my paper dolls would default to red heads.

I try to fight this natural urge, since I want diversity and variety in my paper doll world.

Anyway, this time I gave in. 🙂

A freckled paper doll who is part of the Ms. Mannequin series of paper dolls. She is available both in color and in black white. cercise-paper-doll-msman-color

{Click Here for a PDF in Color} {Click Here for a 150 dpi PNG in Color}{Click Here for a PDF of Black and White} {Click Here for a 150 dpi PNG in Black and White}{Click Here for More Clothes}{Click Here for Paper Dolls to Wear These Clothes}

Between Natalie’s two pairs of shoes and these two pairs of shoes, I’m pleased to say Cerise has some variety. Actually, I think her hair would look lovely with the set of contemporary clothing I posted back in October.

Right now I am working on formulating my goals and focuses for 2016, so I’m polling my patrons. Join me on Patreon and you can help me decide, plus support the blog too.

 

Oodles of Doodles: Princesses in Progress

I keep a memo book in my purse. I use it for everything from grocery lists to notes about blog posts to doodling paper doll sets. I tend to draw small in my notebook and then pull it out when it comes time to actually transfer my ideas into my sketchbook.

I’ll openly confess that half or more of what I doodle never makes it into paper doll form, but when I am staring at a blank page feeling uninspired, knowing I have my little memo book at hand is awfully useful.

All of these pages are doodles for my plans for my Princess Paper Doll Club which I hope to start next year. I haven’t decided all the details, but I think it will be a six or twelve month subscription where each month the subscribers will be sent a unique Princess paper doll for coloring and in color. Of course, each princess will be able to share each other’s clothing and each princess will have I think about five dresses/outfits.

First up we have the February/Valentine’s Day Princess. I don’t plan on naming the Princesses, but titling each of them something like, “The Princess Who Liked Hearts” or “The Princess Who Loved Gears” or “The Princess who…” You get the idea.

Valentine's Day with birds and hearts. Maybe I should be less typical?
Valentine’s Day with birds and hearts. Maybe I should be less typical?

Next is my sketches for the March Princess. I was thinking both of the famous “ides of March” and of James Madison, whose birthday was in March. This led, obviously, to high waists and Roman style draping. (Hey, I don’t judge where other people get their ideas.)

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Daffodils are actually really hard to draw. Who knew?

There’s a little more March at the top of this page before it gets into April doodles. April always makes me think of that old nursery rhyme, “April Showers Bring May Flowers”. So, rainboots and lots of floral patterns, plus gardening accessories. I am thinking of calling her, “The Princess Who Splashes in Mud Puddles.”

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Every Princess needs rain boots and a shovel as accessories, don’t you think?

So, here you have it. The thrilling world of my notebooks. I really do recommend thumbnail doodling. I think it really helps to have a chance to draw out what you think you want before you actually draw it for “real”. On rare occasions, I do actually practice sketch full size- often on lined paper- before I transfer the design to my notebook. It’s not very common, but I do it sometimes. Often for hats like fedoras or bonnets, because those flummox me.

What to get a special announcement when the Princess club goes live? Just leave a comment letting me know and I’ll add you to my list. 🙂