May 2017 • Page 2 of 3 • Paper Thin Personas

Mini-Maiden’s As a Superhero

May 17, 2017May 17, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Superheros! And Stars!

The Mini-Maidens are getting their first paper doll superhero costume. I chose a star as the symbol and create the staff/wand to be her signature item. You can decide if it is a weapon or just a stylin’ accessory.

I have a love hate relationship with the superhero genre. On one hand, I really enjoy exciting movies that require only limited brain power. On the other hand, I struggle with the common lack of repercussions in the genre. The total destruction of New York is pretty common (sometimes it is Chicago) and rarely does anyone pause to ask if the ends justify the means.

Not to mention the fact that there’s a high level of sexism in the genre with female superheros regularly depicted in way that are designed to entice men rather than empower women. And I can’t recall the last superhero film that actually passed the Bechdel test (anyone know?) and so I find that the feminist in me struggles with the genre as a whole.

Nevertheless, last year superhero costumes outsold princess costumes at Halloween, so clearly there’s a cultural shift in this direction. While some of my friends are excited, because superheros they see superheros as less problematic than princesses, I am not sure I agree. Both are problematic in their own ways, but I want to create paper dolls the reflect the world around me and the world around me is full of superheros.

Plus, my patrons the Steger Family asked for them, so there’s another reason to create some more.

Still, I’ll probably always have mixed feelings about superheros.

Need a Mini-Maiden paper doll to wear today’s outfit? Pick a Mini-Maiden Paper Doll Here.

The Poppet Printable Paper Dolls Finally Get Some Blue Jeans

May 16, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations:The Realization that the Poppets Have Very Few Pairs of Jeans

Most of us have jeans in our closets. I certainly do. In fact, since I am pretty picky about jean fit, I have three pairs of nearly identical jeans in my closet. Levi stopped making my favorite 514 curvy fit jeans and I have yet to forgive them for this, but I can still get them in talls from Amazon. Once they run out of stock, I really don’t know what I’ll do about jeans.

Anyway, my point is that jeans are central to most people’s wardrobes and I’ve always thought that every paper doll should have a few items that fall into the “basics” category- stuff you really need to mix and match with some of the more exciting clothing. Jeans fall into the “basics” category.

So, imagine my surprise when I realized there had literally only been one pair of traditional full length jeans for the Poppet paper dolls back in 2013 with literally the first Poppet paper doll ever Petunia. The second pair jeans are a pair of rolled shorts that I drew January and posted in February.

Well, all that changes today. Today’s Poppet paper doll clothing set includes a t-shirt with a pink elephant on it and two pairs of jeans. One is a light colored wash with a rolled hem and the other is a dark blue flared pair.

The way I see it, jeans go with pretty much any top I have ever drawn though this one might be a stretch. Ain’t gonna lie.

I also drew a stuffed teddy bear, because I like stuffed teddy bears. Not every choice is well justified in my world.

So, do you have jeans on your closet? Are they a favorite or a least favorite clothing item? (Also is there anything worse to shop for than jeans?) Let me know in a comment or just let me know what you think of today’s paper doll.

Need a paper doll to wear today’s outfit? Pick a Poppet Paper Doll Here.

Meet Ebele the New Black Ms. Mannequin Doll

May 28, 2017May 15, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Really old files that I find on my computer

Today’s paper doll is the result of cleaning out some old files, plus last week I posted dolls for most of the series except Poppets (I don’t have a Poppet doll in my stash at the moment) and Ms. Mannequin, because I only have 5 days in a week.

So, it seemed fitting to start this week with a Ms. Mannequin paper doll. It has been a long time since I posted a a Ms Mannequinn doll with this dark of a skintone. My last one was back in 2015. That’s almost two years ago.

Ebele is a Igbo name which means “mercy, kindness.” Igbo is one of the languages spoken in Nigeria. Ebele can share clothing with Shayna and Kira.

This is why I got to give her such colorful shoes. I figured Shayna has brown and black shoes and Ebele can wear them, so she’s got summery fun shoes.

She’ll need some summer clothing, of course. I posted some super trendy stuff in March, but there’s also this older set of resort wear. If you think your paper doll is a more casual soul here’s a cute pair of cut off shorts. Alternatively, if she’s a bit of a hippy then this set might be more fitting.

It’s funny to me. When I first created the Ms. Mannequin series, I was certain I wouldn’t keep updating it, but I actually have really enjoyed getting to draw modern clothing for a doll series designed for wearing modern clothing.

That’s actually something I want to get back too. More contemporary fashion for the Ms. Mannequin is in the future, I think. What do y’all think? Let me know in a comment.

Need some clothing for today’s Ms Mannequin paper doll? Pick Out Some Ms. Mannequin Clothing Here

Xavier Getting his Medieval Fantasy Garb On

May 19, 2020May 12, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Goatees

As anyone whose been following this blog for a while knows, I have mixed feelings about men’s clothing and male paper dolls in general. I am trying to learn to embrace the things that male paper dolls have that lady paper dolls don’t have.

One of those things is facial hair. So, today I am experimenting with facial hair by giving Xavier this dashing goatee.

Beyond that I feel like this is a kinda uninspired set of men’s fantasy clothing. There’s nothing wrong with any of it. Each piece is fine, but I don’t see it and think, “Wow, that was creative.”

Of course, I have to remind myself that not every paper doll has to be perfect. Perfect, I often say, is the enemy of Good.

Frankly, my favorite part of today’s paper doll is the sword. I think that came out pretty well.

If you want to give Xavier some other fantasy clothing I think this set or this set would look pretty cool.

Looking for something else for today’s Sprite paper doll to wear? Pick out some clothing here.

Teresa with a Medieval Fantasy Gown Inspired by the Bliaut

May 19, 2020May 11, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: 12 Century Clothing Like Bliauts

I had originally intended for this to be the first Teresa doll, but I decided I’d done a lot of fantasy stuff so I wanted to change of pace.

As some of you know, the Sprites are a later adaption of a series of paper dolls called the Pixie & Puck. I created a Pixie in 2013 named Phillipa with a similar hairstyle to this one. Pixie dolls and Sprites can’t share clothing, just FYI.

Today’s Teresa paper doll owes something to the 12th century. Her dress is a fantasy version of a bliaut. What, you might ask, is a bliaut?

Well, when you picture medieval dresses with those crazy long bell-sleeves that drape to the floor? That’s a bliaut. It’s a style the seems to have been born in France and spread to England after the Norman invasion in 1066.

Of course, today’s dress isn’t a historically accurate bliaut. I won’t call anything historical unless I can point you all to my detailed sources, but it is a bliaut inspired look. Her hair is also a nod to the 12th century when super long braids were very much in vogue.

The two pairs of shoes were my attempt at fairly flexible fantasy shoes, so she could wear them with a variety of the fantasy outfits I’ve created for the Sprites thus far, personally I think she’d look nice in this one or this one.

Tomorrow, there will be a Xavier paper doll with some medieval fantasy inspired clothing as well.

Looking for something else for today’s Sprite paper doll to wear? Pick out some clothing here.

Faye as a Printable Mermaid Paper Doll

May 10, 2017May 10, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Mermaids! Because I like Mermaids… & My Patrons Asked for Them

Several patrons asked for more fantasy things in 2017, specifically non-human races. So, mermaids!

In a strictly practical sense I have no idea why mermaids would wear clothes. In the ocean, that hardly seems to provide easy movement around the ocean and I tend to be of the view that since modesty is a social construct defined differently by various cultures, I don’t really see why mermaids would have the same concept of modesty as we have in the modern Western world.

In short, I don’t think mermaids would wear clothing if they actually exist.

However, since I am in the business of drawing paper dolls, not writing a thesis on the socio-cultural assumptions that underly how mythological creatures are depicted, I decided to draw clothing. After all, without clothing, mermaid paper dolls are just kinda dull.

I actually really enjoy drawing mermaid paper doll tails, but they take a little bit of work. They are only of the only things that I always draft full-sized before I try to draw them on the nice sketchbook paper. The reasoning is how easy it is to get the curve of the tail wrong and then it looks like it is broken or off. Plus, you have to cover the whole dolls legs which takes some extra work.

I chose Faye to be the mermaid today, because I haven’t done a Faye paper doll in a while and she was the first of the Mini-Maidens, so I think she deserves some love.

I mean, I haven’t done one since November 2016.

And that’s all I have to say about today’s mermaid. Tune in tomorrow for the first of a pair of Sprites paper dolls and probably not another post in which I’ll get to write the phrase “socio-cultural assumptions that underly how mythological creatures are depicted” which is a pity.

As always, I love to hear what y’all think of today’s paper doll. So, let me know in a comment.

Need a more outfits for today’s Mini-Maiden Paper Doll? Find More Clothing Here.

A Curvy Retro Inspired Space Alien Paper Doll

October 3, 2023May 9, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Retro Space Aliens and Pink Boots

I like retro sci-fi. I like all sci-fi really. I’m loving Dark Matter at the moment and I have a deep spot place in my heart for Star Trek and Star Wars. Still, as much as I enjoy Dark Matter, I don’t really enjoy drawing the “gritty” sci-fi aesthetic.

There’s only so many pairs of black pants you can draw for a paper doll.

So, today’s sci-fi paper doll is very retro inspired. She’s blue skinned and her dress is very much of the 1960s retro feel. She’s got pink boots and shaggy hair. Now, my only major regret about her is that to make her hair “work”, you really need to print two, cut one’s head off and paste the head over the first head, because the drape of the hair would cover the high neckline of the dress.

Almost makes me wish I used Boot’s separate head method of paper doll creation.

Anyway, the pink dress is designed to wrap around the dolls legs and be visible from behind. There’s something kinda Jane Jetson going on with the dress. Maybe a bit to sexy for Jane, but you know what I mean.

If you think she needs some more sci-fi inspired clothing here’s another foray I made into retro sci-fi or some candy colored cyberpunk looks might be more your style. Also, if she needs a friend, here’s my other retro inspired alien girl from earlier this year.

So, what do you think? Fun? Do we need more fashions from space! Space fashions. Spashions, you might say.

Need to get some more clothing for this Bodacious & Buxom paper doll to wear? Pick out some clothing here

Marisole Monday: A Tudor Fantasy Gent

July 23, 2020May 8, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: The Character of Sid from Galavant

There’s a show on Netflix that I adore called Galavant. It’s a musical and it always makes me laugh. The second season is far better than the first season, but both are pretty entertaining. (If you decide to watch it, give it like four or five episodes, the first few are a little rough.) The very good looking Luke Youngblood plays Sid, the squire and inspired this paper doll’s hair. I admit it is not quite as awesome as Sid’s hair, but I did my best.

Drawing male paper dolls will probably never be my favorite option, but I am trying very hard to create more gents in 2017 and the Sprites series has given me more practice in designing and drawing men’s clothing.

I’m trying something different this week. I was going through my media library where all the paper doll content lives before I get it scheduled and ready to go out into the world and I realized that I have a lot more dolls then I have clothing sets ready to go. So, this week I am shaking up my “dolls on Monday” policy and posting nothing but dolls all week!

You can look forward to a Mini-Maiden mermaid, a pair of Medieval fantasy Sprites and a B&B curvy space alien. Should be fun, I hope.

Need a more outfits for today’s Marisole Monday & Friends Paper Doll? Find More Guys Clothing Here.

B&B’s Paper Doll Sorceress Gowns Continue!

May 5, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Tridents, Water and Ancient Greece

So, back in early April, I posted the first part of my Sorceress’ Gowns Project (I always come up with the most creative names.) In that intro post, I explained that I had a variety of potential long term projects, tossed them out to my Patrons and this was the winning idea.

I had kinda been hoping Space Princess would win the poll, but you can’t have everything in life. And nothing is stopping me from embracing Space Princesses as a future plan.

Anyhow, today’s sorceress gown is based on Water, just like my last gown was based on Fire. I wanted to pair fire and water with a similar ancient Greek influence. Mind you, this a very Hollywood idea of Ancient Greek clothing owing more to Xena: Warrior Princess than actual history.

I wanted to capture the shades of water I tend to think of which are not light blues. I tend to associate water with such a dark teal that it looks nearly black which is what I remember from Southeast Alaska where I grew up.

Her magical staff is based on a trident which is a nod to Poseidon, the Greek God of the Ocean. It’s probably not a very functional trident, what with the center prong being a jewel encrusted thing, but there you have it.

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Need to get a Bodacious & Buxom paper doll to wear these fabulous clothes? Pick one out here.

A Fancy Outfit For A Paper Doll’s Fancy Events

December 6, 2020May 4, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Prom Season

It is prom season and while I am not in an age group that is going to prom, I have noticed a strong trend towards crop tops and full skirts.

While I did enjoy the proms I went to, I will openly confess that there is no force in the universe that could make me want to go back to high school. That was just a dreadful part of my youth.

While I was helping a close friend shop for a wedding dress, I noticed a lot of prom dress styles were showing off the midriff. This isn’t a new thing, by the way, midriff revealing evening wear dates back to the 1940s- here’s one example from the movie Lady Eve. It’s a hard dress to find a decent picture of, I confess. There’s also one in Casablanca, but I can’t seem to find a picture of that dress. Sigh.

Anyway, the point is the showing of your midriff in evening wear is not a new thing, but certainly hasn’t been in style for a few decades. It certainly wasn’t “in” when I was in high school heading off to Prom. That was the era of dressed based on the movie Titanic’s Jump Dress and also styles like this from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Seriously, I knew at least three people who wore short satiny dresses under sheer layers to formals in high school.

I digress.

I had way to much fun drawing the huge oversized floral on the skirt of this outfit. I really wanted something that the full skirt to accommodate, so giant floral seemed like it would be fun.

Other then that, I’m just glad I got to share this dress before Prom season was completely over, though I strongly suspect it has mostly wrapped up by now.

So, tell me fearless readers, did you go to Prom? I did, but not my Senior year. We had a joint Junior and Senior prom at my school. I also went as a Sophomore, because I was invited by a Senior. That was actually the most fun one since many of my friends in High School were older then me.

Not bad memories, but, as I said above, no force on this planet could make me want to go back to high school.

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Need a paper doll to wear today’s outfit? Pick out a Ms. Mannequin Paper Doll Here

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