Ramblings

Native American Paper Dolls… Dude I can’t find any…

I don’t usually political on this blog, but today I am pretty annoyed.

I grew up surrounded by Native American culture, particularly Tlingit and Haida. When I moved to the Lower 48, I was shocked to discover that people seemed to have completely forgotten that Native American’s still existed in the world. Mainstream culture accepts depictions of Native American’s that it would never accept of Blacks or Hispanics or Asians or Jews, and it only takes a few depressing internet searches to discover this. Team mascots being the worst offenders.

And I’m pretty internet savvy. I have a freaking library degree, after all, but in my search for paper dolls to celebrate Native American Heritage Month, I have come up pretty blank.

I found these Iroquois paper dolls, both a man and a woman. The art is pretty simple, but they would be fun for a small child, I think.

Native Tech’s virtual paper doll brings back memories of coding javascript back in the day, but seriously needs to be updated with something less cranky.

The Alaska State Museum used to have a really cute one they passed out for free depicting several different groups costumes, but I didn’t see an online version of it.

So, I am putting out the call to my internet friends. Help me find attractive, non-stereotypical, free printable paper dolls of Native Americans. Ideally one’s that specify who they are depicting and don’t fall into the “generic buckskins trap”. Please? There have to be more than these.

Edit 11/15/13: I have written further on this topic in my post “Traditional Native American Clothing of the Early 21st Century” By Steven Paul Judd & Native American Paper Dolls.

Some New Things from the Sketchbook…

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I’ve been trying to do more historical stuff, but it always takes longer. Theses are for Marisole and both date from the 1860s. I might get them done for Thanksgiving, but I wouldn’t hold your breath.

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So, here is Puck, rocking some historically inaccurate 18th century gear. I love the hats. I wanted to make a Prince for all the fantasy Pixie paper dolls I have done.

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And in a total contrast to the 1860’s… Marisole in SPACE! (Yes, the exclamation point is entirely necessary.) She’s going to be a pink haired alien chick with guns and this fills me with a sort of unhealthy manic glee.

And Then There’s the Sketchbook…

Today, I did a lot of inking after work… and photographed it on an empty box left over from the move… I do seem to still have a fair number of those laying about.

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A pirate pixie set I have been working on… I listened to Treasure Island on audio book during the drive down to Alabama and well… I got inspired.

I almost gave her a peg leg, but I restrained myself.

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Heads for a few different Pixies and a steampunk-ish Pixie set, I finished inking today. Hence the photo-op on the deck… I love having a deck. It’s a new experience.

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I’ve been working on more one-shot paper dolls. I like the freedom of the new less scheduled system, because it allows me to play around with things I wouldn’t normally do. I’m not too keen on her lips though, I have to confess. I think she looks angry.

24 Paper Dolls from Deviant Art…

paper_doll_around_the_webSo, I was pawing around Deviant Art again and came across some really neat paper dolls from a variety of artists. I try to only link one paper doll from each artist (usually my favorite), but you should check out their galleries. There are some really cool paper dolls on Deviant Art. I’ve done this twice before and the same disclaimer applies: Not everything here is totally safe for the kiddies. You’ve been warned.

Now, on to 24 neat paper dolls:

1. Tina paper-doll by ~Johse is a neat use of digital artwork.
2. JOHN LENNON PAPER DOLL 4 by ~89000007ANL is what every Beatles fan needs… maybe…
3. Base Dolls with lots of outfits by~razzysri and I think I should get some reference here, but I don’t. Still, I like the paper dolls.
4. Taylor and Raine – Colour by ~idareu2bme with some clothes in black and white.
5. Paper Doll Kristen Stewart High Fashion Bella by ~NovellineArt has one some sexy undies, lemme tell ya…
6. Snowwhite by ~Mauau has furry friends and some sassy outfits, plus she’s done a Merida one too.
7. Lucy Pevensie Paper Doll by ~gianjos reminds me why I like CS Lewis so much.
10. Baby Paper Dollby ~Adoratia is proof I should get over my anti-baby paper dolls thing, because its really cute.
11. Elizabeth paper Doll by ~hdub7 is another one whose reference I feel like I should be getting, but don’t. Still, beautiful old-school style comic paper doll.
12. A Little Gibson Girl Paper Doll by ~LeslieMarieDawson was done in oil pastel, I think…
13. Garden Fairy Paper Doll by ~juliematthews happens to be quite pretty and green.
14. Poker Face Paper Doll by ~wunderbunny0602 is so… Gaga.
15. paper crafts paper doll by ~foodcoloring is on a great layout.
16. Red Ridinghood Paperdoll by ~pairtiger walks the line between cute and creepy, I think.
17. Paper Doll by ~dariauk is of a ballerina.
18. MLP-Lyra and bonbon paper dolls by ~dmsal1818 are a cute vintage couple.
19. Octavia by ~BeautyBeneath has other outfits too, but this is my favorite.
20. Paperdoll by ~lamenthia would be perfect for kids to color.
21. princess by ~alexpedreira has a prince and a wedding dress, so what else could she need? (Okay, so personally, I would also give her a sword and a bad attitude, but that’s just me…)
22. Paper dolls by ~kiti83 seem very cheerful for being so undressed…
23. adrian arlington paper doll by ~beriquito has got a great pirate outfit.
24. dollface- mr. crowfeathers by ~kungpowkitten is evidence that I do like male paper dolls, I just don’t draw them often.

So, at the moment, I am rather fascinated by….

1. 1940’s Dresses.

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There’s something beautiful and strong and simple and interesting about the fashion of the 1940’s… perhaps because of World War II and the change between the style during the war and the New Look that came after…

Or maybe I just love the chick’s hat on this pattern cover.

2. Steampunk Corsets

I’m not into steampunk literature or anything… but I really like these corsets… Not that I would wear them anywhere, but they just look neat.

3. 1950’s Pulp Sci-Fi

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Um… Yeah… so there’s something about buxom blonds being stolen by aliens on strange planets that amuses me. This shouldn’t shock anyone.

4. NBC’s GRIMM

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I don’t have a TV at the moment, so I’ve been watching a lot of HULU and, well, now I have the biggest crushes on about half the characters in this stupid TV show, GRIMM… It’s like CSI: Portland meets… Twlight Zone meets… I don’t even know what.

Yeah, I love it.

5. The Art of Aubrey Beardsley

So, I’ve been on this Aubrey Beardsley kick for a few weeks, ever since I came across an original copy of Yellow Book with the plates intact.

P.S. Not all of Beardsley’s stuff is safe for work… he had a thing for men with abnormally large… well… this is a family blog, so I won’t get into it… just be a little careful where you image search him.

Anyway, that’s what I’ve been into on the web lately. Some of this stuff might find its way into a paper doll or two.

Gargoyles Paper dolls… No Really!

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So, I am probably not the only person who watched the show “Gargoyles” as a kid. It was a cartoon and there were Gargoyles and like half the cast of Star Trek Next Generation did the voice acting.

I was meandering around the internet this weekend looking for gothic paper doll links for a post on…well… gothic paper dolls, because I am like that, and I found Gargoyles paper dolls.

I am totally absurdly abnormally pleased by their presence.

Sadly, the site looks pretty dead and my email to the “owner” to ask if I could post a pic as a link was not replied to, so I did it anyway. That probably makes me a bad person…. but dude…. Gargoyles paper dolls…

Did anyone else watch this show when they were a kid?

I’m Back! Also… News about Changes to PTP

Thank you all for being patient with me while I got settled in here in Alabama. I won’t say that I’m completely settled (there are still a few boxes to go through), but I am pretty settled all things considered.

At least the important things like books and art supplies are unpacked.

So, there are a few announcements.

I’m throwing out the schedule.

This is something I’ve been contemplating for a few months and I was going to make a poll of it, but then I decided I was going to do it anyway… so I might as well just announce it.

There will continue to be a Marisole update each Monday with the first one being a black and white version with the full color version following. I was able to spend a fair bit of my time off working on getting some post backlog set up, so I can confidently say there will be Marisole’s for the next few weeks at least.

I will try to get another paper doll posted each week, along with the Marisole. So, you can expect two paper dolls per week.

While this does mean fewer paper dolls over all, it will open up the styles and allow me some flexibility which I want, allowing me to devote more time to The Flock and also, hopefully, let me draw some more detailed and difficult things.

I’ve also begun work on a joint project between myself, Boots of 19th Century Paper Dolls and Toria over at A Paper Closet. I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am for this project. It will debut at the end of October, if everything goes as planned.

I will also be posting some older work, both from my days in college and from when I was in high school and middle school. I can’t wait to share some of these really early paper dolls, but I have to say, I had very odd ideas about proportions as a young person.

Though looking at my paper dolls now, you could say I still have some odd ideas about proportion… but I digress…

By the way, I noticed embarrassingly late that there was a slight problem with some of the feet/shoes on the latest set of Flock Magnetic Paper Dolls- Modern Girl. It’s been fixed, so now all the shoes should work properly. It took me cutting them out and playing with them to notice my error… Actually, I didn’t notice, but my friend did. Opps… So glad that’s fixed.

Also, I had some complaints about my RSS feed. I think I also got that fixed. Let me know if I haven’t.

Anyway, I am really excited to be back. There will be a paper doll up tomorrow and on Monday, so everyone can get their fix. If you have any questions, thoughts or ideas for what I should do in the future, please feel free to comment. I love hearing from readers.

Haitus… for a bit I think…

downloadAs those of you who read this blog regularly might have figured out, I am going home to Alaska for two weeks, then moving to Alabama and starting a new job about which I am totally excited, but… the combination is a little… crazy.

As a result, and after considerable thought, I have decided that the blog will be on hiatus for the month of July and, perhaps, the month of August. My life is just too insane right now to support this wonderful addiction to little paper people that I have and I don’t want to just drop off the face of the Earth without notice.

So… I am leaving for a bit, but will return.

There will be when I return, I think, some changes to things here in on PTP… I haven’t decide what exactly yet, but I think things will be changing… so while I’m gone you might notice links are shifting around, pages are disappearing or other changes to the site. Fear not… it just means I’m futzing with things.

I shall try to reply to comments and emails when I can and I will certainly be drawing while I am away.

See you all in a few weeks.

– Rachel

Update: Looks like things should be back, though slightly changed, on September 1st. Got safely to Alabama and am settling in here. 🙂 – Rachel

Paper doll blogging: Setting the bar low…

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Disclaimer: I am not an expert on blogging, website design or anything else. I don’t make money doing this and I don’t have a ton of readers. Continue at your own risk.

The trick to blogging I think is this: Set the bar low, so you can achieve your goals.

And no, I am not kidding.

I might want to post every day, but there’s not a chance that’s going to happen. So, if I say I am going to post a paper doll every day and than I fail to post every day, I feel that I have let people down.

At which point, the spiral of self-doubt and guilt sets in. This is a bad spiral.

Instead, I say, I’d like to have post once a week. I know my schedule says four times a week, but my goal these days is a post a week.

I’m moving. I’m starting a new job. I can not keep to my old schedule.

And I think one post a week is about the minimum for a blog to keep itself running. So, that’s my goal. One new paper doll post a week. Sometimes I make this, sometimes I don’t. Sometimes I go over it.

But if I felt like I had created an expectation that I would post everyday and failed to meet it than I would end up just feeling guilty and bad about neglecting the blog and I feel guilty and bad about that enough already.

This is supposed to be fun. When it stops being fun, I seriously need a new hobby.

Wanna Get a Custom Paper Doll?

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Lately, I’ve been feeling like all my posts are sort of sounding the same.

Blah blah blah paper doll blah blah blad dresses are pretty blah blah blah weather is nice blah… which is kinda bothering me.

I mean, yeah, this is a blog about paper dolls, but it should be a little more interesting I think… so I’ve decided to ask all of you for help.

Ask me a question in the comments of this post. Pretty much any question. If you ask a question, you’ll be entered in my drawing.

The prize is a paper doll drawn to your specifications. Previous winning paper dolls have been a Steampunk Marisole, a Chinese Street fashion Marisole (which has a mis-used apostrophe that bugs me…. I should fix it sometime) and a pair of Pucks in suits (normally, the prize is one paper doll, but since it took me so long to get the Pucks done, I was feeling guilty and did two). Drawing will be open for two weeks.

I’ll use the questions to spark ideas for blog posts. So, even if you don’t win a paper doll, you might get your question answered. And that could be cool, right?