brunette

DDJ: Sweet Summer Scallops with Dusk

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While all of my paper dolls have themes, I think my contemporary fashion paper dolls have themes that are sometimes more subtle or more defined by color than anything else. After all, there’s only so many ways a person can draw a pair of blue jeans. This set was inspired by summer florals and a pair of polka-dot jeans my sister used to own. In my head, I was thinking feminine silhouettes (hence the flutter, tulip and puffed sleeves) and scallops. I included the long denim skirt, because I feel like 1990s fashions are having a revival and long denim skirts feel so 1990s to me.

I wanted to keep the colors soft and pastel without feeling too… childish. I think pastels can go nursery room really fast. For those keeping count at home, this is my 7th Dolls Du Jour paper doll and my second one with Dusk. The last one was this very fancy evening gown set.

There’s also a new paper doll set up on Etsy if you’d like to go check that one out. It’s a three doll set with five pages of fantasy clothing. I imagine it would be super fun to color.

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Topaz in her Early 1940s Fashions

A black and white printable 1940s paper doll coloring page with vintage fashions to color. Four mix and match dresses, plus hats and shoes.

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A printable 1940s paper doll coloring page with vintage fashions. Four mix and match dresses, plus hats and shoes. The dolls wears a 1940s style swimsuit.

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When I am drawing a historical fashion set, like today’s 1940s fashion paper doll, I always struggle a little to find sources. Since most things after 1924 are perceived as being still in copyright, there’s just not as much out there on the internet. I won’t get into my personal opinions about that one, but I did discover an amazing resource when I was working on this 1940s fashion paper doll was this site called Christmas Catalogs & Holiday Wishbooks. It doesn’t just contain Christmas catalogs, but also have general Sears, Montgomery Ward, and a few JCPenney catalogs from the mid-20th century. Super fun to look through- one thing I noticed was the gradual decline of space given to the topic of hats for women in the catalogs from the 1940s to the end of the 1960s.

You can see more of my sources on my 1940s Fashion Pinterest Board. I also used my books, as I usually do. There’s going to one more from this collection. The first one was last month’s Patreon paper doll. I’m also doing a Patreon poll on the next decade I should do (I already have a 1960s and 1930s sets in the works). Currently, the 1980s is in the lead. If you are a patron, go vote!

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Ruby in Winter In the Country

Ruby, a printable paper doll coloring page, and her eight piece mix and match wardrobe. Her clothing is based on country estate/riding habits.
Ruby, a printable paper doll, and her eight piece mix and match wardrobe in color. Colors inspired by Maine and other parts of the East Coast of the USA.

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Today’s printable paper doll was a chance to explore a trend I was seeing in the winter fashion runways in 2020- a sort of riding habit inspired country estate look. Because so many of these pieces are solid, I opted to not stick to my usual very limited color palette. I gave Ruby glasses. I think she’s the first doll in this series to get glasses, so that’s something to be happy about.

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As Winter Comes, Here’s a Viking Fantasy Paper Doll

Occasionally, I create a paper doll outfit and I know I want to continue for another outfit in another style. For this paper doll set, I wanted to take this Viking Woman Warrior inspired outfit from last January and create a whole Viking fantasy paper doll collection around it. The original design was inspired by this drawing, but I didn’t look at it until I was finished with these new designs.

Today’s paper doll outfits were based on Viking clothing, such as apron-dresses, but I also just had fun with the motifs on the first tunic inspiring motifs on the other pieces.

A printable black and white paper doll coloring page of a Viking fantasy woman with outfits, weapons and accessories.

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The paper doll’s hair was pretty much inspired by stereotypes of Viking hair. I wanted it to feel fantasy, but not be overly elaborate. Actual Vikings were very into personal grooming and took care of their appearance. We know this from the number of combs, tweezers and other tools found in the graves of Vikings. This is Viking fantasy, but I object to the whole idea that they were scruffy.

Printable Viking fantasy paper doll page with a mix and match wardrobe and some fun accessories.

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I did a lot of research on Vikings a few years ago back in 2015 and wrote up a quick over view if you want to read about actual Viking dress. I really enjoyed learning when I did that research. Though I openly confess that I don’t really go with historical Vikings very often. I know enough to know I don’t know enough.

But since I love playing around with different historical periods and creating fantasy paper dolls based on them, I don’t feel too worried about the historical accuracy here.

Meanwhile, if you’re a fan of the blog, than consider joining us over on Patreon. There’s ever more paper doll content. And who doesn’t want more paper dolls?

Retro-Beach Summer Paper Doll with Ruby

One of the interesting things about switching over to Jewels and Gemstones 2.0 has been getting to gather up related pieces from other sets and make them into new sets. I had fun collecting some of the summery clothing I’d drawn over the last year and transforming it into a new set for Ruby, though any of the dolls can wear the clothing. To my patrons, I’m sure these pieces look familiar, but I don’t think most of them have shown up on the blog before.

So, that’s kinda fun.

Paper doll coloring sheet with mix and match wardrobe from paperthinpersonas.com

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I went through several color schemes with this set. Before I finally settled on one that I reminded me of a retro 1960s surf movie poster color scheme. Of course, I didn’t actually look at any retro surf movies for inspiration, but that was my concept. Ruby basically has my hair color here, because I don’t see that color in paper dolls much.

Brunette printable fashion paper doll dress up page with 8 mix and match clothing options.

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In other fun news, I’ve got a published magazine paper doll. If you go grab the current issue of Doll Castle News, you’ll find my paper doll dedicated to “Doll-O-Ween” (shout out to my partner Adam for the title) in there. She was inspired by both BJDs and vintage Ginny dolls. Drawing dolls and not having them come out creepy is super hard. My respect for Diana Vining’s art grew immensely in that project. You can also see some pics on my Instagram.

Anyway, I keep meaning to do a longer post with photos of my sketches and such. However, in case that doesn’t happen (and who knows if it will) I wanted to share.

As always, if you love the blog, want to support it, and want more paper dolls every week- join us on Patreon. This is a one woman show, so any level of support is super helpful to keeping things rolling around here.

Fantasy Princesses and Their Gowns with Lapis

If I had to pick one thing I like drawing the most, I would have a lot of trouble, but it would probably be a tie between historical paper dolls and fantasy paper dolls. Historical because I love doing research and I am big costume history buff. Fantasy because sometimes I really don’t want to do so much research before I draw a paper doll. Of the fantasy things I draw, I think dresses are probably my favorite thing to create. I’m a sucker for a fantasy gown, what can I say?

This is funny, because in the real world, I am very much a jeans and t-shirts kinda girl.

Last year, I started a whole series of princess fantasy gowns I called the Princess and Their Gowns Collection. So far, there are two princesses and today’s paper doll is the third. They can not only share clothing, but the dresses are all in the same color scheme. Many mix and match options, I think.

A paper doll with fantasy princess gowns to color. Printable from paperthinpersonas.com.

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The specific inspirations for these two gowns are lost to me, though I did share this doodle and sketchbook version of the House Dress on Patreon. The House Dress was a Patreon piece from last year. Since it’s been over a year, I figure I can share it.

The Dinner Dress owes a lot to the dresses of the 18th century with the petticoat and the sleeves with ruffles. The “Rococo/Big Skirted Absurdity” section on my Fantasy Pinterest Board has more stuff in this genre. I have a fondness for 18th century inspired paper doll gowns.

A brunette paper doll with fantasy princess gowns. One of hundreds of printable paper dolls from paperthinpersonas.com.

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I’m really happy with how Lapis’ hair came out and I am glad to have her joining Sapphire and Opal. Between the three of them, there are six dresses which I think is a good beginning. I need to draw more though. I’m thinking maybe a sports outfit, perhaps hiking? And also maybe something for the seaside. I haven’t totally decided yet. Is there a theme for a gown you’d like to see?

Let me know in a comment.

Topaz With 12th Century Clothing

In my second Topaz paper doll of the week, here’s some 12th century clothing to go along with the Tudor paper doll from Tuesday. If I had a chose a period of fashion I both really like and know very little about, it would be the 12th century aka 1100s. 12th century clothing in Western Europe is both super interesting to me (I love the sleeves) and very alien.

As much as possible, I try to work from primary sources, ideally illuminated by well written analysis by scholars who know more than me. However, the books I have tend to start in 1200 which is more well documented period and leave 1100s out entirely.

Perfect historical accuracy is impossible, so knowing that I did my best on this paper doll and her 1100s dresses.

A printable paper doll coloring page of 1100s dresses with a paper doll and two gowns.

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Topaz is wearing a shift based one illustrated in Roman de Giron le Courtois on Folio 87v. The manuscript dates from between 1370-1380 even though this is 200 years after the 1100s. Illustrations of women in shifts are just super rare, so you have to use what you can find. I made my version shorter and tighter than the originals, because paper dolls have to layer. Paper doesn’t fold like fabric.

Additionally, Topaz’s shoes all come from Stepping Through Time by Olaf Goubitz, a book on archeological footwear finds. It’s fascinating, but very densely written work. Her hair and headdress are based on illustrations from Women’s Hats, Headdresses and Hairstyles by Georgine de Courtais. Her veil is based on the one seen on the Ushaw Virgin, a brass from the British Museum, as is the dress on the right. The statue, Enthroned Virgin and Child, from The Met, was another source for the dresses. I also used some of the manuscript images from this German site on the Bliaut. All the illustrations are properly cited and that always makes me happy.

A printable paper doll with clothing from the 12th century. Great homeschooling history idea.

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The bliaut is the subject of a lot of debate. Statues of the time show a very wrinkled, almost pleated fabric effect (like this), but illustrations by and large don’t. When they do show horizontal wrinkles across the abdomen they tend to be more subtle. I went with the more subtle option and the no wrinkles option. Inevitably, drawing fashions from history requires making editorial decisions, but I try to capture the silhouette of the period.

Books consulted in the creation of this paper doll included Stepping Through Time by Olaf Goubitz, Women’s Hats, Headdresses and Hairstyles by Georgine de Courtais, Medieval Dress and Fashion by Margaret Scott and Fashion in the Middle Ages by Margret Scott, though this last one was not helpful, particularly.

This is an era I’d like to learn more about. So, if anyone has a book recommendation I’ll happy accept it. Most of my books don’t cover this early period very well.

Today’s set was put together from pieces posted here on the blog last year and on Patreon.

A Tudor Clothing Paper Doll

The last time I did a Tudor clothing paper doll, many years ago, I focused on Henrician gowns. You can see that paper doll here. This time, however, I wanted draw a few other styles from that period. So, along with the Henrician gowns I drew several later styles which were popular in second part of the 1500s, but don’t have easy names (or if they do, I don’t know them.)

Today’s Tudor paper doll has two dresses. The dress on the left is from the 1560s to 1570s. I could find a name for this style of robe with hanging sleeves over petticoat, but you can see styles like this in this portrait of a Lady of the Wentworth Family from 1563, this portrait of an Unknown Lady from 1565-1568 and this portrait of Elizabeth Hardwick, Countess of Shrewsbury circa 1560s. Her dress on the right is a Henrician gown with a matching partlet filling in the low square neckline. These portraits of Queen Mary 1 and Lady Mary Dudley (c.1530–1586) show Henrician gowns with parlets.

Her underwear is a shift, which has been extremely simplified to deal with the sleeves of gowns (the sleeves would have been much fuller and ended in a ruffle/cuff.) Her pair of bodies are a combination of a set from an effigy of Queen Elizabeth in 1603 and those in a famous portrait of Elizabeth Vernon circa 1600. A well cited article about Queen Elizabeth I’s effigy bodies is Sarah Bendall’s Elizabeth I Effigy Bodies Reconstruction. The paper doll has a Spanish farthingale- cone shaped hoops to support skirts that is separate. Spanish Farthingale’s gave dresses their distinct triangular look.

A printable tudor clothing paper doll coloring page with two dresses and period underwear. A great homeschooling history project.

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For much of Europe’s history, women covered their hair. In the Tudor era, women wore headdresses called “hoods”. As far I can tell from my reading, the popularity of hood styles switched in and out depending on the current Queen. With Henry the 8th, that’s a lot of queens. While the French Hood was worn before (and after) Anne Boleyn, it is definitely most closely associated with her. I chose go with the French Hood, but there was also the English (or Gable) Hood and several other styles.

Her hat is a taffeta pipkin- a narrow brimmed cap made of paper and covered in thin silk taffeta. To cover the hair a jeweled cap was worn, which is a style that was also common in Germany.

A printable tudor clothing paper doll with two dresses and period underwear. A great way to introduce kids to Tudor history and clothing.

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So, let’s talk colors for a moment.

Black was one of the most expensive colors to dye fabric (in part because it look a lot of dye). Crimson and scarlet were also popular colors. I made one of her dresses primarily black and the other a very deep dark red, but it looks black depending on the computer screen settings I realized after I finished.

So, why a Tudor clothing paper doll, you might ask? Because my Patrons voted for it! The poll I shared with my patrons had a three way tie- Tudor, 1970s and 1890s. I’m still working on the 1890s and the 1970s.

I finished the Tudor clothing paper dolls first, because I had already been working on her underwear. Next up will either be 1970s or 1890s… I haven’t decided which one yet. Both are in progress.

If you’d like to get to vote on things like which paper dolls I draw, join us over on Patreon.

Paper Dolls in Masks! (A Pandemic Paper Doll Extra)

I have been really debating what to do about the pandemic. On one hand, I am not in anyway qualified to give anyone medical advice. (I’m qualified to maybe give archives/library/paper doll advice.) On the other hand, I wanted to respond to the current crisis somehow. It felt weird to pretend it wasn’t happening out in the outside world beyond my small isolated corner of it.

So, I decided to respond in paper doll fashion, plus I figure people need kids activity ideas right now. You need to occupy children at home and while I don’t have kids, I have a lot of empathy for folks who do.

So, behold- paper dolls in face masks!

Sapphire, Ruby and Pearl With Face Masks

Three printable paper dolls in black and white.
Three paper dolls in color to print- Diverse curvy paper dolls with different skin-tones.

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When Alaska mandated facemasks a few weeks ago, I pulled out my trusty fabric stash and sewed up a few for me, my partner and some friends who didn’t sew. I’ll openly confess I’m not a great seamstress and mostly I work in doll clothing creation, but the mask pattern was easy enough. I used the New York Times pattern for the pleated mask. Now the mandate is lifted, but I still wear my mask when grocery shopping, as the CDC recommends.

Originally, I had planned to make the face masks for the paper dolls removable, but my prototypes did not work. So, instead, they are permanently attached to each doll. I thought about doing extra heads- the way Dolly Dingle sometimes does- but frankly that kind freaks me out. Paper doll decapitation feels weird for a kids activity idea.

Opal, Amethyst and Lapis With Face Masks

Three printable paper dolls in black and white. A kids activity idea for dress up. Three fun curvy paper dolls.
A kids activity idea for dress up- three paper dolls to print in different skintones- diverse curvy paper dolls.

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I’ve done all the Jewels and Gemstones paper dolls here, so each page has three dolls and there are 9 dolls in total- Sapphire, Ruby, Pearl, Diamond, Opal, Topaz, Amethyst, Lapis, and Jade. I try not to have favorites, but I really like how Opal’s bangs came out in this set.

I also wanted to do a variety of mask styles. None of these are N-95, but rather the sorts of masks you might wear to the store. There seem to be two major styles- the curved one and the pleated one. I have a pleated mask, but I have seem lots of patterns for curved masks and those seem more popular among the folks I see during my rare grocery forays.

Topaz, Diamond and Jade with Face Masks

A kids activity idea for dress up- three paper dolls to color- diverse curvy paper dolls.
A kids activity idea for dress up- three paper dolls to dress- diverse curvy paper dolls.

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These cute girls can wear any of the Jewels and Gemstones 2.0 clothing, so they can dress up as princesses, evening gowns or to go fishing. They can wear any of the Jewels and Gemstones 1.0 clothing by printing those outfits at 80%. There’s dozens of different outfit options at the moment.

I think my favorite mask might be Topaz’s one all covered in abstract roses/flowers/swirls. Do you have a favorite?

Everyone stay safe out there.

Lapis and her Summer Shoes

A dark haired paper doll with summer shoes. Free to print from paperthinpersonas.com

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Thoughts on Today’s Paper Doll
You know, I really don’t do a lot of paper dolls with fair skin and dark hair. I’m not sure why I don’t… but I don’t. So, here is one today.

It’s kinda strange that I don’t, because my favorite two Barbie’s as a kid were a Jasmine Barbie from the movie Aladdin (which my sister melted in the microwave, true story) and a really pale doll with super dark hair. I don’t think either of those dolls were actual Barbie branded, but that’s neither here nor there.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper Doll
I was working on my summery clothing for the paper dolls and I realized I have never done a Lapis paper doll with shoes. I’ve done a medieval fantasy one and a cybergoth one. Both of those were super fun to design, but I did find myself thinking- maybe I should have one that’s got like just some shoes.

Plus, I do love drawing shoes.

Specific Source Images: I used Instyle March 2019 issue– their big Spring Fashion report. I like getting away from screens when I draw. That’s why I haven’t gone digital yet for my art.

Learn/See More
On the Blog: More Jewels & Gemstones paper dolls
Around the Internet: All the colors (except her hair and eyes) come from Pantone’s Spring 2019 Color Report

Last Thoughts
Just so folks know, there is a bunch of stuff related to my personal life and work happening. None of it bad, but all of it time consuming. So, the blog posts are going to continue to be super erratic until… well, things settle which might be like 2020. Ain’t gonna lie.

However, my Patreon content is my main priority. So, if you do want more regular content, come over and join up.

As always, I love hearing from you and I try to respond to questions, so feel free to leave a comment if you like.