This is a more wintery than summery paper doll, I think. Clarisa is a version of the German name “Clarice” which means bright, brilliant or clear. Clarisa is the Spanish form of this name. I think it’s a beautiful name for today’s Hispanic paper doll.
Lately, I have been struggling on the blog. The hardest thing for me to learn how to deal with in the last year has been this:
Life is Not Ideal. Deal with It.
Though it might not be the most stirring life motto, I find I need it more and more. Every post isn’t going to ever be perfect. Every paper doll isn’t going to be perfect.
And maybe that is quite all right.
I started this blog, because I drew paper dolls and I thought it would be worth it to have an outlet for that art. I have to learn to accept that everything isn’t always ideal.
So, I might have concerns about the lace and how it turned out. I might have concerns about her lips. I might not really be pleased entirely with everything… I might have wanted to post a different series after last weeks Pixie paper doll…
But… life is not ideal. Deal with it.
{Download a PDF to Print and Color} {Download a PNG to Print and Color} {Click Here for More Pixie and Puck Printable Paper Dolls}
In my head, Clarisa is a Hispanic paper doll or Latino, if you prefer. Why? Because I was chatting with a friend whose half-Mexican, and she was complaining about how I didn’t do enough Hispanic paper dolls. So, this is for her. 🙂
{Download a PDF to Print in Color} {Download a PNG to Print in Color} {Click Here for More Pixie and Puck Printable Paper Dolls}
Originally I conceived Clarisa as being on her way to some sort of party- maybe a holiday party, but that was several months ago when I first drew this paper doll. Obviously, a hoiliday party is less likely in May, at least not one where such dark clothing would be appropriate.
Rachel, every doll is perfect in at least one of your reader’s eyes
I really like this one! Just discovered this site and really love the paper dolls, especially the historical and Goth/Steampunk/Lolita/Alternative ones…. I think your paper dolls are perfect anyways….
Thank you, Elvira. I confess that those are some of my favorites to draw.
I don’t know how you’ve kept such an amazing blog going for such a long time! It’ll be 3 years in June for mine and there are times that I just don’t think I can keep at it. This is obviously something you love doing so keep it up. Not every creation is a keeper, but every one is a learning process and sometimes the process is more important than the product.
PS: the artist notices the flaws. The audience rarely does!!
A Zumba story: I had this one routine that I really, really, really wanted to do, to “Fuego” by the Cheetah Girls. Someone who shall remain nameless kept telling me I was too old for Disney and that I should scrap the routine.
Fast Forward two or three weeks and I’m struggling to socialize in a student retreat at Seattle University. One of the leaders got the vibe that I had a hidden disability, took me outside, talked to me, and suggested I teach Zumba.
The next night, it was Zumba time. I was so nervous about the routine, I forgot the first move. Instead of stepping to the right and stepping back to the left like in the music video, I forgot and did a back salsa instead. Only I knew it (I did tell my boss later–she thought the mistake version was better).
I know this was unrelated to paper dolls, but I wanted to tell you about my artsy mistake.
It might be showing my age, but the name Clarisa will only ever remind me of Clarissa Explains It All. 😉
And, as for your motto, it’s a lot nicer than the one my art instructor used: Even crappy work is better than no work. I think it was supposed to mean the same thing. Or that the individual artist sees something as no good because they know what they intended, but other people only see what is and that is rarely as bad as what the individual artist thinks.
As for the doll, my favorite piece is the color-block dress. I would wear that in real life. The purple ruffle dress is a close second. In real life, it would look ridiculous on me, but that’s the fun of paper dolls. They can wear fantasy.
Yeah, it reminded me of that too… also showing my age.
Rachel, you’re a librarian. It shows your wealth of knowledge (or the fact that your parents corrupted you young–like my mom and dad showed me Oingo Boingo when I was young)
O My Goodness! ;D I LOVE HER! SHE’S PERFECLY AWESOMELY COOL-LY GREATLY FABMAZING!
I really really wish I was a paper doll like that.