Printable Paper Dolls

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.

Download Black and White PDF | Download Color PDF | More Jewels & Gemstones 2.0

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.

Download Black and White PDF | Download Color PDF | More Jewels & Gemstones 2.0

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.

Download Black and White PDF | Download Color PDF | More Jewels & Gemstones 2.0

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.

Dolls Du Jour: Days in Denim

Sharing a new paper doll series is always a little stressful. When I design paper dolls to dress, I think about body poses and I think a lot about how many different styles I think I can get from a single body pose. A few perks of this pose are the 3/4 view and the spread legs, which open up some design options.

She will be hard to make into a mermaid though…

Anyway, the first version of this paper doll showed up on Instagram back in 2018. I had to do some extensive redrawing, because the sketchbook was ruined while traveling to Alaska.

Fixing her right foot was also a priority.

A huge thanks you to my Patrons! Sheryl helped me name the series and had the amazing idea to name the dolls after temporal themes. I love this! Because I tend to like giving my paper dolls names that are not really names. I mean, you can find people named Dawn, but like there aren’t a lot of Dusk or Evening named folks running around.

A coloring page with paper dolls to dress with jeans and other contemporary clothing pieces.

Download Black and White PDF | Download Color PDF | More Doll Du Jour Paper Dolls

I like to test out new series with sets that show me how many clothing pieces I can fit on a page. After all, the whole point of paper dolls to dress is that you want to dress them. Otherwise, why have the clothing at all?

Denim is the base of most modern wardrobes. Knowing that I have denim done, so to speak, allows for more variety in later sets. Every person (or paper doll) needs a good pair of jeans after all.

Paper dolls to dress with jeans and other contemporary clothing pieces.

Download Black and White PDF | Download Color PDF | More Doll Du Jour Paper Dolls

Color scheme wise, I had no idea what to do with this set. Denim is mostly blue, after all, so I went with a green, purple and pink scheme.

I have done occasional random denim themed paper dolls over the years. A few of my favorites- Weekend Denim, Paper Doll Guys Need Jeans, Girl Paper Dolls Need Jeans, Hearts Denim and Bows, Jeans and Tank Tops, and my first ever- Stylish Denim. I’ve heard that denim maxi skirts are back and I am secretly super excited about this.

What do you think of this new series? Let me know in a comments! And head over to join us on Patreon if you want to someday help name a paper doll series.

Princess Opal: Paper Dolls and Dresses

In my head, not always a logical space, I tend to organize princess paper dolls and dresses into categories. There are the medieval looks, the renaissance looks and then these- big skirted looks. If anything, I suppose a nod to the 1860s and 1700s, but really… not much when you come down to it. I have a whole Pinterest Board I keep devoted to these big skirted dresses.

There are two dresses here today- a Spring dress and a Winter dress. Clearly, I’ve been influenced by the current weather in Alaska, which is finally spring! It’s so beautiful. Most of the snow is gone and there’s grass. It’s not green, yet, but it will be.

Also, there’s a lot of birch pollen and my allergies are going nuts. I digress. Let’s get back to paper dolls and dresses.

Black and white paper dolls and dresses to color and cut out. A princess with fantasy gowns.

Download Black and White PDF | Download Color PDF | More Jewels & Gemstones 2.0

To keep all these gowns feeling consistent, I kept the same color scheme. That makes all the gowns feel like they go together and come from the same sort of universe. A universe where people don’t have to go through doorways often.

Eventually, I will resize the rest Jewels and Gemstones 1.0 Princess Trousseau and pair those with their own princess with absurd hair. After that, there can be a whole collection of paper dolls and dresses with big skirts and fancy hair. All of them will qualify as impractical self-isolation costumes, let me tell you.

Paper dolls and dresses in full color. A princess with fantasy gowns.

Download Black and White PDF | Download Color PDF | More Jewels & Gemstones 2.0

A few final thoughts- the current landscape up here inspired the colors of the Spring Dress- yellows and oranges with just a few hints of early spring green. The accessories here are books, because… well, everyone likes books don’t they? And I do tend to draw a lot of books for paper dolls.

I’m a librarian. What can you expect?

I hope everyone is staying safe and sane at the moment. Let me know what you think of today’s paper doll gowns in the comments. I love hearing from you all.

Four of My Favorite Paper Dolls You Can Color

There’s a lot of content on Paper Thin Personas. And I have far to many favorites to count!

Some of my paper dolls are not super kid friendly, but I wanted to highlight paper dolls you can color for kids that might be great while stuck at home. Specifically, I wanted to focus on sets that might be a bit buried in the archives. The sort of things that might be missed, unless you’re me and you know the archives super well.

(Actually, truth be told, I have a few readers who I think know them better than me. So, if I missed a favorite of anyone’s, please let me know in a comment.)

Her Ladyship: A Fantasy Paper Doll You Can Color

Three of the ten page of this fantasy paper doll that you can color and print.
A 10 Page Fantasy Paper Doll to Print and Color

Download the 10 Page PDF to Print

I drew this paper doll set back in 2014. She started as a one page little foray into something different and quickly expanded into 10 pages of black and white fantasy gowns for coloring. Lots of great potential here!

Her wigs were especially fun to create, though I confess I didn’t test any of them in the real world. I have no idea if they really work. They will all fit I am sure, but I am not sure they will all stay on.

You can read about every page in the Her Ladyship posts.

An Antique Doll from 1886: Paper Doll Coloring Pages

A Victorian Paper Doll with dresses from 1886

Download the 3 Page PDF to Print

I found in my college library a book with reprints of every fashion plate from a magazine from 1886. It was a fascinating study of seasonal dress over one year. I decided to try to draw some of the dresses from that book and this was the result.

Bustles and I have a had a long complex relationship, but I think the patterns here would be especially fun to color. When I was kid, my favorite paper dolls were paper doll of antique dolls. So, when I was picking out kid friendly paper doll coloring pages, this one had to be included.

A Regency Teddy Bear: Paper Doll Coloring Pages

A teddy bear paper doll you can color.
A Regency Teddy Bear with 7 Dresses

Download Page 1 to Print | Download Page 2 to Print

These two PDF pages are the only one you’ll need to download individually. There’s 7 amazing outfits in this set along with a fun teddy bear to dress up.

When I was 8 or 9, I drew dozens of outfits for a commercial teddy bear paper doll, including multiple layers of complex underwear. I have no idea what happened to that paper doll, but it was certainly inspiration for this one.

Best Friends: Paper Dolls You Can Color

Four paper dolls you can color with many fun contemporary fashions.
Four paper doll friends and their many outfits.

Download the 8 Page PDF to Print

This is a set I drew right before I moved to Alabama in the early 2010s. Originally, it was going to be the basis of a whole new paper doll series, but I ended up burning out on it fast.

I still think the idea of four different poses and matching dresses for each of those poses was a fun concept and there’s lots of coloring to be had with this fun set. Besides, if you’re going to play with paper dolls it is a lot more fun to play when they have friends.

Since it is Friday, I did want to mention there’s always more paper doll content on Patreon on Fridays! Head over there to check it out.

A link to the exclusive Friday paper doll content on Patreon

Halibut Fisher: A Paper Doll

Let me talk about my childhood for a moment. My family had a commercial fishing boat, lovingly known as Lady B. We fished halibut by long line and salmon with trolling gear. It’s hard work, but Southeast Alaska is one of the most beautiful places on earth. At least the view was always worth it. Also, I did learn to gut a fish in 6 cuts, so that’s something.

When I decided I wanted to do another fisher paper doll, after all my last one was many years ago, I knew I wanted to stick to the same basic clothing options. There are a lot of printable career paper dolls out there, but a definite lack of commercial fishers in the paper doll world.

A printable career paper doll featuring a halibut fisher paper doll coloring page with rain gear, gaff hook, boots and, of course, a halibut.

Download Black and White PDF | Download Color PDF | More Jewels & Gemstones 2.0

This was the sort of fishing gear I remembered wearing as a teenager. It may not be what people are still wearing, but I don’t think fishing gear has changed much. There’s a set of bright orange heavy duty rain gear, a knit cap, long underwear top and skinny jeans. There are rain boots, deck shoes, gaff hook, gutting knife, halibut and gloves.

Halibut exude a slime when pulled from the water. It’s a defensive mechanism for them. While I adore the way halibut tastes, I personally do not miss the slime. Halibut slime is a uniquely gross substance.

Also, whenever I hear someone singing the praises of how amazing halibut tastes, I want to say, “Yes, but have you ever experienced the slime?”

A printable career paper doll of a halibut fisher with rain gear, gaff hook, boots and, of course, a halibut. Full color printable.

Download Black and White PDF | Download Color PDF | More Jewels & Gemstones 2.0

A few things- all the colors I chose were based on colors from actual garments, except for the t-shirt with the boat on it. I made that one up.

About the boat- after some debate, I chose to draw a gill-netter which is not the type of boat I grew up on. However, my parents first boat was a gill-netter. I do think the rigging is a bit much for the gill-netter and closer to what you see on a toller, but I digress. I don’t think anyone is peering at paper doll clothing going, “Hey, that fishing boat’s rigging looks weird.”

And if they are, well… I think that might point to a deeper issue with them.

If you want to get more paper doll content every week and help support Paper Thin Personas, head on over to my Patreon page.

Spring Evening Gowns for Paper Dolls

I like starting paper doll series with evening gowns. I don’t 100% know why, but I think because they are fun to draw and everyone needs a few amazing evening gowns, don’t they?

Plus a lot of things I like draw are evening gown adjacent like fantasy dresses and evening gowns help me plot out how many pieces I can fit in a single paper doll page.

See… there is a method to my madness.

A paper doll coloring page with three evening gowns and three pairs of shoes.

Download Black and White PDF | Download Color PDF | More Jewels & Gemstones 2.0

These dresses are all based on designs from David’s Bridal and other online retailers. I could spend hours looking at fancy dresses that I have no reason to wear. My life is not that exciting.

Anyway, some of the inspirational dresses were this corset bodice and this one. Other dresses included this one shoulder gown and several other dresses like this one and this one.

I guess this paper doll could be subtitled: Rachel Spent Time on David’s Bridal Website while Social Distancing!

A paper doll with contemporary spring evening gowns, dark skin and blond hair. Free to print from paperthinpersonas.com.

Download Black and White PDF | Download Color PDF | More Jewels & Gemstones 2.0

And since it is spring, or so the calendar tells me, even if there’s 24 inches of snow on the ground outside, I wanted to focus on a color scheme that was spring colors- pastels mostly, but since I find a lot of pastels overly saccharine, these are pretty smoky.

I am excited by the fact that I can fit three pairs of shoes along the bottom of each paper doll sheet! This is a little thing, but I get joy out of small things.

I hope everyone is staying safe and doing okay in this strange time we’re all living in.

By the way, I am still sharing weekly extra Jewels and Gemstones outfits with my Patrons.

Vertical Curves: Contemporary Clothing!

Fashionable paper dolls with jeans and a striped top! Super Cute. Easy to color paper doll clothing page!

Black and White PDF | Color PDF | More Jewels & Gemstones Paper Dolls

Every year in March during Spring Fashion Week the big fashion magazines bring out their issues on the trends for the next year. It’s one of the few times I buy fashion magazines, because I love getting to see what’s on the runways.

I know there’s lot of websites that do the same thing, but maybe it’s because I stare at a computer screen most of the day (and even more now that I’m working from home!) that I really find myself craving something that isn’t digital to look at. So, I still pick up my fashion magazines and crack them open.

Inspiration

So, I was pouring through the fashion magazines for March and I noticed a lot of these sort of soft tie-dyed stripes. Well, I can’t draw soft tie dye very well in pen and ink, so I decided to do this instead. It’s sort of an soft semi-monochrome stripe.

Also, just fyi, the new Jewels and Gemstones 2.0 I mentioned last week will debut next week. I am super excited about this.

Ask me if you have any questions!

And if you want more Jewels and Gemstones clothing, check out the Patreon page.

Military Steampunk Shorts & Jacket

A set of steampunk paper doll clothing with stockings, jacket, shorts and walking stick. A steampunk paper doll coloring page clothing with stockings, jacket, shorts and walking stick.

Black and White PDF | Color PDF | More Jewels & Gemstones Paper Dolls

I have just a few of these posts to share before I wrap up the Jewels and Gemstones 1.0 and roll out the new Jewels and Gemstones 2.0. I am super excited to share them.

So, this week will be the last week of Jewels and Gemstones 1.0.

I designed this set to be a set of military inspired steampunk clothing. Throughout history, the military uniforms have influenced fashion (as all current events do) and this is particularly obvious during the Regency era when the Napoleonic wars ragged and suddenly everyone was wearing bass buttons on their walking coats.

Also, the Civil War and World War 2, though World War 2 had other interesting influences, because of the fabric restrictions placed on clothing.

I digress.

Inspiration

Steampunk, obviously. Steampunk is an aesthetic which combines the Victorian era fashion with contemporary looks. I think it’s a natural response to the digital age, much as the craftsman movement of the turn of the century was a cultural response to industrialization.

However, I do find the whole genre’s tendency to glamorize an era that was rife with social issues and colonialism problematic. I mean, there’s no perfect era of history, but… the Victorian era was pretty grim.

Want more paper dolls? Head over to Patreon where I share an extra Jewels and Gemstones paper doll outfit every week.

Checkerboard Fantasy Gown

Black and white paper doll coloring sheet to print inspired by a chessboard. Dress up doll fun from paperthinpersonas.comA fantasy paper doll dress inspired by a chess board. Free princess paper doll dress.

Black and White PDF | Color PDF | More Jewels & Gemstones Paper Dolls

I don’t suffer from a lot of delusions of grandure. I’m a librarian/archivist who draws paper dolls for her micro-business and also can gut a salmon in six cuts. I’m not qualified to say anything about our current pandemic, except that I’m staying home a lot more and for some reason, there is no flour in town.

Bread, yes. Flour, no. I’m so confused, people.

So, instead of telling you to wash your hands (because I hope you are), I am going to focus on what I do- draw paper dolls and occasionally make weird jokes about the strangeness of 1830s hair styles.

Seriously, 1830s? What were you thinking! (See this fun tutorial on making one of this styles.)

Meanwhile, here’s a fantasy princess paper doll dress. And over on Patreon for everyone there’s two other versions of this dress- a blue version & a yellow version.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper

This dress really doesn’t have a source image. I just kinda was drawing one afternoon and it happened. It wasn’t planned or carefully sourced in anyway. If I go way back to this post Green Princess, you will seem a similar silhouette.

By the way, in my head, this is a special dress that was commissioned by the princess to wear to a chess match. Because nothing calls for a new dress, like a chess match. Maybe, she’s in the chess match? I have no idea. I am super bad at chess.

Learn & See More

On the Blog: More Jewels & Gemstones paper dolls & More Princess Paper Dolls
Around the Internet: Hmmm… Well, I don’t have much related to this post to point to, but if you want more 1830s weirdness check out a great post from Loretta Chase about hair styling in the 1830s complete with some fantastic images of 1830s hair!

Last Thoughts on Today’s Fairy Paper Doll

Okay, I know I spent a lot of this post making fun of the 1830s, but really how can you not? Also, I doubt a decade can really be offended and in honor of poor hair choices, I had a bowl cut for most of the 1990s.

In my defense, I was 10. I also had a rat tail which I asked for. It was a thing.

If you like my paper dolls and want more of them, I share a paper doll piece every Friday for my patrons along with other fun things. Head over to Patreon to learn more. I know things are tight for a lot of folks right now, so no pressure and don’t forget, there’s two other versions of this dress for everyone!

Summer Fairy Costume for the Paper Dolls

A summery fairy costume for the paper dolls with four mix and match pieces. A great unplugged toy for children of all ages. A great unplugged toy for children of all ages. A wonderful faory coloring page.

Black and White PDF | Color PDF | More Jewels & Gemstones Paper Dolls

There’s something fun about designing flower fairies. I think it might be, because the dolls leafy undies always make me think of fairies.

It’s very cold up here in the sub-arctic where I live. There’s still snow and it’s been over 20 below more days than I like to admit. Did you know that when it is -40 is the temperature where Celsius and Fahrenheit meet?

I sort of wish I didn’t know that.

However, nothing for a cold, snow covered March like imagining spring and flowers are a sign of spring.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper

There wasn’t a specific source image for these fairy paper doll clothes. I sort of was inspired by a bunch of images from my Fairies and Fauns Pinterest board.

Learn & See More

On the Blog: More Jewels & Gemstones paper dolls & More Fairy paper dolls
Around the Internet: My Fairies & Fauns Pinterest Board

Last Thoughts on Today’s Fairy Paper Doll

So, I do enjoy Cicely Mary Barker’s flower fairies, I also confess an affection for older, darker fairy folklore. The book Fairies in Tradition and Literature by Katharine Briggs is a great study of the darker views of fairies and their stories, if you want to read some more grim thoughts on the fairy world.

Also, please everyone stay safe right now. Things are stressful, but we can still be kind to each other. Also, wash your hands.

As always, if you like my paper dolls and want more of them, I do share a paper doll piece every Friday for my patrons along with other fun things. Head over to Patreon to learn more.

Ruby & Her Party Dress: A Patreon Friday Paper Doll from 2019

A brunette printable paper doll with a magenta party dress and two pairs of shoes from paperthinpersonas.com. A brunette printable paper doll with a magenta party dress and two pairs of shoes from paperthinpersonas.com.

Black and White PDF | Color PDF | More Jewels & Gemstones Paper Dolls

In 2019, I decided to do some Jewels and Gemstones with party dresses. This one was Ruby’s contribution to the collection. One of the others was this version of Sapphire.

I really do enjoy drawing party dresses- partly because I think everyone needs a fun party dress. Also, because I think they’re a style of clothing I don’t wear very often, but they still seem critcal to a well rounded wardrobe.

Given that I never wear them, I do wonder why I still seem to think they are critical.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper

I wanted to draw a dress where the gown had an interesting shape. I also wanted to draw something that would make sense to go on the sheet with the doll. I think the complex cutouts of this dress would be a pain to cut out in the real world, where as they work well as part of the dolls skin.

Dresses with cutouts like this seem to be pretty popular right now.

Because I have hazel eyes, I wanted to do a hazel eyed paper doll. It’s a harder color to capture in my style, but I like how it turned out. 

Learn & See More

On the Blog: More Jewels & Gemstones paper dolls & more Cocktail Dresses
Around the Internet: I do keep a Pinterest Board of Formal and Cocktail Dresses

Last Thoughts on Today’s Paper Doll & Her Party Dress

One of the things I really am happy about this year is having a few favorite Friday patreon pieces to share with you all. Not only does it let me try to convince a few of you to join us over on Patreon, but it also it means I have a little built in black log I can tap as needed.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the idea that my perception of the blog and the reality of the blog might not always be consistent. My experience of this ongoing art project is very different from other people’s experience. Not sure where I am going with this, but it has been on my mind lately.

Cropped Sweater with Flared Jeans

Cropped sweater and flared jeans for my printable paper dolls in color for printing and playing with. Cropped sweater and flared jeans for my printable paper dolls in black and white for printing and coloring. Free paper doll clothing sheet.

Black and White PDF | Color PDF | More Jewels & Gemstones Paper Dolls

I wanted to draw some more contemporary clothing for the Jewels and Gemstones paper dolls. I’ve been thinking a lot more about creating print products and what that might look like. So, the desire to have a robust mix and match set that could be eventually turned into a printed set has been on my mind. 

To do that, however, I need more mix and match option for the Jewels and Gemstones- hence the desire for more contemporary clothing for them. 

Inspiration for Today’s Paper Doll Outfit

My sister wore an outfit like this one when I was visiting her for Thanksgiving this year. Cropped tops with high waisted pants are very much still in style- though I openly confess that it is not a look that I wear very often. My sister is more adventurous when it comes to clothing than I am.

Specific Source Images: Sweaters like this example and this example

Learn & See More

On the Blog: More Jewels & Gemstones paper dolls & more Sweaters for Paper Dolls
Around the Internet: Hmmm… I don’t know. Not sure what to link to for cropped sweaters and jeans today.

Last Thoughts on Today’s Paper Doll Fashion

I was a child of the late 1990s and early 2000s, so back when I was younger the look was cropped tops and low slung jeans. I do think the high waisted pants with crop tops is a bit more of a forgiving style, as the other is pretty hard to wear unless you have amazing abs.

(I do not have amazing abs.)

If you enjoy my paper dolls and want more paper doll goodness every week, head over to Patreon where I post an extra Friday paper doll outfit and have some other super fun project going including my 365 Day project where I am sharing a paper doll piece every day.

(Okay, almost every day, I’ve missed two days so far, but I’ve caught up. Progress, no perfection.)