Male Dolls Archives • Paper Thin Personas

Víctor Gets Some Contemporary Clothing

October 24, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Skinny Jeans for Boys

So, you might be thinking, “Hey… Wait a second, this is Tuesday? What is going on?”

And you are right! It is Tuesday and I don’t usually publish a post on Tuesday, but I didn’t want to make people wait an extra day for Víctor here. He’s the companion to Yumiko’s sundress on Monday.

Víctor’s not gotten much paper doll love this year. He’s not had a new paper doll set since 2016 and that was when he was busy being the Mad Hatter. I tend to pick Sprites based on “which one haven’t I done in a while?” which isn’t the most scientific method, but there you go.

Designing contemporary men’s clothing can be very challenging for me. Since I work on a college campus, I try to notice what the students are wearing. Despite subscribing to several fashion magazines, nothing beats seeing fashion in the wild. One thing I have noticed lately is the skinny jeans are being worn by the guys as well as the ladies.

So, when I was deciding what I wanted to create modern paper doll fashions for Víctor, my Latino Sprite gent, I knew I wanted to include skinny jeans. I’ve also noticed that colored jeans are being worn by guys, though mostly just greys and browns.

I did see purple ones for sale, but I suspect purple jeans for college boys are an outlier.

I chose the grey and yellow color scheme as a companion for Yumiko’s purple and yellow dress. I wanted it to coordinate, but not really match.

The rest of the week will post as normal.

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

Shirou At the End of the World

July 11, 2017May 30, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Post Apocalyptic Fashions and Such

One of the things I knew I wanted to do after adding Shirou and Teresa to the Sprites series was make sure that there were a few different versions of them for people to chose from, so this is the second Shirou paper doll.

It’s a much more rough and tumble option than his rather properly dressed counterpart from April, but that was part of the point. Variety is, after all, the spice of life. I did try out some wilder hair colors, but in the end I really liked the black hair with the black facial tattoo.

After all, it is critical to match your hair to your facial tattoo, don’t you know?

Meanwhile, his outfits are actually in some of the same shades as Willow’s outfits from yesterday. I wanted them to coordinate without being too matchy-matchy.

My favorite of today’s paper doll tattoos is the lace design around his ankle. To really see it, you’ll probably want to look at the larger version.

What do you think of today’s Sprite paper doll? Let me know in a comment. I always love to hear from you all.

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

Meet Shirou the New Sprites Gent in a Stylin’ Suit

April 26, 2017April 26, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Suits! All the Suits!

While my second doll ever in the Sprites printable paper doll collection was Yumiko, I haven’t done an Asian guy yet for the Sprites and I wanted to do that today. I am pleased to introduce to everyone Shirou. Shirou is a Japanese name which means Fourth Son. It’s traditionally given to the, wait for it, fourth son. I though it was super fitting, because Shirou is my fourth male Sprites paper doll. The others are (in order of “birth”) Zachary, Xavier and Víctor.

I also ended up making his suit grey which is the same color as yesterday’s suit for Teresa. Anyone want to guess my favorite suit color? (Hint: It is not Navy. 🙂 )

Back when PTP began, I was petrified of trying to draw Asian features. Mostly, it was the epicanthic fold that worried me. I was also self conscious that, as a non-Asian, I didn’t want to draw a caricature. While it has taken me a long time, I’ve gotten pretty comfortable with the whole epicanthic fold thing and come to realize there is huge variation in this feature.

See, more then you wanted to know about the epicanthic fold.

So, what do you think of today’s Sprite paper doll? Let me know in a comment. I love hearing from you all.

Want to help keep the blog on the internet? Donate on Patreon.

Oh, and tomorrow, there will be another installment of the Poppets 1920s series and on Friday, come around for the next piece in the 2017 Collab paper doll project.

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

Zachary: A Modern African-American Guy Paper Doll

May 19, 2020January 30, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: What I see College Guys Wearing, But With More Color

Back when the Sprites started, I had planned to start with a lady paper doll as the first Sprite. However, I’d decided to name them in reverse alphabetical order. I find if I have a naming scheme it makes coming up with paper doll names easier.

So, I was stuck with starting with Z. There just aren’t that many names that start with Z, so I started with Zachary here instead of starting with Yumiko.

I’m sure you all really cared about this random piece of paper doll blog history.

Anyway, I do think there are advantages to contemporary dolls. I think they sort of act as basic options. There’s no colorful hair here, so this version of Zachary could be a mermaid or he could be going to the park or borrowing this nifty elf armor, The point is that he’s a bit more neutral than the two pervious Zachary versions I have created.

Tomorrow, there will be a contemporary fashion Ursula to join Zachary.

Meanwhile, if you want to support the blog on Patreon I would be mighty appreciative. If you are interested in the process of how I work, there’s a behind the scenes blog there.

Alternatively, you can follow the blog on facebook for blog updates, some random sketchbook photos (which my Patrons see first, I confess), fun historical fashion things I find, and picks from the Archives.

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

Sprites: Flower Fairies Xavier

October 3, 2023November 29, 2016

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Flower Fairies, Cicely Mary Barker and the Book, Fairie-ality

Week before last, I showed off some flower fairy outfits for the Sprites paper doll series. I didn’t have the flower fairy paper doll Sprites done quite yet, but here they are now making their debut. Yesterday, I showed off Yumiko as a fairy and today, I am debuting Xavier, blue skin and all.

Xavier and Yumiko are modeling these flower fairy paper doll looks and you can find more paper dolls with those same faces as Xavier and Yumiko, if you want them.

Just like with Yumiko’s fairy version, I tried a few different skin colors, before I settled on the blue color. It reminded me of the color of the summer sky.

I do worry that he looks a little girly, both because my male paper dolls always feel a little effeminate to me and because the whole flower fairy theme tends to lend itself to a more girly look anyway. Still, I tired to keep him a bit buff with his boots and jacket and kilt made from petals.

In my head, flower fairies are just the size of a deck of cards and could fit in the palm of the hand. How do you imagine flower fairies? Tell me in a comment.

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

Alice & The Mad Hatter Paper Dolls: The Mad Hatter & His Yellow Suit

May 19, 2020August 16, 2016

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The Hatter opened his eyes very wide on hearing this; but all he said was, “Why is a raven like a writing-desk?” — Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Chapter 7

Victor, one of the Sprite guy paper dolls, is getting to be the Mad Hatter today. The Mad Hatter is one of the well known characters from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Back in the Victorian era, when the book was written, certain types of fur and leather were cured using Mercury, which is toxic. The ‘hatters’ who worked with these materials to make hats often ended up victims of Mercury poisoning. So, this brought about the phrase “mad as a hatter.”

Despite the somewhat depressing origins of the term, the character is highly memorable. I think in part, because of the Disney version where the Mad Hatter is voiced by Ed Wynn. Love that guy.

Anyway, for the rest of the week, Alice from Monday and the Mad Hatter will each be getting an outfits and accessories. As always, the black and white version is linked at the top of the post.

So, feel free to follow the blog on Twitter and, if you like it, support it on Patreon.

Ursula & Zachary Under the Sea: Mermaid Paper Dolls (Tails to Come!)

May 28, 2020August 1, 2016

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I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, “Mermaid paper dolls? Where are the tails?”

So, yeah, there are no tails. This wasn’t my original plan.

My original plan was to have Zachary with a tail on Monday and Ursula with a tail on Tuesday. Then to post joint outfits for them on the following days. I thought this was a great plan, until I realized I could not fit the tail and the Zachary paper doll on the same page together. It simply did not fit.

And to think my layout problems were a thing of the past? Sigh.

So, instead we get two paper dolls and a promise of tails tomorrow. I swear these are mermaids. They’re just tailless mermaids.

Reminder that the black and white versions are linked up at the top of the post, if anyone is looking for it.

Anyway, Zachary and Ursula are both from the Sprites series which I introduced WAY back in January. As some of you may recall, I have been naming the Sprite faces in reverse alphabetical and I had gotten to the letter U, so Ursula it was.

I realized later that making the first Ursula paper doll a mermaid does bring up connotations of Disney’s A Little Mermaid, but that wasn’t my intention. I named the paper doll LONG before I picked out a theme and I could have started with a modern set, but mermaids were more fun. Her hair was inspired by this pin of a woman with teal hair on Pinterest.

Lastly, you love the blog, consider supporting it on Patreon. If you want paper doll updates on Twitter, I’ve moved them over to @paperpersonas.

Víctor in the Afternoon: Casual Guy’s Paper Doll Clothes

May 28, 2020February 5, 2016

For the last Sprite paper doll for a while, I am pleased to introduce Víctor. Víctor is one of the guy Sprite paper dolls. When I draw guy or male paper dolls, I try to think about what paper dolls for boys might look like. I confess that I don’t have sons and I don’t really know what they are into, but it seems to be that the sort of pretend play that paper dolls encourage is just as important for boys as it is for girls.

I will confess that since I was once a little girl, and I was never a little boy, knowing what exactly paper dolls for boys should contain or what paper doll sets that might appeal to boys should contain, is rather hard for me.

Still, I figure all kids like realism in their toys, so I try to be at least as realistic to guy’s clothing as I can be considering that I find guy’s clothing pretty darn boring.

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Víctor here is, in my head anyway, a young man, maybe from Mexico or Argentina. So, in my head, Víctor is Latino, but of course, he can be anything you feel like making him. After all, the things we create don’t behave themselves.

His clothing is a mix of casual pieces that the guys I know tend to wear. T-shirts, pants, shorts and a baseball cap. I like to give paper-dolls sandals in their first set, because sandals are very skin-tone dependent.

I will confess that I am little embarrassed by how out of proportion his novel is. Maybe it’s a very tiny novel…

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As with all the paper dolls in the Sprite series, Víctor can share clothing with Xavier & Zachary.

I do have one more Sprite paper doll mostly finished, but I think I’ll save her for a later date. After all, there are other paper doll series on this blog that need love, too!

As usual, you can support the blog through Patreon. I also wanted to say “Hello” to any new readers who found me through my Viking paper doll which went a little viral on Facebook, or so I have been told.

(Confession- I do not actually have a Facebook page.)

So next Friday, there will be a post- apocalyptic Buxom & Bodacious set and then I haven’t decided between Mini-Maidens or Ms. Mannequin. What do y’all think?

Xavier: Elven Archer Paper Doll

May 19, 2020January 15, 2016

Xavier is the third paper doll in the Sprite paper doll series. Xavier is getting to be an elf paper doll today, though he won’t always be an elf. And since he can share clothing with Zachary, should you decide he needs to be a cyberpunk elf (Shadowrun, anyone?) that’s totally an option too.

Like any good elven archer, our elf paper doll has a back up plan in the form of a sword. Since, sometimes you need to fight people up close and personal. I chose a bird and leaf motif for the weapons and the armor which I thought would seem suitably nature oriented. I always thinks of elves as being nature oriented which might be a horrible stereotype. (Is it possible to stereotype a fantasy creature?)

I think the bird and feather motif his more obvious with the female elf which I shall be posting next Friday as we continue January Sprites! (Yeah, I totally just decided to call it that.)

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So, I like the Lord of the Rings movies, I really do, but it’s tough to not feel like one has to interact with them when designing elven stuff. My main goal was to create two outfits- one casual and one military. After all, you can’t just walk around in armor. Well, I suppose you can… but it wouldn’t be very comfortable.

I wanted to chose colors that were not too bright, but also felt organic and natural- colors from nature, I guess you might say.

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I’m gonna be honest here now. I have been really struggling with artist’s block the last few weeks or, as I like to call it, “the wheel is spinning, but the gerbil is dead”. In short, I just have no urge to do anything blog related, let alone actually draw new content.

But I’m trying to stay on track and stick to my guns about getting two paper dolls up a week. I do have a tiny bit of backlog waiting, so I think I’ll be okay.

As always, comments are appreciated. Thoughts on other themes I should explore with the Sprites?

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