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The Newsletter is Coming…

The new paper doll in progress

Back in the early days of blogs, there was a delight that came from checking on your favorite sites and seeing something new, even when unexpected. That was part of what I wanted to create when I started PTP 12 years ago.

(Wow, it really was 12 years ago, dang.)

Anyway, I have been thinking a lot about what gives me that feeling now. I don’t find I enjoy social media in that same way, but I do love newsletters. I look forward to my favorites every week. So, I have decided to start the PTP newsletter!

I know nearly nothing about starting or running a newsletter, but I knew nothing about running a blog in 2008 when I started this one, so I’m not about to let that stop me.

And I bet you’re wondering… What do I get if I sign up for this newsletter?

Listen, I get it! I guard my email tightly too! But I love the surprise that I get when I get my favorite newsletters, so I am going to try to translate some of that surprise into the PTP Newsletter.

Right now, the plan is:

  • A printable paper doll coloring page
  • A collection of links to interesting things on the internet like fashion history resources, news about new paper doll books, news about regular dolls and whatever else I’m finding inspiring at any given moment
  • A little ramble from me
  • A link to whatever I’ve gotten on the blog that week
  • Some highlights from the archives around a theme like fairies, pirates or high heeled shoes or holidays

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If you’re not interested in subscribing, not worries! The coloring pages will be available on Etsy in a different format whenever I get around to reformatting them.

A Pair of Halloween Paper Dolls! One Bee & One Fairy

I’m not super into scary Halloween stuff. I like the occasional well written ghost story and will watch horror movies if my best friend watches them first, provides me a summary, and warns me if I can handle it. Then I watch them at noon with the lights on and quickly watch something like the Great British Baking Show afterwards to keep myself from feeling to scared.

Yes, I am pathetic in this regard.

A pair of Halloween paper dolls on this fun coloring page! Super cute bumble bee costume and a fairy for these fun printable paper dolls.

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

So, to do with the Ghost and Frankenstein’s monster of last week I wanted to end October with another set of Halloween inspired paper dolls. Sometimes, when I draw Halloween paper dolls they are clearly a person with costumes and other times they are meant to be the actual creatures.

This set I think falls somewhere in the middle. Ruby could be fairy or she could be a person in a wig with an ear prosthetic. Sapphire is probably not a bee (clearly), but she could be somehow. I’ll need to think more on that one. I paid the bee with the fair, because I knew I could draw one set of wings for them to share.

A pair of Halloween paper dolls! A bumble bee costume and a fairy costume for these fun printable paper dolls.

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

For this set, I stuck with a pretty narrow color scheme, as I wanted the wings and other pieces to be somewhat interchangeable between the two dolls. I’ve always felt like paper dolls are best when they have more options.

I hope everyone has an amazing Halloween, but, most of all a safe one.

If you want even more paper dolls with costumes, I just finished doing a bunch of Masquerade dresses for my 5 dollar patrons. Join us over on Patreon to see those and get more paper dolls each week.

A Foray into Medieval Fantasy with Lapis

Okay, so way back in May of last year, I created this version of Lapis. I knew I wanted to expand that set into something more robust, so I drew a few more dresses. This fantasy paper doll with dresses was a fun foray into medieval styles without having to worry about actual history.

When designing this set, I wanted to think about fantasy clothing that maybe wasn’t too fancy. Don’t get me wrong, I will always love my over the top gowns with huge skirts, but for these I wanted to draw something more simple. I inspired by kirtles from the 1300s, but mostly just by what I remember from reading too many fantasy novels in my life. The long underdress sleeves shoved up around the wrists are a nod to the style of the Anglo-Saxons and the girdles are a nod to the 12th century Norman dress.

Fantasy medieval maiden paper doll coloring page with three dresses and three pairs of shoes.

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

A few things I decided early on were that I really didn’t want to use cream as a neutral as I often do in these sort of medieval sets. Instead I challenged myself to focus on the soft blue as the primary neutral color. I wanted the colors to feel like they could have come from natural dyes, but also be vivid. Natural dyes can be super bright and fun!

Her shoes were inspired from actual 13th and 14th century footwear.

A colorful medieval inspired fantasy paper doll with blond hair and three dresses. Great indoor activity for kids.

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

Personally, I think my favorite is her bright yellow dress, but that’s just me.

Normally, I would link to other paper dolls I’ve made with similar style to mix and match with this set. These dresses would fit in with my 12th Century and 13th Century sets though they are not historical. However, if you want fantasy things like this, you’ll need to wait a few more months as I get those done.

And Lapis can wear any of the other dresses for the Jewels and Gemstones. Maybe she wants to get super fancy ballgowns or go to the 1970s.

Meanwhile, if you love paper dolls and want more of them, head over to Patreon! I share extra paper dolls for my patrons.

2020 Mid-Year Goal Check-In

Here we are at the end of July 2020 (how did that happen?) and I feel like it’s time to do a little mid-year assessment of how things are going here in Paper Thin Personas land. It’s a small land, mostly me and several hundred paper people, but none the less.

This has certainly been a year of upheaval thus far (pandemic, anyone?) I think it’s still important to look at goals and see where one is.

As you might remember from my Thoughts on 2019 post, I set a few goals for myself this year.

Original Goals for 2020

Jewels and Gemstones

One of my new paper doll designs for the Jewels and Gemstones 2.0 Series.

After many years of not creating sets, I returned to sets this year. Jewels and Gemstones 2.0 debuted in April. I thought about saving it for a “logical” time, but really this is my little world and I can decide when I want to change things. I absoultly don’t regret this decision, but I do feel a little bad for folks who printed out a bunch of Jewels and Gemstones 1.0.

Slowly but surely, I’m converting some of my Jewels and Gemstones 1.0 content into the new size and adding more pieces when needed to fill out the sets. So, that’s been a fun project.

Keep your eyes open for some contemporary sets, a regency set and some 1950s sets, too. Also, some fantasy gowns and possibly ninjas.

365 Project for Patrons

Despite one big break which I just recovered from, I am super pleased to day that my 5 dollar patrons are currently somewhere around paper doll item 213. I am quite proud of my progress on that project. So, that’s been super fun.

Print Product

Paper Doll Studio Issue 126

Did I mention the pandemic? Seriously, the idea of dealing with the logistics around this right now have totally put me at a stand-still. I think I’ll get there eventually. It just won’t be soon.

OPDAG magazine- Paper Doll Studio

I have done one paper doll for Paper Doll Studio for the renaissance issue. Try as I might, I couldn’t get up excitement for the By The Sea theme. However, I am working on a paper doll for the next Make Believe issue. You can see (and pick up) my renaissance paper doll on Etsy.

Attend the Paper Doll Convention

The pandemic has cancelled the convention, so I did not attend. I had bought a plane ticket and I am slightly annoyed that I didn’t get to use it. I was looking forward to meeting Julie Matthews in person and getting to hang out with paper doll people. Plus, since I was going to Chicago for work the week before, I was also going to get to see some good friends in that city. Oh well, hopefully next year.

New Goals for 2020

Mostly, my goals for 2020 remain- just get through this year!

However, as I like goals and they keep me focused I have two to add to my list for 2020.

  1. Create 12 historical paper doll sets for Jewels and Gemstones 2.0 with totally new content. I’m not counting my reformatted sets.
  2. Create at least 12 Dolls Du Jour paper dolls. I have three so far and they need some friends!
  3. I do want to create something as print product. It might not happen, but I am going to try.

Anything my readers would love to see as the year wraps up?

A Ballerina Paper Doll- Pearl

Today’s ballerina paper doll is created from some pieces you might recognize. I have complicated feelings about ballet, as some of you may know. On one hand, I love watching ballet. On the other hand, ballet is a problematic relationship with body image. I am super into the importance of learning to accept (if not always love) your body.

I know too many people in recovery for eating disorders, so I can’t create a ballerina doll without mentioning that amateurs ballerinas have some of the highest rates of eating disorders among any type of non-professional athletes. This 2003 study from the journal Psychopathology is both fascinating and a little sad. A slightly less intense article is this one from last year in Medium- Why Ballet Hasn’t Yet Caught Up to the Body Positivity Movement. There are some amazing dance troupes and projects working to change the idea that dancers must be skinny such as the Big Moves Dance Company: Beyond Body Positive Towards Fat Liberation.

I firmly believe you can both love an art form and recognize the art form has issues.

A curvy ballerina paper doll with three costumes to print and play with. She can share clothing with any of the other Jewels and Gemstones 2.0 paper dolls.

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

There are several different traditional styles of tutus. The Pancake style tutu (left) has a shorter skirt style with a wired hoop in-between the layers of tulle to help the tutu keep its shape. The romantic/classical tutu (right) is longer and not wired. Both are very traditional in ballet.

Ballet’s strict “rules” govern how shows are costumed. It’s a little wild. The pancake tutu is the traditional purple of the sugar plum fairy. The classic tutu is a “country maiden” look like Giselle in the first act. Act two is costumed entirely in white. I’m sure it looks amazing on stage, but maybe less fun to color.

Lastly, between the two tutus (try saying that five times fast), there’s a firebird unitard. The Firebird was written for the 1910 Paris season of the Ballets Russes company. It was first costumed by Léon Bakst. His designs rarely feature tutus. So, I thought it was a fun chance to draw something that was not a tutu. Nothing against tutus, but they start to all look the same after a while.

A curvy ballerina paper doll printable with three costumes to print and play with. She can share clothing with any of the other Jewels and Gemstones 2.0 paper dolls.

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

One of the other interesting things I learned about when researching this ballerina paper doll was about toe shoes (of which she has three sets). There’s this concept in ballet costuming called “breaking the line”. The goal is to make the dancer’s legs look as long as possible. You don’t want the color of the shoes to break the smooth expanse of leg. Pointe shoes for nonwhite dancers have historically been super hard to find, this article about introduction of brown pointe shoes in 2018 from NY times is super interesting.

I love it when drawing paper dolls teaches me things I didn’t know about the world.

In case you’d like to grab some practice clothing to go with today’s performance clothing, check out this Amethyst dancer paper doll.

And, of course, if you want a paper doll or outfit every Friday, head over to Patreon. The Gisselle costume was a patron creation from last year.

An Elf Archer Paper Doll & Her Bow

The pollen count in this part of Alaska is worse than Alabama. I am constantly taking allergy medication and sniffling. As if the world isn’t hard enough right now, I also need sinus headaches and itchy eyes. Most of the time, my allergy medication keeps it under control, but I am not enjoying spring.

On the upside, it’s not over 100 degrees outside. So, I guess I need to look at benefits of Alaska.

Meanwhile, let’s talk paper dolls. Today’s creation is an elf paper doll. I will confess my images of elves were probably forever changed because of watching the Lord of the Rings movies a lot in high school and college. My friends and I in college binged those movies on several occasions. Except binge watching wasn’t a term yet, so we called it having a marathon. I digress. The pioinis that when I design an elf paper doll I always end up thinking of those costumes, for better or for worse.

I like to think for better.

Today’s paper doll was also an experiment in how many gowns I can fit in on one set and what the best way to arrange them is. I am pretty happy with this layout, I think. It’s not perfect, but I am still getting back into the grove of drawing sets, not individual pieces.

A fantasy paper doll coloring page with three dresses and a bow for archery

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

I decided for Diamond to show off these. Her cheekbones feel elf-like to me. I don’t know, but I think elves probably have great cheekbones.

I’m trying to have each of the Jewels and Gemstones dolls have their own new Jewels and Gemstones 2.0 version. I haven’t gotten all of them yet. Amethyst, Pearl and Lapis still need their sets, I think. Pearl’s set is in progress- it’s some 1980s inspired fashions. Fingers crossed, I will get some drawing done this weekend.

I think the bow is a short bow and I measured the arrows against her arm. I think they are close to the right length, but I’m not 100% sure. Listen- I know very little about archery, except this- Never ask about bow hunting in Alabama around deer season unless you really really want to know. Bow hunters are passionate folks.

An elf paper doll with three dresses to print and play with.

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

When I think elves, I think monstrous creatures that you bribe with milk so they don’t kill your cattle. Wait… that’s fairies. Sorry.

Elves, in a Tolkien sense, are sort of peaceful and wise. (Hopefully, as I don’t have that much milk on hand.) So, I decided to go with what I thought was a really calm color scheme. I somehow can’t imagine fantasy elves in day-glow orange, though as I write that I wonder if I should try to draw one anyway. Just to stretch myself.

What about you? What colors make you think of elves? Also, is it elven? Or Elfen? I have no idea and my computer tells me both are not words. Let me know in a comment if you have an opinion on that one or the color scheme or anything else.

Stay safe everyone.

Changes! News! Previews…

I’m trying to stay away from too much Covid-19 talk. I know it’s happening (everyone else knows its happening), but I think right now all I can really do is let everyone know I am safe and that I hope everyone else stays safe. Now… let’s talk about paper dolls!

Big News 1: New Home For PTP

I’m on a new server with a new hosting company. A few kinks from the site transfer are still being worked out, but Blue Host has been lovely to work with and I have nothing but nice things to say about their support folks. 

Moving a site as large as PTP (plus it is basically held together with digital duct tape and string) was never going to be painless. 

Big News 2: Jewels and Gemstones 2.0- Smaller, but Just as Cute and Curvy!

Gothic Lolita Paper Doll Set In Progress

As some of you know, I’ve been doing a project for my 5$ and up Patrons where I am sharing a piece of paper doll clothing everyday this year. That project has made me realize something- I miss drawing sets. 

So, I am happy to introduce Jewels and Gemstones 2.0- smaller, but just as cute!

In order to turn the series into sets, I’ve had to resize it. 

The original Jewels and Gemstones clothing SHOULD fit if resized to 80% (and the new dolls can wear the old clothing at 120%). My plan at the moment is to make sets both of new content and existing content and some will be a mix of both. 

I have two sets from Jewels and Gemstones 1.0 to share and then… 2.0 will debut. 

It was supposed to debut 2 weeks ago, but server stuff got in the way. 

Big News 3: The Doll Du Jour: New Paper Doll Series

New Paper Doll Series in Progress

I am happy to say I am working on a new paper doll series called Doll Du Jour, a big thank you to Sheryl, one of my long time patrons for helping me come up with the series name. 

These dolls were inspired by a paper doll I created last year which was in my sketchbook, but that sketchbook got ruined in the move, so I had to redraw her and I’m super happy with how she turned out. 

Big News 4: The 100 Day Project

The 100 Day Project Doll, as of yet unnamed.

So, I’m working from home and getting a fair bit done, but I find I really have to take a formal “lunch break” mid-day or I start clawing at the walls. During these lunch breaks, I’ve been working on a 100 Day Project. You can check out my work on Instagram. 

Several people have asked if this unnamed paper doll (any suggestions you are welcome to toss into a comment) will show up on the blog or the Etsy Store. Short answer: I have no idea.

Lastly… A Favor to Ask

I have every reason to believe at this point that the site transfer to it’s new home was successful. However, if you find any problems, please please let me know. You can email me anything you find to paperthinpersonas (at) gmail.com.

Under the Waves: A Goldfish Mermaid

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

The last mermaid thing I did for the blog was this Mermaid Costume which was very much intended to be a costume, not an actual mermaid. If that makes sense. I mean, arguably everything I draw is a costume of sorts.

Anyway, on Patreon I have posted two other mermaids. I’m like 99% sure. I just couldn’t seem to find the second one. Patreon’s searching ability for posts- really not great.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper

Fun fact: Mermaid tails are one of the few things I draw that I always draft on a separate sheet of paper before I sketch them in my sketchbook. Getting tails to curve is hard! And I want to make sure I cover the whole paper doll’s lower body with the design.

While I wasn’t thinking of goldfish when I designed this paper doll by the time I was coloring it, I really didn’t want to do blues or greens. So, that was when I started looking at fish and I learned- there are a lot of tropical fish out there and a lot of them are orange.

But then, when I was actually writing this post, I couldn’t help but think how much this felt goldfish inspired. I mean, there’s something about it that makes me think goldfish.

Learn & See More

On the Blog: More Jewels & Gemstones paper dolls & More Mermaid Paper Dolls
Around the Internet: My Mermaids Pinterest Board

Last Thoughts on Today’s Mermaid Paper Doll

There used to be paper doll birthday cards. And one I loved was Melinda the Mermaid and I was super excited to see that paper doll on Teri Pettit’s paper doll site. She’s got lots of lovely paper doll scans you can look at and print.

And yes, I have been waiting to post this paper doll mermaid so I could link to the birthday card.

The September 2018 Collaborative Paper Doll Post: Golfing in the 1920s

Black and White Paper Doll PDF Paper Doll Collaboration 2018
Let me be clear here- if I am going to sprint, it is probably because I am being chased by a wild boar or something. When I do exercise, it’s entirely because it helps my anxiety and not because I particularly enjoy the activity.

So, when someone else (I know it was NOT me) suggested we pick our favorite sport for September I was struck by two things-

1. I don’t have a favorite sport.
2. I really don’t care about sports.

Listen, I know I live in Alabama were football is basically the state religion, but despite the urging of people I know, I just don’t care. Really I don’t. I can only watch football when I tell myself that it is ritualized tribal warfare. Otherwise, I just think it is dumb. (Okay, I still think it is dumb, but the anthropologist in me can respect the need for the ritual.)

Meanwhile, I had to draw something for the month of September and making a paper doll t-shirt that said- “Ugh… Sports” on it felt a little dismissive of the whole point.

So, I settled on my Dad’s favorite sport- golf.

And while I still think golf is dumb, I can at least respect the fact that women have been playing golf for a really long time and there have been some super cute outfits designed for golf.

Today’s paper doll dress is vaguely inspired by the 1920s. She has two hats with different styled bobs and a golf club which is probably totally inaccurate.

If you want to see more “favorite sports” hop over to Paper Doll School and Miss Missy Paper Dolls. They are my partners in crime and I can’t wait to see what they’ve done with this theme.

Need a paper doll to wear these clothes? Grab her and more clothing here.