Work-In-Progress

So, I’ve been coloring paper dolls like a mad woman all week, super enjoying myself.

Here is the first set of girl paper dolls.

The top two dolls are in the A pose. The doll on the left is Alice and the doll on the right is Akiko.

The bottom two dolls are in the B pose. The doll on the left is Benedita and the doll on the right is Beatrix. These girls are still in progress, obviously. I need to color Beatrix and finish coloring Benedita.

Each doll’s face will be used regularly and I’ll note each new style of doll with the term “version” so these are all version 1. The dolls won’t always come with just shoes, but these first ones will in order to establish and certain number of shoes seemed logical. I want to later do themed dolls with at themed outfit, like this Min-Seo punk doll, for example.

There will be guys as well, of course. They will be in the C pose and will all have C names. I am still working on them. Like often happens, the ladies took priority.

So, what do you think? Do you have a favorite already?

So, I confess that when I started this new schedule I thought it would be easier to keep up with, but these different types of posts have different types of requirements. I suppose, I am slowly learning what I like and don’t like about posting.

This Friday, we have some progress images from some of the paper doll sets I prepped earlier this week. I inked five pages from my sketchbook on Wenesday, added tabs to five, erased all the pencil work and then scanned.

All this and I now have 12 more paper doll sets in progress. Here are three of them:

Back when I was setting up my massive paper doll index, I realized that I really didn’t have any Edwardian era paper dolls (one has one outfit, technically). Strictly, the Edwardian era is the Reign of King Edward the 7th, or 1901-1910. However, it is not at all uncommon to extend the era to 1914 which is the beginning of World War 1, as it was such a major social change, or to back date it to the 1890s when Queen Victoria’s influence on society was on the wane.

Anyway, the point is that, if you measure the era by 1901-1910, I didn’t have a single paper doll which applied. Shocking, but true, so I drew these dresses based on designs from a 1908 Macy’s catalog for the Poppet series. Part of why I don’t like this era is that I am not a huge fan of the pigeon breast look which so central to the period.

In another dabble into historical children’s clothing for the Poppets, here is a set of dressed from the 1860s. These are from the early 1860s and are slightly higher waisted. I’ve also included pantaloons, shoes and hats. The accessories are meant to go with the two dresses.

As you may recall, I have dabbled in the 1869 before, but that era is practically the early 1870s anyway. These are early 1860s dresses before the whole bustle thing.

In a totally different theme, here is my foray into hip-hop fashion. The list of major hip-hop stars with fashion lines is astronomical, so it makes senses to create something in this vein. I confess to not knowing much about hip-hop fashion, but I have been doing my research and I am excited to post this first page of what will be a few pages. I have two more pages to finish.

And that is the little preview of what I’ve been working on all week!

Which sets are you guys looking forward too?

Just a quick, Works in Progress post today.

I have a whole list of paper dolls I am trying to get finished. Some are destined for the blog and some I hope to put up for sale eventually, once I get my act together.

First up we have one of the Sprites. She’s a mermaid, but a modern one. I liked the idea of a modern mermaid girl with some contemporary beach clothing along with her tail. Plus any excuse to draw an aqua-blue afro.

One of the requests from my Patrons (Join if you wanna) was to create some more fantasy gowns for the Ms. Mannequin series. So, here are some! I actually drew these back in December, but just now have gotten around to posting any pictures of them. I am still coloring. I haven’t really settled on a color scheme for these, so it’s been a struggle.

Third up is another Patron request which was “Woodland”. So, here’s my woodland fairy/fantasy set that I have been working on. I am thinking a green and autummal color scheme with lots of browns, greens, oranges, yellows and rusts.

And that’s what I’ve been working on!

Along with all this, I am also working on a series of videos about drawing paper dolls and am looking for questions about my process so I can answer them. I’ve gotten a great one so far, so anymore would be appreciated. Just leave them in the comments!

(Or anything else you want in the comments. I’m flexible.)

Last Week, I shared some sketchbook images, but the truth is that getting inked in the sketchbook is actually just “step one” in the paper doll process. Steps two through many more end up happening on my laptop computer.

So, it seemed only fitting to show some screen captures of paper doll sets in different stages of the process.

My nautical Poppet set is hopefully going to be done soon. It’s actually really close, though I did just notice a problem with the fish toy, which might slow me down a bit. 🙂

One of the last steps in the process is adding tabs, so I do them on a separate layer and then add them in. This is the B&B Knight set I showed off last week.

So, here is the Ms. Mannequin summer set I showed last week. I finished coloring it last night. It’s got a lot of pattern, so coloring it took time, but it was fun!

Lastly, here’s a gothic B&B set that I have been working on forever. I keep swearing I’ll get it done one of these days. It’s totally colored, so I have no excuse as to why I keep putting off adding tabs. I must apply the seat of my pants to the seat of a chair and get it done, as my Father is fond of saying.

So, that’s some of the stuff I’m working on at the moment. Progress, progress, progress. 🙂

I had all these grand plans for this Wenesday and in the end, I just snapped some photos with my new iphone (a lovely holiday gift from my parents) and just decided to call it a night.

So, here are five paper doll sketchbook pages.

We are starting with a fantasy set for the Buxom and Bodacious series. After some debate, I settled on drawing a set inspired by this Pixie set. I’ve always wanted to do something else with it.

And here is B&B armor! Actually this set was really fast to color and I hope to have it up maybe next week on Friday? I haven’t totally decided yet.

Every paper doll knight needs armor and there’s a variety of it here, plus weapons! (Remember children, paper weapons may cause paper cuts. Practice caution.)

So, if I don’t get this Classic Lolita set done, I will literally have nothing to go up on Monday. Epp!

So yeah, that’s gotta happen. She was a request from one of my Patrons and I was happy to oblige. I love the patterns and the parasol and everything.

Another Patron request for 2016 was summer clothing. Seasonal clothing isn’t always my forte, because I tend to sorta wear whatever I feel like and ignore seasons, but I wanted to try to draw some “summer” stuff for the Ms. Mannequins, so here is the first set I drew.

I imagine some sort of wealthy woman on vacation at some fine resort wearing these high end fashions.

And here are some more Ms. Mannequin summer clothes! These are more boho in my head. Maybe an artist or something sports these choices.

And that wraps the sketchbook for posts for today…

Any thoughts? Which of these should I work on next? (Granting that Lolita and the armor are already in progress.)

Okay, so I got home from work last night and I was like, “I have no idea what to post on Wednesday…. Darn it!”

So, I decided the solution was screen captures of works in progress.

Because that might be the easiest thing to post EVER, though I don’t always like posting stuff in progress due the large number of things that never get past certain stages and then I feel guilty that I didn’t finish them, or people would get excited for something and then I won’t get it done and I’ll feel guilty.

First up, we have set you might recognize from my post about stages of the drawing process. It has tabs added and is now waiting for me to do layout. I hope is to have it posted as the first paper doll set of 2016. Finger’s crossed that I’ll get her done in time. I’m finally pleased with how it has come out.

Next up we have a Mad Max inspired set that I am ALMOST done coloring. Fascinating fact, I drew this almost a year ago and I still haven’t gotten it wrapped. (See what I mean about something things never getting past certain stages?) Not because I don’t like it, mind you, just because I can’t seem to find the time. It’s so close though… I should just buckle down and do it.

Yes, she will be different colors when this is all done. I promise.

Chloe asked if my elf warrior example in the Sprites post was just an example or if I was really planning on creating one. Well, here she is. Her name is going to be Willow and she will have red hair. Not just because I adore red hair, but because its an homage to Willow Rosenberg of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

I was such a Buffy Fangirl when I was in highschool. I can’t even tell ya. Still love that show.  Anyway, I digress.

If anyone is wondering, “Why are some of these such odd colors?”

Than I suggest reading my post on how I color my paper dolls where I talk about the BPelt filter which is a Photoshop filter I use for flatting the paper doll sets. It’s a great filter.

Thoughts? Feel free to share them in the comments.

I keep a memo book in my purse. I use it for everything from grocery lists to notes about blog posts to doodling paper doll sets. I tend to draw small in my notebook and then pull it out when it comes time to actually transfer my ideas into my sketchbook.

I’ll openly confess that half or more of what I doodle never makes it into paper doll form, but when I am staring at a blank page feeling uninspired, knowing I have my little memo book at hand is awfully useful.

All of these pages are doodles for my plans for my Princess Paper Doll Club which I hope to start next year. I haven’t decided all the details, but I think it will be a six or twelve month subscription where each month the subscribers will be sent a unique Princess paper doll for coloring and in color. Of course, each princess will be able to share each other’s clothing and each princess will have I think about five dresses/outfits.

First up we have the February/Valentine’s Day Princess. I don’t plan on naming the Princesses, but titling each of them something like, “The Princess Who Liked Hearts” or “The Princess Who Loved Gears” or “The Princess who…” You get the idea.

Next is my sketches for the March Princess. I was thinking both of the famous “ides of March” and of James Madison, whose birthday was in March. This led, obviously, to high waists and Roman style draping. (Hey, I don’t judge where other people get their ideas.)

There’s a little more March at the top of this page before it gets into April doodles. April always makes me think of that old nursery rhyme, “April Showers Bring May Flowers”. So, rainboots and lots of floral patterns, plus gardening accessories. I am thinking of calling her, “The Princess Who Splashes in Mud Puddles.”

So, here you have it. The thrilling world of my notebooks. I really do recommend thumbnail doodling. I think it really helps to have a chance to draw out what you think you want before you actually draw it for “real”. On rare occasions, I do actually practice sketch full size- often on lined paper- before I transfer the design to my notebook. It’s not very common, but I do it sometimes. Often for hats like fedoras or bonnets, because those flummox me.

What to get a special announcement when the Princess club goes live? Just leave a comment letting me know and I’ll add you to my list. 🙂

So, I finally filled up my sketchbook and then I did photos of the drawings. These are Marisole Monday & Friends designs. I photographed them on a quilt my Mother made me, because she is awesome. Anyway, the first set is a winter coat set. Coats and boots and things.

I’m interested in Minimalist fashions. I’ve done a set before. This one is going to be more complex than my last set and probably not in shades of white, grey and black like my last set.

Continuing my big fantasy gowns trend, here’s another one! I really liked the hat and I wanted to create a full skirt and I wanted to do a draped overskirt. I chose short curly hair for the doll as a change of pace. Most of my fantasy dolls have long hair or elaborate updos.

So, those are the latest designs from the sketchbook. I’m in that awkward part of the year where I have the rest of the year pretty well mapped out and I just need to get through it, but I am struggling to remind myself that January is coming and I need content for that.

It’s hard to keep focused sometimes when I have a decent backlog. Once and a while, being down to the wire actually makes me more productive.

Which of these sets are you looking forward to seeing?

Want to help make these sets come into reality & see more stuff from behind the scenes? Consider supporting me through Patreon.