black hair

Royal and Resourceful: A Printable Princess Paper Doll

Printable paper doll sheet titled "Royal & Resourceful" from the Ensemble Eclectica series by Rachel L Cohen at Paper Thin Personas. Features a paper doll with dark curly hair in a high bun, wearing a teal and purple bikini-style base outfit and gray ballet flats, alongside two fantasy princess outfits: a dress with dramatic draping in teal and purple, and an outfit with a white blouse, and grey buckled overskirt. Accessories include a crown, a sword with a purple gem, a kettle, two books, a knife, and grey boots. Free printable color PDF download at paperthinpersonas.com. Copyright Rachel L Cohen 2026.
Printable paper doll sheet titled "Royal & Resourceful" from the Ensemble Eclectica series by Rachel L Cohen at Paper Thin Personas. Features a paper doll with dark curly hair in a high bun, wearing a bikini-style base outfit and gray ballet flats, alongside two fantasy princess outfits: a dress with dramatic draping, and an outfit with a blouse, and buckled overskirt. Accessories include a crown, a sword, a kettle, two books, and boots. Free printable black and white PDF download at paperthinpersonas.com. Copyright Rachel L Cohen 2026.

Download Black and White PDF | Download Color PDF | More Paper Dolls from the Ensemble Eclectica Series

Royal and Resourceful is the title of my latest printable princess paper doll for you to download. She’s a redesigned version of my Practical Princess paper doll, originally created in 2011, with a new wardrobe inspired by the original designs. Like all my paper dolls, she can share clothing with the rest of the Ensemble Eclectica series. For best results, print her on heavy cardstock, or glue the printed doll to heavy cardstock.

(And yes I am saying all this up front, because I’ve been reading articles on AI search engine optimization. The future is now and all that.)

Anyhow, I decided my paper doll for September would be a break from the flowers of the month, and instead I would dive into something else. Read further down if you’re curious why. So, I’ve been dabbling with drawing new paper dolls inspired by my own older paper doll designs. One of my favorite paper dolls from the Marisole Monday series was this Practical Princess paper doll. I remember being so proud of her at the time.

Back in 2011, when I drew her, I imagined she was a princess from a harsh, cold, rocky place. That could still be true. Who can say? Anyone can decide any background for any of my paper dolls. I am not going to know!

Anyhow, I redesigned most of her clothing. My favorite design from the older set was the gray overdress with the corset top, and I used that to inspire two other designs. I copied the color scheme from the original set. Apparently, at the time, I wasn’t super happy with the skin tone, but I think I was overly harsh at the time. I do remember wanting her to feel Filipina at the time. I don’t remember why. My hunch is that it might have been a request from a friend, but I don’t really recall. It was over a decade ago.

Funny story… I genuinely thought that Peony was the flower of the month for September and written up the entire post and done all the layout for the paper doll and was all ready to go. And then I double-checked and I discovered: Nope! Peony is the flower for November.

So, October might get two Flower of the Month paper dolls. I hope any September birthdays that were hoping for one will forgive me. I actually have a September paper doll drawn, but I do not have time to add tabs and do layout.

Last but not least, if you like my work consider supporting my paper dolls on Patreon (there’s a super fun sorceress paper doll for my paying patrons this month with two color schemes) and even if you join as a free member, I post work in progress, general thoughts and other behind the scenes paper doll madness over there.

Sunset Enchantress: A Fantasy Paper Doll Printable from the Ensemble Eclectica Series

Printable paper doll sheet titled "Sunset Enchantress" from the Ensemble Eclectica series by Rachel L Cohen at Paper Thin Personas. Features a medium-brown-skinned paper doll with braided hair in a bun, wearing a teal bikini-style base outfit and gladiator sandals, alongside two ornate fantasy gowns: one in deep purple and orange with geometric tile patterns and fringe sleeves, and one in magenta and yellow with floral medallions and fringe sleeves. Accessories include knee-high gladiator sandals, two decorative spellbooks, and two ornate teapots. Free printable color PDF download at paperthinpersonas.com. Copyright Rachel L Cohen 2026.
Printable black-and-white coloring page paper doll sheet titled "Sunset Enchantress" from the Ensemble Eclectica series by Rachel L Cohen at Paper Thin Personas. Features a paper doll with braided hair in a bun and a bikini-style base outfit, alongside two intricately patterned fantasy gowns with wide flared sleeves — one with geometric tile designs and one with floral medallions. Accessories include knee-high gladiator sandals, two decorative books, and two ornate teapots. Printable PDF coloring page download at paperthinpersonas.com. Copyright Rachel L Cohen 2026.

Download Black and White PDF | Download Color PDF | More Paper Dolls from the Ensemble Eclectica Series

If you’ve been following Paper Thin Personas for a while, you might remember a fantasy gown I drew back in 2018 inspired by kaftans. That design has lived in the back of my mind ever since. Today’s Sunset Enchantress is me finally picking it back up and doing something it. This new Ensemble Eclectica fantasy paper doll printable comes with two complete fantasy outfit options. They are both rooted in that folklore-and-fantasy aesthetic I love so much.

The color palette, with the deep purples, warm oranges, teal, and magenta, was inspired by a much older set: the Elven Empress from 2015, yet another fantasy paper doll printable. Something about those particular jewel tones feels magical to me. So, I wanted to revisit them with fresh eyes and try something different. I think color schemes are a fun place to play around.

If you’ve printed the Straps and Lace steampunk doll, you’ll notice this doll shares her skin tone. So, they can share shoes and, of course, all the Ensemble Eclectica paper dolls can share clothing. I have considered limiting my skintone’s more dramatically, but just this last winter I was asked by a long time reader to recolor a set with two different skintones to that they would match her nieces. I just think it’s important to have many many shades of beige and brown, so all people can find a skin-tone match.

As always, today’s Sunset Enchantress fantasy paper doll printable comes with a black-and-white coloring version too. If you’ve been wanting to put your own colors to this doll, the linework is all yours to play with. The patterns are intricate enough to be a genuinely satisfying coloring project for adults and sole very patient older kids. I would not have been one those, but I know they exist.

After all, every time I do these sorts of super patterned designs I tell myself “never again”. Then I inevitably fall into the trap to doing them again. They are just so time consuming to color, but I do love how they turn out.

Now, this paper doll is the “partner in crime” to another paper doll I designed, but she’s not ready to be shared yet. I can’t wait to show her off though, so keep an eye out! In the meantime, leave a comment and let me know what you think of the Sunset Enchantress!

Meet Bianca Boo my Halloween Printable Paper Doll for 2025

Download Page 1: Bianca Boo Doll | Download Page 2: Poison Bottle | The Bianca Boo Collection

Like I’ve done many Octobers before, I’m teaming up with Julie Matthews over at Paper Doll School for a fun little joint art project between our two sites: Paper Thin Personas (mine) and Paper Doll School (hers). We’re each making different paper dolls that play around with the same spooky themes: Poison Bottles, Vampire Aristocrat, Moth Queen, Bats, Fortune Teller, Pumpkins, and Ghosts. It’s our shared paper doll adventure for the season! That said, this October has been kind of a whirlwind (lots of panicked emails back and forth), so we’ll see if we actually manage to pull it off this year. Fingers crossed! I know we’re both excited, but also life gets rough.

So with that context, Happy Halloween everyone! Meet Bianca Boo!

Not only do I have a Halloween printable paper doll, I have a poem for my Halloween printable paper doll.

“Bianca Boo, the paper doll of night,
Wears frightful frocks that cause delight.
With ghostly grace she’ll charm your view
Beware her style… it may haunt you too!

As candle’s flicker and cauldron’s brew,
Bianca Boo stirs something new.
A dash of venom, a drop of spite—
She brews her poison dark as night.”

I don’t usually write rhyming verse, so I am quite proud of those two efforts. There may be more. I have a few more already written, but I don’t have one written for every gown yet.

This whole halloween project was a stretch for me, creatively. I don’t often work as a digital painter, and patterns aren’t usually my thing, but I really wanted to push myself for this one. Bianca Boo was inspired by Betty Boop, so I aimed for something that felt vintage, a little Art Deco, and delightfully quirky. Her outfits are all meant to be costumes with a mix of vintage silhouettes and a dash of Lolita flair.

Her first dress around the theme “Poison Bottle” and I decided to use that as a silhouette on the skirt and then made a plague doctor style mask. One of the things I’ve been working on is coloring both the glass in the mask and the brass accents with some colors. I decided to work with patterns as well, something that I have never been very comfortable with, mostly because I get frustrated with the challenge of making patterns directional when working with digital brushes, but that’s another issue all together.

And that’s Bianca Boo! I hope she brings a little extra fun to your Halloween. Whether you’re dressing up, passing out candy, or just curling up with something pumpkin-flavored, I hope your night is full of treats and creativity. Check back in soon, as there are more Bianca Boo frocks to enjoy.

Pantheon Gowns: A Fun Ancient Greek Inspired Paper Doll

Digital paper doll download with braided hair and two elegant ancient Greek–inspired gowns, plus matching accessories. A fun, artful printable from Paper Thin Personas. Perfect for fans of historical or fantasy paper dolls.
Digital paper doll download with braided hair and two elegant ancient Greek–inspired gowns, plus matching accessories. A yellow and pink color scheme. A fun, artful download from Paper Thin Personas. Perfect for fans of historical or fantasy paper dolls.

Download Black and White PDF | Download Color PDF | More Paper Dolls from the Ensemble Eclectica Series

This is the second of two digital paper doll downloads I designed with an ancient geek inspired theme. The first one went up last week, so you can go download that paper doll too, if you feel so inspired. I don’t think two paper doll is enough to make a series right? We’d need at least four, I think?

It’s not really the “second” one, because my brain doesn’t work like that. It’s more like, I drew three dresses, remembered that three dresses is one two many for my usual paper doll layout and then was like… well I guess I better draw a fourth dress and make that work.

Lately I’ve been very into wig designers for interesting hairstyle ideas. I think wigs are fun, because they don’t have to be realistic, much like paper dolls don’t have to be realistic. Over a decade ago, I interviewed Liana of Liana’s Paper Doll Blog (anyone else on the planet remember that one?) and she told me that drawing paper dolls made her “feel like I’m getting away with warping reality for fun.” I 100% agree.

Also, I cannot believe that interview was over a decade ago. It feels like yesterday. Wow.

There’s been a lot of talk lately about the “end of the internet,” and when I think about how old this site is (17 years now!), I realize it really is kind of old-school. It’s from the days when one person could just make a website about something they loved and share it. The internet is so different now, which makes sense. 17 years is a long time. Were this website a person, it would be able to vote next year.

Increasingly, keeping a site up like this is hard. There’s a lot of costs associated with running a site like this (especially one this big) and it is occasionally janky and slow (I know, I know.) Still, when I go back to old interviews like that one, I’m reminded why I did this in the first place.

That makes me want to keep going.

If you’ve been enjoying my paper dolls and want to help keep the site running (and ad-free), I’d love if you considered becoming a patron. Your support really does make a difference and helps me keep creating.

I don’t think I’ll ever have the budget to hire someone to totally “clean up” the site, but Patreon makes it possible to cover the basics (like server space) and to pay for help when something breaks that I just can’t fix myself. That’s been happening more often lately; turns out websites have gotten a lot more complicated in the last 17 years. Shocking, I know.

Celestial Fashionista: A Fantasy Astronomer Paper Doll

A paper doll coloring page with braided hair, wearing corsets and bodices. The set includes two gowns, a pair of boots, an armillary sphere, books, and notepaper.
A red-brown skinned paper doll with braided hair, wearing corsets and bodices. The set includes two gowns, a pair of boots, an armillary sphere, books, and notepaper.

Download Black and White PDF | Download Color PDF | More Paper Dolls from the Ensemble Eclectica Series

Today’s paper doll is a fantasy scientist I think. Some sort of astrologer or astronomer paper doll perhaps? I’ll leave that up to others to decide.

Netflix did a version of Cinderella back in 2021 and honestly, it was not a film I enjoyed very much. The attempt to modernize the story fell a bit flat. The costumes were cool and I love a musical, but I didn’t actually think it was a very good movie. The film’s excessive close-ups and awkward staging make it feel less like a true musical and more like a disjointed movie where people randomly burst into song. It was a jukebox musical, but not one that worked very well. I thought Pierce Brosnan was quite funny as the king and Camila Cabello was charming enough as the lead.

Even though nothing will ever replace the 1997 Brandy version of Cinderella in my heart, I did find some of the costume designs in the Netflix version interesting. I created this printable paper doll inspired by those looks—specifically the main outfit Cinderella wears for most of the movie which is a heavily boned set of stays over a skit with a wrap belt of some sort.

After designing the two dresses, I started thinking about the character behind them. There was something practical about the costumes that made me imagine this astronomer paper doll. That’s when the idea to draw the armillary sphere came in, and the concept evolved from there. The color palette was inspired by what I think of as “galactic” colors. Not colors I tend to use that much, I don’t think.

This photo from Pinterest inspired her hair. I added some dramatic earrings.

This month has absolutely flown by. It’s been one of those stretches where I keep thinking “I’ll do that when I have a moment” but those moments are in short supply lately. I’ve been teaching, attending a historical conference, catching up after August travel, and taking a class.

I have been scheming on a October project, so that might be happening. We shall see!

Free Roaming Fashions: Outdoor Mix and Match Fashions

Printable hiking paper doll coloring page featuring a stylish outdoorsy wardrobe. Includes floral t-shirts, jogger pants, cargo shorts, a casual dress, and accessories like a water bottle and crossbody bag. Perfect for hiking lovers, craft fans, and anyone who enjoys coloring and cutting out paper dolls. Download this printable hiking paper doll for a fun summer activity or to add to your paper doll collection.
Printable hiking paper doll featuring a stylish outdoor wardrobe in fun summer colors. Includes floral t-shirts, jogger pants, cargo shorts, a casual dress, and accessories like a water bottle and crossbody bag. Perfect for hiking lovers, craft enthusiasts, and paper doll collectors. Download this printable hiking paper doll for a fun summer activity or to add to your paper doll collection.

Download Black and White PDF | Download Color PDF | More Paper Dolls from the Ensemble Eclectica Series

As I think I’ve said, for all my love of fashion, I am not a very fashionable dresser. Even today’s printable hiking paper doll is better dressed than me.

Living in interior Alaska means summers are full throttle. Everything is go, go, go because winter’s cold, snow, and endless darkness are never far away. It also means that most of us dress like we’ve stepped straight out of a slightly rumpled, far less coordinated REI catalog. Hiking boots and practical pants aren’t just for weekends here; they’re basically the everyday uniform.

For today’s printable hiking paper doll, I wanted to capture that practical, outdoorsy vibe but give it a style-conscious twist. She’s ready for the trail with practical sandals, floral prints, and accessories like the ever-present water bottle and a crossbody bag. I gave her a top knot and a bit of a summer tan for a relaxed, fresh look.

The color palette was tricky to choose, but I kept it light and summery with lots of greens, soft pinks, and touches of sky blue. And while I’m not usually a jogger-pants fan, they make great hiking pants here. They’re comfortable, easy to move in, and perfect for tucking into boots if the weather changes.

I hope this printable hiking paper doll brings some trail-ready fashion to your paper doll collection. No hiking boots required, though I am living in mine this week.

Be sure to tell me your favorite outfit in the comments! And if you want access to some exclusive sets and behind-the-scenes extras, join me on Patreon. Your support keeps the paper dolls coming.

Scallops & Sunshine: Printable Summer Paper Doll for Ensemble Eclectica

Printable paper doll coloring page featuring a stylish Latina girl with glasses and a mix-and-match wardrobe. Includes dresses, tops, skirts, shoes, and accessories with fun scallop details—all in black and white, ready to be colored. A creative and customizable activity from the "Ensemble Eclectica" series from Paper Thin Personas by Rachel Cohen, perfect for kids, crafters, and paper doll fans.
Colorful printable paper doll featuring a stylish Latina girl with glasses and a vibrant pastel wardrobe. Includes mix-and-match scallop-trimmed dresses, tops, skirts, and accessories in sunny shades of coral, yellow, aqua, and purple. Part of the "Ensemble Eclectica" series from Paper Thin Personas by Rachel Cohen—perfect for creative play, DIY crafts, and paper doll collectors.

Download Black and White PDF | Download Color PDF | More Paper Dolls from the Ensemble Eclectica Series

I’m thrilled to share the latest paper doll addition to the Ensemble Eclectica series called Sunshine & Scallops in both a full-color printable paper doll and a black-and-white paper doll coloring page versions, so you can decide which was brings you more joy.

Sunshine & Scallops is a summer paper doll set featuring a stylish doll with glasses, a bright smile, and a fabulous wardrobe full of scallop-trimmed fashion. Think breezy dresses, mix-and-match separates, and cheerful accessories in a palette inspired by sunshine, sherbet, beach days other summery things. I think of her as being Latina, but you know, there’s no reason why she has to be. You do you, as my students are fond of telling me.

A quick tip! Don’t forget to trim along the doll’s shoulders to make the outfit tabs fit correctly. I include small dots to guide where to cut, but it’s easy to miss if you’re new to my designs or paper dolls. It’s so easy for me to forget that people are discovering paper dolls everyday and maybe they don’t know how they work.

Funny story: I was just explaining them to an teenage boy this week who had no idea what I was talking about until I finally got out pictures. Not sure I made a paper doll fan out of him, but at least now he knows. And as they say, knowing is half the battle.

If you’re thinking: Wow, you seem to be doing a lot of paper dolls with glasses lately, you are right! I think paper dolls with glasses are an unserved segment of the paper doll world.

If you love what I do and want to support the creation of more paper dolls, consider checking out my Patreon Page. It’s a lovely way to help keep the site going, and you’ll get early access, behind-the-scenes sketches, and monthly exclusive content. Every little bit makes a big difference.

Pastel Punk: Mix and Match Paper Doll for Creative Kids

Black paper doll coloring page featuring a girl with natural hair in a bun and glasses, wearing a bra and underwear. Includes a variety of mix-and-match outfits to color, such as pleated skirts, ripped jeans, crop tops with skull and heart designs, fishnet tights, and platform shoes. Printable fashion paper doll from the Ensemble Eclectica collection by Rachel L. Cohen, perfect for kids, crafters, and paper doll enthusiasts.
Printable Black paper doll with natural hair and glasses, wearing purple lingerie, from the Ensemble Eclectica collection by Paper Thin Personas. Includes a mix-and-match wardrobe of pastel goth and kawaii-inspired outfits with lavender ripped jeans, pleated skirts, crop tops with skull and heart graphics, fishnet tights, and platform shoes. Designed by Rachel L. Cohen, perfect for coloring, crafting, and dress-up play.

Download Black and White PDF | Download Color PDF | More Paper Dolls from the Ensemble Eclectica Series

Say hello to the latest addition to the Ensemble Eclectica paper doll series! This week’s printable paper doll is a pastel punk Black girl paper doll with her hair up in dreads and funky glasses.

Pastel Punk is what happens when soft, sugary pastels collide with 1970s punk fashion and somehow it works. From my limited understanding, the style pulls some inspiration from Kawaii and Harajuku fashion in Japan, mixed with the grit and DIY spirit of classic punk. I like the contrast of the surgery sweet with the spikes myself.

With more than fifty potential outfit combinations, she undoubtedly possesses a wealth of sartorial choices, as any paper doll should. I wanted these pieces to all be able to be mixed and matched for maximum versatility, so I kept to a very limited color palette. After all, what paper doll doesn’t need the juxtaposition of soft lilacs and mints paired with skull prints, fishnets, and a serious attitude? I can’t think of one…

Of course, if you’d prefer a more traditional punk color scheme, there’s always the coloring page version. Maybe she’s more red and black tartan punk than lavender and mint. You do you.

Don’t forget, she can share clothing with my other Ensemble Eclectica paper dolls. She has the same skin tone as some of my other Black girl paper doll creations including Sweat in Style, Straps and Lace, and In 1938. None of them match as well stylistically as the Gothic Glamour sets I did for Halloween back in 2023. Lots of skulls in those sets to expand her collection here.

I’ll admit that drawing alt fashion always makes me a little nervous. I’m more of a t-shirt and jeans (or cardigan and tweed) kind of person. I love the boldness of alternative styles, even if I’m not brave enough to wear them myself. They are a lot of fun to draw.

If you like this set, please consider sharing it on Pinterest or supporting my work through Patreon or Etsy. Even a little love goes a long way in helping me keep creating these!

Dapper Daze: Mix-and-Match Vintage Outfits for the Ensemble Eclectica

Asian printable paper doll coloring page titled “Dapper Daze” featuring an elegant Asian female character with 1950s-style hair. The set includes mix-and-match vintage-inspired outfits: two fitted skirts, high-waisted pants, three blouses with puffed sleeves and collars, a jacket, two retro handbags, and a pearl necklace. Designed by Rachel L. Cohen for Paper Thin Personas.
Asian printable paper doll titled “Dapper Daze” featuring an elegant Asian female character with 1950s-style dark hair and bright red lip-stick. The set includes mix-and-match vintage-inspired outfits: two fitted skirts, high-waisted pants, three blouses with puffed sleeves and collars, a jacket, two retro handbags, and a pearl necklace. Designed by Rachel L. Cohen for Paper Thin Personas.

Download Black and White PDF | Download Color PDF | More Paper Dolls from the Ensemble Eclectica Series

Today’s Asian printable paper doll features a retro 1950s-inspired wardrobe, complete with classic women’s suits, soft tucked-in blouses, and a couple of purses I low-key wish I owned. (Even though I’m totally a cross-body bag kind of person. I just can’t carry a purse in my hand all day.) Of course, this isn’t the first time I’ve dived into vintage styles for the Ensemble Eclectica ladies. You can look at this more colorful 1960s inspired one if you need more outfit options. There’s also actual historical 1950s fashions, I have a whole collection of those.

As I was coloring Dapper Daze here, I kept thinking about a long conversation Julie Matthews (of Paper Doll School) recently had about mix and match paper dolls and how important a consistent limited color palette is to make a set really versatile.

Yes, this is what I text my friends about. Don’t judge me.

Lately, I’ve been on a mission to finish up all the paper doll projects gathering dust on my iPad. Starting things? Easy. Finishing them? A little harder in digital format, where it’s way too tempting to start something new instead of wrapping up what’s already halfway done. It’s so easy.

So, I dug through the files, polished off a few nearly-finished pieces, and ta-da! Today’s paper doll is finally ready to share. (Though I’ll admit I don’t fully remember what I was thinking when I first designed her. Artist brain is a mystery.)

Still, it feels great to finally bring some of these printable paper dolls across the finish line. I have more to share. Promise.

PS: Got room in your collection for even more big-eyed charm? My newest paper doll book, Big Eyed Girlies, is officially available for pre-order from Paper Doll Review! So, go check that out, too.

Wardrobes of Whimsy: A Romantic Evening

A printable paper doll evening gowns themed coloring page with a doll and two dresses.
A printable paper doll evening gowns themed coloring page with two dresses and shoes.
Printable paper doll evening gowns themed with a doll and two dresses.
Two beautiful dresses in pastel colors are on this printable paper doll evening gowns set.

Download 2 Page Black and White PDF | Download 2 Page Color PDF |

Sometimes, I talk myself out of ideas—and this project was one of those cases. I’ve always really loved mix-and-match paper dolls, but designing sets like these comes with certain compromises. One challenge is layering, especially when it comes to tops being tucked into pants or skirts or long gloves, like on this set. That limitation got me thinking: what if I could have both the full layered outfit and the individual pieces as separate, layer-able parts in one paper doll set?

One of the great things about digital art is the flexibility it offers. It’s so much easier to draw, erase, and redraw without relying on tons of tracing paper.

I originally designed these printable paper doll evening gowns in summer of 2024 and was really excited about them at the time.

But then life got busy, and I started second-guessing the whole idea.

I showed them off at the Paper Doll Convention in Indianapolis, and the reaction was a bit lukewarm. People didn’t seem to quite “get it.” That made me wonder if the layout just isn’t doing a good job of explaining the idea, if maybe it was a poor idea in the first place, or if ballgowns are maybe not the best example of the concept… I feel like maybe it needs a revision or two.

So, with the caveat that this might get heavily revised in the future and I am not even going to give these their own category yet, as the two I’ve currently made may end up being the only two that are ever made, here’s my printable paper doll evening gowns experiment.

The other set that goes with this experiment, I’ll share next week.

Straps and Lace: Steampunk Paper Doll For Ensemble Eclectica

A black steampunk costume paper doll printable coloring page with a wardrobe of ten pieces. She can share clothing with the other paper dolls on Paper Thin Personas.
A black steampunk costume paper doll printable with a wardrobe of ten pieces.

Download Black and White PDF | Download Color PDF | More Paper Dolls from the Ensemble Eclectica Series

Today’s steampunk costume paper doll has a mix and match wardrobe of ten pieces. There are about 12 different outfit combinations here. I really wanted to experiment with drawing lace and lace like patterns using some lace brushes I have in Procreate. I use the brushes during the penciling stage and then I ink over them. I don’t like how they look “raw”, but they really help when I’m trying to draw a repeat pattern that runs along something- as lace often does.

I feel like I am getting much more confident in rendering lace in my digital ink style, which I am really happy about.

I will save you all from my “steampunk” vs “Victorian fashion inspired” language musings from last week. Instead, I will simply say that that steampunk is a combination of modern styles and Victorian looks. It is both fun and whimsical and usually brown. I find brown boring, so I tend to lean into color with my steampunk costumes.

(This is why I never could have been a Goth. I just find all black so uninteresting.)

For the holidays, I treated myself to a set of Color Cubes by Sarah Renee Clarke to help choose color schemes for paper dolls. I randomly selected a beautiful teal, cream, and blue palette (Color Card 101) and added yellow for extra contrast. The new pieces can mix with last week’s Victorian Whims paper doll, though the colors don’t coordinate perfectly, so some creativity is needed, but the black and white versions work well together. If you combine these two steampunk costume paper doll creations together, you’ll end up with 72 outfit combinations, before you even add in hats and purses.

As some folks know, I have a coloring book out from Colouring Heaven and I’ve heard that it’s popping up in the occasional Walmart. I am still going to recommend you order it directly, if you want a copy, because as far as I can tell distribution in the USA is not consistent at all. However, if you happen to see it in a Walmart, I’ve love a photo. I am psyched to see it “in the wild” out there in the world.

Purim is this Friday. I confess that I have been do wrapped up with other things that I completely forgot about my favorite Jewish holiday, but if you need some Purim paper dolls in your life, I have several. If I remember I’ll see about drawing a new one for 2025, but life has been a roller coaster these last few weeks.

Ensemble Eclectica: A Fall 1932 Fashion Paper Doll

A printable 1932 fashion paper doll coloring page with a coat and two dresses.
A printable paper doll with clothing from 1932 with a coat and two dresses.

Download Black and White PDF | Download Color PDF | More Paper Dolls from the Ensemble Eclectica Series

In my continuing series of 1930s creations, I made this 1932 fashion paper doll celebrating autumn styles. I love the color blocking that is trendy in the early 1930s. I also love the big soft sleeves. They don’t yet have the stiff shoulders of the later part of the decade. There’s also a lot of asymmetry in 1930s clothing. The complicated caped coat on the bottom shows some of that off (and I had both fun and cursing while drawing it.)

All of these dresses are from McCall’s Style News from September 1932. I linked a few free scans from the publication. I paid for a full scan from this Etsy seller. Like most fashion magazines of the period, it was printed in only one or two colors. So, the details are a little hard to be certain of.

For colors, I looked at fabric reproductions. I ended up with an acid green, a coral pink, and a soft navy shade with warm brown and cream as the neutrals. Her shoes and hats are based on references from my own fashion book resources. I wasn’t always sure what was happening in the hats in some of the drawings in the source magazine.

As with my last 1938 paper doll, I ended up with more clothing than I had space, so I have a second page of clothing for my paying patrons that I’ll be posting later this week for them to enjoy.

Are you enjoying this little trip to the 1930s? I sure am!