black paper dolls

Jade in Her Evening Gown

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Somehow I often come back to evening gowns when I’m feeling unsure of what to draw. I’m sure I’m not the only artist who has things they come back to over and over again, but I like drawing evening gowns and they don’t require a lot of thought. I think of them as like the chicken and dumplings of my drawings- comfort food.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper

This dress is based on a lovely gown from the Gabriela Hearst’s Spring/Summer 2019 Ready-To-Wear collection. The original is more of a sundress, but I wanted to make mine more of an evening gown. Jade’s hair was based on this picture of a black woman’s updo I found on Pinterest. I really liked the draped bangs look of the micro-braids.

Learn & See More

On the Blog: More Jewels & Gemstones paper dolls
Around the Internet: My Formal Gowns Pinterest Board

Last Thoughts on Today’s Princess Fantasy Paper Doll

If you want an extra paper doll piece every Friday, than join us on Patreon. There’s a bunch of great projects going over there including my 365 day paper doll project, extra Jewels and Gemstones and my lovely Vivian paper doll series. It’s super fun and I am so grateful to everyone who helps support my art.

Not exactly sure what will go up next week, but I’ll no doubt make some decisions as I start scheduling those posts.

Sapphire Goes to a Party

A curvy black paper doll with long hair and a part dress with matching shoes. Printable in color or black and white

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Thoughts on Today’s Paper Doll
I usually describe these dresses as cocktail dresses, but I don’t think many people do cocktails anymore? I don’t, but then I don’t really drink. So, I’m not 100% sure that description still makes sense to anyone but me. As a result, I decided to just go with the description “party dress” and figured that would work for now. It’s not really a formal gown, but it’s fun and maybe a date-night option? For people with more formal lives than mine, I suppose.

My paper dolls all live much fancier lives than I do.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper Doll
I wanted to do a series of paper dolls with party dresses for the blog. I also realized it had been a long time since Sapphire got any love, so it was easy to combine the two instincts to this paper doll set of Sapphire and her cocktail dress.

Specific Source Images: My Inspiration Dress from Pinterest

Learn/See More
On the Blog: More Jewels & Gemstones paper dolls
Around the Internet: My formal gowns and cocktail dresses Pinterest Board

Last Thoughts
A big thank you to my Patreon supporters who are amazing and awesome.

Also, cocktail dresses. Is that a term anyone uses anymore? Am I just insanely old fashioned? I can live with it if the answer is, Yes, but I am curious.

Sapphire & Her Favorite Shoes: A Curvy Printable Black Paper Doll

A printable paper doll of a curvy black woman with microbraids styled into a bun. Available in color or as a coloring page.

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Thoughts on Today’s Paper Doll
When I first began this paper doll series back in January, I created two versions of each of the dolls. One was the version I posted, the other version just had shoes (as I often do with dolls) and I held onto them until I had some clothing posted. Now that I have over 20 outfits for the Jewels and Gemstones, I figured it was time to introduce a few more dolls. So, today and tomorrow (and possibly the rest of the week) there will be second versions of dolls I’ve already posted who will have the same skin-tone and therefore can share shoes.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper Doll
I think I’ve waxed poetic enough time that folks know I love micro-braids. When I was designing these dolls I kept thinking about versatility. So, her black shoes are fancy evening pumps. Her sandals are fun and could be paired with jeans and her white and blue pumps are work appropriate.

Specific Source Images: I probably dug around on Pinterest to find a source of a person with the right angle of their head who had braids in a bun, but if I didn’t I can’t find it now.

Learn/See More
On the Blog: More Jewels & Gemstones Paper Dolls and my other version of Sapphire from January.
Around the Internet: I keep all my hair images on this Hair Pinterest Board, but I also use hair style magazines.

Last Thoughts
So, I confess that I have got a super busy week ahead of me and I am recovering from illness from last week. Ugh, life gets so complex sometimes! But hopefully everything will go smooth and the blog should update as normal.

Get access to extra paper doll content and design boards and other things by joining Patreon.

Tomorrow, there’s a second version of Pearl, who previously debuted in some fun pulpy armor.

Winter Fashion Week: Meet Jade & Her Booties

A curvy black paper doll with curly hair and three pairs of boots. Each paper doll can wear any clothing from other paper dolls in the Jewels & Gemstones collection.

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Thoughts on Today’s Paper Doll
I wanted to do a collection of contemporary fashions that were all winter themed and all in coordinating colors, so everything this week can be mix and matched. I also wanted to practice drawing tight curls (something I always need practice on).

Inspiration for Today’s Paper Doll
So many things… Okay, so for this paper doll I was kinda obsessing over open toed booties. I’ve linked to the reference images below.

Her hair comes from one of my favorite resources for hair which is hairstyle magazines. Sophisticate’s Black Hairstyle and Care Guide shows lots of different hairstyles (updos, natural hair, treated hair, weaves, the whole nine yards). These magazines are a great way to help built a photo reference collection. I pick mine up at the local grocery store, but if you live in a place without a large black population, you might need to order it online.

Specific Source Images: Theses booties, these sandals, which I thought felt kinda wintery, and these booties.

Learn/See More
On the Blog: More Black Paper Dolls, One of my favorite Winter paper dolls, and More Jewels & Gemstones Paper Dolls
Around the Internet: Did you know that Oprah’s stylist Andre Walker developed a hair typing system for curly hair? There’s some controversy around it (isn’t there around everything?), but it’s an interesting idea. I liked this guide, because it has photos.

Last Thoughts
Don’t expect me to continue this “theme week” and then “random week” pattern. It just happened, because this was what I had finished. I don’t want people to think there’s going to be a pattern, because then I’ll feel pressure for there to be a pattern.

My Patreon have been helping me plan for my next few theme weeks by kindly voting on ideas. If you are a Patron, please vote here, if not, than join us! Patron support keeps Paper Thin Personas around.

Tomorrow there will be another contemporary winter outfit for the ladies and then we’ll continue from there all week! How do you feel about the winter? Are you a fan of cold weather or do you prefer the summer?

Steampunk Sapphire with her Fantastic Top Hat

Today's black steampunk paper doll has her own fancy top hat and a great outfit, plus two pairs of shoes. You can print the paper doll in color or black and white, if you like to color.

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Thoughts on Today’s Paper Doll
Continuing my Gemstone naming theme, Sapphire is today’s black steampunk paper doll. I probably should get better at spelling Sapphire, because I keep wanting to give the word two Rs.

Steampunk, which is today’s paper doll style, is a style based on the idea of Victorian clothing crossed with anachronistic styles. So, corsets, bustles, top hats and such combined in ways they never would have been combined in the actual 19th century.

Personally, I’m a bit conflicted about steampunk (especially the fiction), because I rarely see the genre engaging with the inherent colonial and racist underpinnings of British and American empire building in the 19th century. So, while I love the fashion, but I don’t want to glorify that period in history, or any period, actually. There’s no magical Golden Age.

One interesting thing I recently discovered is steamfunk which is an afro-futuristic approach to steampunk and engages in this same issue. I need to learn more about it. I literally discovered it last week.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper Doll
I wanted to do a steampunk paper doll. That’s all really. Also, I’m kinda in love with her hat.

Plus, I know I have some Patrons who love steampunk fashion and I couldn’t imagine starting out the new series with out doing at least one steampunk set.

Specific Source Images: This Wig & King’s Road Corset from Violet Vixen (the corset isn’t on their website anymore, hence the Pinterest link)

Learn/See More
On the Blog: Steampunk Paper Dolls, Victorian Inspired Paper Dolls, & More Jewels & Gemstones Paper Dolls
Around the Internet: Steampunk as Defined on Wikipedia, My Steampunk Pinterest Board, The Intersection of Race and Steampunk from Silver Goggles (from 2009, but still well worth a read), & Chronicles of Harriet article on Steamfunk

Last Thoughts
Is it wrong that a part of me still sees steampunk fashion as super close to old school Victorian inspired goth fashion? I feel like there are steampunk purists who would question that.

I do have a Patreon page where I have exclusive content and such, if you’re interested.

Steampunk? Are you into it? Not into it? Have a book recommendation for me in the genre? Drop me a note in the comments.

And 1960s Week Begins with Abigail!

This week's paper doll theme is 1960s styles and here's Abigail with shoes and beehive hair. She wears a body suit and has three pairs of period shoes.

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I knew I wanted to draw a 1960s paper doll and I knew I wanted to do a beehive hair. And lest you think that this hair is “unrealistic” than I would refer to the Ronnetts (this photo) and the Supremes (this photo), both inspirations for today’s Abigail paper doll’s hair. As I’ve said before, finding historical references for black vintage hair styles is not an easy task and the copyright law nuances make it much harder.

Now, if Ebony would just digitize their entire archive and put it online for free for me, that would be fantastic… But since I don’t see that happening soon. I went with my usual “find famous people and copy them, technique.”

If there is one thing I will never fully understand, it’s 1960s hair. I mean, I get wanting a little lift in your hair, but seriously, the 1960s took the big hair thing to a whole different level. Unlike the 1980s, 1960s big hair was stiff. One might even use the term shellacked. At least, that’s what I’ve been told by people who lived in that era. I asked a woman once, after looking at her yearbook photo with her, how she’d gotten her hair like that and she replied to me, deadpan, “One hour and hairspray.”

Ask a dumb question…

Anyway, Abigail’s underwear is based on this Mary Quant designed body suit. Her shoes can all be found in the V&A. I did make them different colors, but the styles are here, here and here.

If you want to see all my 1960s inspiration, as we are heading into a week of 1960s content, head over to my 1960s Pinterest Board.

Need some clothing for today’s paper doll? All the A Pose Dolls & Clothing

A Pair of New Abigail Dolls

Two African-American paper dolls to dress up from paperthinpersonas.com. These cute black girls can share clothing with any of the other A Pose Dames and Dandies paper dolls.

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Today, I am sharing a pair of Abigail dolls to dress up. Abigail has a warm brown skin-tone. Just like my other two doll sets, I wanted the two different versions of Abigail to be pretty different.

So, Abigail on the left has a natural hair style and Abigail on the right has pastel purple hair. Personally (in my head) the left paper doll is a modern girl and the right paper doll is maybe from the future where pastel hair is in style?

Unless pastel hair is in style now and no one told me. I mean, I’m not usually on the cutting edge of hair trends. Clothing trends I do keep pretty good track of. Hair is harder. 

As always, a big thank you to my Patrons and if you’d like to help out the blog by making a donation, you can do that over on the Patreon page. 

Need some clothing for today’s paper doll? All the A Pose Dolls & Clothing

A Pair of New Beatrix Dolls and One has Glasses

A pair of brown skinned paper dolls with shoes and different hair styles. They can wear any of the dresses designed for the B Pose paper dolls on the blog- paperthinpersonas.com.

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When I was working on these double doll sets, I realized I hadn’t done any paper dolls for the Dames and Dandies with glasses yet. That seemed like a serious omission given that I wear contacts and can barely see without them. So, I knew I wanted a doll with glasses. The doll on the left has a hairstyle based on how a student who worked for me wore her hair and the doll on the right has blond highlights. That’s actually her second hair style. I really didn’t like the first one I designed, once I saw it on the doll.

That happens sometimes, because I draw all the hair separately and sometimes once I get it fitted to the dolls head, I’m not sure that I like it as much as I did in theory. Fortunately, it’s not hard to draw another one and through the “Power of Photoshop” there’s a lot of options.

Coloring wise, these versions of Beatrix have, of course, the same skin-tone as the other versions of Beatrix. I did however choose to match the paper doll’s glasses to her toenails, like you do.

Meanwhile, I posted a few progress images over on Patreon if you’d like to see some work in progress and my #100dressesproject continues on Instagram. Almost done! I’m in the 90s. 

And, as always, I’d love to hear what you think about today’s paper dolls. 

Need a clothing for today’s paper doll? All the B Pose Dolls & Clothing.

And This is Abigail! A New Black Paper Doll To Print With Her Toga Inspired Gown

A black fantasy paper doll to print with a toga inspired dress and two pairs of sandals. She can wear any of the A Pose printable paper doll clothing.

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I am super happy to be back! I was traveling and wrapped up in work. I got to go to New Orleans which was so much fun. It was a work trip, but I ate plenty of beinets, gumbo and red beans over rice. I do love a good bowl of gumbo.

As fun as it was to be in the city, it is also so very nice to have returned home to Alabama. 

Anyway, today’s paper doll is a new face for the A Pose dames. I think this will be the last new A Pose face for a while. I had a mental goal of getting four faces for each pose (A, B and C) done before I let myself work more on versions and less on faces. There is another version of Abigail already done. It’s a contemporary version with sandals. 

I chose the name Abigail for today’s paper doll, because I’ve always liked the name. It’s a Biblical name, for those who aren’t aware, and was the name of King David’s third wife. I’ve known several Abigails in my life and liked them all, so I figured the name was a winner.

Her fantasy dress was inspired by togas and Ancient Greece. Not actual historical Ancient Greece, more like Xena: Warrior Princess. I loved the idea of a loose, graceful, draped garment. Originally, I imagined it would be white (there is a white version over on my Patreon page you can go print), but I thought the white wasn’t as interesting as a color.

Yes, I colored the paper dolls lips to match the dress. Don’t judge me. 

Her micro braids were fun. I always feel like they get a bit lost when I color them black (black on black being a thing), I made them purple in the Patreon page version. So, if you think you’d rather have a purple haired version, pop over there and you can download and print that version. 

Need some clothing for today’s paper doll? All the A Pose Dolls & Clothing

And Here is Cameron: A Black Guy Paper Doll With Shoes (Many Shoes)

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This is Cameron the new member of the C pose Dandies family. He’s a black guy paper doll, as you can see, and I had a lot of fun researching black men’s hairstyles for him. I noticed this very square hairline seems to be the trending thing (as much as I know anything about men’s trends in hair) and I based the look that Cameron is sporting on this picture and this picture. Drawing men’s hair is something I am still working on getting better at, but I won’t get better if I don’t practice.

Along with his hair, Cameron has three pairs of shoes and can wear any of the C Pose outfits.I wanted to have more skin-tones and ethnicities represented in the Dandies, so along with Cameron here, I have a white paper doll named Cyrus who’ll be shared next Monday. Stay tuned for that.

I always feel bad for my paper dolls who end up with only shoes. I mean, I get it. It’s done so they have shoes, but really… give this poor guy some clothing, stat. Personally, I think he’d look great in the sci-fi set or in this warrior outfit.

Meanwhile, it’s after my bedtime and therefore time to sleep. Let me know what you think of the new paper doll in a comment if you like!

Need a clothing for today’s paper doll? All the C Pose Dolls & Clothing

The Bellflower Princess Paper Doll & Her Ball Gown

A beautiful black princess paper doll with braids and a ballgown inspired by the bellflower. She can wear any of the B Pose paper doll clothing from Paperthinpersonas.com.

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The first dress I designed was the lily ball gown, but this dress is what turned that dress from just as “this would be fun to draw” into a “oh, I could make this a series”. So, I really think of today’s Beatrix princess paper doll as the inspiration behind the whole week.

When I was planning the Dames and Dandies series, I new I was going to have a stable set of “faces”, but I wanted those faces to have many versions. So, this is Version 2 of Beatrix– The Bellflower Princess Paper Doll version.

Also, huge shout out to my Mom, who when I was describing the flower I was remembering from the garden as a child, recalled the name of it and spelled it correctly enough for me to goggle it. The formal name for bellflowers is Campanula, by the way, which is what she told me.

I just thought Campanula Princess didn’t roll off the tongue as well as Bellflower Princess, hence the name change.

The original doodles for today's printable paper doll with the dress on the left and the doll's head on the upper right.
The original doodles for today’s printable paper doll from my notebook. The doll’s head is on the right and the dress is on the left.

In the order of this princess paper doll design, the dress came first. Once I had it drawn, I wanted a crown and I came up with the idea of the flowers coming out from a pair of buns.

Once I had that idea in my head, I had to figure out how to actually create in a way that would work for someone cutting out the paper doll. So, I drew the hair style and the crown pieces separately.

Than, I used Photoshop to create one version of Beatrix with out the crown and second version with the crown. So, the hair with the crown can be cut out and placed over the hair without the crown.

This also assures that this version of Beatrix can wear a hat without floral crown pieces getting in the way.

I don’t often share my process photos here, because I try to save them for my Patrons. So, if you want to see more images of the raw beginnings of paper doll sets, than donate and join Patreon. I try to post a few “behind the scenes” images every month. I also put them up on Instagram erratically. 

In case you missed any of this week’s floral ball. The first dress was Monday’s lily ball gown, the second was Wednesday’s fiddlehead fern suit and then today, we have the bellflower princess.

Let me know what you think of today’s paper doll in a comment or which paper doll from the floral ball was your favorite? I confess I don’t have one this time and usually I do.

Need a clothing for today’s Doll? All the B Pose Dolls & Clothing

Meet Beatrix: The First Pose B Paper Doll

A black paper doll with curly natural hair to print in color or black and white for coloring from paperthinpersonas.com. She comes with three pairs of shoes.

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This is Beatrix, a name I knew I wanted to name her the moment I drew her. I have no idea why, but she looked like a Beatrix to me.

She is also the first of the Pose B paper dolls for the Dames and Dandies series. This is version one of Beatrix, which I intentionally made pretty neutral. A doll and some shoes. There will, no doubt be a version 2 and a version 3 eventually.

But we are starting with version one.

My original plan for Beatrix version one was micro-braids, but I seriously screwed them up while I was inking them and I decided to do something different instead. I draw a lot of micro-braids, after all. Instead, I thought I would stretch my wings a little and try a side parted natural hair style. 

I think it came out pretty well.

Let me know what you think on a comment about today’s paper doll? I’d love to hear from you.

Need a clothing for today’s Doll? All the B Pose Dolls & Clothing