contemporary Archives • Page 10 of 31 • Paper Thin Personas

Meet Janette, The New Mini-Maiden Paper Doll

December 12, 2020August 14, 2017

{View Larger} {View the PDF} {More Mini-Maiden Paper Dolls}

Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Fashion Magazines and My Patrons

A few months ago, I asked my Patrons to vote on a name for a new Mini-Maiden paper doll. A lot happened and I just didn’t get around to finishing her until recently, but I am super excited to present Janette. There will be a Janette paper doll every day this week to get her off to a solid start as an addition to the Mini-Maiden family.

Janette can, of course, wear any of the already created Mini-Maiden clothing and share shoes with Faye, Greta, Hazel and Isadora.

(As it happens, I name the Mini-Maiden‘s in alphabetical order, because… I dunno. It seemed like a good idea at the time?)

The first of the three Janette’s that will be posting this week is a contemporary Janette. I thought it was a nice place to start.

She has a sundress based on designs from my fashion magazine obsession, as are her sandals.

I wanted to give her a short contemporary looking hair cut, as this it the “contemporary” Janette.

On Wednesday, Janette will go to Space!

As always, a big thank you to my Patrons for helping me pick out her name.

Well, what do you think of Janette? Let me know in a comment. I always love to hear from you all.

Need a more outfits for today’s Mini-Maiden Paper Doll? Find More Clothing Here.

Summery Printable Paper Doll Clothing for the Mini-Maidens

August 4, 2017

{View Larger} {View the PDF} {More Mini-Maiden Paper Dolls}

Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: What I see in the Summer Fashion Magazines

So, for today’s paper doll clothing I created a skirt and two sleeveless blouses for the Mini-Maiden’s printable paper doll series. The designs are straight from the fashion magazines that seem to pile up on my coffee table while I’m not paying enough attention.

Truth be told, I’m not a big fan of summer. I dislike the heat and I really dislike the humidty. I never felt this way until I moved to Alabama and now I’ve learned why people don’t like summertime.

I do, however, enjoy looking at the seasonal fashion magazines though and seeing different clothing ideas. Flipping through fashion magazines always seems to make me want to draw. I see all sorts of things I’d like to try to recreate for my paper dolls.

Today’s pair of sleeveless tops and skirt all come from different fashion magazines. I tend to use Instyle and People StyleWatch most often. They have very easy to see photos of clothing.

In the magazine, the paper dolls booties were heavily decorated with cut outs. When I tried to draw the cut outs, they ended up looking really odd. So, I have omitted them from today’s paper doll.

You’ll just have to imagine cut outs.

Love today’s paper doll clothing? Hate it? Let me know in a comment.

Need a Mini-Maiden paper doll to wear today’s outfit? Pick a Mini-Maiden Paper Doll Here.

Summer Time Paper Doll Fashions for Ms. Mannequin

July 27, 2017

{View Larger} {View the PDF} {View Black & White} {View the Black & White PDF}
{More Ms. Mannequin Paper Dolls}

Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Spring and Summer Fashions

I’ve been wanting for a while to take the Ms. Mannequin printable paper dolls back to their roots a little. So today’s post is contemporary spring and summer fashions. Contemporary fashion was what I originally designed them to be all about. Personally, I think today’s summer paper doll clothes are what a fashionable girl might wear to a picnic.

A super fashionable picnic- the kind with champagne and tiny sandwiches. I have never been to one of these.

I really wanted to play around with pastels this time and embrace soft smoky colors. I was particularly excited with how the blue dress came out. It really reminds me of blue linen, though I have no idea why.

Perhaps I am fantasizing about linen, because summer has finally come to Alabama. After a blessedly cold spring, we are now hitting the heat and humidity we’re known for. I very much dislike the summer in the South.

I think I would dislike it less if my office weren’t always freezing. Books like 65 degrees and 40% humidity. People are not so keen on those temps, so I wear a cardigan to work every day and swelter in the jaunt from my car to the office.

Still, it is more important that my collection is happy than it is that I am happy. I will suffer for my historical papers, as any good Special Collections librarian should. (This is also why I once draped by coat over a book in a sudden unexpected snowfall to protect it and froze walking back across campus.)

And now that I have managed to fill today’s post with complaining about the weather, which is basically the sport that rivals college football in Alabama, I would love to know what you think of today’s summer paper doll clothes. Leave me a comment ad let me know.

Need a paper doll to wear today’s outfit? Pick out a Ms. Mannequin Paper Doll Here

A New Modern Curvy Paper Doll and Her Summery Chambray Dress

October 21, 2019July 24, 2017

{View Larger} {View the PDF} {View Black & White} {View the Black & White PDF}
{More Bodacious and Buxom Paper Dolls}

Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations:Chambray Summer Dresses and Sandals

Sometimes, I draw paper dolls and I have wonderful detailed ideas of what I want to say about them. Sometimes, I draw paper dolls and I have really nothing to say about them. Today’s paper doll falls into the later category. I just don’t really have much meaningful to say about her.

I like her, don’t get me wrong, but she’s not as full of complex inspiration as some of my other work.

She was a case of drawing the dress and then drawing a doll to go with the dress. I wanted to draw a short chambray dress. One of the big trends this summer is chambray dresses. I mostly use chambray for sewing doll jeans. It’s super useful for that, but it also works really well as a sundress material.

My plan was to make two sundresses and use them as a clothing post. I hated the other sundress so much that I scribbled it out of my sketchbook, so that didn’t work out.

To salvage the dress that I had, I decided to draw a doll do go with it. Drawing her hair gave me a chance to practice short hair. I need to practice short hair more. Also, I am sort of in love with her eyebrows and I can’t explain why.

I designed her shoes to be basics. I wanted them to go with pretty much anything else she might decide to wear.

So, what do you think? Cute? Looking slightly pissed off? Let me know in a comment. I always love to hear from you all.

Need to get some more clothing for this Bodacious & Buxom paper doll to wear? Pick out some clothing here

Sprites Summery Paper Doll Clothing

July 21, 2017

{View Larger} {View the PDF} {View Black & White} {View the Black & White PDF}
{More Sprites Paper Dolls}

Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Stuff I See Kids Wearing These Days

One of the classic problems I face is that I tend to draw and then ink and then scan and then post. Sometimes, this means I am posting weeks or months after I drew the paper doll content. While I actually like this schedule, because it keeps me from going nuts, there is a downside.

The downside is that sometimes I really don’t remember why I drew a set of paper doll clothing or what inspired me.

Take today’s summery Sprite clothing, for example. I have no idea why I drew these. I have the vague recollection that I felt like the Sprites had gotten so much fantasy stuff, that I should create something that was not fantasy.

“Something not fantasy” is not the most revolutionary reason to create a paper doll set, but that doesn’t make it less true.

I do remember in the coloring process that I struggled to find a color scheme that could be both masculine and feminine. It is no doubt a sign that I have stereotypical views of color, but I struggle with putting male paper dolls in pink.

If you do feel comfortable putting male paper dolls in pink, there is always the black and white version of today’s paper doll clothing.

In a side note, I really like the butterflies on the green dress and am super proud at how they turned out. Drawing tiny butterflies is hard and I am pleased with those.

A few other bookkeeping sorts of thing, I am starting a graduate program in the Fall. I don’t know how it will impact the blog, yet. I hope to continue posting regularly and with a minimum of disruption. However, I can not confidently promise that will be the case. So, I am just trying to let people know ahead of time.

Meanwhile, if you want to support the blogs continued “life on the web” than consider becoming a patron and making a small monthly (or one time) donation.

Looking for some Sprite paper dolls to wear these outfits? Pick out Sprite paper dolls here.

Sprites Get Some Summer Paper Doll Clothing

July 11, 2017June 21, 2017

{View Larger} {View the PDF} {View Black & White} {View the Black & White PDF} {More Sprites Paper Dolls}

Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Vintage Inspired Contemporary Clothing & College Students

I wanted to make some summer paper doll clothing, but I confess men’s clothing isn’t my gift. Drawing contemporary men’s clothing still is something I find rather challenging, because I struggle to regularly come up with new ideas.

The guy Sprite’s t-shirt today is based off one I saw a student wearing on the campus where I work. The orange shorts are well, just a pair of orange shorts.

I mean, sometimes even guys want non-neutral pants, right? (I have no idea if this is true, actually.)

The Sprites ladies top is from a contemporary catalog. Her jeans are flares which I have been told are in fashion. I added the designs to the bottom when I decided there was something sorta vintage 1970s going on. Those designs were originally going to go on her top, but I thought that was too busy. The

Sprites, just like every series, I think think need a mix of clothing. I really enjoyed contemporary paper dolls when I was kid, usually ones from Golden Books which had punch out dolls and clothing. I preferred the cut out books, because with the punch out books the tabs often got ripped.

So, when I design contemporary stuff I’m always thinking of those old books, though today’s summer paper doll clothing owes more to what I see on the college campus where I work.

Speaking of all clothing types, tomorrow there will be a historical dress and then Friday there will be something sci-fi. I’m super busy this week and will be traveling a bit, so I will try to respond to comments and emails and such, but that might not happen.

What types of paper doll clothing do you like best? Let me know in a comment!

Looking for some Sprite paper dolls to wear these outfits? Pick out Sprite paper dolls here.

Poppet’s Paper Dolls Go A Bit Tom-Boy & There are Rocketships

June 20, 2017

{View Larger} {View the PDF} {View Black & White} {View the Black & White PDF}
{More Poppets Paper Dolls}

Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Little Boys Clothing & Rocket Ships

I will confess that I tend to like girly clothing for the Poppets. Lots of skirts and ruffles and things, but I realized not every one shares my feelings, so I wanted to do some tom-boy clothing for them as well.

I’m not sure about the rocket. I think it would not make it to space, but oh well… not every rocket is a winner, as they say.

I want to give the pants deep pockets for collecting important things, like interesting rocks and other treasures of childhood. The colors were chosen to be masculine without feeling stodgy or old. It’s a riff on a primary color scheme, really, with some orange added in for good measure.

The scheme was my original plan for the Asian Poppet paper doll that I posted earlier in the month, but I didn’t like the yellow being in both the clothing and on the doll’s stand. But, since I did like the color scheme, I used it in today’s set of paper doll clothing.

I am all about recycling and limiting the work I have to do.

Need a paper doll to wear today’s outfit? Pick a Poppet Paper Doll Here.

Ms. Mannequin’s Elegant Paper Doll Evening Gown

June 9, 2017

{View Larger} {View the PDF} {View Black & White} {View the Black & White PDF}
{More Ms. Mannequin Paper Dolls}

Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: This Evening Gown from Pinterest

The gown today’s paper doll is based on was white and I felt like that wasn’t very interesting. Also, you can always use the black and white version of today’s gown to be the white version if you wanted too.

What I really wanted to try to capture with today’s gown was the drape of the fabric clinging to the body and then flaring on the ground.

Another thing I loved about the dress I based today’s paper doll evening gown off of was the modesty. It is rare to see an evening gown with such a high neckline and thick straps, but I think it ads to the beautiful modernist style of the dress.

A few house keeping things- If you like the blog and want to keep it on the internet and ad free, then please consider supporting it through Patreon. I haven’t been mentioning this as much as I was previously, because I worry that I’m bothering people. But consider this- 1 dollar a month is 5 cents per paper doll outfit.

If you think the enjoyment you get from this little corner of the internet is worth a nickel a paper doll outfit, than hop over here.

If not, I totally get it. I know a lot of my readers are under 18 and I know a lot are not in the US, so no reasons need be given.

And if you’re wondering “where does the money go?” then check out this post from April about my first quarter income. It breaks all the expenses down.

I hope everyone has a super wonderful weekend. Leave me a comment and let me know what your favorite paper doll this week has been?

For me, I gotta confess a strange soft spot for the Space Pirates. Partly, because it is super fun to write the words, Space Pirates as often as I have gotten too.

Need a paper doll to wear today’s outfit? Pick out a Ms. Mannequin Paper Doll Here

A New Modern Asian Poppet Paper Doll

December 6, 2020June 5, 2017

{View Larger} {View the PDF} {View Black & White} {View the Black & White PDF}
{More Poppets Paper Dolls}

Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations:The Lack of Asian Poppet Paper Dolls

There are 14 Poppets dolls that I have created over the course of the Poppets 4 year existence and only one of them is Asian. That seemed rather sad to me, so I decided to create a second Asian poppet paper doll. Sometimes, it is by noticing what I haven’t done lately that makes me realize, “Oh, I should do a ________________ I haven’t done a _________ in a while.”

(Like the pajamas last week were totally that.)

It also felt a little odd to only have on Asian Poppet paper doll when you consider that they are all based on Ball Jointed Dolls from Asia, which also rarely look Asian, now that I mention it. I’ve always wondered why… but I digress.

Today’s paper doll has the same skin-tone as Posey from 2014, so they can share shoes. Poor Posey hasn’t had any sandals for the last 3 years. You have to feel a little for her, you know?

I went back and forth a bit about clothing options before I settled on a simple knit dress. The dress went through about six different color combinations, I confess. For what is a pretty simple paper doll, this doll gave me some trouble.

Love her? Hate her? Wish they made that dress in your size? Let me know in a comment.

Need a paper doll to wear today’s outfit? Pick a Poppet Paper Doll Here.

Occupations: An Archivist Complete with Her Own Hollinger Box

December 6, 2020May 31, 2017

{View Larger} {View the PDF} {More of the 2017 Paper Doll Collaboration}

Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: An Archivist, Because it is One Half of my Job Title

So, this months theme was super hard for me. We all agreed to the themes back when we started this collab paper doll project, but I’ll confess that I really really struggled with this one. I just don’t draw a lot of occupations paper dolls.

So, my first idea was to do like a Fire Fighter, but that would have taken a lot of research. So, would have that the other ideas that I had. Finally, in the interest of not doing research, I decided to draw what I know.

Therefore, I am pleased to present a paper doll Archivist.

Why an Archivist? Because I am one. See, super simple?

But wait, you maybe thinking, I thought you were a librarian! Actually, I am both.

(I do tend to have stronger Librarian tendencies than Archivist tendencies, but that’s neither here nor there.)

After drawing an outfit, I decided that she needed a classic Archivist accessory and what could be more fitting than the ubiquitous to archives Hollinger Metal edge document case?

One thing I was NOT going to do was give her a bun, so I went with a casual long layered style. I though I always keep my hair in a ponytail at work to both keep it out of my face and out of my collections.

So, check out Popculture and Paper Dolls, Miss. Missy and Paper Doll School for three other occupation inspired paper doll outfits.

Need a doll to wear this stylish outfit? Grab the Doll here.

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: