dreadlocks

DDJ: It is Pirate Paper Doll Time!

A pirate coloring page paper doll to print with a mix and match wardrobe.
A printable paper doll pirate with mix and match clothing, a map and swords. She has dark skin and dreadlocks.

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Happy March!

There are paper doll themes I think I’ve done a lot of- like pirates-, but then when I actually go through my own archives I realize- I really haven’t done that very many pirate paper doll sets. (I have a similar relationship with fairy paper dolls.)

The problem, I suspect, is that I don’t feel like there are that many ways to draw a pirate. So, I guess that’s a factor. I should expand more into space pirates or steampunk pirates or… I dunno… Need to think on it.

Anyway, one of the things I am doing over on Patreon is working on my goals for 2022. One of those goals is more Dolls Du Jour, I was slightly embarrassed to realize I only did 4 last year. Plus, they were nearly all based on things I actually drew in 2020. (This isn’t super uncommon. Some things sit on my computer a long time before I finish them, because I am fickle and have more ideas than time.)

So, anyway, one goal is more Dolls Du Jour. I have been finishing up my Goals post. The hope is to get that up later this week, so it’ll be “Official”. I like having all that sort of thing in one place, because I will refer to it later. I know I will.

More and more over the last few years, I havecome to think of the blog as a long form sort of art project. I like having most things here, because I know I own this space. No algorithm can interfere with what I’ve built here.

Meanwhile, if you’d like to support the blog, then there’s a way to do over on Patreon. My Patreon projects for this year is a gothic/steampunk fantasy thing for Vivian and a set of Antique Doll paper dolls. I’m super excited about both.

Aces & Queens: A Playing Card Inspired Paper Doll

A playing card inspired paper doll with dreadlocks and a mix and match wardrobe.

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A playing card inspired paper doll with multicolored dreadlocks and a mix and match wardrobe.

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

This paper doll set was my partner’s suggestion for a playing card themed paper doll creation. When I think of playing cards, I sort of inevitably end up thinking of retro glam, show girls and a little bit punk. That maybe helps explain why this paper doll’s clothing is a little all over the place. However, I do think there’s some neutrals like jeans you could steal from Polka-Dots, Retro-Beach Summer or Flowers and Showers. I am realizing though, as I write this, that I haven’t done that many contemporary fashion sets for the Jewels and Gemstones 2.0 ladies.

By the way, I’ve had a few people reach out over my long absence. I was dealing with some family things. It’s all resolved and I have a wonderful support network. Thank you for your kind words and things will slowly be ramping back up here as I get more settled.

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Want to support the blog and access to more paper dolls every month? Join us on Patreon!

Cameron: The Elven Prince Paper Doll Version

A black elven fantasy prince paper doll with dreadlocks to print and play with from paperthinpersonas.com.

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Today’s paper doll is the first C Pose Dandies to get a what I think of as a “Themed” set. It’s Cameron and he’s an elven prince with his crown and everything.

I knew from the beginning of the Dames and Dandies series that having a consistent guy paper doll series was important. First off, I get a lot of requests for guy paper dolls from parents and I also know that I’m not the best artist, so I don’t like trying to draw poses to scale of each other if I haven’t started with that goal.

Figure drawing and I… Well, I won’t say we’re enemies, but we are not friends.

But guy paper dolls were never my favorites as a kid. I struggle even today to sort out what to draw for them, because my ideas tend default to ladies. This is nothing against guy paper dolls, but I’ve been drawing lady paper dolls since I was… like ten?

And I’ve been drawing guy paper dolls for… four years? Maybe?

Moral of the story, I just like drawing girls more.

Anyway, I wanted to do an elven prince and I thought it wold be fun to feature Cameron. There was going to be a Viking version of Cyrus and… I had plans.

But the Viking hair/wig I created for Cyrus totally didn’t fit (oops) and so there’s no Viking to go with our elf. So, this won’t be the “week of C Pose” that I had originally planned it to be.

But this is the first day of October and that means Inktober has begun! For those of you who are Patrons, this is old news. For those of you who aren’t, Inktober is a project where people (mostly on Instagram) draw pen and ink drawings for the month of October and post them. Some folks do one a day. Some folks do one a week. My goal is ten over the course of October. Follow me on Instagram if you want to see the drawings.

And, of course, I always love to hear from you, so leave me a comment and let me know what you think of Cameron, elven prince.

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

Ursula’s Modern Clothes: A Printable Paper Doll

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations:  What I see College Girl’s wearing
A black paper doll with her dreads in an updo and cute contemporary clothing. Free to print in color or black and white from paperthinpersonas.com.

First off, my favorite thing about this Ursula paper doll is her hair. I love dreads and I particularly think they look cool when they are styled up into an updo.

Because the lady Sprites have much smaller stands then the guy sprites, I could fit two pairs of shoes onto this page with with Ursula. So, I did a pair of white shoes and a pair of black shoes. I figured that covered all the basic shoes a person might need.

All the Ursula dolls have the same skintone, so she had borrow some sandals from her mermaid version if she wants too. If there are more Ursula paper dolls (and there probably will be eventually), then you can pick out shoes from those dolls as well. Any of the shoes that don’t show skin tone, of course, will fit any of the Sprites ladies.

And if you enjoy the blog, but want to see my process and get early previews, then join us on Patreon. It’s a lot of fun.

Looking for something for today’s Sprite paper doll to wear? Pick out some clothing here.

Ursula & Zachary Under the Sea: Mermaid Paper Dolls (Tails to Come!)

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A pair of black paper dolls with blue hair and multi-colored dreadlocks.

I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, “Mermaid paper dolls? Where are the tails?”

So, yeah, there are no tails. This wasn’t my original plan.

My original plan was to have Zachary with a tail on Monday and Ursula with a tail on Tuesday. Then to post joint outfits for them on the following days. I thought this was a great plan, until I realized I could not fit the tail and the Zachary paper doll on the same page together. It simply did not fit.

And to think my layout problems were a thing of the past? Sigh.

So, instead we get two paper dolls and a promise of tails tomorrow. I swear these are mermaids. They’re just tailless mermaids.

Reminder that the black and white versions are linked up at the top of the post, if anyone is looking for it.

Anyway, Zachary and Ursula are both from the Sprites series which I introduced WAY back in January. As some of you may recall, I have been naming the Sprite faces in reverse alphabetical and I had gotten to the letter U, so Ursula it was.

I realized later that making the first Ursula paper doll a mermaid does bring up connotations of Disney’s A Little Mermaid, but that wasn’t my intention. I named the paper doll LONG before I picked out a theme and I could have started with a modern set, but mermaids were more fun. Her hair was inspired by this pin of a woman with teal hair on Pinterest.

Lastly, you love the blog, consider supporting it on Patreon. If you want paper doll updates on Twitter, I’ve moved them over to @paperpersonas.

Marcus as Steampunk Airship Mechanic Paper Doll

logo-airship-colorI play Pathfinder, a Dungeons and Dragons like game, most Friday nights with a group of friends at a local game shop. Generally, I have to know what my character is wearing before I can actually play the character.

Weird, but true.

Clothing is a direct expression of how my character thinks and functions in the world. Some people think about their characters in terms of unique weapons or speech patterns, I think about my characters in terms of what sort of shoes they would choose while trekking through a ruin.

Years ago, I discovered the work of Sheryl A Knowles who drew paper dolls of her RPG characters. Just by looking at the outfits of the paper dolls, I knew the sorts of characters she was creating.

I rarely draw my own characters (here’s an exception), but when I work on a paper doll set, I want to convey the world and personality through the paper doll outfits.

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Marcus here is a mechanic. So, his clothing is utilitarian. The double breasted vest is in his “good” clothes, with a belt for his money pouch and a decorative pointless armband. His tie is loose. His other brown vest is more of a work outfit. He wears vests to keep grease off his shirts. With this outfit, his tie is tucked up, so that it doesn’t get caught in machines. He’s on his feet a lot, so he has two pairs of boots. The cap keeps his dreads from getting in the way while he’s working (because hair in engines = pain) and his leather satchel is where he stores his tools. Work gloves, a scarf for cold weather and some tools complete the set.

You can also tell a little about Marcus’ personality here. His dreads are decorated with beads and I know from people who have them that dreads take some maintenance. Clearly, he’s someone who cares about how he looks. Is he perhaps somewhat of a ladies man?

Paper doll sets can be tiny windows into lives and worlds. That’s part of the fun.

Marcus as Steampunk Airship Mechanic

logo-airshipFor those of you who don’t know this, I generally write these posts the day before they go live. The idea is that they post will go live at midnight on the day it’s scheduled. I don’t always succeed in that goal, but that, never the less, is the goal.

Tonight while I write this post for tomorrow it is pouring rain outside. Not slightly drizzling or thinking about raining, but actually torrents of water. I love nights like this, but they make me want to do thing except wrap up in a blanket and drink tea… which is not an impossible wish to achieve on a Sunday night.

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{Click Here for a PDF to Print} {Click Here for a PNG to Print} {Click Here for More Marisole Monday & Friends Printable Paper Dolls}
In a world with steam engines and airships, Marcus knew from a young age he wanted to be on those ships. Growing up in the Caribbean, freight vessels came into port and he always hung around to listen to stories of far way lands. So, as soon as he was old enough, he ran away and got a job on one of the airships and worked his way up from errand boy to head mechanic.

By and large, I don’t write stories for my paper dolls, but somehow this character made sense to me and I thought I would share. Over the years, I have always admired Liana’s wonderful stories for her paper doll outfits. I am trying to branch out a bit in my blog habits, so I would love to know if people like the ideas of forays into fiction.