fair skin

Lapis the Swashbuckler and Adventurer Paper Doll

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Okay, so here’s a wild thing I learned when looking up where the term Swashbuckler came from. The term originates back in the 1550s and meant something like “blustering, swaggering fighting man.” I find that so fascinating, because I’ve always associated the term with Errol Flynn and other sort of pirate films of the 1950s. So, I assumed it was a more modern term. Who knew?

Anyway, Wikipedia describes it as adventure literature that focuses on a heroic protagonist stock character who is skilled in swordplay, acrobatics, guile and possesses chivalrous ideals. Sounds about right. I do love me a good fun adventure movie with sword fights.

Yes, I watched too much Highlander in the 1990s.

Anyway, I really wanted to diverge from my usual fantasy gown looks into something a little more adventurer, though let’s be clear- it isn’t any more practical. Practical fantasy clothing sort of seems to defeat the whole point, I think.

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Ruby, A Steampunk Fashion Paper Doll in Stripes

A printable steampunk fashion paper doll coloring page and a 13 piece mix and match wardrobe with over 30 outfit combinations
A printable steampunk fashion paper doll with dark hair and a 13 piece mix and match wardrobe with over 30 outfit combinations

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Back in March I did a steampunk fashion paper doll set. This feels like a lifetime ago when I thought the pandemic would be over by now and I would be once again frolicking through life mask-free. This clearly hasn’t happened, but you know, back in March I was living the dream. I digress.

So, this set is made up from some things I did a few years ago, few new items and some Patreon things. I did a second color scheme just for my patrons, but you don’t need to pay for Patreon to see it. Just set up an account and you can view them.

Like all my steampunk fashion paper dolls, I try to design sets where there is some mix and match options making it a little micro-wardrobe and I think that really worked in this set in ways I am quite proud of. This isn’t my most Halloween paper doll ever, but stay tuned. I do have one ready for later this month.

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A Fantasy Paper Doll: Lady of the Tower

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In my head, this paper doll belongs in the same fantasy world as Diamond as an elven archer. I think all of these dresses share a lot of design elements and feel coherent- there’s high collars and flared sleeves on all of them. A big influence on this set of paper doll fantasy gowns are my desire to experiment with pattern which is not something I do on my fantasy gowns as much as I would like. I tend to do a lot more trims (like on this Pearl fantasy set or this Norse influenced set with Topaz). Not to say I have never done all over pattern, just that it is rarer.

Color scheme wise, I wanted to use colors I think I don’t tend to gravitate too as much as I tend to gravitate to warm pinks and colors. So, I used teal (which I do love) and paired it with purple and yellow. It’s a pretty close to the classic split complimentary color scheme, though not quite perfectly spaced I don’t think. Not that I am too worried about perfectly splitting my color schemes along the color wheel, but I do think about color schemes carefully.

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DDJ: Sweet Summer Scallops with Dusk

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While all of my paper dolls have themes, I think my contemporary fashion paper dolls have themes that are sometimes more subtle or more defined by color than anything else. After all, there’s only so many ways a person can draw a pair of blue jeans. This set was inspired by summer florals and a pair of polka-dot jeans my sister used to own. In my head, I was thinking feminine silhouettes (hence the flutter, tulip and puffed sleeves) and scallops. I included the long denim skirt, because I feel like 1990s fashions are having a revival and long denim skirts feel so 1990s to me.

I wanted to keep the colors soft and pastel without feeling too… childish. I think pastels can go nursery room really fast. For those keeping count at home, this is my 7th Dolls Du Jour paper doll and my second one with Dusk. The last one was this very fancy evening gown set.

There’s also a new paper doll set up on Etsy if you’d like to go check that one out. It’s a three doll set with five pages of fantasy clothing. I imagine it would be super fun to color.

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A Valentine’s Day Paper Doll For 2021

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Valentine’s Day is a holiday I always try to make a paper doll for, because of my grandmother who often sent Valentine’s Day cards with paper dolls in them to me and my sister. This paper doll has a small colorful mix and match wardrobe with some retro dresses and slip on shoes. Don’t forget to cut between the dolls shoulders and her hair, so the tabs fit better.

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Ruby’s Summer Princess Gowns

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I hope you all enjoy this fun foray into princess gowns. In 2021, my plan is to do monthly rather than weekly updates for all my Patreon folks (thank you for all being amazing) and try to them in the first week of the month.  We’ll all see how that plan works out together. It’ll be fun!

I chose to draw blue poppies on the ball gown, because I love blue poppies. They grow up in Alaska where I grew up and my mother always had some in her garden. Whenever I see them, they make me smile. 

They are, I’ve been told, pretty rare outside the colder temps we get up here. Ruby’s other gown is more of a “day” sort of dress I imagine. Of course, these are part of the Princesses and Their Gowns Collection which has been steadily updating for a long time.

Opal in Sea and Sky Queen

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While I am not an anime fan myself, I watch it occasionally with my partner. I’m always intrigued by the beautiful gowns worn in these shows. Often vaguely called, “ancient Chinese empresses” costumes, today’s paper doll gowns are mostly inspired by fantasy dresses on Pinterest like this one and this one. Personally, I don’t know my Chinese dynasty clothing well enough to really begin go try to pin down the source silhouette.

Opal’s beautiful up-do comes from the depths of my brain and doesn’t have much in the way of historical/cultural sourcing. I just like drawing absurd up-dos, as you have probably already figured out by now.

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