fantasy Archives • Page 13 of 33 • Paper Thin Personas

B&B’s Paper Doll Sorceress Gowns Continue!

May 5, 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: Tridents, Water and Ancient Greece

So, back in early April, I posted the first part of my Sorceress’ Gowns Project (I always come up with the most creative names.) In that intro post, I explained that I had a variety of potential long term projects, tossed them out to my Patrons and this was the winning idea.

I had kinda been hoping Space Princess would win the poll, but you can’t have everything in life. And nothing is stopping me from embracing Space Princesses as a future plan.

Anyhow, today’s sorceress gown is based on Water, just like my last gown was based on Fire. I wanted to pair fire and water with a similar ancient Greek influence. Mind you, this a very Hollywood idea of Ancient Greek clothing owing more to Xena: Warrior Princess than actual history.

I wanted to capture the shades of water I tend to think of which are not light blues. I tend to associate water with such a dark teal that it looks nearly black which is what I remember from Southeast Alaska where I grew up.

Her magical staff is based on a trident which is a nod to Poseidon, the Greek God of the Ocean. It’s probably not a very functional trident, what with the center prong being a jewel encrusted thing, but there you have it.

Consider following the facebook page if you want to show the blog some love.

Need to get a Bodacious & Buxom paper doll to wear these fabulous clothes? Pick one out here.

The Sprites Explore Tudor Fantasy Clothing

May 3, 2017

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

Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Tudor Era Clothing, Kinda

I go through phases. This probably isn’t any different from anyone else who does something creative. There are no double periods when someone really feels like playing jazz on the piano or when someone really seems to be into crocheting hedgehogs.

I, on the other hand, seem to fall into patterns where a specific paper doll theme seems super fascinating to me. During this stretches, I often add images based on the theme to my pinterest boards with abandon. About half the time, these spasms of interest don’t actually lead to paper doll outfits, because I have the attention span of an ADHD raven sometimes. However, on occasion, they do.

So, after a few weeks of being really into Tudor influenced fantasy clothing, I actually drew some for the Sprites paper dolls. See? There was a point to that weird ramble that I started today’s post with.

If you hop over to my Pinterest fantasy board, you will not doubt notice the large number of Tudor influenced dresses there. A few of the ladies dresses that inspired me are this one, this one and this one. I also really liked this men’s doublet and this men’s doublet.

The lady Sprite outfit is really only fantasy, because I couldn’t be bothered to do any real research and I refuse to call something historical unless I actually have sources I can cite. The guy Sprites on the other hand… well, that outfit has a lot more fantasy going on. I just think a lot of men’s clothing from the Tudor period looks pretty absurd. What can I say?

Love the blog? Become a Patron. It really helps.

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

A Printable Paper Doll Fantasy Outfit Inspired by Turkish Dress (And Accidentally by a Movie)

May 2, 2017

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

Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Turkish and Persian Clothing and This Picture on Pinterest

So, I rarely draw things that are as close to the reference image as today’s paper doll fantasy outfit. I saw this picture on Pinterest and I really liked it. I later realized that this it is basically Kiera Knightly’s costume from Pirates of the Caribbean: At the World’s End. I was almost ashamed that I drew it after that, because I really dislike that film.

Still, once it was done and saved and ready to go, I didn’t want to just abandon it, because it was based off an awful movie costume. The costume is okay I guess, but the film is just so bad. Anyway, I decided I should just get over it and treat it like any other paper doll creation.

So, a little background- the coat in the picture and in this paper doll is based on a traditional Turkish clothing from the 19th century. Here’s an example from The Met, another one from The Met and a Victorian era rendition of the same garment.

There are, of course, a lot of differences between my version of the caftan, the biggest being that it closes all the way up to the neck. This was not how women really wore them back in the 19th century, but that’s what fantasy clothing is for, isn’t it?

I couldn’t see the bottom of the picture, so I decided mine was a gown and the wide leather belt and layers of armor were likely decorative. The paper doll’s boots were my attempt to draw upturned toes on shoes such as these ones and were another nod to Turkey.

What do you all think? Good paper doll outfit? Bad Movie? Thoughts? Let me know in a comment. I love to hear from you all.

Meanwhile, if you want to support the blog, then think about becoming a Patron or picking something up from the Etsy store.

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

Favorite Novels: Treasure Island and a Fantastic Pirate Paper Doll Outfit

July 26, 2017April 28, 2017

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

Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Treasure Island, One of my Favorite Novels

As some of you may recall, in January, Boots, Julie and Myself started a collaborative paper doll project, all drawing clothing for a shared base doll. Missy joined us shortly there after and we have continued to create, each month, an outfit for our shared paper doll lady.

For month four, our theme was Favorite Novels. For me, I knew immediately that Treasure Island was the novel I was going to work with. I fell in love with Treasure Island when I was a child. It has everything- a coming of age story, pirates, buried treasure and lots of adventure and betrayal.

The lack of ladies in Treasure Island never bothered me, but since our paper doll is a lady, I created some fantastic pirate attire for her to wear. And there were plenty of lady pirates in the real world, though I doubt many of them wore things like this.

Back when this whole year long collaboration project was proposed, I thought there was basically no chance it would survive four whole months. Call me a cynic, I suppose, but here we are in March of 2017 and there’s another batch of paper doll outfits on the horizon for my wonderful fellow paper doll creators- Boots, Julie and Missy.

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

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

Marisole Monday & Friends: A Tudor Inspired Printable Paper Doll Dress

April 20, 2017

{View Larger} {View the PDF} {View Black & White} {View the Black & White PDF}
{More Marisole Monday & Friends Paper Dolls}

Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: This Fashion Plate from 1880 and Things the Scare Me

Yesterday I posted fantasy garments based on some traditional Asian attire. Today I am hopping back to Europe to post a riff on 15th and 16th century dress.

Today’s Marisole Monday & Friend’s paper doll dress crosses Italian clothing in the late 1400s with English costume in the mid-1500s. There’s a definite Spanish Farthingale thing going on in that skirt shape. Spanish Farthngales were hoop skirts of their era and gave dresses a distinct cone shape. It was all the rage in England towards the end of the 1500s. Here’s an example of what I talking about.

The sleeves of today’s paper doll gown are pretty Italian. The style in Italy at the very end of the 1400s and the beginning of the 1500s. It was considered fashionable to have the shift sticking out through the spaces the sleeves- my paper dolls are nothing if not fashionable. Here is an example of the sleeves I mean and here is another one.

When it came time to color today’s paper doll, I fell back on the colors I tend to like when it comes to Tudor feeling things. I settled on copper and black for the color scheme. While I experimented with brighter options, I loved the sophistication these colors created.

As with many of my fantasy paper dolls, I added shoes and stockings to round out the outfit. After all, I do love to draw shoes. These shoes are neither English nor Italian, but more a pair of modern ones. So, that continues the cross-cultural experience here.

So, what do people think of my English-Italian Renaissance love child of a paper doll dress? Leave me a comment and let me know.

Meanwhile, if you want to support the blog, then think about donating through Patreon.

Need a Marisole Monday & Friends Lady Paper Doll to wear today’s outfit? Pick One Out Here.

Asian Inspired Fantasy Outfits for the Sprites Printable Paper Dolls

April 19, 2017

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

Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations:Kimono, Qiapo and Stuff

It has been a while since I dabbled in Asian dress inspired fantasy attire for the paper dolls. Sometimes, I feel a little strange borrowing from Asian traditional attire, because I don’t feel like I have the right. I pointed this out of a friend and they asked if I didn’t have the right to borrow from Japan, why did I have the right to borrow from Europe?

I really didn’t have a good answer to that one. I am certainly not now, nor have ever been, European. I was born in Alaska, after all.

Cultural appropriation is one of those areas that I never quite know how I feel. Still, being aware is important and trying to be culturally aware matters. Respecting other cultures and trying to depict them respectfully is important.

So, today’s fantasy foray crosses qiapo and kimonos in a way that doesn’t make much logical sense, but does look neat. And looking neat is an important critera for my fantasy paper doll creations. (Hence why I once drew this and got to call it armor.)

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the colors in today’s pair of Sprite paper doll pieces came from this kimono. I love kimonos and their color combinations are often surprising to me. Probably, because I lack the cultural context to understand the color choices, but I always seem to enjoy the surprise.

According to this chart I saw on the internet, and we all know how trustworthy that is, orange and purple are common colors for May kimonos. In the world of kimonos, colors signify season, status, gender, age, and all sorts of other things. It is actually a fascinating area of study, if you know, you happen to be into dress.

Want to help keep the blog around? Become a Patron ad support the blog while also getting fun perks like behind the scenes looks and early previews of paper dolls.

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

A Curvy Fire Slinging Sorceress & The First Dress of a New Project

April 18, 2017April 18, 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:Fire & Ancient Greek Fashion

You know what every paper doll needs? Sorceress outfits!

As some of you may recall, I posted the first part of my creatively named Sorceress’ Gowns Project on April 10th. You can read that post here.

My first four gowns (three of which are done) are all based on the elements- fire, water, air and earth. I have fire, water and air all finished. Earth is… well, giving me some trouble.

I have faith I will finish it eventually.

Each gown has two accessories- a staff to channel magical power and a pair of boots.

Today’s fire gown was inspired by ancient Greek dress. I start most of my paper doll creations with a thumbnail doodle and I did the same here. Then I expanded the doodle into a full on paper doll dress.

I share my doodles mostly on Patreon, but once in a while one appears on Facebook, usually after I’ve shared with it my Patron’s first.

Think about becoming a patron or following the facebook page if you want to show the blog some love. And who doesn’t want to do that?

Need to get a Bodacious & Buxom paper doll to wear these fabulous clothes? Pick one out here.

A Sorceress Paper Doll & Her Gown in Muted Colors, Plus the Beginning of a New Project

April 13, 2017April 10, 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: Sorceresses, really. Just Sorceresses.

So, a few months ago I posted this outfit which I had originally drawn to be part of the Greta’s Trousseau project and I realized how much I missed doing longer term themed projects.

I polled my Patrons asking what they would like to see and while I secretly hoped the Space Princess idea would win, the Sorceress ended up winning. I’ve opened the post up, so you can see the options that I offered.

Frankly, all the ideas would have been fun.

Anyway, I didn’t draw this first, I started with some dresses based on elements- fire, water, air, earth. But I really wanted to post a doll to go with the dresses and I thought she should go up first.

She is the Sorceress doll. She has two books for recording her magical experiments, a hair style to keep it out of her face and a layered gown.

The colors of the gown were inspired by moss and wild flowers. Muted colors and soft shades, I settled on.

I was playing around with my camera when I sketched this doll’s face, so you can watch me draw it in time-lapse (though not great timelapse, let’s be clear). I posted it on the blog’s Facebook page back in February.

I hope to do more of these time-lapse things, but I need to get a better set up and use my tripod. Otherwise, the camera will shake as it does in the facebook version.

By the way, what do people think? Do you like the idea of a series of sorceress gowns? Is there something I should draw after I finish the four elements? Other theme ideas?

Let me know in a comment. I love hearing from you all.

And if you love the blog, think about becoming a patron. The support helps a great deal.

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

A Mini-Maiden Fantasy Outfit & Some Words on the Design Process

May 19, 2020April 7, 2017

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

Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: A pair of cosplayers, a red tunic and this fantasy gown

For someone who is as opposed to leggings as I am in the real world, I sure do enjoy drawing them as part of a good looking paper doll fantasy outfit.

When I am working on fantasy things, I often start by going through my Pinterest boards. I collect inspiring images there and it’s a great way to track what I have seen. So, as hard as it maybe to believe, this fantasy outfit as inspired by this pair of cosplayers, this red tunic and this fantasy gown.

Then I think a little about silhouette. Silhouette is the shape of a design and it’s critical when identifying different fashion eras. It is also a great way to design a consistent set of pieces.

The silhouette I settled on for this set was a high waisted tunics defined by a belt and leggings. This means all three pieces feel like they “go together” even if they are original fantasy designs.

I’d recommend thinking about silhouette when trying to design fantasy pieces. It makes things feel more consistent and therefore more realistic.

And, as always, if you like the blog, consider donating through Patreon. It helps keep the blog on the interwebs.

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

Marisole Monday Medieval Maiden

March 27, 2017

{View Larger} {View the PDF} {View Black & White} {View the Black & White PDF}
{More Marisole Monday & Friends Paper Dolls}

Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Medieval Dresses, Sort of…

So, today’s paper doll doll is Monica of the Marisole Monday & Friends crew with a fantasy dress up thing going. Her gown is vaguely medieval, vaguely not. Sometimes, I just want to draw a pretty dress. Nothing more, nothing less.

And this was one of those times.

I went with a pastel color scheme, because I thought that would look best against Monica’s rich skin tone.

Not sure which Marisole Monday & Friend’s doll is which? Here’s a guide I created last year when people had questions. I need to update it. I probably should write similar guides for all the paper dolls. Would folks find that helpful?

I confess that now that I have been looking at the colors in today’s paper doll dress for a while, they have begun to remind me of a sunrise. The blue dress being the pale sky and the pink and peach the colors of the clouds as the sun rises.

Along with her gown, Monica has white boots and stockings to fill out her paper doll fantasy dress up experience.

Love the blog? Want to help keep it on the internet? Join Patreon. Just a dollar a month makes a huge difference in off-setting server & other backend costs.

The 25% off Etsy coupon, READER2017, ends on Saturday. Check out the Etsy Store here!

Need a more outfits for today’s Marisole Monday & Friends Paper Doll? Find More Ladies Clothing Here.

A Nurse or Doctor Paper Doll Outfit for the B&B Series

March 23, 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:A Request from The Steger Family for Community Helper

So, I was asked by one of my Patrons, The Steger Family to create some paper dolls of community helpers like policemen, librarians, firefighters, that sort of thing, I struggled.

Let’s just say my attempt at a police women ended up looking like a stripper, rather than an actual member of the police force.

So, I tabled it for a while.

When I came back, I thought I would try something like scrubs to create a nurse or doctor paper doll. One of my friends here in Birmingham is a nurse and I’ve always really respected women in the medical field. I don’t know if this is really a doctor paper doll outfit or a nurse paper doll outfit, but I tend to think it could go either way.

The hardest part was drawing the stethoscope. Not a tool I draw that often, I must say.

I made the scrubs the same color as one’s I’ve seen the local hospital, but I have no idea how scrubs work. Are they like a uniform? Do people have to wear certain colors? Do certain colors mean different things?

Someone in the medical field should let me know in a comment. I have no clue.

Either way, here’s either a Doctor or a Nurse paper doll outfit for the B&B series to help out their community.

While it might be a while before I tackle a police woman printable paper doll outfit again, I might try a firefighter. I have no idea what firefighters wear, but that’ll be some research.

And I know some of my readers have been wanting a librarian paper doll for a while.

Want to support the blog? Join Patreon! It’s a fun place and I really do listen to my Patrons requests.

Alternatively, follow the blog through Facebook and/or spread the word on social media.

Need to get a Bodacious & Buxom paper doll to wear these fabulous clothes? Pick one out here.

Sprites Borrow Clothing From a Coastal Fantasy World

May 19, 2020March 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: Fish! And This Dress on Pinterest

Today’s paper doll costumes are a pair of renaissance inspired fantasy outfits with an elaborate fish pattern on the gown.

In today’s renaissance fantasy paper doll fashions, I gave the Lady Sprites a blue and white dress. The Gentlemen Sprites a pale blue and grey outfit. Rather than giving the Lady Sprite shoes, I opted to create several accessory pieces including the instrument, book and sword.

So, I’m going to make a confession here:

I don’t have a lot of say about these paper doll outfits.

I drew them. I had fun drawing them. I’m actually super-duper proud of how that stylin’ fish pattern came out. But honestly, that’s about it.

After writing yesterdays long post about Snow White, I feel sorta odd that all I can say is that I picked blue and I liked fish.

And I will say that I think fish are a super cool motif. They’re a wonderful shape and I really enjoyed drawing my fish, but that’s kinda all I got.

Not the worlds most insightful post, but they can’t call be.

Meanwhile, if you want to support the blog, then think about donating through Patreon.

There’s still my Reader2017 coupon for 25% off still running in the Etsy store until the end of the month. And the blog has a facebook page now, so go there, like it, and spread the word about the fun of PTP!

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