mermaid

Opal is a Mermaid!

A mermaid paper doll coloring page with many different fun mix and match pieces.
A mermaid paper doll to print with two tails and several other pieces of clothing.

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

Whenever I draw mermaids, I end up thinking of Liana of Liana’s Paper Dolls. This sadly defunct site is an amazing ode to all the things you can do with mermaids and paper dolls. (Seriously, if you haven’t ever spent anytime in her archives, it is well worth a gander.) I don’t think my mermaids even get close to hers. Liana had a fascinating entire world around her mermaids and I just don’t think that way. Creating stories around my paper dolls is not my natural tendency, though I am in awe of folks who can do that.

Today’s mermaid set is part of a larger mermaid project. The set got created, because I was somehow inspired to draw mermaids. My long term plan is that collection of drawings will become into something for Etsy. In the meantime, I’m sharing some parts of the set here as smaller creations.

When I design mermaids, I like it when the tails go up over the doll’s bust, so it feels more like an entire outfit, because I can not figure-out why mermaids would wear clothing (seems totally impractical in you’re underwater). Also, I don’t know if they would need to nurse young. Are mermaids mammals? Fish certainly aren’t.

Generally, I don’t base my mermaids on actual fish (questions about mermaid’s mammal status aside). However, clownfish inspired the tail on the left.

Fun Fact: Mermaid tails are one of the only things that usually get a full sized first draft. I need to make sure the curve of the tail makes sense. The tail usually ends up taking several tries on separate paper before I transfer them into my sketchbook for final penciling and inking. This maybe why I don’t do mermaids that often. Years ago, Julie Matthews did a centaur paper doll and I am still in awe over it. I can not even imagine trying to draw that.

Unrelated, Julie’s Nora and Nellie paper dolls from Paper Doll Review are not mermaids, but are delightful.

Any how, if you want some more mermaid tails for Opal here, there’s been other mermaid paper dolls. Might I direct you to this one with Amethyst and this patron only one with Citrine. Stay tuned, because someday I will get that Etsy set done and there are some really neat mermaid tails in there that I am very proud of. I’ll let you all know when that happens, promise.

Citrine is a Mermaid

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A Little Mermaid in the 1830s

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

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

To end the month of Mer-May, I wanted to share this Little Mermaid paper doll. As you probably know, the Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen is the classic tale of a mermaid who becomes obsessed with a prince, gives up everything for him, ends up in agonizing pain until he marries someone else, nearly kills him, kills herself, and gets to spend 300 years doing good deeds for humans, so that she might someday win a soul to go to heaven.

Most illustrated versions of the tale I’ve seen place the story in a orientalist fantasy setting, but I wanted to draw on fashions from around 1837 when the story was written. So, the paper doll’s dress is based on this dress from 1837, this dress from 1833-1837, plus this dress from 1837-1839. Her hair is from the early 1830s and I love those silly hair styles. I used this fashion plate. Despite appearances, it’s actually simplified.

The men’s outfit references a line in the story where the Prince has a page outfit made for the Little Mermaid, so she could ride with him. My paper dolls’ riding costume is based on this coat from 1830 to 1840 and this suit from the 1830s. Though the cut is a bit more regency than it is 1830s and the boots are very regency, I confess.

The knife with the paper doll is the one that the Little Mermaid’s sisters trade their hair for to try to save the Little Mermaid’s life by having her stab the Prince to death. By the way, if you’ve never read the original, I think you should. It is not the Disney tale most people think of.

If you’d like, I do have a lot more mermaid paper dolls. Check out my Mermaid tag and another Jewels and Gemstones Mermaid, if you’d like more mix and match mermaid options.

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

Among the Waves: Amethyst is a Mermaid

I didn’t really love mermaids as a child. I was never really a mermaid person, so to speak. The Little Mermaid movie scared me. However, I really have found there’s a lot of fun to be had drawing mermaid tails and that’s where today’s mermaid doll came from.

She’s made up from some of the different mermaids I drew last year and this year. Along with her tails, I thought one dress for land based adventures would be useful and a trident for defense. After all, there are predators in the ocean. I chose Amethyst to show off these tails.

A beautiful mermaid doll coloring page with interchangeable tails. Printable paper fun for all ages.

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

One of the wild things about tropical fish is that even though I think of them as being blue, they are actually super not blue. Anyway, I had a lot of fun looking at tropical fish photos and then picking out colors for the mermaid doll’s tails. This is certainly a tropical mermaid.

A beautiful mermaid doll with interchangeable tails. Printable paper fun for all ages.

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

I had so much fun with these mermaid tails. I think mermaids are always fun, don’t you? I’ve done a few other mermaids like these.

Remember, if you enjoy the blog and would like to get even more paper dolls, check out Patreon. I’ve got fun things from 2 dollars and up including two other paper doll collections and more Jewels and Gemstones content.

Under the Waves: A Goldfish Mermaid

Black and White PDF | Color PDF | More Jewels & Gemstones Paper Dolls

The last mermaid thing I did for the blog was this Mermaid Costume which was very much intended to be a costume, not an actual mermaid. If that makes sense. I mean, arguably everything I draw is a costume of sorts.

Anyway, on Patreon I have posted two other mermaids. I’m like 99% sure. I just couldn’t seem to find the second one. Patreon’s searching ability for posts- really not great.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper

Fun fact: Mermaid tails are one of the few things I draw that I always draft on a separate sheet of paper before I sketch them in my sketchbook. Getting tails to curve is hard! And I want to make sure I cover the whole paper doll’s lower body with the design.

While I wasn’t thinking of goldfish when I designed this paper doll by the time I was coloring it, I really didn’t want to do blues or greens. So, that was when I started looking at fish and I learned- there are a lot of tropical fish out there and a lot of them are orange.

But then, when I was actually writing this post, I couldn’t help but think how much this felt goldfish inspired. I mean, there’s something about it that makes me think goldfish.

Learn & See More

On the Blog: More Jewels & Gemstones paper dolls & More Mermaid Paper Dolls
Around the Internet: My Mermaids Pinterest Board

Last Thoughts on Today’s Mermaid Paper Doll

There used to be paper doll birthday cards. And one I loved was Melinda the Mermaid and I was super excited to see that paper doll on Teri Pettit’s paper doll site. She’s got lots of lovely paper doll scans you can look at and print.

And yes, I have been waiting to post this paper doll mermaid so I could link to the birthday card.

A Mermaid Costume

A printable mermaid costume for the Jewels and Gemstones paper doll series. Can be printed in color or black and white.

Black and White PDF | Color PDF | More Jewels & Gemstones Paper Dolls

Thoughts on Today’s Paper Doll
I wanted to create a mermaid outfit that was a costume, not an actual mermaid. Usually when I draw mermaids, they are mermaids, not people dressing up like mermaids.

So, yeah, that’s a thing I think about sometimes.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper Doll
I wanted to think in terms of what would a dress for a mermaid costume look like. I thought about as mermaid shaped dress, of course, and then I remembered Liana’s beautiful mermaid paper dolls and that was one of my big inspirations to draw a mermaid at all.

Specific Source Images: This Mermaid Costume from Liana’s Paper Doll Blog

Learn/See More
On the Blog: More Jewels & Gemstones paper dolls & More Halloween Paper Dolls
Around the Internet: Liana’s Paper Doll Blog is why this site exists. It hasn’t been updated in years, but the paper dolls are beautiful and the writing very funny. Check it out when you have a chance.

Last Thoughts
Tomorrow, my Patreon supporters who have signed up at a 2 dollar a month and more category, will get a super cute little Devil paper doll. She’s darling, if I do say so myself.

Also, I finally live in a place where there are kids! I’m super exciting to get to maybe actually have trick or treaters this year.

May and June Collaboration: Beach & Mermaids

Black and White PDF | More of the Paper Doll Collaboration 2019

Thoughts on Today’s Paper Doll
Confession, I have no idea who out of my usual crew- Julie of Paper Doll School, Melissa of Miss. Missy’s Paper Dolls  and Boots of Popculture and Paper Dolls – have actually kept up with this collaboration. One of the rules from the beginning for me (a personal rule, not one I told anyone else) is that this project has always been about only one thing- having fun and I was never planning to enforce any sort of participation requirement on anyone.

So, I have no clue whose sharing something this month. I am entirely comfortable with that level of ignorance.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper Doll
Technically, I drew these mermaids for May, but I didn’t get them finished. And I didn’t get anything drawn in June, so I thought- June’s theme is Beach. Mermaids live in the Ocean. What is the ocean, if not, a beach under water?

Specific Source Images: Um…. Nothing really. It’s Mermaids.

Learn/See More
On the Blog: There’s the 2017 Collaborative Paper Doll Project and the 2018 Collaborative Paper Doll Project
Around the Internet: My usual buds in this strange endeavor are the delightful Julie of Paper Doll School, the lovely Melissa of Miss. Missy’s Paper Dolls, and the remarkable Boots of Popculture and Paper Dolls, I have no idea if any of them are sharing creations this month.

Last Thoughts
I’ve been thinking a lot of lately about black and white vs color. I find I do draw differently if I am working on a piece that I know won’t be colored vs a piece I know will be colored. I think line work can be very powerful and I wish I had more time to experiment with it then I usually do.

As I said above Paper Doll School, Miss. Missy’s Paper Dolls and Popculture and Paper Dolls might have their own versions of this months theme or they might not. It’s a surprise!

Collaborative Paper Doll 2018

A black and white pair of coloring pages with a paper doll and a mermaid outfit from paperthinpersonas.com.

Black and White Paper Doll PDF Black and White Outfit PDF Paper Doll Collaboration 2018
Just like last year, Julie of Paper Doll School, Boots of Popculture Looking Land, and Miss Missy of Miss. Missy’s Paper Dolls and I are all creating another collaborative paper doll for 2018. Just like last year, each month there will be a different paper doll theme.

Today’s paper doll base was drawn by Miss Missy of Miss. Missy’s Paper Dolls. I drew my own face and head. For the hair, I was inspired by Boots paper doll Genevieve’s hair . It’s a way of drawing hair I used to do more of and I really like how it looks for a black and white paper doll. So, I thought I would explore it for this 2018 Paper Doll Collaboration.

The theme for January was “Favorite Fairy Tale.” I confess that while I drew a mermaid from The Little Mermaid, it is not my favorite fairy tale. My favorite fairy tale is actually The Twelve Dancing Princesses or possibly East of the Sun, West of the Moon. And then I also adore a lot of the fairy tales written by Oscar Wilde… Anyway, picking a favorite fairy tale is clearly not easy for me. 

However, the moment I saw the base doll Missy had drawn, I knew I wanted to make her into a mermaid. Something about the dolls long lean shape just reminded me so much of  mermaids. So, I thought the Little Mermaid was a perfect fairy tale choice.

Meanwhile, go check out the other paper dolls and fairy tales from Paper Doll School and Miss. Missy’s Paper Dolls.

A Mermaid for the 2017 Collaborative Paper Doll Project

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Mermaids! Because I like ’em.

So, this isn’t as inspired as Sekhmet by Boots or Julie Williams amazing centaur or Miss Missy’s Lamia/Naga, but this month has been crazy, so I went for a mermaid.

I like mermaids.

The truth is that I was sick at the start of this week and then I had some blog related problems, but I have been assured those are fixed.

However, if anyone has an issue, please email me at paperthinpersonas(at)gmail.com. It seems the blocking issue was only impacting people in specific geographic regions, so it was really hard to track down.

Of course, when the blog is down, I tend to stress out about it and it makes it hard to want to create new content. Luckily, things should be back to normal next week.

This collaborative paper doll project has been so much fun. When we came up with the idea, I confess that I wasn’t sure we’d be able to make it through the whole year, but here we are in June and we’re still going!

That’s very exciting.

Be sure to 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. 

Faye as a Printable Mermaid Paper Doll

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Mermaids! Because I like Mermaids… & My Patrons Asked for Them
A mermaid paper doll coloring page with a tail and two tops. Free to print from paperthinpersonas.com.
Several patrons asked for more fantasy things in 2017, specifically non-human races. So, mermaids!

In a strictly practical sense I have no idea why mermaids would wear clothes. In the ocean, that hardly seems to provide easy movement around the ocean and I tend to be of the view that since modesty is a social construct defined differently by various cultures, I don’t really see why mermaids would have the same concept of modesty as we have in the modern Western world.

In short, I don’t think mermaids would wear clothing if they actually exist.

However, since I am in the business of drawing paper dolls, not writing a thesis on the socio-cultural assumptions that underly how mythological creatures are depicted, I decided to draw clothing. After all, without clothing, mermaid paper dolls are just kinda dull.

I actually really enjoy drawing mermaid paper doll tails, but they take a little bit of work. They are only of the only things that I always draft full-sized before I try to draw them on the nice sketchbook paper. The reasoning is how easy it is to get the curve of the tail wrong and then it looks like it is broken or off. Plus, you have to cover the whole dolls legs which takes some extra work.

I chose Faye to be the mermaid today, because I haven’t done a Faye paper doll in a while and she was the first of the Mini-Maidens, so I think she deserves some love.

I mean, I haven’t done one since November 2016.

And that’s all I have to say about today’s mermaid. Tune in tomorrow for the first of a pair of Sprites paper dolls and probably not another post in which I’ll get to write the phrase “socio-cultural assumptions that underly how mythological creatures are depicted” which is a pity.

As always, I love to hear what y’all think of today’s paper doll. So, let me know in a comment.

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