short hair

Ruby & Her Casual Shoes: A Curvy Blond Paper Doll

Today's paper doll is a cruvy blond with a pixie cut and sandals. She can be printed in color or as a coloring page.

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Thoughts on Today’s Paper Doll
Sometimes, I have a lot to say about a paper doll set. Other times, not so much. This is falling into the not so much category, as are most of my posts this week. Sorry. I just don’t have that much to say about these paper dolls.

When it came to coloring today’s paper doll, I decided to go a little cliche and just do blue eyes and blond hair. Of course, there is a black and white version you can color anyway you like if you’d prefer a different combo.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper Doll
For Ruby, I chose to go very casual with her shoes. Mostly, because the other version of Ruby has such formal shoes. I figured she didn’t need another set of super formal shoes. Her hair was my attempt to practice drawing short hair. I love pixie cuts, but I don’t draw them much.

Specific Source Images: This hair & these sandals.

Learn/See More
On the Blog: More Jewels & Gemstones Paper Dolls and my formal version of Ruby from January.
Around the Internet:All my hair sources tend to come from my Hair Pinterest Board. I do also use hairstyle magazines as well.

Last Thoughts
Totally unrelated to paper dolls, but I’ve been binge watching Umbrella Academy on Netflix. I have two episodes left. It’s so fun! I find the exploration of how messed up having super powers would probably make you super interesting even if some of the content is a bit cliche.

Also, if you love the blog and want more paper doll content there’s Patreon. You get extra paper doll content and fun perks like polls and things.

Pearl and Her Sandals: A Curvy Printable Paper Doll

A free printable paper doll with warm brown skin, black hair and lots of sandals. She's printable in color or as a coloring sheet.

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Thoughts on Today’s Paper Doll
So, today’s version of Pearl can, of course, share shoes with armored Pearl from January.

I really try hard to have a variety of skin-tones in my paper dolls. I also want versatility, which means limiting myself to some degree. It’s a hard line to walk and I am constantly debating the tension between versatility and variety.

There’s also a practical consideration which is that a lot of nuance doesn’t translate to print well. I assume most people print my paper dolls on home-printers and I’m aware their color registration isn’t always great. So, tiny variations in skin-tone or hair color won’t be picked up.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper Doll
Um…. I don’t really got much. I did want to celebrate summer with her sandals, so I tried to chose summery colors and I wanted at least one pair of have painted toenails. I love a nice pedicure in the summertime.

Specific Source Images:This pair of sandals.

Learn/See More
On the Blog: More Jewels & Gemstones Paper Dolls and my other version of Pearl from January.
Around the Internet: I keep all my hair images on this Hair Pinterest Board, but I also use hair style magazines. I don’t recall the source of her hairstyle.

Last Thoughts
So, I confess that I’m not totally happy with her hair. I was going for a layered bob, but I don’t think I quite captured it.

If you don’t want to see my sketchbooks and things by joining Patreon, you can also follow me on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. I post a lot less there and much later, but I do post things. Also, I secretly hate Facebook, so it might be the worse way to get a hold of me. Just FYI.

And tune in tomorrow for Ruby whose getting a blond version. Anyone who has followed me for a while, knows that I seem to rarely do blond paper dolls. I think it’s because when I grew up there were so many blond paper dolls and I always wanted redheads.

What were your favorite paper dolls when you were a child?

And this is Amethyst

This is Amethyst, the curvy girl paper doll with shoes! I’ve had so much fun drawing for my curvy Jewels and Gemstones paper dolls. She’s also available as a coloring page, if you prefer.

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

Thoughts on Today’s Paper Doll
So, there’s something a little mass production about how I think about paper dolls sometimes. It’s like, if one is hard than two isn’t that much harder. This isn’t always the best trait in the world and I blame my father for it. He’s a man who always thinks in terms of manufacturing. I love him, but once in a while, I just want to make one batch of cookies (not three), you know?

Anyway, back when I was planning the Jewels and Gemstones debut I decided it would be just was easy to draw two of every doll (because really what’s one extra hairstyle?) as it would be to draw one and then I would have some built in backlog.

But wait, you say, I don’t recognize Amethyst from the first week.

And that is because she was a Patron exclusive when she debuted.

But this version is not, so now everyone gets to see Amethyst.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper Doll
Her skin tone is based on Karen David whose in the show Galavant. Galavant hasn’t been on for a while, but I love that show with a passion that is no totally rational. Seriously, guys, it’s a sitcom with singing set in a medieval fantasy world. How could that possibly be bad?

Specific Source Images: Nothing super specific this time. I probably looked up sandals in Pinterest. I usually do.

Learn/See More
On the Blog: More Jewels & Gemstones Paper Dolls
Around the Internet: Amethyst Snow Princess on Patreon (Patrons Only)
Last Thoughts
So, if you haven’t seen Galavant, just watch this youtube video of the song “Lords of the Sea” about pirates on land and I hope it makes you giggle. It makes me giggle every time.

Tomorrow, there will be a fantasy outfit with a sword and then we’ll see where the week takes us. Probably to coats, but I’m not sure yet.

As always, I love to hear about what you think of today’s paper doll, so please feel free to leave me a comment. (Right now, because my spam filter is acting up a bit, I am having to manually approve comments that go through the filter, so just be aware there might be delay between commenting and me seeing the comment and approving.)

Steampunk Sapphire with her Fantastic Top Hat

Today's black steampunk paper doll has her own fancy top hat and a great outfit, plus two pairs of shoes. You can print the paper doll in color or black and white, if you like to color.

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

Thoughts on Today’s Paper Doll
Continuing my Gemstone naming theme, Sapphire is today’s black steampunk paper doll. I probably should get better at spelling Sapphire, because I keep wanting to give the word two Rs.

Steampunk, which is today’s paper doll style, is a style based on the idea of Victorian clothing crossed with anachronistic styles. So, corsets, bustles, top hats and such combined in ways they never would have been combined in the actual 19th century.

Personally, I’m a bit conflicted about steampunk (especially the fiction), because I rarely see the genre engaging with the inherent colonial and racist underpinnings of British and American empire building in the 19th century. So, while I love the fashion, but I don’t want to glorify that period in history, or any period, actually. There’s no magical Golden Age.

One interesting thing I recently discovered is steamfunk which is an afro-futuristic approach to steampunk and engages in this same issue. I need to learn more about it. I literally discovered it last week.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper Doll
I wanted to do a steampunk paper doll. That’s all really. Also, I’m kinda in love with her hat.

Plus, I know I have some Patrons who love steampunk fashion and I couldn’t imagine starting out the new series with out doing at least one steampunk set.

Specific Source Images: This Wig & King’s Road Corset from Violet Vixen (the corset isn’t on their website anymore, hence the Pinterest link)

Learn/See More
On the Blog: Steampunk Paper Dolls, Victorian Inspired Paper Dolls, & More Jewels & Gemstones Paper Dolls
Around the Internet: Steampunk as Defined on Wikipedia, My Steampunk Pinterest Board, The Intersection of Race and Steampunk from Silver Goggles (from 2009, but still well worth a read), & Chronicles of Harriet article on Steamfunk

Last Thoughts
Is it wrong that a part of me still sees steampunk fashion as super close to old school Victorian inspired goth fashion? I feel like there are steampunk purists who would question that.

I do have a Patreon page where I have exclusive content and such, if you’re interested.

Steampunk? Are you into it? Not into it? Have a book recommendation for me in the genre? Drop me a note in the comments.

A 1960s Twiggy Inspired Aisha

A 1960's Twiggy inspired paper doll with three pairs of historical shoes to print in color or black and white. Her Rudi Gernreich inspired underwear is also historically accurate.
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If Monday’s Abigail was an ode to the beehives of the early 1960s, than today’s Aisha is a nod to Twiggy and the styles of the later sixties. Twiggy, real name Lesley Hornby, was a famous model of the later 1960s. Her androgynous look was long eyelashes, short hair and big eyes. Well, all my paper dolls have big eyes, but I did add additional eyelashes to Aisha. Here is the official Twiggy website with photos of her modeling work in the 1960s.

Interestingly, Twiggy was the beginning of the fashionable obsession with youth. She was only 17 when she reached her stardom. Today, trends are driven by younger and younger consumers. There has always been an interest in “looking young” in fashion, but the late 1960s really instilled it into our culture, I think.

As with all my historical paper dolls, there are sources. The hair was obviously Twiggy inspired. Her underwear is based on this Rudi Gernreich bra from the Met Museum. Rudi Gernreich is most famous for his topless monokini. The bra she wears is based on his “no bra” concept, which was a bra, but without any support or padding. It is notable that this design was only available in small cup sizes. This highlights the obsession with the “youthful” boyish figure of the era.

Let’s talk about shoes (one of my favorite things to draw). The black and white pair of shoes are from 1966-1968. The white strappy pair are from the 1960s. The ones with the bow were originally pink from 1962. All are from the V&A museum which has a great costume history collection.

One last announcement, I should make the Dames and Dandies series will be going on hiatus in 2019, so I can debut my new series called Jewels & Gemstones (Thank you Patrons for voting on that). It will be a single doll pose for the first quarter of 2019. After that quarter, it will be time to reassess where things are. I’ll share more Wednesday of next week. Monday will be the last Dames & Dandies post for the foreseeable future. It’s more 1960s stuff.

Feel free to ask any questions you might have and I’ll answer if I can. You can see a preview of the new doll on my Patreon page.

Need some clothing for today’s paper doll? All the A Pose Dolls & Clothing

A Steampunk Batari Paper Doll

A printable steampunk inspired Asian dress up doll with two pairs of shoes and she can share clothing with any of the other B pose ladies.

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When I was looking at the all the B Pose dolls, I realized that I’d not really done one that was “steampunk” inspired. So, it wasn’t hard to decide to make the third version of Batari as a steampunk dress up doll that you can print. I mean, she could also just be a girl with a red bob. I suppose the difference is not exactly extensive.

Also, she has navy toenail polish which I think is super fun. 

It’s been so long since I designed this paper doll, I really can’t recall what my inspirations were. If you head over to my Steampunk Pinterest Board, you’ll find plenty of steampunk fashion inspiration.

Some options for steampunk clothing for Batari include- yesterday’s steampunk outfit, August’s steampunk outfit, and this princess dress with a top hat. 

Right now, I am doing a poll about what I should create in 2019, if you have a moment, please hop over to the Patreon page to vote. Also, I’d love to hear if you have a comment, so feel free to let me know there or here. 

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

Batari Get’s Shoes! (All Paper Dolls Need Shoes)

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I did my first version of Batari back in August, so I am happy to get to post a second version. This version of Batari has lots of shoes (a super important paper doll garment, because they are the least versatile) and a short hair style. Both of the first two Bartari versions had longer hair, so I wanted to do one with short hair.

As I mentioned before, Batari is an Indonesian name that means Goddess. It was voted on by my Patrons. I like to give them the opportunity to choose paper doll names whenever I can.

(Sometimes, I have a name in mind.)

So, some may remember that I was drawing a paper doll for Inktober. My goal was to draw ten paper doll outfits over the course of the month and post them on Instagram. It was a rough month, but I managed to get all ten done. You can see them over at the #ptpinktober2018

If you want to help keep the blog up on the internet and see more behind the scenes stuff, think of becoming a Patron. Also, you get to vote on things there. 

Need a Doll to wear today’s outfit? All the B Pose Dolls & Clothing

A Pair of Akiko Dress Up Dolls

A pair of Asian dress up dolls in black and white or color with shoes. They can wear any of the over two dozen different clothing pieces from paperthinpersonas.com.

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Today, there are two new versions of Akiko, my Asian A pose lady paper doll, to be dressed up. A pair of dress up dolls, if you will.

For me, a paper doll you can’t dress up has no interest. Don’t get me wrong, there are some beautiful jointed dolls made from paper out there. I’m in awe of the engineering that goes into these creations, but for me the whole point of paper dolls is that you can dress them up. It’s the ease at which a doll goes from being a princess to a ninja to a post-apocalyptic warrior that engages me.

I mention this, because I regularly sacrifice variety for versatility. I chose, when I began the Dames and Dandies, that I would focus on four skin tones for each pose and three poses to begin with. That’s not the end, of course, but I made that choice knowing I was limiting the whole glorious spectrum of human beings to 12 skintones, two genders and three bodies.

Sounds pretty limited when I put it that way, doesn’t it?

But within those limitations (chosen in part for my own sanity as much as anything else) I wanted to create as much versatility as I could. By choosing just three bodies, I thought I would be able to create a variety of roles for those bodies to take on from steampunk to goth to flapper.

And within the limitations of those three bodies, I wanted variety as well. So Akiko has gotten to visit the 1920s and wear Lolita street fashion. And here are two more versions of her to be dressed up. There’s a blond version and a glasses wearing brunette. My second paper doll recently with glasses.

If I have one major regret about my three bodies, it is that none of them are plus-sized. As a curvy woman, I regret that I didn’t start with a curvy figure as well. However, I’ve been on a curvy figure drawing kick lately and I have three curvy paper dolls in the works. One will be my model for Inktober. The other two… I’m not sure yet. None of them are to scale with the Dames and Dandies, so they won’t be part of that series. What will happen to them, I don’t yet know.

My patrons are usually the first to know about my activities, but I have been posting some to Instagram Stories when I’m sketching and inking. So, join Patreon or follow me on Instagram if you want the latest.

Meanwhile, let me know what you think of today’s Akiko paper dolls in a comment if you have a moment. Love to hear from you.

Need a clothing for today’s paper dolls? All the A Pose Dolls & Clothing

And Now For 2 Benedita Paper Dolls

A pair of printable paper dolls with brown skin from paperthinpersonas.com. The paper dolls are part of the Dames and Dandies Series and can share clothing with other paper dolls. These cute Latinx paper dolls have dozens of outfit options on paperthinpersonas.com.

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Today’s paper dolls are a double set of Benedita paper dolls, part of the series of sets I created with two dolls each.

I struggle with setting limits. I am the kind of person who doesn’t bake one cookie recipe when I feel like baking cookies. I make two or three. And while my coworkers appreciate my baking spasms, it occasionally creates problems in my creative life.

So, when I started the Dames and Dandies I knew from the start that I needed to set a few limits or would I end up completely overwhelmed. One of those limits was to start with four dolls of four different skin-tones in each pose. Another limit was to start with just three poses.

I regret the second one occasionally, because I think- what if I had a curvy set of poses or a taller or shorter set of poses or a pose in a wheel chair or…

You see how these things spiral for me very quickly. Paper doll diversity is super important to me in both theme, skin-tone and body shape, but I am a one woman show.

Anyway, the Double-Sets like today’s two Benedita paper dolls were a way of tackling a problem I knew existed. I wanted there to be more versions of each paper doll and I wanted them quickly. So, by fitting two dolls onto each page I could get to a more robust collection of options a bit quicker than if I did one doll per page. Plus, I didn’t have to come up with themes beyond different hair styles.

With Benedita, I wanted to do hair styles and colors I hadn’t used for her before. So, I did a lighter brown bob and blond waves. She also has two different eye colors, but it’s so subtle that I don’t think anyone can tell.

I have more double set to share, so fear not the rest of the dames will get their versions.

I’ve always preferred clothing to dolls. So, I would rather have a smaller number of dolls and lots of clothing options. It occurs to me that you all might not feel the same, so let me know in a comment. Do you prefer lots of dolls or lots of clothing?

And, of course, if you like the blog than follow it on Instagram or Facebook and consider becoming a Patron.

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

Aisha in Two Different Styles

A pair of paper dolls to print from paperthinpersonas.com. Free to print in black and white or in color.

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I think of these paper dolls as the- No-Nonsense Hair Aisha (left) and the Cotton Candy Retro Aisha (right). I went back and forth and back and forth about the color of Cotton Candy Retro Aisha (right) eyebrows. I mean, most people don’t dye their eyebrows to match their hair, but the black eyebrows just didn’t look right with the pink hair and brown eyebrows didn’t have enough contrast and… so, I went with pink eyebrows. Maybe she’s from some sci-fi universe and genetically engineered to have pink eyebrows.

I have some retro-space suits I have been working on, so maybe that’s the cause of her pink eyebrows.

Meanwhile, I designed two different pairs of shoes to go with these paper dolls. The blue shoes are scalloped which is a really popular design feature right now and the black and white sandals are dressed up flip-flops. I love slip on sandals in the summer time. I’d like to say because I go to the beach or something else “fun,” but really because it’s easier to slip into them when checking my mail or taking out the trash.

My life is not that exciting.

Meanwhile, enjoy the paper dolls! We’ll be back to outfits next week (with a Collaboration 2018 Paper Doll on Friday) and then it’ll be September. Don’t worry about other Dames. They have double sets too! I’m just feeling like I want to go back to some clothing for a few posts. All the new dolls need things to wear after all, but the rest of the girls will get up here soon.

Time has flown this year!  Meanwhile, if you’re feeling clothing design neglected, hop over to Instagram where I’m on dress 93 of the #100dressesproject. I’m so close to the end! I have no idea what I’ll post to Instagram when it’s all over. I need to come up with something… Thoughts? Let me know in a comment or let me know what you think of today’s paper doll!

Need a clothing for today’s paper dolls? All the A Pose Dolls & Clothing