white paper dolls

Halibut Fisher: A Paper Doll

Let me talk about my childhood for a moment. My family had a commercial fishing boat, lovingly known as Lady B. We fished halibut by long line and salmon with trolling gear. It’s hard work, but Southeast Alaska is one of the most beautiful places on earth. At least the view was always worth it. Also, I did learn to gut a fish in 6 cuts, so that’s something.

When I decided I wanted to do another fisher paper doll, after all my last one was many years ago, I knew I wanted to stick to the same basic clothing options. There are a lot of printable career paper dolls out there, but a definite lack of commercial fishers in the paper doll world.

A printable career paper doll featuring a halibut fisher paper doll coloring page with rain gear, gaff hook, boots and, of course, a halibut.

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

This was the sort of fishing gear I remembered wearing as a teenager. It may not be what people are still wearing, but I don’t think fishing gear has changed much. There’s a set of bright orange heavy duty rain gear, a knit cap, long underwear top and skinny jeans. There are rain boots, deck shoes, gaff hook, gutting knife, halibut and gloves.

Halibut exude a slime when pulled from the water. It’s a defensive mechanism for them. While I adore the way halibut tastes, I personally do not miss the slime. Halibut slime is a uniquely gross substance.

Also, whenever I hear someone singing the praises of how amazing halibut tastes, I want to say, “Yes, but have you ever experienced the slime?”

A printable career paper doll of a halibut fisher with rain gear, gaff hook, boots and, of course, a halibut. Full color printable.

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

A few things- all the colors I chose were based on colors from actual garments, except for the t-shirt with the boat on it. I made that one up.

About the boat- after some debate, I chose to draw a gill-netter which is not the type of boat I grew up on. However, my parents first boat was a gill-netter. I do think the rigging is a bit much for the gill-netter and closer to what you see on a toller, but I digress. I don’t think anyone is peering at paper doll clothing going, “Hey, that fishing boat’s rigging looks weird.”

And if they are, well… I think that might point to a deeper issue with them.

If you want to get more paper doll content every week and help support Paper Thin Personas, head on over to my Patreon page.

My OPDAG Paper Doll: A Foray Into Home Sewing Patterns of the 1940s

A paper doll with dresses from home sewing patterns from the year 1944 produced by Simplicity Patterns.

|PDF of My 1944 Paper Doll To Print |

I wanted to create a 1940s fashion paper doll around a theme, because honesty, I work better when I think in terms of theme, but I struggled a little to come up with an idea. After the paper doll was published in Paper Doll Studio Magazine, I had a great conversation with Julie of Paper Doll School and she suggested I should add some sort frame or something in the background. I have to admit, I do think it makes for a much more visually compelling paper doll.

My 1944 Simplicity Patterns Paper Doll

After some thought, I settled on picking a single source for the doll’s wardrobe and what source could be better than sewing pattern covers?

Anyone whose followed the blog for any length of time knows how much I love sewing pattern covers.

Sewing patterns are a great source for vintage clothing, because they often take the high end designs that were showing up on runways and tone them down for a home audience. In a time where it really was cheaper to sew your own clothing, sewing pattern companies competed to bring the trendiest designs to market.

I chose to focus on Simplicity, because I find Simplicity designs of this era tend to be less high fashion than some of the other brands.

My source patterns were Simplicity 1005, view 2, Simplicity 1047, view 1, Simplicity 1009, view 2, and Simplicity 1040, view 2. Her slip comes from Simplicity 1144, view 2. Additionally, her hats and other accessories were drawn from the illustrations on these pattern covers.

I’m currently working on my contribution for the Renaissance theme for Issue 126. For those of you who know my paper doll poses well, while this 1944 uses the same base pose as my Spites paper dolls, I scaled her differently and I don’t think she can share clothing.

Lapis and her Summer Shoes

A dark haired paper doll with summer shoes. Free to print from paperthinpersonas.com

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

Thoughts on Today’s Paper Doll
You know, I really don’t do a lot of paper dolls with fair skin and dark hair. I’m not sure why I don’t… but I don’t. So, here is one today.

It’s kinda strange that I don’t, because my favorite two Barbie’s as a kid were a Jasmine Barbie from the movie Aladdin (which my sister melted in the microwave, true story) and a really pale doll with super dark hair. I don’t think either of those dolls were actual Barbie branded, but that’s neither here nor there.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper Doll
I was working on my summery clothing for the paper dolls and I realized I have never done a Lapis paper doll with shoes. I’ve done a medieval fantasy one and a cybergoth one. Both of those were super fun to design, but I did find myself thinking- maybe I should have one that’s got like just some shoes.

Plus, I do love drawing shoes.

Specific Source Images: I used Instyle March 2019 issue– their big Spring Fashion report. I like getting away from screens when I draw. That’s why I haven’t gone digital yet for my art.

Learn/See More
On the Blog: More Jewels & Gemstones paper dolls
Around the Internet: All the colors (except her hair and eyes) come from Pantone’s Spring 2019 Color Report

Last Thoughts
Just so folks know, there is a bunch of stuff related to my personal life and work happening. None of it bad, but all of it time consuming. So, the blog posts are going to continue to be super erratic until… well, things settle which might be like 2020. Ain’t gonna lie.

However, my Patreon content is my main priority. So, if you do want more regular content, come over and join up.

As always, I love hearing from you and I try to respond to questions, so feel free to leave a comment if you like.

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.

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

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.

Ruby Celebrates the New Year

Today's paper doll is a redhead with a gown based on the Marchesa designs, purses and matching shoes. She can be printed in color or in black and white.

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

Thoughts on Today’s Paper Doll
I try to walk a line between being specific in each of my paper doll designs and being general. So, today’s formal gown and shoes are both coordinated, but I chose colors and styles that could be worn with other future evening wear. I don’t have any more paper doll evening wear yet, but I will eventually. It’s not like this is the only paper doll with an evening gown I plan to draw ever.

Plus, I think her hair style could be either steampunk or wedding or evening or… there’s a lot of options in that hairstyle.

Also, can someone explain to me why evening clutches are always too small to actually hold anything useful? Sometimes a girl needs more than just lipstick and her phone.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper Doll
The name Ruby, because that seemed so fitting for a redhead paper doll. Cliche perhaps, but I can live with that. Plus I do love redhead paper dolls. Always have.

Something about New Years always makes me think formal gowns and when it comes to formal gowns, I love gowns by Marchesa.

Specific Source Images: Sofia Vergara’s 2016 Oscar Gown by Marchesa & this Wedding Hairstyle from my Hair Pinterest Board

Learn/See More
On the Blog: Paper Doll Evening Gowns, New Years Paper Dolls, & More Jewels & Gemstones Paper Dolls
Around the Internet: My Hair Pinterest Board, Boot’s amazing Marchesa Paper Dolls Gowns & Marchesa’s Website

Last Thoughts
I hope everyone who has today off is having a lovely New Years day.

There is unique content on Patreon, including a totally an exclusive Friday paper doll.

As always, I love to hear what folks are thinking in the comments. Do you love redhead paper dolls as much I do?

A 14th Century Version of Alice

A historical paper doll with shoes and underwear from the 1300s. A great way to learn about 14th century women's clothing and teach history to kids!

Printable Black & White PDF Printable Color PDF More Paper Dolls & Clothes
I have had several requests for early fashion history paper dolls and this week I am sharing a whole week of 14th century clothing from Europe. This is not how they were dressing in the Yuan and Ming Dynasties of China, for example. Though someday maybe I’ll feel confident enough to try out historical Chinese dress (it’s really interesting).

Okay, so about today’s paper doll…

The 14th century is one of the last eras in which women could get away with having their heads uncovered which I think is kinda nice. Her hairstyle was based on manuscript illustrations like this one and busts like this one.

Her shift is a bit more fitted than they probably would have been in the real world, but that’s because paper dolls don’t have the benefit of fabric and the layering gets to be an issue. It’s based on one of the few shifts I could find in manuscript illustration. It comes from Roman de Giron the Courtois which is a manuscript held in the National Museum of France under the call number NAF 5243. The illustration I used is on folio 87v. It’s also on a few other pages as well.

Her shoes all come from the excellent, though rather dry, book Stepping Through Time by Olaf Goubitz. It took me months to find a copy at a reasonable price, but it’s an excellent source full of drawings of archaeological footwear finds. If you know, that’s your kinda thing.

As always, a big thank you to my Patrons and if you’d like to help out the blog by making a donation, you can do that over on the Patreon page.

Also, I’m doing a poll! I posted this on my Patreon page, but I didn’t get a lot of responses, so I am hoping if I post it here I might get more. Plus I know Monday is my highest traffic day.

[poll id=”22″]

As always I reserve the right to ignore the outcome if I feel like it. 🙂 Anyway, enjoy today’s paper doll and if you have a moment, let me know what you think about 2019.

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

Two Bridget Dress Up Dolls

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The first two Bridget paper dolls were both red heads. I do love red headed paper dolls. I blame it on reading Anne of Green Gables as a young child.

Anyway, I felt like poor Bridget deserved a non-redhead version, so I designed these two dolls to a a blond and a brunette.

Also, the other two Bridget paper dolls both have fairly straight hair. Therefore, these two have curls. I am trying to increase paper doll diversity after all and I can’t exactly do that if I just draw the same style Bridget paper dolls every time.

What I don’t have yet is an “unusual hair color” Bridget, so I guess that’s next up for her someday. Maybe blue or green hair… I’m not sure. I haven’t crossed that bridge yet.

What hair color would you like to see for Bridget? Let me know in a comment! I love to hear from you.

And also, if you like the blog, consider supporting it through Patreon. It really does help keep my costs down, because the internet is not free and I won’t put ads on the site. Even a dollar a month helps. Join here if you want too. 

Oh, and if you aren’t aware, I’m doing a curvy paper doll for Inktober. My goal is ten drawings for the month of October. and I’m sharing her to Instagram as I get her done. You can follow me there or follow the tag #ptptinktober to see my drawings. Two other people are doing paper dolls too on Instagram- @enolablue_ooakdolls and @elizabethjoymcdonald. Miss Missy is posting her Inktober paper doll on her website. 

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

Two New Alice Paper Dolls- A Brunette and Redhead

A pair of printable paper dolls. The paper doll on the left is brunette with green eyes and fair skin. The paper doll on the right is a redhead with brown eyes and fair skin. Both paper dolls can share clothing with any of the A pose paper dolls.

Printable Black & White PDF Printable Color PDF More Paper Dolls & Clothes

Because the first Alice was a blue eyed blond, I decided it made sense to make a green eyed brunette and a brown eyed red-head made sense for my next two Alice paper dolls. There’s also 18th century Alice, but she’s a bit unique, because she can’t share clothing with all of the other paper dolls. So, I’m not sure if I can count her, really.

The whole point of this “double-set” thing was to try to expand the number of dolls available quickly, so people would have variety. But I also have to remind myself that I can’t compare the Dames and Dandies to my other series. It’s only been around for nine months after all and things like Marisole Monday ran for years.

Instead, I am trying to think- If I could “start over” knowing now what I didn’t know when I began this blog all those years ago, what would I do? And I am trying to be smarter than I was the first time.

I like to think I am older, if not wiser than I was.

So, anyway, that means that this week will be all double-sets. So, we’ll have 2 A pose and 1 B pose. I know the C pose is being neglected and I do feel bad for the guys, but I can’t fit two of those dolls on a single sheet as far as I can tell. So, they’re going to have to wait, but fear not- I have a steampunk version, a fantasy version and an elf all in progress for them, but until then- enjoy the A pose dames and their shoes.

And if you love the blog, than please support it through Pateron, follow me on Social Media or leave a comment. I love to hear from y’all.

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

Another Version of Bridget- This One With More Shoes

A printable paper doll in color or black and white with three pairs of shoes. She doesn't have any clothing yet, but she can wear any of the B Pose paper doll outfits.

Printable Black & White PDF Printable Color PDF More Paper Dolls & Clothes
The first version of Bridget was made for St. Patrick’s Day. I knew though that I wanted a second version of Bridget with sandals as I have done for all the other Dames and Dandies paper dolls.

Why sandals? Well, because sandals show off a lot of skin. Skin-tone is the one thing about paper dolls that limits some of the mix and match possibilities. I call this the “shoe problem” and its an issue I’ve never really found a good solution for.

So, until I figure out a better way to solve it, I try as much as possible to make many shoes for my paper dolls. That way, the paper dolls will always have a shoe that matches the outfit.

These are the problems those of us who draw paper dolls really dwell on. I talked at lot about this a few years ago when I wrote this post on Playability. It was part of a series I did on drawing paper dolls, mostly from a theoretical perspective.

Anyway, Bridget has her white sandals and brown sandals for casual wear and her fancy black dress shoes. She also has a pair of sneakers from the St. Patricks day set

Love the paper doll? Not sure about the paper doll? Let me know what you think in a comment! I love to hear from you.

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

And This is Cyrus, a White Guy Paper Doll

A white male paper doll with longish brown hair with three pairs of shoes to print in color or black and white. He can wear any of the clothing from the C Pose paper doll series.

Printable Black & White PDF Printable Color PDF More Paper Dolls & Clothes
Part of the fun of the Dames and Dandies has been restarting from scratch, but that also has been a point of tension. I want to already have done all sorts of things I just haven’t gotten around to yet. I value diversity in my paper dolls. I want paper doll aliens, cyborgs and mermaids that are all the colors of humanity (and some colors that humans aren’t- blue anyone?)

But since this series is only three months old, I’m settling for just trying to get a variety of human skin-tones and then branching out. Don’t worry, I plan to create my fairies and aliens soon. I’m just not there yet.

So, today I’m pleased to introduce the first white C Pose Dandy. This is Cyrus. I went through a bunch of names for him before I settled on Cyrus. I originally was going to name him Chester, but I decided I didn’t want another ‘Ch’ name.

Now that I have a set of four C pose guy paper dolls finished, you can expect to see some more versions of them soon. I really want to do some elven versions with pointy ears and some pirates and maybe a cyborg or two. This is all in the planning stages, so it might be a while before I can roll them out.

Wednesday, there will be some steampunk action for the A Pose Dames and then some medieval fantasy fun for the B Pose Dames. I finally have enough backlog to feel comfortable and I am some much more relaxed. Let the paper dolls continue. 

And, of course, I always love to hear from you, so leave me a comment.

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