Little Ladies: Outfit Sheet 2

So what did everyone think of the first wardrobe sheet? I liked drawing all the fussy details and I hope you all enjoyed it, too.  That's why I decided to keep these black & white this year - there's no way I could have drawn all the details on every set AND colored them and posted them on schedule.

Right-click to download and print

Today's set is based on this fashion plate from 1876.  Because these dolls are so starkly front facing, much of the awesome details I liked about my source material kind of get scrapped.  Oh well.  I like the pleats on both sets as a bit of a unifying element.

If I ever get around to coloring all of these, I'll go with a limited palette for maximum mix and match options.  If you're coloring at home, you might want to experiment with that, too!  And for more fashions, come back on December 7th! 

Little Ladies: Outfit Sheet 1

Today is the first wardrobe sheet for the Little Ladies paper doll project! When I first sketched this out, I didn't have hats.  Hats are a pain to draw, easy to lose when cut out, and generally not my favorite thing to make.  However, hats were crucial to Victorian fashion and I wanted a Victorian inspired paper doll.  So there are hats. 

Right-click to download and print

These outfits are based on antique catalogue pages I found on Pinterest here and here.  I don't remember where I found the hats... Anyway, these aren't perfect representations of the source material, but a reasonable interpretation. These are fashions from about 1898, if anyone is curious! 

Look for more in this continuing, month-long series on December 5th - remember, I'm running an every other day schedule this year!

Little Ladies: A Victorian Mix and Match Paper Doll to Color

Happy December!!

I LOVE making a December paper doll every year! If you're new to the blog (or just want to look at previous years) here you go: 2016 (an angel paper doll), 2015 (Santa and Mrs Claus), 2014 (holiday fashions in red and green), and 2013 (Kawaii Kids). I posted one in 2012, too, but it isn't my best and I've always wanted to revisit it.  Also, several of the previous December paper dolls are available as books. Check out Lulu.com and Amazon.com for all of my books.

And that's enough self-promotion for one day... here's the December set!

Years ago, I drafted a stylized paper doll that I wanted to turn into a steampunk set, but it never quite felt right.  There were things I liked about it, and things I didn't.  Ultimately, the sketch sat in a drawer until I decided to tinker with it.  I made some edits in Photoshop, redrafted and inked it in ArtRage, and suddenly, it was pretty good!

Right-click to download and print.  There will be a PDF at the end of the project! 

This whole project is loosely based on historical images.  These undergarments are less accurate and more my interpretation of several images I found. I envision the left doll as pale skinned and the right as darker skinned, but feel free to do what you'd like! I may get around to coloring this at some point....

These paper dolls are drawn almost entirely in ArtRage5.  I ported them into Photoshop for minor touch-ups and such, but really, ArtRage is doing the heavy lifting.  My sketches were created with the pencil tool and the final inks were done with the technical pen.

One more thing to note about this year's paper doll: I will be posting every other day instead of every day. I couldn't find a way to format these with just one set per page that I liked.  There will be two mix and match sets every other day and a PDF at the end of the project.  If you color these & you'd like to share, feel free! You can email me or follow me on Instagram (it's a mix of projects & personal photos - @juliematthews).

So tomorrow there won't be a post but there will be on December 3rd! Happy coloring :)   

The Eclectic Wardrobe of Jospehine - Page 3

Thanks for all the love around Josephine! This might be my favorite project ever...which I've been saying about a lot of things lately.  And thank you for the suggestions.  Keep them coming!

If you're wondering where to get the Josephine paper doll, grab it here.

Today's page is not a mix and match set. I wanted to create a historical set and I settled on something from the 1920s.  I wanted to avoid the classic black & gold that seems to pop up in '20s fashion. Instead, I went with pastels.

Right-click to download and print

 

I have one day look and one evening look. I love how the hair came out! The hat isn't perfect but I think it's ok.  The dress on the right has some quirky perspective stuff but again, I can live with it. The fringe came out way better than I expected!

Keep sending me suggestions. I *try* to get to them but I miss some occasionally.... Next week is something completely different. Again!

Historical Fashion Friday - Polly

If you've seen my Pinterest boards, you'll notice that I've been on a bit of a Victorian kick lately.  I have some ideas in mind for a Victorian paper doll.  Nothing concrete yet, but it's something I've been thinking about.  So why not a Victorian inspired doll for today?!

I named her Polly after Pollyanna, a movie my mother and I both love.  This isn't totally accurate.  I wanted the feel of a Victorian costume more than anything.

I have some fun new stuff for next week...!

Til then, here's the doll!

Download Historical Fashion Friday - Polly pdf here

Historical Fashion Friday - Elizabeth

Here in the US, we're celebrating Memorial Day.  As a kid, I didn't think much about it.  There were parades and that was it, really.  I didn't know about the military history of my own family!  My grandfather was a Marine during Korea and I had no clue until I was a teenager, when I started my family tree project!  I've since discovered that one of my great-grandfathers was part of the last cavalry to serve during World War I and that my fourth great-grandfather fought in the Civil War.

To my knowledge, there aren't any women in my family who served in the military.  I may find some eventually.  Something to keep in mind, though, is that women have often served in military support positions.  This paper doll honors those individuals.

2014 is the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I and I wanted to make a doll that represents that era.  This paper doll is Elizabeth, based on Elizabeth Remsen Thompson.  The costume can be found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's fantastic costume collection.  The only information I could find about Elizabeth comes from a PDF the museum issued.  This costume was donated by Thompson's daughter and the museum assumed it was an early nurse's uniform.  Thompson's daughter later corrected the musuem writing that "Mother never was a nurse, but knew all about automobile engines [...] and was known as Lightening Liz."  Apparently, she was a driver during the war!



As fascinating as that tid-bit is, that's all I've found about this woman.  Hers is just one of many stories, including those of so many support professionals, spouses, and all of the unsung individuals who assist our military even now.  Regardless of politics, I think these are all people who deserve to be recognized.

Enough about history... Here's the doll!

Download Historical Fashion Friday - Elizabeth pdf here

Historical Fashion Friday - Mary

Today is November 1st.  It's starting to feel like the unofficial beginning of the Christmas/holiday season.  I am not ready for it at all!

Before we get into the frenzy of Christmas, I wanted to focus on something a little less material and a little more historical.  I didn't want to post a Halloween doll today and it's too early for Thanksgiving, so I want to split the difference!

I live in northern Massachusetts and I sometimes visit Salem.  Yes, THAT Salem.  I also recently found out that I have a distant ancestor who was involved in the witch hunts.  Yes, THOSE witch hunts.  I find colonial America fascinating, mainly through family history connections.  I'm not an American history buff, more of a genealogy enthusiast.  Basically, if it applies to my family tree then I probably know it.  If it doesn't, well, my knowledge is lacking.

So today's doll is Mary.  This doll is based on the information I found at the Plimouth Plantation website.  I live close enough that Plimouth Plantation is on my list of places to take (and probably bore) my kids.  Anyway, Mary is dressed in what the website says would be typical of a woman in the 1620s.  I made the apron a separate piece, as well as a hat.  The underclothes are NOT accurate at all.  I wanted this doll to fit with the rest of the fashion dolls and that's why it's designed the way it is.

I'm not sure about a lesson on Monday.  I'm kind of out of ideas at the moment! I'll be working on the Kawaii Collection for December.  I'm still taking requests for those (and lessons, of course) so any & all ideas are welcome! 

Download the Historical Fashion Friday - Mary pdf here

Historical Fashion Friday - Margaux

Today's doll is inspired by the Chronicle of Western Costume by John Peacock (again!), specifically a sketch of a French lady from 1496.  And the pattern I used here is my own!  This is a pattern I developed for a lesson on my portfolio blog.  I admit neglecting that blog a whole lot.  I really keep that site as my non-paper doll related portfolio.  Maybe I'll repost that lesson here Monday.  I don't have a solid idea yet for a lesson on Monday...

Also, a couple more things I want to mention about this doll.  I'm a bit dubious about the term "hand drawn" and this doll is one of the reasons.  The fur trim on this, for example, was drawn with a stylus on a Wacom tablet.  Is it any less "hand drawn" than something on paper? Not trying to start an argument, just something to think about.  Secondly, that veil is not great.  The sketches in John Peacock's book at good but they're just that -- sketches.  I wish I had more time to fix that. (I'm super deep into a freelance project right now, so everything has been a bit neglected.  It's nice to make a little money of my own, so that takes priority right now!!) And third, her hair is a total cop-out.  I knew I was making the veil so I didn't fuss with designing a nice hairstyle for her!

Anyway, this is Margaux, a 15th century French lady.  I hope everyone likes this occasional historical spin on the dolls.  I know I do!

Download Historical Fashion Friday - Margaux pdf here

Historical Fashion Friday - Irene

Last week I posted a flapper paper doll.  I thought she came out great and it was suggested that I try making more historical paper dolls (thanks Rachel!).  I tend to have a go-big-or-go-home kind of attitude, so today's doll is a Byzantine empress.  Because why not?!

I recently bought John Peacock's The Chronicle of Western Costume.  It's a book I've used many times before via the library, but it was time to just buy it.  This doll is an interpretation of one of the outfits on one of the Byzantine pages.  There were a few princesses and empresses named Irene (one is even a saint), so that's the name I went with.

Download Historical Fashion Friday - Irene pdf here

As an added bonus, here are the gemstone brushes that I used to make this.  You can download the Illustrator zip file here.

Fashion Friday - Lana

It was time to do a period piece!  As I learn more about using Illustrator, I feel more comfortable exploring its capabilities.  Here's my interpretation of a flapper.  It's not a 100% historically accurate wardrobe or anything, but I think it's evocative of the era.  And the 1920s seem to be pretty popular right now.

Also, the pattern is a recolored version of the pattern found here.  I've said it before, I love using patterns in Illustrator.  I can do things digitally that I could never pull off in paint!!

Anyway, enjoy the doll.  And one final note: the headpiece won't fit all of the dolls.  It's one of the reasons I rarely include them!

Download Fashion Friday - Lana pdf here