Paper dolls have been a delight for children for at least the last century. The popularity of paper dolls is rising and falling and it is sometimes difficult to find them. However, you can make your own at home whenever you feel like it and, the homemade paper dolls will be exactly how you like them and will dress just the clothes you want.
This article describes how to make paper dolls. The second part provides numerous examples to copy to play at home and create.
Steps
Step 1. Look for a figure large enough to trace
Try to find one that has well-defined legs and arms so that you can dress it up easily. Examples of human forms can be found in cartoons, magazines, books (illustrations are fine) and other paper dolls, such as the ones you will find in the second part of the article.
Step 2. Follow the figure of the person
Adjust the lines as needed; maybe you will need to design parts so that they fit better with clothes; pay close attention to the shoulders and arms. Transfer the tracing onto lightweight card stock.
Step 3. Cut out the shape
Cut carefully to avoid cutting off part of the doll.
Step 4. Color the doll
Draw the eyes, nose, mouth etc. Choose your hair color.
Step 5. Trace the body or parts of the body back onto the new paper
This time you're trying to make clothes, so think about T-shirts, shorts, skirts, jackets, etc., and trace the most important body parts.
Step 6. Draw the clothes
Color them (see "Tips" for hints). There are also a lot of ideas for dresses in the pictures you will find in the second part of the article.
Step 7. Cut out the clothes
When cutting out the clothes, make sure you have left some rectangles on top that will allow you to attach the dress to the doll.
Step 8. Make all the clothes you want
Make as many dolls as you want so they can be friends. After you will find many ideas.
Step 9. Try different combinations; mix and match
Don't forget to make the accessories and also the animals.
Some Images to Use
The following images can be clicked and enlarged, then printed. Cut out what you have printed and draw the dolls or other clothes that follow the pattern you found here.
(You can find more images in the wikiHow Archive)
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Advice
- If you are having a hard time finding an image, search your computer for non-copyrighted image sites. You will often find very sharp images of people there that you can zoom in on.
- You can add adhesive jewelry, glitter, stickers, feathers, ribbons etc. to make the clothes more interesting. Search the sewing basket to find great "accessories".
- You should make her hair long as this makes it harder for her head to come off.
- To make your doll last longer, glue it to light cardboard and cut it out. The cereal cardboard box is perfect. If you want your doll to stand on its own, leave a semicircle at the base when you cut out the shape from the cardboard; fold it back and the doll will stand upright.
- The figures in the costume catalogs have very prominent arms and legs.
- Do not use marked paper, use white paper, such as printer paper.
- Put some googly eyes or buttons on the doll to make the eyes more realistic.
Warnings
- Be careful when cutting out the body shape not to accidentally cut off an arm or leg of your doll; cut patiently and ask for help if you find it difficult to cut out small parts.
- When you cut out be careful not to cut yourself!
