Purple and Blue Gown

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I’m still not quite in the mood, as you can probably tell. But I want to be, so I’m trying. (Sufficient unto the day are the paperdolls thereof?)

I guess “paperdoll girls” isn’t inaccurate; I’m heartened, however, to see that there’s also the “paperdoll-people-my-age” contingent and beyond. Still, almost 700 votes? Wow. I’ve got a new poll for you, so don’t hold back…


February Birthday Dress with Purple Flower Patterned Tunic and White and Yellow Primroses

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So this would be… four months late? Forgive me, Sage, EmilyRose, Celestina and the rest of you with birthdays in February. Or think of it this way: the presents are opened, the check from your grandma long since cashed, and yet there remained one unexpected gift!
… Yeah, maybe not. I’ll try to be a little more prompt next year… And I believe I still have January and April to catch up on, but technically Sylvia and Iris already got January and April dresses, so I thought that of the three choices, those months could wait. In any case, February’s birthstone is the amethyst and the birth flower is the primrose, so that led to today’s color choices. Also, trazy, I need to thank you for forcing me outside my comfort zone — that technique of light patterns on a dark background is not too hard (if the light part is done with a dark enough pencil that you can see it) and looks striking. Expect to see it show up a few more times until I get it out of my system!

Well, that was a short contest! To win the contest, someone had to guess one of the ten movies I rated the highest with movielens, and Sofia won already, with her guess of Casablanca. (The other nine: Whisper of the Heart, Vertigo, The Thin Man, Some Like It Hot, Robin Hood (Disney version), Porco Rosso, North by Northwest, Dr. Strangelove and All About Eve.) Congratulations Sofia!


Mermaid Monday #14: Purple Water Iris Mermaid with Yellow Tail

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So yesterday was Mother’s Day, and then I go and disappoint my poor mother by deciding to take Sundays off! Well, I couldn’t not do Mermaid Monday, but this one is dedicated to my mom, since she likes irises. (Yes, that’s what those flowers are supposed to be, water irises. You all should see the irises she draws: they are beautiful and look like irises, unlike mine.)

Right now, sadly, I live over 2,000 miles away from my family, but this summer, we’re planning on moving, Prismacolors and cats and all, from Michigan to Washington State where they live. You all should appreciate that, because I have a feeling that once I’m out there, Mom won’t let me get away with any more half-year disappearances! Seriously, though, I will probably end up drawing more because I can get together with her, or my cousin Becky, and just enjoy drawing. So wish me good luck with that, once I get to that point.


1885 Black and White Ballgown for Coloring, plus Purple and Green Princess Gown

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I know, I know, AWOL again. I do really well when I get on a roll, and then I get off that roll and start rolling on something else. Yeah, I know… sad, huh.

Well, anyways! This gown is vaguely based on a couple of images of 1885 evening gowns that I have. I really like late 1800s evening gowns, although I’m really a big fan of the gowns of the 1800s in general… Although I don’t think the skirt is draped quite right I do think it turned out cute, and it sure is fussy, so here I put it up for hours of coloring fun, possibly even days if you really bother with every little rose and bit of lace. I really like coloring, and I will admit it is easier sometimes if I already have the outline done like with these – I don’t know how some of my kindred paperdoll blogging spirits can always work in black and white. I just sit here and pile up whatever Prismacolors I’m using, and I always sing to myself if I’m home alone, too.

Click for larger version (PNG); click for PDF version. Click here for the list of dolls.

As for this gown, Melanie Ann who won my guess-the-number-of-colored-pencils contest wanted me to color it in purple and green, so here we have, well, lots of purple and green! (With a little gold, because I just had to have a highlight color…) I hope you like it, Melanie Ann. However, I will say, I don’t think one piece of fabric can actually drape like that skirt does, so please overlook all paperdoll-related warping of reality.

I had fun coloring to someone’s specifications, so I wanted to do another contest. Here it is: Out of all my Prismacolors, which one is my favorite color?

As I have more than 100 different colors, this one might take a while… Here is a list of available colors.. Post your answer in the comments – guessing will be closed at 7:30 AM EST on Monday the 28th, unless no one guesses. Winner gets to tell me how to color that 1885 gown up there :)