Blue Sparkly Dress

A sleeveless form-fitting blue dress with a hemline just above the knees and a V neck. The dress is sparkly and is covered all over with a pattern of blue sequins in scroll and flower shapes.After knocking myself out with last month’s series, the next few are likely going to be much simpler. This month I’m working on my special Christmas project and joining in on NaNoWriMo, so if I can practice digital coloring and work up some new brushes in this space, that’s good enough for me! In this case I tried a new sequin brush, and I think it worked pretty well.

Anyone else doing NaNoWriMo? Feel free to add me as a writing buddy!

Incidentally, Phoenix is thrilled that she’s run away with the voting. The thing is, by now all of the other archetypes aren’t all that impressed when she wears sparkly, vibrantly colored gowns; it’s what she’s known for and the novelty has worn off. She has to literally burst into flames to get any attention from them, so she’s glad to find an audience that appreciates her.

Next week, I’ve had a brainwave about how to do the type of pattern that I used on Phoenix’s dress and the white and blue princess gown, so you’ll probably see a dress decorated with that technique. In the meantime, you can download combined color and black and white PDFs of all of my 2014 dolls and outfits for free! Also follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest for sneak previews, paperdoll thoughts and sparkly formal dresses. If you enjoy my work, I'd also appreciate your support through Patreon.


The Mythic Ball, #5: Phoenix’s Rhinestone Gown

Liana's Paper Dolls: Phoenix's Costume. A dark navy blue gown with a high neckline and no sleeves. There's a circle keyhole cutout under the neckline, and the dress is mermaid-style, tight around the bodice and legs then fanning out near the floor. It's decorated with an abstract phoenix pattern in rhinestones all over the top of the dress and abstract swirls of rhinestones on the skirt. There's a long length of orange, yellow and red fabric patterned with gold swirls draped around the hips and legs, over one shoulder and over the skirt, fanning out like a tail. There's also a red and gold mask with stylized feathers on each side extending far past the head.Many of the attendees informally call this event the “Monsters’ Ball,” since all of the archetypes in attendance are fundamentally inhuman. (Are there human-based archetypes? Sure, but if they take physical form and throw a party, it’s not this one.) The nickname doesn’t sit right with everyone, though; Phoenix won’t let it be said around her, since she is very insistent that she’s not a monster. She likes to be known instead for her goodness and sparkly dresses.

“Destructive fire powers tend to suggest ‘monster’ to unbiased onlookers,” Dragon says. Her tone is a little arch but not unkind; they have this discussion nearly every year and the arguments are seldom novel.
“It’s not ‘destructive,’ it’s purifying,” Phoenix answers.
“Tell that to whatever’s being purified,” counters Dragon.

The ball draws to a close, and the archetypes get ready for the final event. It’s not a traditional activity, having only gained popularity in the last hundred years or so, but by now no one wants to be left out. There’s a flurry of movement as archetypes everywhere change their shape and adjust their clothes over the new, smaller bodies.

“This whole thing is so ridiculous,” sighs Fairy as she joins the line for the portal that will transport the group away from the ball.
“I didn’t hear you complaining when we found the house that was passing out full-sized Milky Ways last year,” Kraken says, poking her shoulder. The newly clumsy, child-sized feet of the archetypes around her keep stepping on her costume’s tentacles.

The portal leads to a quiet suburb, dotted with children and their parents going door-to-door. It’s dark enough that no one notices the archetypes stepping out of the portal and out onto the sidewalk, where they cluster into groups of extraordinarily well-dressed trick-or-treaters. A handful of archetypes, including Dragon and Phoenix, have retained their adult human forms, to provide what looks like proper supervision. They’ve learned it’s better if no one asks too many questions about the group.

Kraken is the first to ring the doorbell. “Trick or treat!” she says, directing what she hopes is a smile filled with child-like wonder at the woman who opens the door and holding out a rather large bag.

Now, I have an important question for you all. I understand the archetypes will abide by your decision, so think carefully…

I hope you’ve enjoyed this October’s visit to the mythic ball! I’m very proud of the five outfits I’ve done for this series. I don’t know what I’ll do next week, but it will likely not be as complex as this series has been. In the meantime, you can download combined color and black and white PDFs of all of my 2014 dolls and outfits for free! Also follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest for sneak previews, paperdoll thoughts and gorgeous clothes from India. If you enjoy my work, I’d also appreciate your support through Patreon.


Pink Princess Gown with Opals

A pink gown with an off-the-shoulder neckline. There are five large opals at the neckline, surrounded by diamonds. The dress has a fitted bodice and a small, semi-transparent white overskirt patterned with rhinestone scrolls and edged with lace. The skirt is full and sparkly and is patterned with a light scroll pattern, and there's a rhinestone pattern on the hem.I do think this is one of the most unabashedly girly dresses I’ve ever done. It looks to me something like the dress that the mice made for Cinderella in the Disney version — as if the fairy godmother had decided to spruce that one back up and make it sparkle instead of going with the silvery-blue gown.

I must admit that I’m not any more ahead now than I was when I started this princess project, but I’m happy with things. I felt like I was in a bit of a paperdoll slump these last couple of weeks, but since I had sketched and chosen colors for my princess dresses at the very beginning, all I really had to do was make them happen, and that’s often the easiest part of the whole process. I hope that those of you who aren’t into princesses (that would be 1% of you, according to my recent princess poll) found these last three weeks’ offerings tolerable; in any case, this is the end of my princess parade for now, as Halloween is coming up, and I do have plans for October that don’t involve princesses. (They do involve a very special masquerade ball, though…)

Next week… that very special masquerade ball. Don’t forget that you can now download combined color and black and white PDFs of all of my 2014 dolls and outfits for free! Also follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest for sneak previews, paperdoll thoughts and kimono pictures. If you enjoy my work, I’d also appreciate your support through Patreon.


Silver Princess Gown with Blue and Rhinestone Underskirt

A silvery white gown with a delicate, small scroll pattern all over. The dress is off the shoulder and has large puffed sleeves over the upper arms. The bodice is tight and the skirt is bell-shaped. It's open in the front to show a dark blue underskirt covered with a pattern of rhinestones.Another princess dress! I’m still not ahead, but it’s not really a surprise. I haven’t had a lot of spare time this week and I’m just happy I finished this one! The design on the blue part is inspired by dresses I’ve seen on Pinterest like this blue gown. It’s the first time I tried this particular technique, I will probably use it often but refine it. I’m already wanting to change it on this dress, but… it’s time to post!

Next week, another princess gown! (But I will have something fun lined up for October, as Halloween is traditionally the most important paper doll holiday in my little world…) Don’t forget that you can now download combined color and black and white PDFs of all of my 2014 dolls and outfits for free! Also follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest for sneak previews, paperdoll thoughts and lovely jewelry. If you enjoy my work, I’d also appreciate your support through Patreon.