How to Make Paper Dolls

Paper dolls have been a children's delight for at least the past century. The popularity of paper dolls waxes and wanes and sometimes it is hard to find them. However, you can make your own at home whenever you like and homemade paper dolls can match exactly what you want them to be and wear the clothes that you like the most.

This article describes how to make your own paper doll. The second part provides numerous examples for you to copy for home play and craft purposes.

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Steps

1

Find a suitable person big enough to trace.

Find a suitable person big enough to trace. Try to find one that has its arms and legs well defined, so that you can put clothes on it easily. Examples of human shapes include cartoons, magazines, books (illustrations are good) and other paper dolls, such as the ones included in the images in the second half of this article.

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2

Trace the image of the person.

Trace the image of the person. Adjust lines as needed; you may need to make certain parts stand out more for the clothes to fit well; pay special attention to the shoulders and arms. Transfer the tracing to light card.
3

Cut out the shape.

Cut out the shape. Cut very carefully to avoid accidentally cutting off any part of the dolls.
4

Color in the doll.

Color in the doll. Draw eyes, nose, mouth etc. Choose a suitable hair color.
5

Retrace the body or parts of it again on new paper.

Retrace the body or parts of it again on new paper. This time you are trying to create the clothes, so think about t-shirts, shorts, skirts, jackets etc., and trace the relevant parts of the body.
6

Draw the clothing items.

Draw the clothing items. Color in (see "Tips" for some other suggestions). There are also numerous clothing ideas in the images provided in the second half of this article.
7

Cut out the clothing pieces.

Cut out the clothing pieces. When you cut the clothing out, make sure to include tabs at the edges of the clothing which will permit you attach the clothes to the paper doll.
8

Make as many outfits as you want.

Make as many outfits as you want. Make as many dolls as you want so that they can be friends. There are lots of ideas shown next.
9

Try different combinations; mix and match.

Try different combinations; mix and match. Don't forget to make accessories and even pets.

Edit Some Images to Use

The following images can be clicked on to enlarge, then printed. Cut out what you have printed and design dolls or additional clothes that follow the patterns provided.
(Find additional images at: wikiHow's Paper Doll Image Depositary.)