Yupo Octopus Cameo

First of all - What is Yupo? Yupo is a synthetic paper. It is water resistant, sturdy, easy to cut and a good medium for acrylic, watercolor, alcohol ink and more. Here I am using it blank.

What is Yupo Octopus? It is a new product just released. It is a sticky-backed version of Yupo. The adhesive quality is wonderful for layering, making stencils, great for paper dolls, window art and more. I have barely begun to experiment.

Above, you can see a bad cut not worth weeding. It shows one layer of the cameo. There are five layers in all. Each layer is stacked to create a special effect. The negative space shows the cameo has been removed from the sheet. I often got mixed up in designing as it requires some backwards thinking.

The great thing about the Octopus is that it can be instantly adhered to the previous layer easily. Why is it called "Octopus"? Because the stick-to-it quality is not adhesive at all, but microscopic suction cups. I have been sticking pieces of it all over to see what it will stick to!

This is the cameo, unlit. As you can see, it appears opaque.

Light behind the cameo creates a soft, three-dimensional effect. I think I will use her on a night light. I am so pleased with my first successful cameo. Oooh! Wouldn't she be pretty on a window? I am going to design some roses for her.

Nanetta: Paper Doll Studio

Nanetta: Paper Doll Studio: "Mini Mod is trying on wings, tiara and a red dress before she even gets her arms. She is standing across from her blank twin. She hardly se..."

Paper Doll Studio

Mini Mod is trying on wings, tiara and a red dress before she even gets her arms. She is standing across from her blank twin. She hardly seems to notice. If only I could say it was unusul for my workspace to be this cluttered.

A little assembly line of doll clothes customizing lies before the odd shadow that is cast by my laptop. These clothes are held onto the doll with magnets.
Scissors and Sharpies are always close at hand, regardless of what I am working on. The orange Fiskars are reasonably priced and handy for precise trimming and cutting.

I especially like the double-tip Sharpie seen above. It has a regular tip and a fine tip. I edge with the former and detail with the latter.

X-acto knife, needle tool, more pens and tiny clothespins encircle the itty bitty fashions - all at the ready to help make each piece unique. Boxes of minutia are everywhere.




Plotting Mini. Silhouettes on a computer screen represent cutting lines for my Klic-n-Kut Maxx Digital cutter. You can see Mini Mod's parts, including alternative ideas as in the different stands. Reasearch tells me there is no right way. Many artists have innovated different ways to make their dolls stand. I ended up using the oval design - the simplest one.

Mini Mod's design includes a face stencil. You can see the cut-out area as white. This makes it easy to reproduce her features by hand. Check out her guitar. It is made of six pieces! What is the loopy thing and all the circles? The circles are tiny washers to ease movement of the paper joints. I cut many at a time, because they are so easy to lose. The loopy thing is an unfinished leash for a pet yet undesigned. Any suggestions?

Paper Doll Poses

Posing for photographs to be used in designing paper dolls has a few requirements. The most important consideration is the silhouette or outline your body will make. A good pose is one where the arms are away from the body as above. I prefer this as it makes a nice form for sleeves and shows off the waist.

The face is at a 3/4 view, which is a flattering view for nearly everyone. I have designed several dolls in profile. A close-up is helpful in getting every fine detail of the face.

This model of yesteryear has an inspiring profile. She is a timeless and classic beauty. Were I using her for a paper doll, I would trim the hair from the neck to give the neck more style and make it easier to design necklines and hats.

Lucy's main pose is nearly ideal for me. Her legs are separated at the knee, making for a strong stance and feminine pose. Her hands are delicate, shoulders straight, waist defined and the expression on her face - that really sells it. Notice in both paper dolls how the shoulders are bare and the base outfit - shorts or lingerie are tight-fitting to allow the best building of clothes on the model.

The alternative pose is very popular. Not only are hands on the hips a sturdy pose, but it allows for the doll to hold items in front of her. However, it is not one of my favorites. I like to see the hands.

Dita is personification of the ideal feminine form and this pose would be perfect if her arms were posed another way. As for the body, I love the way she is standing, the waist is nipped in with the corset and her legs are fantastic. Look at the lines of her body against the background. The simpler the backdrop, the easier it is to visualize a cut-out.

When posing for a paper doll, keep in mind the shoes, hair and accessories. Would a doll of you wear heels, flats or cowboy boots? Are you known for wearing hats? Do you play an instrument, have a hobby or dig stripey tights? What kinds of clothes would you wear? Would your wardrobe be realistic, fantastic or casual and glamorous? Are you a Lucy or a Dita?