If your printer can’t handle the thicker, heavier weight of cardstock, just print your template onto plain copier paper and then glue it onto a sheet of cardstock. You can find packs of cardstock online or at your local craft supplies store.
Remember to color the doll before you cut it out. Coloring the full sheet intact makes it easier to carefully color and avoid tearing the doll. [1] X Research source
Try sketching out some ideas on scratch paper first, then drawing your doll on a thicker piece of paper, such as a sheet of cardstock. A standard paper doll size is generally 5 to 6 inches (13 to 15 cm) tall and 1 to 2 inches (2. 5 to 5. 1 cm) wide. You may also want to draw on some undergarments that can be easily covered by clothes, such as a close-fitting slip, a camisole, or underwear and a bra. [3] X Research source
If any of the ink does smudge, use white-out to cover it. [6] X Research source
Make sure to color the doll before you cut it out, because it’s much easier to color carefully and avoid any damage with the doll still on the page. [8] X Research source
You can also write the doll’s name on the base. When you cut out the doll, make sure to cut around the legs and the base, not around the feet or between the legs.
If you don’t have a laminator, you can have this done at an office supply store. Paper dolls can take a lot of wear and tear, so a plastic lining will help make the doll last much longer. With contact paper, you only need enough to cover the drawing, so you could cut down the transparent sheet to a smaller rectangle. Use that to cover the area with the drawing on both sides. Make sure to use self-adhesive contact paper for easy attachment.
Cutting out individual fingers and toes will make these areas likely to be damaged or torn. Instead, cut around any individually drawn fingers or toes, making a general hand or foot shape. A base will also take care of this problem for the feet.
Your doll will need a base for the stand to work properly. For the stand to work, the doll must be made with cardstock. If it’s printed or drawn on printer paper, it will be too flimsy to stand up. [10] X Research source
It’s harder to find printable clothes that match a hand-drawn doll or a printable template from a different source. Clothes generally need to be traced exactly from the original doll. However, sometimes looser, larger clothes such as sweaters, dresses, or capes may match up more easily to a hand-drawn doll’s limbs. Be creative with colors, patterns, and embellishments! You can use stickers, colored pencils, markers, paint, crayons, and scrapbooking paper to make unique, customized clothes for your doll.
Instead of tabs, you could also just cut out the clothing and use a slightly tacky adhesive. Materials like putty, the back of a Post-It note glued to the clothing, or washi tape will provide just enough stickiness. This way, the clothes can easily be removed from or attached to the doll’s laminate/contact paper coating.
