Resources:

High School Lesson on Personal Identity - Paper Doll Diaries Diaries:
http://www.sackville.ednet.ns.ca/art/grade12/identity/dolls.html
http://www.sackville.ednet.ns.ca/art/gallery/grade12/dolls.html

Paper Art Dolls are all the rage right now. Pamela Hastings has a book on how to make Fine Art Paper Dolls: Pamela's Paper Paper Doll Inspiration Book   See Pamela's Dolls

See Art -e-Zine - Paper Art Dolls Notice the use of stamps - you will want to start your own collection. Many links are online for stamps sites - or simply browse the sections at the hobby stores.

Liisa Mannery has some wonderful dolls for inspiration. Made from recycled materials. Liisa Mannery - books arts, trading cards and more.

Jerri Reimann - Art by Jerri jointed paper dolls

Norma Soulet Click on her paper art dolls and enjoy! You will enjoy her cloth dolls section, too.

Peggy Soloman - click on dolls on her PictureTrail site.

Jean's Fine Art Paper Dolls Ask Jean if you need a digital image to show students.  Jean's Art Dolls  Email Jean if you have questions.

Procedures:

Use Riso-graph to print off a paper doll outline onto tag board. Have the doll shape just about fill up the page - have a generic shape - sort of gingerbread man like. Print instruction to cut out doll on tag board as a reminder. You decide how big to make them. These dolls appear to be cut from  about 6" x 9" paper. 

Create a hand out to go with the doll and include that in an evelope.

Distribute the envelops to all incoming students with the due date clearly stated. Make it fun - and no fail - and all will participate. Grade only on if it was done - or not done.

MAKE a doll yourself! and critique that with those made by the students.

Decide if you want to do awards (see note from Judy) - make paper award blue ribbons with award in center. Have an affordable prize for each award.

From Melissa:

Here's something new I tried this semester.  I decided to give my 8th graders an assignment due the first day of class.  I gave each student a paper doll with an instruction sheet asking students to create a "representation" of themselves.  I emphasized that this assignment could be approached from any direction with any materials.  (See Instruction sheet ). 

 

When students came in the first day of class I asked them to hang their doll on an easel.  I gave an introduction to the class and really emphasized developing their own personal expression/creativity.  I used the dolls as an illustration of how unique each of the students are and how each approaches a project differently.  By giving them each the same starting point (paper doll) each came up with a very unique solution.  They loved the assignment.  I was a little concerned about how the boys would react to making a paper doll.  I called my mom and said, "If I can get the boy who dresses totally in black, black fingernail polish, long black hair in his face, etc. to make a paper doll of himself then I'd say this was pretty successful."  And he did make a paper doll of himself- complete with horns.

 

I had my first semester students paint the envelopes that contained the directions and paper doll.  Envelopes were delivered the last day of first semester (my classes are a semester long).  I mailed the envelopes of any students who were absent that day.  The students said they were very intrigued by the presentation.  I was really happy with the results. 

From Judy: Some of you might want to try this as a homework assignment for over the summer. Create a doll that communicates your summer vacation - using any materials available. Then when they come in the fall critique them and see if students can guess some of their experiences. As extra incentive to do the project, you may want to include some "gallery prizes" - make some paper blue ribbons with the award written in the center. Ideas: Best of Show - Most Colorful - Most Inventive - Most Narrative - Best Likeness ....and anything else you can think of. To award - give select student the ribbons and have them pin them on the "gallery display board". Give students an opportunity to agree or disagree (but offer a different selection). Have the prizes be something cheap that kids like - a candy bar or something like that. Maybe even a slice of real pizza for lunch? (that you would purchase - and order the pizza to arrive at their lunch time - get someone to help distribute the pizza - like guidance counselor?). This might also make a fun "Found Art" Lesson.

From Jackie Aust: My next thought on this is an end of the year paper doll, students doing a doll based on themselves as artist this year, maybe include a small replica of what they feel is their best piece, along with their personality.

From Christa-Maria: I  had a project like that, too, with a little different approach.
First the kids made an outline of a doll according to a standard size. This doll was cut out of cardboard and  every student had their own envelope for it. The doll's then got  faces and hair, to be an expression of how they saw themselves. (That proved to be very interesting)
Clothes where made  with tabs to change at will or for the occasion. Than  we made a  cardboard  facsimile of our school - had school pictures taken with our dolls, graduations, occasions like proms etc. They got instruments or cars, we had boyfriends and girlfriends and even 11 graders where not above  this little exercise. That envelope followed the students through several grades. Of course, I also made a doll to represent myself .

Fashion Designer Lesson idea (from Raven):

Make a fashion doll template yourself and print onto tag board (any size will do - but how about 14 inches tall? fold a legal size paper into 8ths to draw figure) - or have this be a lesson in figure design and have student make their own pattern. Be sure to allow overlapping of shoulder, hip, elbow and knee joints (re-draw arms and legs with the overlap). Here is a sample pattern to follow. Great fun - Get creative and make fashionable animals! See the frog stamp. Try to avoid adding too much details to your naked dollies (or make them with suitable undergarments). See Ken doll for a kid safe male figure (grin).

Dress the dolls with creative tissue paper/paper fashions - or use fabrics. See Raven's web site for ideas (site had pop up ads).

Students could even "Warhol it" and design clothes from can good labels. There was a series of Warhol fashions from the 1960s. Add a stick to back of dollies and have a runway show....so many possibilities.

Resource: Paper Doll Drawing  Basics by Judy M. Johnson - good tips for success.

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