Tutorial: Before and After

Technically speaking, this is not a tutorial. I am not going to teach you how to do things. I will simply be displaying early dolls that I've since redone along with their improved counterparts. Other than the entertainment factor (as some of my early dolls look awfully pathetic right next to the new ones), you may find some value in the commentary.

Actually, strike that, this is a tutorial—not in how to make something specific, but in how to judge what needs improvement in your own dolls, and then go about fixing it.

In cases where I have literally redone a doll from the original outline or design, I'll include a list of the things I fixed.

1. Princess Valadine

April 2, 2003	August 28, 2003

Princess Valadine was my second attempt at non-pixel-shading techniques. (In Picture It, no less.) By the time I began to assemble this site, I could no longer look at her without cringing. I didn't so much as redo this doll as I re-shaded it. All original outlines stayed.

Improvements include:

• Lightened the dress outline color—it was just too dark for the rest of the dress.
• Reshaded the skirt, bodice, and sleaves (okay, the entire dress), still in Picture It but much subtler.
• Redrew the interior of the hair using more compatible colors. Shaded finished produce (Picture It again) for rounding of head, etc.
• Added ears and earrings.
• Added metallic effect to necklace and crown.
• Raised eyes and eyebrows one pixel, then had to redo blush.

2. Layna

April 1, 2003	Oct. 4, 2003	Sept. 14, 2003

I never really liked Layna's red cloak. Her legs looked spindly, and she was apparently having a bad hair day. I am much relieved to have redone this doll, although the various layers of the outfit took much longer than they should have.

Improvements include:

• Working from the bottom up, reshaded the shirt in the Gimp. It looks quite nice, but you probably can't tell because the cloak covered most of it.
• Redrew the pants legs, made the colors darker and subtler, and shaded in the Gimp.
• Redrew edges of the cloak, filled the whole think with better, subtler colors, and decided that it would be a good idea to abandom the reversible cloak effect.
• Added texture in Picture It, then shaded the cloak in the Gimp.
• Redrew face, but it looks essentially the same. Included ears this time.
• Redrew hair with subtler colors, then shaded it.
• Redrew boots, using darker browns and a slightly different design.
• Detail work: cloak clasp, boot buckles, belt, necklace, earrings.

For the second doll of the same character, I tried to stick to a similar attitude and style. I actually made knife-holding Layna before I redid the first one, so I was able to use the same new hair shades for the redo. (You'll find another, larger version of Layna on the Forest Dolls page.)

3. Ilana

April 1, 2003	Oct. 2, 2003

The character Ilana is a shapeshifter, and the idea here is that she's just gone for a morning stroll. As a cat. The original, entirely pixel-shaded version wasn't bad, but it wasn't up to my current standards, and I never did like the head. (I'm beginning to think that the problem may be the base.)

Improvements include:

• Recolored pixel-shaded nightdress in paler, more subtle shades.
• Added grey-green texture in Picture It.
• Redid necklace.
• Redid hair from scratch.
• Shaded using the Gimp (I love layers!).
• Added semi-transparent fringe to nightdress. (It's ruffled, too.)
• Extra touches: a hair clip, grass and dirt marks on legs and arms, slightly pink lips and grin.

4. Aly

March 21, 2003	Dec. 10, 2003

"Aly" was my third doll, done entirely in MS Paint. Actually, she's less painful than my early dolls in Picture It!, but she still seemed ripe for a redo. There's hardly any shading at all!

Improvements include:

• Redrew pants legs and boots.
• Re-colored and shaded all clothing in the GIMP. (Less contrast and more actual shading.)
• Added a pattern to the vest, which I shaded separately because I forgot to do it before shading the vest itself.
• Started the face from scratch, this time with ears and narrower eyes. She looks sneakier, but it's appropriate for the character. (Plus, now she can wear earrings.)
• Shaded the belt.
• Improved metallic effects for belt buckle and boot decorations.
• Mostly following the original pattern, completely redid the hair. The end result is darker, messier, and has more texture. (Also there is actual shading.)
• Added wrinkles to pants and ribbon on sleeves.

5. Lin

March 20, 2003	March 24, 2003	Dec. 13, 2003		March 11, 2005

And the verdict is: I still should probably do this character from scratch, but the third version is must better. From the waist up she's particularly nice.

Lin was my first doll, and the older Lin was my first doll in Picture It. The first was cute, but totally lacking the shading. The second has an extraordinarily vacant expression, and the shading is primitive.

Improvements include (2003):

• Reshaded and reshaped dress. Didn't bother adding a pattern. It would have covered the nice shading.
• Reshaped and reshaded the hair. Can't even begin to talk about the improvement. At least it doesn't look like a bad wig anymore.
• Check out the jewelry and insignificant (but cool) details.
• The boots need help, but pasting in the base to get the feet is more trouble than it's worth.

Improvements include (2003):

• Re-shaded both dresses. The short dress has a texture in Picture It!, and both have patterns.
• Darkened both dresses.
• Redrew faces (including ears) and accessories.
• Redrew transparent sleeves in formal dress. (Also they are actually transparent.)
• Hair from scratch, attempting to follow old styles. Resolved not to do that again.
• Makeup (in gown version only) using the GIMP.

6. Verynn

March 20, 2003	Jan. 19, 2004

Verynn was my second doll, long before I knew anything at all about shading. The original was animated, but I chose to leave the redo static. I used the GIMP almost exclusively.

Improvements include:

• Redrew (only a little) bottom edges of dress.
• Kept dress borders, but otherwise re-shaded the entire thing, including new pleats in the skirt.
• Added criss-cross pattern over dress, which required shading to match lower layer. The pattern layer is partially transparent, the better to blend with the dress.
• Redrew face and hair from scratch. Added red to checks and lips (she's probably be exerting herself). Hair has strands and shading and is artistically disheveled. Colors to match other dolls of the character.
• Metallic effect for necklace, but didn't add any jewelry or accents.
• Added shadow to star, so that it's visible against a pale background.
• Light effects for entire doll. (Darker on right side, lighter on left.) Brightened top of head to simulate glow from magic.

7. Arvana

April 8, 2003	Oct. 19, 2004

Not one of my better redos, but I couldn't stand looking at the old one anymore. I'm ultimately not happy with the base, and a design that was suited to my early dolling days does not show my current aptitudes to best advantage.

I didn't have a copy available that wouldn't require starting from scratch, so I did the best I could over the design of the original, entirely in the GIMP.

Improvements include:

• Filled in the robe one color, shaded, and added three layers of patterns. Then decided to remove the patterns.
• Re-shaded all white at grey, so the grey is now properly silver.
• Shoes practically from scratch. I love those shoes!
• Hair re-shaped and shaded, with a circlet to set it off.
• Made eyes two distinct greys, instead of flat, nearly the same color irises.
• Blush so she doesn't look so pale, pinker lips.

Base Credits

Valadine, Layna in Red Cloak, Layna with Knives, Ilana, Aly, Lin, Verynn, Arvana

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