Two Articulated Rain Fairies
Rain has been an important part of my sense of self for as long as I can remember, and when I sat down last month to design a pair of whimsical elemental paper puppets, I knew right away that the element of nature I'd want to personify in paper and watercolor paint would be Rain. And so the Thunderstorm Sprite and the Sprite of Slow Rain were born.
Articulated paper dolls are an old-fashioned art form, but one I'd love to see revived by the talented illustrators of our own time. There's much scope for the imagination and for feats of ordinary but precise engineering in this widely accessible form of papercraft.
Here are a few photos of the creation process by which these two came to life. (First lots of pencil scribbles on copy paper as all the details of construction get ironed out, then the slow layers of watercolor paint gradually giving color and body to the figures.)
When I got started on these, I was determined to craft something I could share with others in an affordable and collaborative format. Like all my artwork, these dolls were designed using traditional analog techniques & illustrated entirely with watercolor on cotton paper. But the original watercolor paintings were then scanned and printed on heavy cotton cardstock so you can cut them out and build them at home for a fun and rewarding project to share with a friend or to brighten a dreary afternoon.
Here's what the printed versions look like after assembly: 
Want to bring one or both of these home in some form? Here are all the available forms:
•Articulated Paper Doll Craft Kit for the Thunderstorm Sprite
•Articulated Paper Doll Craft Kit for the Sprite of Slow Rain
•The Original OOAK Thunderstorm Sprite
•The Original OOAK Sprite of Slow Rain
•Printable Download of the Thunderstorm Sprite Doll Sheet (only available on Etsy)
•Printable Download of the Sprite of Slow Rain Doll Sheet (only available on Etsy)
As always, please don't hesitate to reach out via the Contact Form with any questions you might have. I earnestly hope you enjoy these lovingly-crafted characters painted with traditional media in my home studio.
All the best,
Bryana