princess characters

I'm working on a project that involves some children's illustration-like princess characters. I want to get away from the drawing style that watching too many Disney movies has instilled in me. I also want to get away from creating characters that look too much like anime. However, I don't think I'll ever get away from drawing large eyes, because drawing eyes is fun.

Princess Blondie. Tried some different shading and tried to be looser (notice how her elbow doesn't bend as it should, and she has no linear division between her neck and chin). 

Princess Redhead. She's getting closer back to my drawing comfort zone. Not sure it gets across that well, but her hair is different brown/red shades. Ever since feasting my eyes on Italian Renaissance paintings with high-necked women, I've unconsciously been drawing ladies with unrealistic swan necks.

Princess #3. Aaaand we're kind of back to my normal drawing style. Funny how the evolution of a series of drawings works out. I'm a lover of crosshatching and linear textures, I just wish I could use it as well as some people (like Ken Garduno).

The scan & color "correction" in Photoshop doesn't do the original colors of these drawings justice. The first two princesses seem reminiscent of old children's book illustration from the 70's. Anyway, must keep making until I figure out what I wanna do with some final character designs.