This is no tutorial about how to make a shirt or similar. I'm only trying to inform you about some general themes in the dolling community :). If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

Pixel or tool?
First of all, you need to decide, which kind of dolls you want to start with. There are two different kinds - pixel dolls and tooled dolls. Pixel dolls are made pixel by pixel, usually every paint-programm is able to do that. Tooled dolls are made with the help of special tools of programms, not every programm is able to do that. The big difference between pixel and tool is, that pixel dolls usually look very crisp while tooled dolls look very smooth. For tooled dolls you use a very soft/smooth brush, which softens the lines itsself.



Tooled dolls usually have quite a lot of colors in comparison to pixel dolls. While tooling, the programm decides itsself how many colors and which colors it has to use to make a smooth line. While pixelling, you choose every single color yourself - but you have a better control of the amount of colors you use. (Many pixel artists take care of how many colors they use, they try to use only a few).

You should at least try out both to see which one you like better, or maybe even like both ;)

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The best programms
You need the best programm to get the best result. Probably all popular artists do have an expensive programm.
.....
That's one of the greatest myths in the art community, I think. Of course, you need a programm which should have the basic tools you need to finish your art. If you want to tool, you need a programm that knows more brushes than MS Paint (for example). It's true, that more expensive programms do have more special features, or are easier to navigate and what else. But YOU are the artist. YOU need to draw the lines, and decide, if the anatomy looks odd, or that the colors for a shirt don't fit the trousers. No programm can tell you.

Important about programms is, that you know what you can do with it. Try out as much as you can, when having a new programm. You just need to know how the tools, you want to use, work. It will help you to become a lot faster when working with your programm ;)

Now here are some programms I use(d) and which I can recommend:

MS Paint: I'm speaking of the 'old' Paint; which you can get when installing Windows 98+. The newer one, for Windows Vista and 7 is a little more confusing. The old one has a more old look, of course, but it works really fast, and has everything a pixel artist needs. I hate the new one for Windows 7. If you use MS Paint, I recommend you to use the old one.
MS Paint is Freeware, so you don't have to pay anything for it (except the windows). If you have a new Windows, but own an old one, too, look in the old folders, and simply COPY the mspaint.exe in your files.
Go to the folder Windows (usually C:)/Windows/system 32/
There you should find the mspaint.exe. Copy the .exe in your files, or for example on an USB-Stick. You can use Paint without installing - only click on the .exe on your USB-Stick, and it works. Try it out ;)
The old MS Paint does not have special brushes - you can't tool shade with it!

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The Gimp
This programm has a bit more features. You can pixel and tool with it, as well as create graphics or edit photos. Very similar to Adobe Photoshop. Freeware.

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Adobe Photoshop
Does have everything you need for editing photos, creating graphics or draw anything. It comes with a lot of brushes, filters and more. Very popular for designers and artists. It really is a good programm to work with, but you need time to learn everything - Photoshop can do so much. But you also need money - this is probably one of the most expensive 'art' programms. You can get the current version for around 1000 Euro, or get a student edition for around 200 Euro.

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But don't forget: You are the artist - not the programm!