Life Size Doll Armature - Padding the Frame Part 2

Calf muscle taped to back of leg.

I was beginning to wonder if I was ever going to get a chance to make a blog post today.  I just
purchased a new laptop computer and I am still trying to figure out the how to make things work.  It has a different operating system.  The photo program is completely different.  Some of the features of my previous program photo program are no longer available without purchasing upgrades.   I can still do what I need to do, but not nearly as conveniently.  Thank goodness my husband is a tech guy.  I am sure that once I get used to it things will be okay, but at the moment I feel much like Forrest Gump's mother in the movie by that name.  I just need to go lie down.   Anyway, I am doing my best to get something posted today.

This week I have been working on trying to get the legs padded.  Although they will be hidden under a long skirt, I still wanted the legs to have some type of normal shape.  When I started the doll I had visions of this doll being a dancer.  Now I am not so sure that is going to happen.  It might just be easier to go full Halloween on the doll.  But I digress.

I already had the thighs pretty well padded by the last blog post.  This week I was working on the

lower leg.  I started by creating a resemblance of the calf muscles by making an elongated ball of heavy duty aluminum foil.  It just happened that I had some at the house, I did not buy it especially for this project.  However, using the heavy duty foil was serendipitous.  It is holding the shape better and with less effort than if I were using regular foil.  I taped the foil to the PVC, the covered it with layers of bubble wrap.  I used more layers on the back of the leg, taping them into place without wrapping them around the front of the leg so that there would not be too much bulk along the shin.  It is just a matter of adding the wrap and taping it until you get something like the shape you want.

I thought I had one leg completed down to the ankle.  Looking at the picture, it looks as if it needs a little more padding at the back and side of the knee.  The other leg just has the calf muscle taped on.  Most likely I will finish the other leg tomorrow.  There are so many projects and so little time to work on them.  Once the other leg is complete down to the ankle I will have to take a break before I do the feet.  I need to finish working on the base before I add the feet and shoes.  I know what I want to do to finish the base and it should not be that difficult.  (Famous last words.)   Naturally, it requires another trip to the craft store.

So far, I have not started on the hands.  I would like to get them mounted onto the frame before I add the head.  As a doll maker, I am reluctant to add the head until the rest of the body is finished.  Dolls start to take on personality once the features are added.  It is hard to explain to people who do not make dolls, but for a while, and if you are lucky even longer, dolls seem to be able to tell you who they are.  When their personality comes out you begin to get an idea of how the doll should be costumed and accessorized.  I don't want the personality coming out before I have the hands on her.  She might be horrified.

On a more comical note:  my husband says the headless doll creeps him out.    He is starting to suggest that this is going to be a life size Chuckie doll.  Since it is life sized, it is almost like walking into a person.  Sometimes it can give you a bit of a start if you just happen to catch it out of the corner of your eye.  I tell him that he should not give it any ideas.

Anyway, it is one small step closer to being finished.  I will have more to post on this project next week.