The Latest on the Life Size Doll

Doll body covered with papier mâché.

It has been so long since I blogged about the doll that I can hardly remember the last post.  Life has been very busy for me lately.  Despite a lack of time, I have made progress on the doll.  Believe it or not she is almost finished.  Since it has been a while, I will recap the process for newer readers. 

This is my first attempt at a life size doll.  I wanted to do an experimental doll before attempting make a life size Santa or Father Christmas figure.  I thought that I would learn some lessons along the way before I started in on a doll using the additional materials and really expensive fabrics needed to make a high end Christmas figure.  I have learned some valuable lessons that I hope will help other readers that might want to attempt a large doll.

I began by making the doll head.  I used a foam head as a base.  I put plastic over the mold and then covered the head with  papier mâché using the strip method.   Once the layers were dry, I removed the head from the mold.  I had to cut it apart to get it out and then use more strip layers to put the head back together.

I began the doll by making an armature out of PVC pipe.  Because we had some scrap 1/2 inch diameter PVC pipe lying around, I used that rather than purchase a larger diameter pipe.  I would say that was mistake number one.   The doll tends to sway and some of the pipes started to bow under the weight of padding used to fill out the figure.  Also, one of the shoulder joints kept coming off.  I think that the weight of the padding was too much for it.  I re-glued it three times.  I finally had to brace the shoulder with bits of dowel and duct tape to keep it intact.  I think the larger gluing area of a bigger pipe might have been helpful there.

I used a piece of 12 inch by 24 inch board as a base.  The legs of the figure were placed into a rectangular frame.  The frame was attached to the base using clamps that screwed into the base.  The base needed to be larger.  The height of the figure (which somehow managed to keep getting taller) was top heavy for this base.  It is somewhat unstable.  It stands up, but it is unbalanced and easy to knock over.

Creating the shape.

To fill out the figure I used aluminum foil, cardboard and bubble wrap.  The bubble wrap is relatively light weight and waterproof.  I had no idea how much bubble wrap it would take, so I was buying the smaller size rolls.  As it turns out, the larger 300 foot roll might have been the way to go.  I used just slightly over 300 feet of bubble wrap.  I wrapped sheets and taped them on with masking tape.  After the figure was padded to my satisfaction, I covered the entire body with a layer of masking tape.  I was uncertain how the papier mâché would stick to the bubble wrap, and I wanted to make sure that the weight of the papier mâché did not cause the bubble wrap to shift.

Since the figure was now just slightly taller than I am, I was able to use my hands as models for the hands of the figure.  Since what I had at the house were vinyl gloves, I used those.  I put on a glove and then covered the glove with bits of masking tape.  I thought that I would have more flexibility if I used small bits of tape rather than wrapping the tape around and around.  Since I did not try the other method, I cannot say if it was better or not.  If I were to make the hands over again I would use nitrile gloves .  They tend to fit more tightly to the skin.  I think it would have made the hands look a little neater.

Padding the figure.

I added the head to the body.  That was a near disaster at one point.  I had to place a PVC pipe in the head so it could be attached to the shoulders.  The rounded head did not lend itself to having a piece of pipe glued to it.  Since the glue was not working, I braced the pipe in place and sprayed in some expanding spray foam.  It seemed to set up and I walked away from the piece.  When I came back later, the spray foam had expanded beyond the head and dripped down on the head in a few places.  It was a mess.  Fortunately the foam peeled off the painted head easily.  If I do another doll like this, I will not use as much foam.  Filling it half way up was too much.  However, the pipe is firmly embedded in the head.

The head was attached to the body by adding dowels to a joint in the shoulder assembly up through the pipe in the head.  Then it was glued and taped into place.  The attachment will be reinforced by layers of papier mâché.  The head looks a little small now.  The shoulders grew wider when I had to brace the shoulder.  It may look more normal once the hair is added.  If necessary I will tease up the hair to give it more volume.  Or perhaps add accessories to fill in the area.

The near disaster with the head.

I have two layers of papier mâché on at this point and would like to add another before I begin painting and sealing the figure.  It should probably have a total of six layers, but I won't have time to add that many before Halloween.  This project is not going to be hanging around after that.  It just takes up too much room.  Perhaps I will be able to find it a good home.  Having a life size doll around is not that much fun.  Sometimes I will walk into the room or catch the figure out of the corner of my eye and for a second will think that someone is in there.  It is kind of creepy.

 Anyway, that is the state of the project at this point.  I hope to have the doll in some shape to go outside on Halloween night.  I should have some pictures for next Sunday's blog.