Jon Armstrong has an interview up with David Anthony Durham ((both gentlemen are finalists for this year’s Campbell for Best New Writer)) at his podcast, If You’re Just Joining Us. It’s really wonderful. David talks about his journey to being a writer, being naked in the desert, and fiction.
I’m reading his book, Acacia, right now. Listen to him and then check out his books.
Apropos of completely nothing, I have an issue that I think your expertise might be able to help me with. One of my dolls got a new head recently. The old head was polymer clay, and the new one is solid polyurethane resin. We did a recast of the old head (before it fell apart for the last time). Unfortunately, the doll’s head is too heavy for the resin body now. He will bend either forward or backward at the waist “joint” (where the two parts of the torso meet). I’m figuring that I need to stabilize the torso somehow, and I need to do it on a rather small scale (the doll is about 46cm or so tall). The head can’t be altered in any way, either.
Thoughts? I figured a professional puppeteer might have encountered this or something similar at least once in her career.
Unfortunately, my thoughts are all, “lighten the head.” Sorry. I’d drill holes in it, up from the neck, through the nostrils, the ears, under the scalp if there’s hair.
Failing that, I’d add weight to body, if it’s hollow. Otherwise, you’re looking at some sort of wire armature to hold the body in place.
Unfortunately, the head is feline, lol. No hair, no nostrils, just a nose, etc. Yes, the body is hollow to allow for the elastic stringing.
I too was thinking armature of a sort, but I’ve never dealt with it and have no frame of reference. I’ve “wired” dolls before, but that’s merely poking stiffish wire through the elastic channels in the limbs to aid posing.
I can get some pics if that would help…?
I’m afraid I won’t be able to help, really. Everything I deal with is how to make things move.
Ah well, I’m sure I can muddle through it and find something that will work. Good to know that we both did think armature…I’ve just got to research how other people have put it in their dolls. 🙂