Doll Armatures

When designing and creating an art doll or a cloth doll that needs to have shaping, an armature is used. Usually, it is made from the appropriate gage wire for the particular doll. This could be as small and bendable as chenille stems or as stiff as 12-14-16 gauge wire. The smaller the gauge number, the thicker the wire. For dolls that are in the 10" to 24" range 16 gauge wire is strong enough. The wire should be aluminum, bronze coated, or other non-rusting (galvanized). Wire of all sorts can be found in hardware and craft/jewelry stores and having several kinds available is useful for a variety of armature purposes.
Aluminum sculpture wire is strong, flexible and often comes in widths up to 1/4 inch. Interior wall type electrical cable and ordinary coat hangers both can be used in dollmaking. Copper wire while being quite flexible often is too soft to hold a shape.

In most cases the wire armature is created completely outside of the body and inserted into the skin fabric after it is sewn into the body shape. Often the entire body and all limbs will have the armature, however it might be only in the arms or legs to help the doll stand up or pose.
To create a full body armature you will need to calculate the amount of wire needed for head, torso, arms and legs. Sometimes the wire is doubled in places. Unless the head will not contain the armature, it is best to start at the top and work down.
Measure the doll completely from top of head to toes. Body proportions usually follow the formula of approximately 7 1/2-8 head lengths for the entire body. If the head measures 3 inches, the entire body will be 22-24 inches tall. The position that the finished doll will take also is considered now. If your doll is to be sitting or standing in an usual way the armature will need to be adjusted to balance correctly. It is always good to start with a sketch or drawing of the shape the doll will take.
Pull the wire from the spool and form it into a large "W" shape. You will need the length of the doll times 4. Create a loop at the center top for the doll's head. Twist the outer legs of the "W" shape together around the neck. Next, tape around all the wires at the neck and hips. This long double wire then becomes the legs. Bend the legs outward just below to form the hips and bend the ends up to form the feet.
Cut another piece of wire twice the length of both arms and the shoulders. Fold it in half and tape just below the neck. The arms should hang just below the hips.
Next wrap the entire armature with tape. Adhesive tape or floral tape makes the armature smoother and more durable. Masking tape or other paper or plastic tapes tend to become brittle and dry out in time. Once the tape is all in place, cover entire body with batting cut into narrow strips and wrapped similar to the tape. Body shaping can be added at this point by wrapping additional batting in significant places such as the upper arms, thighs, and torso to create a particular "look". This shaping can also be accomplished by using yarn, string or fabric strips to build up the body shapes before it is inserted into the fabric body form.

Cloth doll artist Lisa Lichtenfels creates the exact muscle groups that correspond with actual human body forms and the finished doll is very realistic.
Insert the armature into the sewn body, and stuff additional polyfoam or other stuffing around it to create the desired body shaping. It is easier to insert the armature standing and reposition it to the desired location after all the stuffing is in place. Ladder stitch the opening closed when all stuffing and posing is completed.

The armature or an additional length of wire may be extended out through one or both feet to be inserted into a piece of wood or other object to form the doll stand. Many doll makers include the stand or base for the doll as part of the design and permanently secured to the bottom of the doll. This allows for more intricate and elaborate posing. This type of extended armature can even be incorporated into an upside down or reclining doll.
Some think commercial doll stands detract from the overall look of the doll and especially if it is to be shipped for a challenge, swap or display a stand that will not become lost or detached is much more desirable to portray the designers intent. If the base is wood or hard plastic it will be necessary to drill a small hole to insert the wire extension.

Resources for this article include: Books:
The Complete Book of Doll Making and Collecting, by Catherine Christopher;
The Complete Dollmaker, by Alice D. Weiner;
How to Make Perfect Dollhouse Figures, by Kitty Mackey;
Anatomy of a Doll, by Susanna Oroyan.
Website:
How to Make an Armature for Your Cloth Doll, by Barbara Seymour. The next article will be on designing and making the face.