Legs armature - Part 1

After looking back on what has been done last week, there's not so much new stuff to show you except four new legs on my puppet's armature.  But if remember how this week started, i hadn't any clue at that moment on the way i was going to build them.  In fact, i was confident that twisted wires legs would do the job, but when i tried that, i figured out very fast that the weight of the legs will be an issue.  So, the first half of the week was spent thinking about a new way to build them.  

 

 

Even if the twisted wires would have worked, i was worried that the legs movements would be a little too jerky.  When i'm in a position to find a way to have more control in my puppet's movements, i always jump on it.  In the sequences this puppet will be shown, the legs are always moving back and forth and they rotate a little on there axis.  So, inspired by the balls and sockets building technique, i did the legs with wooden paint stirrers.  Each joints are fasten with a bolt and a nut.  This way, the legs will only move in the same arc while animating them.  

The legs are sticked to a broom stick piece that stays in place in a hole done in the puppet's torso.  In this position, i can rotate them when needed.        

 

I need to harden the legs a little to be sure they won't twist or break.  The four others legs are not supposed to be really moving so i'll build them with twisted wires.  The armature should be finished by the end of next week and i hope the begin the padding very soon.  My latex jar can't wait to be opened !