Jock's Armature 1

The key character in the poem is Jock McFee. In this film he will be 250cm tall and made largely of plasticine (the Wallace and Gromit influence). This puppet requires a moving 'skeleton' or 'armature' to make him movable but able to stay in whatever pose he's put into.

The core of the armature is a frame made of twisted aluminium wire with epoxy putty used as 'bones' between the bendy wire joints.
His chest is made from balsa wood which supports square tubes into which the arms and head will fit.
I've deliberately used this sectioned construction as it allows me to change or remake the arms and head easily.

Here you can see the square tubes for the arms and neck. Smaller tubes are a close fit into these. Square tubes are used instead of round to make sure the parts can be put back in exactly the same place if repairs are needed during the animation.