Sunday, August 2, 2009

Q&A: Figuring Dimensions


Questions regarding my projects and papier mache regularly fill my mailbox. In an effort to answer these questions and share information some of these questions will be regularly featured on this blog.

Missy wrote:

“I am building the sentinel props for Halloween. This is my first time making a prop and also using paper mache. In reference to the measurements for the skeletal structure, I cant seem to find a picture of a skeleton to get the right measurements. My sentinels head measures 9" from top of the head to the bottom of the jaw. I can’t figure out how to measure the rest of the bones for the rest of the body. Can you give me some information on how to find the right measurements on a website or something? “

Whenever I build the body for one of my papier mache heads or skulls I use a print out of a skeleton diagram where the length of the skull equals one inch. Click on the above photograph and print the diagram (you may have to save it to your computer first), then measure the skull, the length should be about one inch.

The one inch ratio is very easy to work with , I used Photoshop to resize a graphic that I found online.

If your skull is 9 inches from the top of the head to the bottom of the jaw then when using the diagram the ratio will be one inch = nine inches. If you want to know the dimensions for the upper arm or Humerus then measure the diagram.

The Humerus on the diagram is 1.5 inches. If one inch on the diagram equals nine inches for your prop you would need to make your upper arm bone about 13.5 inches long, or 9 x 1.5.

If your skull measured 21 inches long then it would be 21 x 1.5 equaling 31.5 inches and so on.

The measurements aren’t exact but are close enough to create a convincing prop. Good Luck!

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