The body is made up of two parts, the breast and the back, which are then joined together.
Starting with the breast.
Picture 1 – The part cut out.
The method of assembly is straight forward. Start on the sides and glue the tabs one by one, leaving each tab to dry in between. Work on each side alternately.
Leave the triangular centre section tab until last, until after the two halves have been joined together.
- Remember to dry fit each tab to see how it goes, and how the body bends and reacts when the tab is in place.
- Shape the body as you go along.
- To seat the tab properly, and get the shape of the body right, place the next tab ON TOP of the part. This ensures the first tab is “seated” accurately. After the first tab has dried, the next tab is flipped back down, and the following one up etc. This helps to get the seams spot on and tight.
- Exposed edges where the body is dark should be coloured with a pencil. Where the body is pale the edges do not need colouring.
Pictures 2 to 5 – The breast after the tabs on both sides have been joined.
Next, the two halves are glued together.
I started joining the part from the centre, but leaving the triangular tab still UNGLUED, and allowing each tab to dry before glueing the next.
When joined, I then gently shaped the body with my fingers and also burnished it from the inside with a burnishing tool, so it was nicely rounded out.
I then stuck the final triangular centre tab down.
Picture 6 – Typical burnishing tools. But you can use a loose ball bearing, small spoons etc.
Pictures 7 to 9 – The finished result.
Next will be the back of the body.