3D MOON & STARS MOBILE PART 4 ADDING THE ARMS & HANDS

Now it's time to create & then add the arms from which i will be hanging the stars.

Using 2 thin cardboard stock tubes (from inside boxes of insence sticks) i measured them to the right lengths then hot glued the ends together at the angle i wanted the arms to be at.

I then 'bulked' these out with foil to give me the fuller arm shape. I then paper stripped over both arms. When doing this remember to leave both the ends on both arms 'open' i will explain why in a moment.

Now it's time to make the hands. Nice big outsized cartoon hands for my moon i think. I cut 2 hand shapes from pizza card stock. Like the tubed arms i bulked these out with foil too.

Before you add the paper strips 'after' you add the foil this is the time to shape the fingers into a much better position if you like. Even on thin fingers the foil will hold the new shape you force them into. The paper strips will then lock that position & give the strength to the whole hand. Up to 6 layers is more than enough for the method i intend to finish the whole project with.

Remember to leave a small strip of card sticking out. Here i was forced to making it too small as my card stock was limited at this time. Try to make it a few inches long. Foil & paper strip over it just like the rest of the hand too. This is to be your wrist connection  & support later.

Fix the hand to the arm with hot glue (or anything you would normally use) then tape & paper strip it into final shape & position. Leave until FULLY dry before moving on.

The finger nails are just U shaped pieces of card stock around one side i added a small length of rolled foil to form the cuticle's. The knuckles again are just small lengths of rolled foil slightly bent & fixed in place. Remember only 2 sets of knuckles for the thumbs, but 3 sets for the fingers. Real or cartoon hands follow the SAME rules in this respect.

Now prepare the moon to take the arms by cutting 2 small holes in each side of the moon. Any position you like is fine just make SURE to line up the holes on BOTH sides to keep the arms level when fixed in place. If anything make these holes a little smaller than required if you can. You CAN always remove more if required. Adding 'padding' back later will make this point weak. Try to avoid that if you can.

NOW to one of the arms add a thinner tube that fits 'inside' BOTH the arms. It makes NO difference which arm you add it too, just make sure you add it to the 'shoulder' section NOT the wrist section. It MUST be inserted at LEAST 2 inches (4 cm) into each arm for a respectable fit & support later. Here i simply cut one of the 'same' tubes i used to form the arms. I cut it end to end then rolled it tighter then glued it into the new width with hot glue for speed.

NOW to do the unthinkable: Cut open an access port in the back of the moon. LEAVE at least 1 side still fixed to the project to assist in re-fitting the port correctly & easier later after you add the arms.

I chose to remove the 2 supporting tubes from the moons earlier creation. You need not do this if you do not wish to. I just like my work to be as hollow & as light as possible. In truth these ARE no longer required. The moon became self supporting the minuite the back was fixed in place anyway.

NOW slot in BOTH arms, but remember the NEWLY inserted tube. Make SURE this fits snuggly into the opposite arm. Add some glue to the other end just before you push the arms fully into place.

NOW is the best time to 'fix' the arms in their final position too. You can lock the position by glueing inside the body hidding the messy glue etc.

A quick hot glue around the port edges to fix this back in place & the arm fitting is finished.

Thats the arms fitted. Only 2 stages to go now. Adding texcture to the moon & the stars then painting them. In the next stage i will be adding the texture to the moon first then painting it.