Props! Strike a pose, but do it with a stick.
Sticks & stones may…make me a caveman.
Without a club and a loincloth made from leopard skins, a naked human is just a moderately hairy ape. They say clothes make the man. Too, the gizmo makes the character, the gadget makes a gesture possible. Artipose is currently creating a library of props scaled appropriately for a 1/3 scale mannequin or BJD.
It’s in the genes. Or jeans, as the case may be.
Characters in all platforms and media are known to use props. Of course. Some are iconic, like a Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber. Others –skis, poles and goggles– are mundane but are critical to convey “ski instructor.” The objects we use as proxy become part of our identity. A man standing in the street wearing nothing but a smile is, well, naked. But put an Olympic torch in his hand and some running shorts on his body, for crying out loud, and we’ve just about got a sports celebrity.
My wife and I were determined to raise our children without the presence of weapons in our home, even if they were made of plastic. We didn’t want our little angels sullied by the influence of toys that promoted violence. And, for about 14 seconds, our efforts were rewarded. Then our first son (then 9 years old) found a stick. Our second son (then 7 years old) found another stick. Then they chased each other around the yard for three hours yelling at the top of their lungs.
“Piew piew piew!”
“Missed me!”
“Did not!”
So we took their sticks away. “Now boys, let’s not pretend to do harm, shall we?” They nodded. Yes. Of course, harm hurts. Peace once again prevailed for another 14 seconds. Then they discovered that, with proper concentration, their hands could be contorted to resemble pistols. While I couldn’t tell if they were meant to be Colt revolvers or Glock 19s, I know just enough about small arms to know that small hands coerced into the shape of guns (sometimes called handguns, but for different reasons) have an infinite ammunition capacity.
My point is this: using props to figure out a gesture, to flesh out a pose, to get the narrative right seems the most effective way to win the day. And, it turns out, that the use of props to create an identity goes way, way back. Let’s just go back to what is now Belgium and the Netherlands during the Middle Ages, where the word for a fashion display dummy made of reeds was called a manneken, meaning “little man” in Old Dutch. These figurines started life as a cluster of plants along a canal but became, with enough love, drapery and craftsmanship, a courtier, a gentleman, a merchant, or –if you knew where to look– maybe even a caveman.

Two-Handed Fantasy Sword
One may need to slay an orc, or protect a village from marauders. In real life, these blades would be between 4-6 feet (~120-180 cm) long. This Artipose 1/3 scale accessory is approximately 20 inches (~48cm) from point to pommel.
Coming soon!

Acoustic Guitar: Gibson J-160E (Beatles)
The legendary Gibson guitar will be available here to collectors of miniature replicas! It carries an extraordinary history, and was once wielded by Lennon and McCartney of the Beatles. Now, it serves you as an artistic prop, allowing your 1/3 scale figurine to embody the spirit of these iconic musicians.
Coming soon!
What props and accessories would you like to see in the Artipose catalog?
We’re eager to hear your suggestions and to learn what the masses are clamoring for.