Little Wooden Mannequins

Come have a look at the wide selection of vintage wooden mannequins currently at Strand Trading Post.

On the artist's desk he sits in silence

Faceless, he's waiting as he does each day.

Wooden limbs in a pose of defiance

But only because she posed him that way.

His fingerless hands in a fist raised high

Indecipherable in its meaning;

He has no emotion, isn't alive -

Without these his motions are unfeeling.

The artist brings life to his lifelessness,

Expression to his every lack of one.

His role is to be a framework for this,

The painting he is a central part of.

Under-appreciated though he's been,

He is the artist's wooden mannequin.

The above poem from Teen Ink perfectly describes the wooden mannequins that have found a new temporary home at Strand Trading Post. Vintage wooden mannequins, traditionally used by artists when they are unable to secure a live model, are enjoying a moment of pop cultural stardom after being featured in countless stop motion YouTube videos. The mannequins are used as a reference for proportion when drawing a human figure. Their adjustability allows them to be posed in either still or action positions which allow artists to focus on the ration of one part to another. 

Wooden mannequins can be found in many different forms and sizes. Seeing as they are fully jointed, they have to be handled with care. They are susceptible to damage with the careless jolt of an arm or a leg.

Mannequins, especially vintage ones like those at Strand with added character, are great home decor accessories. It’s an affordable and quirky of bringing an element of art into any living space.

 Also have a look at this charming video to see where the trend started.