• Wire Armature ArtWireman. Clipping path included for easy isolation. image by Undy from Fotolia.com
  
  Armatures are skeletal structures inside crafts made with clay, concrete, plaster or paper that give the project its strength and shape. Armatures are often made with wire, but wood, straw, rebar and other materials can also help a sculpture hold its shape. Easy armature crafts may be made with pipe cleaners or wire that cuts and bends easily by hand.
  
  

Easy Paper Mache Armature Crafts

• Paper mache is such a light weight crafting material that you can use pipe cleaners to make the armatures for small paper mache projects. Make pipe cleaner armatures is a good introduction for children into the world of sculpture art. Begin by shaping the pipe cleaners into the desired shape of the object you are creating. It helps to follow an outline on paper. Keep in mind that the armature should be smaller than the completed sculpture, as it fits inside the piece. For example, to make a paper mache cat, begin with an outline of the cat in the desired position. Trace the outline of the cat with pipe cleaners. Make sure that the pipe cleaners have strong connections at the joints, with no loose ends. The armature gives support to the final project, so shape the cat in 3D. Once the outline is complete, add pipe cleaners across the body and the head, shaping them to create a rounded skeleton. This will give the paper something to cling to as you build. When the pipe cleaner armature is complete, begin building the sculpture with a layer of paper mache. Add as many layers as necessary to make the object come to life.
  
  

Easy Plaster of Paris Armature Crafts

• Plaster of Paris armatures are best made with wire that's at least 22-gauge thick. It's easy to bend 22- to 18-gauge wire by hand. One easy armature to make for a plaster of Paris sculpture is a person. Begin by crafting a stick figure with wire, making sure that there are no loose ends protruding anywhere from the piece. Make the head round by shaping the wires in 3D. Common objects such as square metal nuts attached to the wire feet will help the sculpture stand. Glue the nuts to the wire with strong craft glue; allow the glue to dry before covering the armature with the plaster. After mixing the plaster, coat strips of cloth in the plaster and wrap them around the wire sculpture. The plaster cloth will help build the shape of the faster and will add to the strength of the armature. Allow the cloth layer to dry for about an hour. Add the plaster to the shape to build it to the desired dimensions. Plaster adheres to itself best if the bottom layer is wet. Wood tools work well to carve details in the plaster.
  
  

Easy Polymer Clay Armature Crafts

• Make polymer clay armatures the same way as you make plaster of Paris armatures. Thinner gauge wires are easy to bend into shapes that you can build up with clay. For example, to make a clay tree, first shape the wire for the tree trunk in 3D. Twist the wire together to make branches that extend as you wish. Cover the wire armature with polymer clay. Bake the clay according to the package directions or place it in the sun to dry. When the clay tree is dry, paint it with acrylics.