How to Make Mannequins

How to Make MannequinsMannequins are helpful tools for clothing design. Instead of taking body measurements, cloth can be draped over the mannequin to design clothing. Using a custom-made mannequin reduces time later spent on alterations. As a garment is created it can be put on the mannequin to ensure a proper fit. A custom mannequin is quick and easy to make with tape, but the person a mannequin is being made for needs to stand still for a long period of time.

Step 1

Wrap clear packing tape sticky side out around a person. Start at the bottom of the hips and wrap up to the armpits. Each band of tape should overlap the other.

Step 2

Wrap the tape back down the body with sticky side in. Repeat wrapping up and down the body three more times.

Step 3

Place the arms of the model down. Wrap the tape sticky side out around the chest and arms where the previous tape stopped wrapping. Wrap up to the neck.

Step 4

Wrap the area that was just wrapped with tape sticky side in. Make sure to connect the first area that was wrapped. Repeat wrapping up and down three times.

Step 5

Wrap the whole body with tape sticky side in three more times or until the tape becomes very firm.

Step 6

Draw three circles down the center back of the body. Cut the tape through the circles from the bottom of the tape wrapping to the top.

Step 7

Take the tape form off the body.

Step 8

Tape the mannequin back together by matching the circle halves together.

Tips & Warnings

• If the tape form won't come off the body, draw circles on a different area and make another cut. Make sure the tape is wrapped enough times to make the mannequin strong enough to stand alone. If the bottom of the mannequin is not even, cut a straight line along the bottom. The person being wrapped should stand as still as possible. Do not wrap the tape too tight or the mannequin size will be altered.
• Make sure the person being wrapped can breathe while being wrapped. Be careful not to cut the model or the model's clothes when cutting the form off the body.